They find the Pakleds, a seemingly slow race who are lucky to have space travel in the first place. When they say their ship is "broken", Geordi, amused, beams over to help (over the objections of Worf, who does not want to risk the Chief Engineer). Meanwhile, Picard starts talking to Wes, and begins by complaining about his upcoming cardiac replacement, which he considers a waste of time.
Geordi finds repairs are not as easy as he thought, since as soon as one system is fixed, another dies. Eventually, he has everything fixed-but then, the Pakleds take his own phaser, stun him, and take him hostage. As Riker puts the ship on alert, Picard continues talking to Wes, including his story of a long-gone bar brawl which caused him to need this cardiac replacement in the first place. Later, when Geordi wakes up, he finds the Pakleds demanding weapons and advanced technology. Before long, the Pakleds hail the Enterprise, and demand all the information stored in the Enterprise computers.
As Picard, having reached the starbase and entered what is known to some fans as the "Cardinal Center for Cardiac Corrections" (everyone's dressed in crimson), goes "under the knife", Data finds that the Pakleds have advanced as far as they have by stealing technology. Riker suggests a ruse, and enlists the crew to help convey covertly to Geordi that he should give them weapons, then take them away at the right moment.
Unfortunately, Picard's operation is going badly. He is dying, and the only person qualified to help him is Pulaski. The Enterprise hurriedly implements their ruse to save Geordi. Geordi gives them photon torpedoes, then, while pretending to come over to their side and help, disarms them just as the Enterprise discharges their hydrogen exhaust, which Geordi tells the Pakleds was the "Crimson Forcefield", which disarmed them. Geordi returns to the Enterprise, which arrives at the C.C.C.C. in time for Pulaski to save Picard.