Disaster ( episode ) A quantum filament disables the " Enterprise " , leaving Counselor Troi in command on the bridge , and various groups on different parts of the ship facing perils alone . Summary . Teaser . In Ten Forward , Riker , Worf , Data , Chief O ' Brien , and a very pregnant Keiko O ' Brien are discussing names for the O ' Brien ' s baby . Miles and Keiko are arguing good - naturedly , each believing the other had agreed to name it after their respective fathers ( Michael and Hiro ) , if it is a boy . Straight - faced , Riker advocates " William " as the perfect name . O ' Brien excuses himself , patting Keiko ' s belly and addressing it as " Michael " , telling them he ' s due on the bridge for a transporter simulation . In a cargo bay , Lieutenant Commander La Forge and Dr . Crusher are inventorying a collection of supply canister s . She is trying to convince him to audition for a part in her latest play , and he reluctantly sings a few lines of " I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major - General " from " The Pirates of Penzance " by Gilbert and Sullivan . He protests that he is too bashful to sing in front of other people , but Crusher insists that he is perfect , and puts his name down for the role . On the bridge , Counselor Troi introduces three children to Captain Picard as the winners of the school science fair , whose prize is a tour of the ship with the captain . Forcing down his usual awkwardness with children , Picard greets himself but refuses when asked by one of his charges if they can see the battle bridge or torpedo bay , instead offering to take them round less sensitive ( and less interesting sounding ) areas , such as hydroponics and astrophysics , forcing a smile onto his face as he conducts the children onto a turbolift to begin the tour , passing a newly - arrived O ' Brien . Aboard the lift , Picard tries to make conversation by asking each of the children about their respective projects . The third and oldest member of the group , Marissa Flores , is tongue - tied , and before conversation can go further , the ship is rocked by an impact , and the turbolift plummets , causing the children to scream in panic . The heavy quaking is felt throughout the ship , throwing people around and causing substantial damage before it passes . Aboard the bridge , the crew picks themselves up and O ' Brien reports an impact with a quantum filament , and warns that another one is headed for the ship . The conn officer , Lieutenant jg Monroe only has time to warn the ship to brace for another impact , before the ship rocks again and her helm console blows up in her face sending her to the ground . Act One . On the bridge , O ' Brien and Troi see that Lt . Monroe is dead and that most systems are down , including primary life support , communications , and the ship ' s computer . Ensign Mandel reports to O ' Brien that the turbolifts are inoperative – they are trapped on the bridge . In the turbolift , Picard is trapped with the three crying children . He cannot raise anyone on his combadge , and the children assume everyone else on the ship has been killed . When Jay Gordon Graas says they are going to die too , Picard angrily tells them all to calm down – which only makes them cry harder . On the bridge , O ' Brien reports that primary life support , main engines , and computer controls have all been disabled by the impact , and the turbolifts and communications have likewise been cut off , effectively sealing off the bridge from the rest of the ship . He also sends a distress call on automatic repeat , but doesn ' t know if it is transmitting . Ensign Ro squeezes through a turbolift door , having climbed up from her car which was close to the bridge when an emergency bulkhead closed just below it ; the bridge is now cut off from the rest of the ship . Ops officer Mandel says that he is registering sporadic life sign s throughout the rest of the ship , but cannot be sure they are real while the sensors are still malfunctioning . Troi is then surprised to be told by O ' Brien , with Lt . Monroe ' s death ; that she is now the commanding officer due to the fact that she , as a lieutenant commander , holds the highest rank of anyone present . Troi is bewildered , and doesn ' t have a clue what to do , having to be prompted by O ' Brien and Ro who suggest implementing standard emergency procedures . Ten Forward has been turned into a make - shift sickbay for the wounded . Data returns from a survey of the corridors and reports