Some time later, Troi and Geordi are looking at Riker's transmission to the Enterprise, hoping to find some sort of coded message, but to no avail. Worf grumbles a bit about having to sit and wait rather than attempt pursuit, but just at that moment Geordi finds something: a carrier-wave pattern on the same signal used to transmit Riker's command codes. They begin decoding.
Meanwhile, on the raider ship, Baran is nonplussed to find the engines off-line for hours, but is gracious enough to thank Riker for saving their lives. "Galen", however, is not so gracious, and reviles Riker for crossing over and turning traitor against his former comrades. When he asks Riker how it feels to be a traitor, Riker's only response is a punch to the jaw. Baran orders Galen down to the cargo hold to check samples.
Down in the hold, Tallera comes to talk to "Galen", wondering if he's "incredibly stupid - or incredibly smart." She points out that in the past, Galen has managed to bypass the weapons problem that he claimed was preventing them from fighting, and wonders aloud why he didn't this time. The conversation is cut short, however, when one artifact Galen is scanning is revealed to be what they're looking for, and Tallera informs Baran immediately.
Baran, after giving instructions for having the artifact brought to him, talks to Riker of the potential for vast profit. After making a veiled offer of employment for Riker on a long-term basis, Baran recruits him to befriend Galen and help root out potential traitors. He also says, as a further gift, that when the time is right, "I want you to kill Galen."
Back on the Enterprise, Data finds that the coded message was a detailed flight plan for the raider ship, and orders the Enterprise to the Hyralan sector to head off the mercenaries. When Worf mutters, "Finally!" to the prospect of some action, however, Data quickly orders him to the ready room.
There, he comes down hard, reminding Worf that the job of a first officer is to carry out the decisions of a captain, not to publicly undercut his authority. Although he welcomes alternate suggestions, he emphasizes that Worf is not to question a decision once it is made. Worf apologizes for his error, and asks to remain as first officer. Data grants that request, and both apologize to the other for the possible threat to their friendship.
With the raiders en route to Hyralan, Riker tells Picard what Baran has ordered. Picard, in return, tells of his discovery that the artifact they found was not Romulan in origin, but Vulcan. With these two new twists revealed, they decide to start planning a mutiny. Narek informs "Galen" that although he wouldn't follow Galen as a new leader, he would follow Tallera, and so would the crew.
As Narek leaves, however, Tallera enters and demands to know who "Galen" is, threatening his life if he doesn't answer. She has discovered the message Picard sent to the Enterprise, and wants to know what he's doing on board. As it turns out, neither "Galen" nor Tallera is what he/she appears to be. Picard reveals his identity, and "Tallera" is now revealed as T'Pal, a member of Vulcan security forces disguised as a Romulan. She joined the mercenaries a year ago to ensure that no one found the artifacts that Baran is hunting for - they are pieces to the Stone of Gol, a weapon from ancient Vulcan history that amplifies telepathic energy and can be devastating in the wrong hands. She must stop the weapon from being assembled, whatever the cost. Picard agrees to help, and suggests that they both continue in their respective roles.
The Enterprise reaches the Hyralan system first, and intercepts a small Klingon ship which is to make a delivery to the raiders. At Worf's suggestion, they bring the ship aboard for a "health and safety inspection", in reality getting the pilot, an extremely large and taciturn Klingon named Koral, off the ship while they search it for the second artifact. When the raiders get a message saying that Koral has been detained, Baran says that the only way to get the second artifact is to raid the Enterprise itself for it, using Riker's knowledge to give them an edge. When "Galen" complains that Riker will just sell them out, Baran orders Galen to accompany him on the mission - and then tells Riker quietly that to prove his loyalty, he must kill Galen once they have the second artifact...
The search of Koral's ship proves negative, and Worf and Beverly are at something of a loss about what to do next - but suddenly, the raiders beam aboard and solve their problem for them. Riker boasts to them that "I've had a change of profession," and realizes that Koral must have the artifact on his person. "Galen" asks Worf where Koral currently is, and Worf plays ignorant as to Galen's true identity. Koral is in the observation lounge, as it turns out - and after planning to beam there directly from a shuttlecraft, Riker stuns both Worf and Beverly into unconsciousness.
In the observation lounge, the arrival of the raiding party leaves Data and Troi temporarily speechless. Riker and company grab the artifact, and when Data accuses Riker of a host of court-martial offenses, Riker says that one more won't make any difference - and fires on "Galen". Picard, however, manages to duck, and shoots Riker instead. "Is he dead?" he demands gruffly from Troi, who says that he is. "Galen", triumphant, orders the raiders to beam back, departing with them. Data takes immediate action, scanning for the ship and raising shields, and Riker turns out to have been stunned all along.
On the raider ship, Galen slugs Baran, claiming that Baran set Riker to betray the boarding party and that it's time for a new leader. When the crew, including Tallera, rallies behind him, Baran tries to kill Picard with the neural implant Picard has, but thanks to Picard secretly altering the relevant codes, kills himself instead. "Galen" assumes command, and orders the ship to hold course until they figure out the next move.
Riker calls Setok, head of Vulcan security, to inform him that the raiding party is en route and is not to be harmed, but finds out to his surprise that they have no record of an operative aboard a mercenary ship! Picard, meanwhile, discovers that the artifacts are to be delivered to an abandoned catacomb on Vulcan and orders the raider ship there. He asks Tallera for help in deciphering some of the glyphs on the two artifacts found so far, but she is strangely unhelpful, almost preoccupied. She further insists that she will be going down alone, so as to create less suspicion in the isolationist group after the weapon.
They arrive at Vulcan, but "Galen" orders a change in plans: Tallera is to take only one artifact down, coming back up with their payment before the second is delivered. Tallera turns the tables, revealing Picard's Starfleet connections and accusing him of selling out the crew. In return, Picard tells them of Tallera's interest in the weapon, and suggests that they will be abandoned once she has assembled the full device. Narek and Vekor offer a compromise: they will accompany Tallera down and collect the payment themselves. She agrees, suggesting they bring Picard down as a hostage.
They arrive in the caverns, where Narek and Vekor find that their "reward" is less than half of what they were promised. Tallera says that it's the best they will get, and urges them to leave. When they threaten her, she turns the now-completed weapon on them, killing them very quickly. Picard, however, refuses to threaten her, despite her insistence that "the power of the mind" is unstoppable. Riker and company arrive in the caves, but Picard orders them to drop their weapons and clear their minds of aggression. Having seen the glyph on the final piece of the weapon, he reasons that the resonator is only effective when amplifying negative emotions, and that if they refuse to succumb to aggression, it cannot harm them. Tallera tries to attack them anyway, and to her frustration finds she cannot. She is taken into custody, and as Vulcan arranges for the complete destruction of the weapon, Picard and Riker both get used to being back on the Enterprise.