With the Enterprise crew having some free time on their hands, Worf and Alexander visit a holodeck simulation of the "ancient" American West at Alexander's request. Worf assumes the role of sheriff, with Alexander as deputy, and begins the process of apprehending killer Eli Hollander. Alexander increases the difficulty of the program after Worf achieves success too easily, but Worf nevertheless arrests and imprisons Hollander with some timely assistance from Counselor Troi, entering the fray as a "mysterious stranger."

However, an attempt to use Data as a backup for the Enterprise computer encounters some difficulties, with strange results. Much of the recreational database is replaced with items from Data's personal files, thus converting Dr. Crusher's play into some of Data's poetry, and so forth. This interference appears on the holodeck by the early arrival of Eli's father Frank Hollander, who abducts Alexander - and who has Data's face.

Frank quickly makes himself known to Worf, who is puzzled by the resemblance to Data, and informs Worf that he has Alexander. He proposes a trade, Alexander for Eli, but is quickly rejected. Worf attempts to freeze the program, only to find that he cannot. Instead, he flees the saloon, being shot in the arm in the process. When he arrives back at the sheriff's office, he and Troi are surprised to find that Eli Hollander now also appears to have Data's face.

With no way to escape the program "outside the rules", Troi suggests that they simply must proceed to the expected end of the storyline and that the program should end itself. Worf agrees, and begins searching for Alexander. However, two more complications set in: Data himself shows signs of many Old West mannerisms, and Troi notices that Eli appears to have Data's abilities as well as his appearance. While Geordi tries to solve both ends of the shipwide problem, Worf decides based on Eli's and Frank's abilities to agree to the Alexander/Eli trade. He and Frank reach an agreement, but Troi hastily warns Worf that Frank, like most Western villains, undoubtedly cannot be trusted. Frank will try to kill him in two hours, and has Data's strength and skill.

Using what materials he can, Worf uses his communicator and a telegraph machine to create a short-lived personal shield. The trade-off occurs as planned, but Frank attempts to kill Worf just afterwards. Worf's shield protects him from the initial attempts, and Worf manages to shoot Frank's second gun out of his hand while Troi keeps Frank's men (now all Data-clones as well) at bay. Given the opportunity to shoot Frank, Worf instead orders them out of town. After a brief ending with Miss Annie, the saloonkeeper (who now also has Data's appearance), Worf and company are relieved to see the program end. The damage caused by Data's malfunction is repaired, and Worf pledges to Alexander that at some point, they will go back to Deadwood under better circumstances.

Highlight Listing:

"A Fistful of Datas" - A holodeck fantasy goes awry, sending Worf and his son into a Wild West showdown with a villain who's a dead ringer for Data.

Advertising Headline:

THE WILD WILD WORF! He and his son are trapped in a Wild West Fantasy - and Data's the villain!

TV log listing:

Worf and son trapped in Holodeck on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION

Operation SNAFU

When Data is being connected to the computer, look at his neck. You can see where the gold makeup ended. (UV) Also, when Pa Hollinder talks to the young Hollinder, and Pa turns, his hand gets "cut off" due to the video wipe. (V) Also, while Pa talk with Worf and Troi, take a look at the manniquin stand-in for Young Hollinder.

Technical design, graphic design, interactive features, HTML & CGI programming by Andrew Tong. || All materials Copyright © 1987-1995 by their respective authors. || Document created: January 28, 1995 || Last Modified: November 09, 2010