that heavy damage has blocked off access both to sickbay and engineering . Riker says that they have to assume no one has been left alive on the bridge , and he and Data attempt to reach engineering via a service crawl - way . Worf is left in charge of Ten Forward . In the cargo bay , La Forge and Crusher are trying , unsuccessfully to open the doors . When La Forge goes to a wall panel to remove a manual hand actuator , Crusher feels heat coming from the wall , and a panel explodes outwards , revealing a plasma fire in a damaged power conduit . Crusher warns that the fire is emitting intense radiation , which could have long - term effects if they don ' t put it out . La Forge says they have a more immediate problem : the cargo bay is filled with drums of quaratum , which becomes explosive when exposed to radiation . Act Two . In the turbolift , Picard has no success with the lift controls . His ankle was broken in the initial fall , so his mobility is limited . To help the children overcome their fear , and pitch in to help him , he gives each of them a rank in his makeshift " crew " , and pins one of his collar pips onto each of them accordingly : Marissa Flores , the eldest , is appointed first officer ( receiving two pips instead of one ) , and henceforth addressed as " Number One " ; Jay Gordon Graas , the second oldest , is appointed science officer ; and Paterson Supra , the youngest , is appointed " executive officer in charge of radishes , " in reference to his science fair project . While crawling to engineering , Data and Riker are menaced by a coolant leak , and are forced to speed - crawl down the tunnel and seal a bulkhead behind them . They now have no choice but to go forward , but the way ahead is intimidating in itself , with electric arcs visible in the distance . In the cargo bay , Crusher notices that the radiation levels in the quaratum containers further away from the plasma fire are lower , so she and La Forge push the containers into a corner to buy themselves more time . On the bridge , Ro has managed to restore power to the engineering monitoring console by dumping raw power from the phaser array into it , over O ' Brien ' s protests . She reports , with alarm , that the antimatter containment field has been damaged by the impact with the filament , and is slowly failing ; when it does , the ship will explode from a warp core breach . Act Three . Riker and Data are halted in the crawlspace by a ½ million - amp arc of electricity in front of them . Data cannot shut off the current with the controls , and they cannot go back . Data has the idea of interrupting the flow of current with his own body to break the circuit . Alarmed , Riker says the current may destroy him ; humanitarian concerns aside , he also needs Data ' s help to operate the computers in engineering . Data volunteers that his positronic brain has extra shielding , and could withstand the current even if the rest of his body could not . He proposes that after the current is shut down , Riker detaches Data ' s head and carry it with him . Data steps into the current , and succeeds in interrupting it ( " " A remarkable experience " " ) . In the turbolift , Picard helps Jay remove the ceiling hatch and climb up . Based on Jay ' s description of what he sees , Picard understands that the safety clamps meant to anchor the lift in an emergency are sheared away , meaning the lift will eventually break away and fall . He tells Marissa to lead the crew through the hatch and escape the lift via the shaft ladder . Picard says that , with his broken ankle , he would only slow them down and orders all of them to leave him behind . Exchanging a look with her crewmates , Marissa declares that they will not . Sighing , Picard accuses them of mutiny , but agrees to try . On his instructions , Marissa removes a large bundle of optical cabling from the control panel to lash them all together . In the cargo bay , La Forge and Crusher finish moving the quaratum containers , but the radiation levels are still rising . Frustrated , La Forge says that the only way to put out the fire would be to deprive it of oxygen – and gets an idea . If they open the exterior cargo bay door , the escaping air will blow out the containers and deprive the plasma fire of oxygen ; if he and Crusher can hold on to something , they can reseal the door and reventilate the bay once the fire is out . In Ten Forward , Worf and Keiko are caring for the wounded , when Keiko goes into labor . Worf points out that it ' s