Too Short a Season ( episode ) An elderly Starfleet admiral hides a deadly secret as he leads the " Enterprise " - D in a hostage rescue mission . Summary . Teaser . The has been sent to Persephone V to confer with Admiral Mark Jameson . Starfleet received a subspace transmission from Karnas , the governor of Mordan IV two day s previously . In it , he says that terrorists have taken the Federation Ambassador hostage . They want to talk to a Federation negotiator , and in his opinion there is only one man qualified – Admiral Jameson . Captain Picard transmits the message to Jameson and asks that he come . Mordan is at peace after forty year s of civil war and Picard wonders why Karnas would be unable to deal with this threat , having settled the civil war five years ago . Jameson was the man who negotiated the release of hostages from Mordan 45 years previously . Jameson beams aboard in a wheelchair with his wife , Anne . He warns Picard that Starfleet has designated him senior mission officer , and as such he will be in charge of the away team and the mission itself . Picard is slightly taken aback , but agrees to this . Act One . They go to the bridge , where Karnas contacts them again . He informs Jameson of the situation on Mordan , and says that the terrorists demand that the discussions are held on Mordan , and that they speak only with the Federation negotiator . Jameson accepts the conditions , and the transmission ends . Deanna Troi says that she senses that Karnas is being honest , but that he is holding something back . Jameson suggests that maybe he doesn ' t want to admit his failure to deal with the situation . Doctor Beverly Crusher contacts Picard and says she ' s ready to perform the standard medical exam on Jameson , who looks nervous at this , which Troi notices . They go first to the ready room , where Riker asks how Karnas knew Jameson was still alive . He says he briefed Hawkins before he took over his post on Mordan . Data wonders what the terrorists want , but no one is able to offer an answer . Later in Jameson ' s quarters , he gets out of his wheelchair and staggers to a chair . His wife says he seems better , but then he gets a sharp pain in his chest . She wants to call sickbay but he won ' t let her . He says it has happened before , but it will go away . In the ready room , Dr . Crusher is talking to Picard . She says that the medical records Jameson gave her were two months old and not two days old as he claimed . She wonders why he lied . Picard says he ' s 85 years old , but Crusher says he suffers from Iverson ' s Disease , which affects the body but not the mind . Picard decides he wants her on the bridge for the duration of the mission so she ' ll be on hand should anything come up with Jameson . As the " Enterprise " - D approaches the Idini Star Cluster , Picard asks Jameson if he would like to take the conn as they make transit . He amazes everyone by standing up and walking slowly to the conn . He says he has begun some new therapy that is working well for him . Act Two . In the ready room , Crusher says there ' s no known cure for Iverson ' s and it has never been known to go into remission . Jameson has been confined to the wheelchair for the last four years . In his quarters , Jameson is watching the recording of Karnas ' initial message again , when his wife comes in . He stands up and walks over to her . She ' s delighted at first but then gets suspicious . She brings him over to a mirror and sees he looks twenty years younger . Suddenly he gets the chest pain again and she calls Sickbay . After examining him , Crusher tells Picard that she has detected some unknown chemicals in his bloodstream , and that there is no trace of Iverson ' s Disease , but she doesn ' t know how this is possible . Picard goes to Jameson ' s quarters , where he now looks about fifty . He demands answers , so Jameson tells him how he obtained a drug from Cerberus II that rejuvenates the body . He negotiated a treaty there and the inhabitants gave him the medicine . It is a combination of drugs to be slowly administered over two years . He got enough for himself and his wife , but took both doses himself when this mission came up . Anne gets upset , saying he didn ' t think of her and why did he not tell her what he was doing . She goes to the next room , and Jameson leaves his quarters . Jameson goes to the observation lounge and opens a secure communications frequency to Mordan . He talks to Karnas and asks him who ' s behind the kidnapping . He claims it is political opponents . He says that now that Jameson is returning , it is as if the last 45 years never happened . Jameson comments that Karnas never forgave him . Then he realizes that Karnas has the hostages and there are no terrorists . Karnas says he ' s going to ask a very high price for their release . Jameson goes to the bridge and tells Picard to increase the " Enterprise " - D ' s speed to warp 8 to put Karnas off balance . He tells Picard that Karnas has the hostages and that negotiations are no longer the answer . He intends to lead an away team on an armed rescue mission Act Three . Jameson notes that the maze of tunnels under the city were simply built over without changing . He reckons that Karnas is holding the hostages there , the same as he did 45 years ago . He claims again that an armed raid is the only option . Picard tells him that the Federation might feel differently now that the situation has changed , but Jameson still claims command of the mission . Meanwhile , Troi , Crusher and Anne are talking in the doctor ' s office . Anne is distraught , asking why he did what he did . Then Crusher breaks the news that Jameson is not stabilizing , and that his life is now in danger . Picard goes to the observation lounge , where Jameson is sitting in the shadows , initially keeping his face turned away from the captain . He slowly turns in his chair and reveals himself to be now in his thirties . Picard asks why the mission is so important to him and what he is hiding . Jameson tells how Karnas took the passengers of a starliner hostage 45 years ago and demanded weapons from Starfleet . After two other negotiators were killed , Jameson went in and brought the