Picard tells Riker of a distress beacon Starfleet 
found about a month ago, from the Ficus sector, 
but with Terran origins. After a little research, 
they discover the beacon was used by the 
European Hegemony (a mid-22nd century 
organization), but find no record of a ship 
leaving for that sector. Then, unexpectedly, Worf 
passes out. Pulaski tells Worf that she's found he 
has the Klingon equivalent to measles, but tells 
Picard something else, to save Worf's reputation.
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Data suggests to Picard that he look for a 
manifest of whatever's on that ship, and he then 
finds a record of the S.S.Mariposa, carrying a 
strange mixture of technology and back-to-
nature supplies. When they enter the Ficus 
sector, they see that the sun is flaring up, and 
Riker is beamed down to one planet in the 
system, where life readings have been detected. 
Later, when the people start beaming up, 
O'Brien finds they've brought cattle, chickens, 
and so forth with them.
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The Bringloidi leader, Danilo O'Dell, complains 
to Picard about decisions being made for him. 
Picard, grumpy, orders the whole lot beamed to a 
cargo bay to establish themselves there. 
Problems quickly ensue, capped off when the 
Bringloidi try to start a fire for cooking in the 
bay and the computer immediately throws up a 
force-field. Picard eventually decides there's 
nothing to do but "bow to the absurd", and starts 
laughing, while Riker gives Danilo's lovely but 
sharp-tongued daughter, Brenna, a tour of the 
ship. Then, Danilo takes Picard by surprise by 
asking them if they've heard anything from the 
"other colony."
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As Riker romances Brenna, and Danilo learns 
from Worf how to get alcohol from the food 
dispensers, the ship arrives at Mariposa, site of 
the other colony. Upon beaming down, Pulaski 
(with Riker and Worf) quickly finds that the 
entire colony consists of clones. Apparently, only 
five of the original colonists survived when their 
ship crashed, and turned to cloning to keep the 
colony alive. Unfortunately, the phenomenon of 
replicative fading is killing the colony, and Prime 
Minister Granger asks the Enterprise to share 
some DNA samples with them. Riker 
indignantly refuses, but beams down to help 
repair their machinery.
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While there, Riker and Pulaski are stunned and 
cloned without their knowledge. Later, when 
they realize this and return to destroy the 
clones, Picard decides to try to give them new 
breeding stock: the Bringloidi. Though both 
sides initially object, claiming it would bring 
untold changes to each culture, Picard 
eventually manages to get them to agree-even 
Brenna.
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