not a good time , but Keiko insists that the baby is coming whether he likes it or not . Act Four . In a staff meeting in the observation lounge , Ro demands that they separate the saucer section from the rest of the ship . They cannot stop the antimatter containment field from degrading from the bridge , and it is better that they save those people in the saucer section than let the explosion claim the whole ship . O ' Brien objects that someone may still be alive in the stardrive section of the ship , but Ro says they can ' t know that for sure . Asserting her authority , Troi vetoes Ro ' s suggestion and instead tells O ' Brien to transfer power to the consoles in engineering , to highlight the problem in case someone in that section is watching . In the turbolift shaft , Picard and the crew are climbing the ladder , trying to find a door they can open manually . After another door fails to respond , Paterson begins to despair , but Marissa " orders " him to steady himself . Before they can start to ascend again , the lift ' s clamps give way and it plunges , causing the walls of the shaft to tremble . They all cling to the ladder , and hear the crash of the lift far below . Grateful to at least be out of the lift , the crew keeps climbing . Picard suggests that they sing a song to boost their spirits , and eventually hits on " Frère Jacques " as one they all know . In Ten Forward , Worf is assisting Keiko , with the help of his tricorder and an emergency birth procedure he remembers from his Academy training . He appears flustered when Keiko starts to " deviate " from the procedure , asking him to check whether or not the baby ' s head is facing down . In the cargo bay , Crusher describes the sensations and dangers involved with vacuum exposure and explains they ' ll have about 25 seconds to restore the atmosphere before they collapse . The exterior door is opened , leaving only a force field keeping the air in the cargo bay . La Forge and Crusher hold on to a ladder and hold their breaths while La Forge hits the button to disengage the force field . The evacuating air blows all of the volatile barrels out into space , and the plasma fire eventually extinguishes from lack of oxygen . La Forge restores the force field and shuts the bay door , and Dr . Crusher is able to crawl to another panel and hit it before she collapses from the effects of the vacuum . She and La Forge breathe heavily in relief as air is resupplied to the cargo bay . Act Five . On the bridge , Troi gives her final " no " to Ro ' s demand to separate the saucer section and tells them all to wait for a sign from engineering . In the stardrive section , Riker has rigged Data ' s head to the controls , allowing him to raise the bulkhead to engineering . Immediately noticing that the monitors have been powered up , despite the lack of power on the rest of the deck , he deduces that the bridge is trying to show them something . When he sees the containment field is failing , he has to quickly connect Data ' s head to a new link , enabling him to stabilize the field with only seconds to spare . Seeing the field return to normal from the bridge monitors , Ro and O ' Brien realize that someone is alive down there and disaster has been averted . Ro apologizes to Troi for her error , but Troi says she might well have been right . In a deserted corridor , a door finally opens , admitting Picard and his crew out of the turbolift shaft . Safe at last , Marissa hugs Picard gratefully , while he exchanges hearty handshakes with the two boys . In Ten Forward , with Worf ' s help , Keiko delivers her baby , which is a girl . Worf comments that she looks like Chief O ' Brien , much to Keiko ' s amusement . Troi conducts the three children to the bridge again . Riker jibes that she must be drawn to Picard ' s empty chair , while Troi admits that she isn ' t cut out to be a captain – " " first officer , maybe . I understand there aren ' t a lot of qualifications . " " When Picard emerges from his ready room , Marissa and the crew present him with a homemade plaque , thanking him for leading them out of the turbolift . Picard accepts it heartily , and says he will rendezvous with them later to lead them on their promised tour , starting with the battle bridge . Returning to his ready room , he says over his shoulder , " " you have the bridge , Number One " , " causing Marissa and Riker to chirp , " " aye , sir ! " " in unison . Marissa lets out an embarrassed laugh , but Riker smiles and Picard throws her a wink . Memorable quotes . " " What did you do for your science projects ? " " " " I planted radishes in this special dirt and they came up all weird ! " " " " I see . That ' s very . . . very commendable . " " " " I ' m not sure who I feel sorry for , the captain or the kids . " " " " Can I be an officer , too ? " " " " Well let me see , uh , your science project involved radishes , did it not ? " " " " Yes , sir . " " " " Then I shall appoint you my executive officer in charge of radishes . " " " " How did you do that ? " " " " I ' ve diverted power from the phaser array , and I dumped it into the engineering control system " " " " You what ? " " " " Engineering station ' s online counsellor . " " " " But that ' s a completely improper procedure ! You can ' t just dump that much raw energy into a bridge terminal without . . . " " " " We ' re not gonna get out of this by playing it safe ! " " " " If it falls to fifteen percent , the field will collapse and we ' ll have a containment breach . " " " " Which means ? " " " " Which means the ship will " explode " . " " " " The bridge will be sending a rescue party as soon as possible , so I want you all to stop crying ! " " " " Let me get this straight ; you want me to take off your head ? " " " " Yes , sir . " " " " We will separate the ship when I decide that it ' s time , and not before . Is that clear , ensign ? " " " " Yes . Perfectly . " " " " A remarkable experience , commander . " " " " Geordi . . . " " " " Yeah ? " " " " This wall is HOT ! " " " " No , I mean contractions . . . I ' m going into labor ! " " " " You cannot ! This is not a good time , Keiko ! " " " " By not separating the ship now , you could be responsible for all our deaths . " " " " Thank you , ensign . Proceed . " " " " Your contractions are now only thirty seconds apart . Dilation has increased to seven centimeters since the onset of labor . That did not take long . " " " " That ' s easy for " you " to say ! " " " " Congratulations , you are fully dilated to ten centimeters . You may now give birth . " " " " That ' s what I ' ve been " doing " ! " " " " The computer simulation was not like this . " That " delivery was very orderly . " " " " Well , I ' m " sorry " ! " " " " Push , Keiko . Push . Push ! Push ! " " " " I " am " pushing ! " " " " I will smack the child to induce breathing . " " " " You must hurry , commander . The containment field has dropped to sixteen percent . " " " " I ' m trying . You need a bigger head . " " " " Marissa , is there a song you sing at school ? " " " " Umm , " The Laughing Vulcan and His Dog ? " " " " " . . . I ' m afraid I don ' t know that one . " " " " You have the bridge , Number One . " " " ( in unison ) " Aye , sir . " " Links and references . References . amp ; antigrav ; antimatter containment ; astrophysics ; battle bridge ; bridge ; bulkhead ; Bussard unit ; capillary ; cargo bay ; cargo transporter ; childbirth ; commemorative plaque ; computer ; containment breach ; communications ; confinement mode ; cosmic string ; cranial unit ; counselor ; diagnostic ; deuterium tank ; dilithium chamber ; dirt ; distress call ; docking latch ; drive section ; duty officer ; electricity ; emergency bulkhead ; emergency hand actuator ; emergency procedure alpha two ; emergency thruster pack ; energy conduit ; engineering ; engineering station ; Federation ; flow current ; French language ; " Frère Jacques " ; Gilbert and Sullivan ; Gonal IV ; gymnastics ; Hiro ; hydroponics ; hyronalin ; " I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major - General " ; impulse drive ; internal power grid ; ; isolation protocol ; " " ; life sign s ; life support system ; manual override ; mass ; meter ; Michael ; millicochrane ; millisecond ; Mudor V ; mutiny ; neural net ; number one ; ; ODN conduit ; opti - cable ; oxygen ; " " ; phaser array ; pip s ; plasma coolant ; plasma fire ; plasma transfer conduit ; polarity ; polyduranide ; positronic brain ; power ; power coupling ; power grid ; power shunt ; primary school science fair ( primary school ) ; quantum filament ; quantum resonance ; quaratum ; rad ; radiation ; radish ; rank ; red alert ; saucer section ; saucer separation ; science officer ; sensor s ; shuttlebay ; sickbay ; somersault ; Starbase 67 ; Starfleet Emergency Medical Course ; subspace distortion ; suicide ; swarming moth ; Ten Forward ; torpedo bay ; transporter simulation ; tricorder ; tripolymer ; turbolift ; turboshaft ; umbilical cord ; ventral ; warp core breach ; warp drive ; warp field ; William