Peak Performance ( episode ) With the Borg threat in mind , Starfleet stages a war - game simulation pitting Captain Picard and the " Enterprise " against Commander Riker and the eighty - year - old starship " Hathaway . " However , when the Ferengi suddenly attack , the " Enterprise " is crippled , forcing Picard into a seemingly no - win situation . Summary . Teaser . The has a rendezvous with a shuttlecraft carrying the famed strategist Sirna Kolrami en route to a battle simulation in the Braslota system in which Commander Riker will command an inferior ship , the eighty - year - old . Kolrami is a Zakdorn , a race which has been feared for nine millennia as having the most innately strategic minds in the known galaxy . Captain Picard and Riker are at first reluctant to take part in this simulation as they believe diplomacy and exploration are the more important mandates of Starfleet , and that Starfleet itself is not a military organization . However , because of the newly - discovered Borg threat , they decide it is a good idea to hone their tactical skills so as to have as many options as possible in crisis situations . Act One . Picard gives Riker his choice of officers ( save Data , who will be his first officer while Riker is absent ) . Riker goes down to engineering to ask Geordi La Forge to join him . La Forge has already prepared the necessary engineering tools to join Riker on the " Hathaway " . Next , he goes to Worf ' s quarters , where Worf is attempting to build a wooden ship . Worf thinks the exercise is a waste of time , but Riker convinces him to join the team after remarking that he has a hopeless chance of winning , which piques Worf ' s interest . Finally , Riker asks Wesley Crusher to come along as an observer . Before starting the simulation , Riker challenges Kolrami to a game of Strategema , of which Kolrami is a third level grandmaster . The challenge takes place in Ten Forward , with a large audience . Worf informs Riker that he has wagered heavily that Riker will take Kolrami past the sixth plateau . If he does not , Worf tells him he will be irritated . Data is intrigued by the Human urge to compete . Dr . Pulaski and La Forge suggest that Data challenge Kolrami to a game of Strategema . Both of them would like to see Kolrami ' s smugness taken down a notch . Riker assumes his seat opposite Kolrami and the game begins . However , it is over almost as soon as it begins , Kolrami winning by a large margin ( 100 - 23 ) . Act Two . Riker and his team beam over to the " Hathaway " , and are given only forty - eight hours to get the ship into working order . On seeing the condition of the " Hathaway " , Worf is not enthusiastic , but Riker is . Crusher and La Forge are in engineering . La Forge doesn ' t think they can attain warp speed as there are not very many dilithium crystals and no antimatter to power the warp drive . Back on the " Enterprise " , Kolrami challenges Data to a game of Strategema ( after Dr . Pulaski goads him into it ) . He has nothing to gain by beating a computer , but everything to lose if Data wins . Worf suggests using the " Enterprise " s sensor s against it to create a false image of another hostile ship . Crusher wants to beam back to the " Enterprise " , under the guise of shutting down a science experiment for his plasma physics class . Picard and Kolrami allow it as long as he has no other contact . Crusher tells his escort that his antimatter experiment is ruined and that he will have to dispose of it by beaming it into space . However , he instead beams the experiment onto the " Hathaway " s engine room , surprising La Forge . Act Three . Data and Kolrami prepare to play Strategema . The game is more evenly matched , but Kolrami again wins ( 100 - 81 ) . He offers Data a rematch . Deanna Troi consoles Data as Pulaski is amazed as Data is supposed to be infallible . Back on the bridge , Kolrami continues to display a lack of confidence in Riker . Picard takes him aside in his ready room for an explanation and Kolrami says that he has found Riker " wanting " . He does not think that Riker will make a good captain because he makes light of serious situations . Picard sticks up for him , saying that his joviality is his leadership style . Data has removed himself from bridge duty because of his loss to Kolrami . Troi tries to counsel him in his quarters to learn from his mistakes . But Data has performed a diagnostic of his systems , and found that he has made no mistakes , and therefore his deductive capabilities should be questioned . Pulaski later tells Data that he should rebound from his loss rather than sulking and licking his wounds . But Data is still concerned about giving unsound advice . Meanwhile , on the " Hathaway " , Wesley and La Forge are hooking up Crusher ' s experiment , which can be used to fuel their warp engines because it contains antimatter . Riker walks in and accuses him of cheating , to which Wesley says he was told to improvise . La Forge thinks that they can use the rig to achieve warp 1 for less than two seconds , but there is a chance that they could stall the " Hathaway " . Act Four . An hour before the battle , Troi and Pulaski approach Picard about Data ' s condition . He is not pleased , but goes to see Data anyway in his quarters . Picard tells him that he might make a mistake , but that does not alter his duty and that it is possible to lose without making mistakes . He tells Data that that is simply a part of life and leaves . Data goes to the observation lounge to brief Troi on Riker ' s past use of tactics . This dissolves into a circular debate over whether Riker will play into their knowledge of his tactics , or their knowledge that he knows they know . Troi interrupts with some practical advice concerning Riker ' s temperament , and suggests that he will fight to the bitter end , and that the more desperate his situation , the