Trama

On an alien planet, young Wesley Crusher commits a transgression - small by our standards but mandatorily punishable by death in theirs.

Exhausted from helping a human colony settle in, the Enterprise crew delights in taking their first-ever shore leave on Edo, an extremely friendly nearby planet. Half in jest, Picard says its Eden-like playground seems too good to be true. Alas, it is, for while teaching native adolescents football, Wesley unwittingly commits a minor transgression in a zone where all errors incur but one punishment: death by painless injection. Back aboard the Enterprise, senior officers struggle with an entity defying every known law of nature, which faces and tests them. It turns out to be Edo's 'god', fiercely protective of its 'children', absorbing all Federation knowledge from their database and intending to hold them to their laws. Violating the Prime Directive to save Wesley might arouse its fatal wrath.—KGF Vissers

After dropping off some colonists in a nearby system, the crew visits a world of beautiful, healthy and tanned humanoids who seem to have a peaceful and loving lifestyle, knowing no crime, war or hardship. They seem to have everything. They also have a death penalty for any infraction of the rules - and a secret.—R.K. Warner

After a difficult mission re-populating a nearby planet, shore leave would seem to be in order for the nearly exhausted crew. They think they've found the ideal place for a bit of rest and recreation with a local population made up of beautiful, open, honest and very, very friendly people. Picard sends Riker and an away team to check if local conditions are as ideal as they seem on the surface. Too late they learn that, while the people are all that they have been made out to be, they also have only one form of punishment regardless of the severity of any transgression: death. When Wesley Crusher damages some flowers, he is caught by Mediators who are judge, jury and executioner. Picard has no intention of letting any member of his crew be executed but has to find a way to do so that will respect the local culture as well as the Federation's prime directive.—garykmcd

Exhausted from helping a human colony settle in, the Enterprise crew delights in taking their first-ever shore leave on Edo, an extremely friendly nearby planet in the Rubican star system. Half in jest, Picard says its Eden-like playground seems too good to be true. Data reports something on the forward bow of the spaceship, but visual inspection reveals nothing. They log it to a faulty sensor.

The people of Edo are super friendly, very fit and healthy, greet everyone with a warm hug, dress skimpily and make love at the drop of a hat. The landing party is greeted by Rivan (Brenda Bakke) and Liator (Jay Louden). Wesley joins the kids, while the adults are invited to the council chamber to discuss rules for the shore leave for the crew. Wesley was part of the landing party to evaluate the planet as a suitable destination for all kids on board the Enterprise.

Meanwhile Data confirms there is no sensor error and demands the hidden entity to reveal itself, which it does, and it is a highly advanced spaceship. The spaceship sends a "probe" which enters the bridge. Senior officers struggle with an entity defying every known law of nature, which faces and tests them. It asks Picard to state the purpose of their visit to the planet. Picard says that the Enterprise is on a friendly visit and will leave after making contact. The entity is not convinced since the Enterprise left humans at the last planet they visited. Picard tries to explain the concept of colonization to the entity. The probe then attaches itself to Data for information exchange.

Alas, it is, for while teaching native adolescents' football, Wesley unwittingly commits a minor transgression. He breaks a flower nursery while catching a ball. This was in a zone, which is randomly selected each day, where all errors incur but one punishment: death by painless injection. The alien ship turns out to be Edo's 'god', & is fiercely protective of its 'children', absorbing all Federation knowledge from their database and intending to hold them to their laws.

Picard beams down and learns that Wesley is safe till sundown. Rivan and Liator understand that humans no longer have capital punishment, but they once used to. Liator suggests that Picard uses force to rescue Wesley from the planet, but Picard quotes the Prime Directive. Rivan identifies the spaceship orbiting the planet as their God, who protects the beings on the planet. The God is benevolent, but can makes its presence felt, when needed. He requests Rivan to come to his ship and identify the Alien ship for him. She identifies it as her God. The God gets angry and attacks the Enterprise and Picard is forced to return Rivan to the planet.

Picard then goes to meet Data, who has now regained consciousness, after its encounter with the alien probe. Data tells Picard that the God is currently observing the humans. It knows everything about humans and their way of life and violating the Prime Directive to save Wesley might arouse its fatal wrath. As the God will deem humans deceitful and untrustworthy. Data also offers that the alien life form is only now evolved to a state multi-dimensional existence. Once upon a time in the past, the alien life form was also flesh and blood like humans. Picard hopes that they also shared the same values as the humans. Data believes that the child race on Edo might have been planted by the alien life form, just as humans plant colonies all over the galaxy.

Picard is in a dilemma, meanwhile Beverly has found out that Wesley is on standby for execution and wants Picard to promise to save him. Picard does and takes Beverly down to the planet with him, where it is nearly sundown.

Picard conveys his dilemma to Liator and states that he is prepared to sacrifice his crew and his ship to save Wesley. Picard argues that justice cannot be served if laws are absolute. Life is itself an exception. Edo God allows humans to leave.