hostages out safely , as the official version goes . What really happened was he gave Karnas the weapons he wanted , and then gave the exact same weapons to his rivals . Picard is appalled , but Jameson defends his actions , stating that this was his way of bending the Prime Directive without technically breaking it ; however this plunged Mordan into forty years of civil war , instead of the brief skirmish that Jameson thought would happen . Now he wants to vindicate himself , but Karnas wants revenge . When the away team prepares to beam down , Picard decides to go with them , leaving Riker in charge of the " Enterprise " . Act Four . Jameson beams down to Mordan along with Picard , Data , Worf , La Forge and Tasha Yar . They move through the tunnels under the city , where Jameson ' s inaccurate memory of the tunnel layout initially causes some problems , but they eventually find their way to the area where he believes that the hostages are being held . The landing party blasts their way through the wall , but in doing so alert Karnas ' s troopers to their location . A phaser fight starts , and as they take cover , Jameson suddenly clutches his chest and collapses . Initially Picard assumes that he was hit by a phaser blast , but there is no sign of a visible injury . With the group outnumbered and Jameson unable to continue , they all beam back up to the " Enterprise " - D . Back aboard the " Enterprise " , Picard reports to Riker that Jameson ' s condition is deteriorating sharply . An infuriated Karnas then hails them , saying that he knows full well that Jameson beamed down and tried to extract the hostages by force , and demanding that the admiral be turned over to him . Picard tells him he ' s critically ill , but Karnas doesn ' t care . He gives them ten minutes to beam Jameson down . Picard goes to sickbay , where Jameson is very sick . However , he still wants to beam down so he can save the hostages , but Picard tells him that even if the hostages are still in the same place , he is in no condition to attempt another rescue mission . Riker then contacts Picard , informing him that Karnas has sent another message ; if Jameson is not turned over within the next five minutes , one of the hostages will be the victim of a " most painful " execution , after which Karnas will continue to execute the hostages at a rate of once every fifteen minutes . Picard realises that he is now out of options , and has no alternative but to allow Jameson to beam down , even though this will mean almost certain death at Karnas ' s hands . They beam down along with Dr . Crusher . Karnas doesn ' t recognize Jameson , and Picard insists the man with him is Jameson . Act Five . Karnas doesn ' t believe Picard and demands that the real Jameson beam down . Jameson talks to him , and calls him by his old title to try to convince him . But Karnas still doesn ' t believe him , saying he ' s been coached . Jameson collapses , and Picard tells Karnas about the age reversing , but Karnas won ' t be moved . He blames Jameson for the war , death and destruction that have taken place on Mordan . Picard tells Anne Jameson to beam down , and shows Karnas pictures of Jameson ' s transformation in an effort to convince him . Picard tells Karnas that some of the blame lies on his head as well , and that Jameson wanted to atone for what he did . Jameson , although sick and sweating , manages to convince Karnas by showing him the scar of the blood cut on his wrist they made to seal the bargain . Karnas takes a phaser and goes to shoot Jameson , ironically from one of the weapons he provided to Karnas , but then he stops saying he would get better revenge in seeing him suffer . Anne talks to Jameson and says she ' ll always love him . Then Jameson dies , and Karnas says he ' ll release the hostages unharmed , satisfied that Jameson is dead . Jameson is buried on Mordan at the request of his widow and the consent of Karnas . The " Enterprise " - D leaves , heading for Isis III . Memorable quotes . " " Come here . " " " " I hope you ' re heading for the bedroom ! " " " " Make it so . " " " " I ' m strong , I ' m alert , I ' m fit ! I ' m fitter than you are , Picard . And I ' m getting younger ! " " " " What I don ' t understand sir , is how Karnas knew you were still . . . available . " " " " Still " alive , " you mean . " " " " So . . . Jameson , I see time has not been too kind . " " " " It seldom is , Karnas . " " " " It is you . Somehow . . . it is you ! " " " " There ' s no substitute , lieutenant , for a little personal reconnoiter . " " " " They ' re phasers , sir . Set on kill . " " " " Thank you , Mr . Data . I have heard the sound before ! " " " " If it ' s you , show me the scar . " " " " There ! The blood cut you gave me to seal our bargain ! " " " " Sir , look out ! " " " " The Admiral ? " " " " Sickbay . ' Not good ' is a galactic understatement . " " " " Annie . . . with the golden hair . " " " " Flatterer . It ' s gray now . " " " " I see only the gold . . . " " " " Rest , Jameson . Your long night . . . and mine , are over . " " " " The quest for youth , Number One . So futile . " " Links and references . References . 2279 ; 2314 ; 2319 ; 2359 ; 2362 ; admiral ; advisor ; Ardan ; away team ; bird ; body language ; bridge ; Cerberus II ; Cerberus system ; chess ; ; conn station ; desk ; desktop monitor ; disruptor rifle ; DNA ; Earth ; executioner ; file number ; fish ; guest quarters ; ; Gilnor ; governor ; ; husband ; hypospray ; Idini Star Cluster ; Isis III ; Iverson ' s Disease ; Karnas ' father ; kiss ; Livingston ; long range shuttle ; medical recording device ; medical file ; medical file coder ; medical tricorder ; mirror ; model ; Mordan IV ; Mordan IV civil war ; Mordanite ; mortality rate ; murder ; necklace ; number one ; observation lounge ; painting ; Peretor ; Persephone V ; prime directive ; ready room ; rear admiral ; ring ; Sain ; scar ; schematic ; sculpture ; senior mission officer ; sickbay ; starliner ; statue ; steelplast ; stellar cluster ; starship ; strategist ; three - dimensional chess ; tissue sample ; transporter room ; tribe ; tricorder ; turbolift ; type I phaser ; type II phaser ; unnamed plants ; viewscreen ; VISOR ; waist ; wheelchair ; wife