harder he will fight . The battle commences . Picard initiates the Kumeh Maneuver to get Riker to tip his hand . At Worf ' s suggestion , Riker counters with the Talupian maneuver and readies one of their tricks . Suddenly , a Romulan warship appears , and the " Enterprise " attacks it , but it is only a hologram . The " Hathaway " scores several hits as the " Enterprise " is otherwise engaged . Picard changes the access codes on the " Enterprise " , and prepares to fire . The " Hathaway " prepares the warp jump . A Ferengi warship appears , and the " Enterprise " ignores it . But this time it is real , and scores several real hits on the " Enterprise " , weakening its shields and disabling the transporter s . Neither ship can attack the Ferengi , as neither has any real weapon s that are operable . Picard refuses to abandon the crew on the " Hathaway " and retreat ( as Kolrami orders ) . The Ferengi are confused why the " Enterprise " was attacking ( and now defending ) the " Hathaway " . They believe they have the upper hand , as both ships are unarmed , and that the " Hathaway " has some secret value . The " Kreechta " s commander , DaiMon Bractor , gives the " Enterprise " ten minutes to surrender the " Hathaway " and leave in peace . Act Five . Picard confers with Riker who informs him about the warp capability of the " Hathaway " . Data formulates a plan to fire photon torpedo es at the " Hathaway " , which will jump to warp only one millisecond before the torpedoes detonate , thus making the Ferengi momentarily think that the " Hathaway " has been destroyed . Riker agrees to the plan despite the possibility that they will be destroyed if their warp drive doesn ' t function . The plan works . As Picard negotiates with the Ferengi , the " Hathaway " projects a false Federation starship image on the Ferengi warship ' s sensors , making the Ferengi think they have been outmaneuvered . They retreat , and Kolrami admits to greatly underestimating Riker . As the " Enterprise " tows the " Hathaway " to the nearest starbase , Data and Kolrami engage in a rematch of Strategema . Kolrami is intent on the game , but Data is calm . Both players have made over thirty thousand moves over the course of the record - setting game , and the numbers are still climbing rapidly . Finally , Kolrami throws down his controls in disgust . He accuses Data of making a mockery of him , and storms off . Data explains that instead of playing to win the game , he played for a stalemate , passing up obvious avenues of advancement and simply countering Kolrami ' s own advances again and again until Kolrami finally ran out of patience . Thus , Data declared that though he had not strictly defeated Kolrami , he " had " " busted him up " . Memorable quotes . " " Bye - bye Hathaway ! " " " " It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose . That is not a weakness , that is life . " " " " Starfleet is not a military organization . Its purpose is exploration . " " " " Less than one hour away from a battle simulation and I have to go hand - hold an android . " " " " The burdens of command . " " " " I enjoy a challenge . " " " " Very well . An opponent of " limited " dimensions can often be quite diverting . " " " " So you ' re gonna beat him , huh ? " " " " No . " " " " Well , then it ' s gonna be a close one ? " " " " No . " " " " But . . . you have got a chance ? " " " " Nah . " " " " Use their moment of indecision to escape . " " " " I have forty crew members aboard the " Hathaway " . . . " " " " Who should be sacrificed to save a thousand ; acceptable tactical losses , considering the circumstances . " " " " Not to me . " " " " My , what a charmer . " " " " Thoroughly enjoyable , Mr . Data . I ' m at your disposal for a rematch . " " " " Our shields will not withstand another assault , sir . " " " " Then , there are no options . Retreat . . . or die . " " " " As the Starfleet observer I am ORDERING you to withdraw ! " " " " I am the Captain of this vessel ! Your order is nullified ! " " " " " Present context , what did she mean by ' bust him up ' ? " " " " In her own way , Dr . Pulaski was instructing you to take the shortest route to victory . " " " " As opposed to what ? " " " " On the captain ' s command , we will fire four photon torpedoes directly at the " Hathaway " . One millisecond after its detonation , the computer will trigger your warp jump . " " " " Wait a minute , I think I hate this plan . Data , we are not even sure our warp jump will work . " " " " If the warp engines fail to function , the result could be . . . unfortunate . " " " " Very unfortunate . We will be dead . " " " " I have wagered heavily in the ship ' s pool that you will get past the sixth plateau . " " " " And if I don ' t ? " " " " I will be . . . irritated . " " " " Where am I going to get the opti - cable ? " " " ( Worf grabs a fistful of cable from the ceiling of the " Hathaway " ) " " " Anywhere . " " " " In the strictest sense , I did not win . " " " ( disappointed groans ) " " " I busted him up . " " " ( Cheering ) " Links and references . References . 9 , 000 years ago ; 2285 ; ; antimatter ; Avidyne engine s ; away team ; betting pool ; blind spot ; Borg ; Braslota system ; clutch ; ; Copernicus Ship Yards ; dedication plaque ; ; ; Federation ; Ferengi ; Grenthemen water hopper ; ; " Hathaway " dedication plaque ; Kei ; " Kreechta " ; Kumeh maneuver ; laser pulse system ; Luna ; master strategist ; Milky Way Galaxy ; non - commissioned officer ; number one ; observer ; offensive systems ( aka offensive weapons ) ; Oneamisu sector ; Operation Lovely Angel ; opti - cable ; plasma physics ; ; prejudice ; rabbit ; " Sakharov " ; sensor s ; star cruiser ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet battle simulation ; statistics ; Strategema ; strategist ; tactician ; Talupian maneuver ; Tholian s ; Totoro ; warship ; Yoyodyne Division ; Yuri ; Zakdorn