The Enterprise intercepts a Ferengi probe, and Picard is shocked to see and hear the holographic image of DaiMon Bok, whose son he was forced to kill fifteen years ago in a starship battle, gloating at him. Bok says he's not been able to think of appropriate revenge, "until now. You thought you could hide him from me, didn't you - but I found out about him! Jason Vigo is as good as dead; I'm going to kill your son, Picard, just like you killed mine."

As the probe is tractored in and brought on board for analysis, Picard orders a search made in Federation records for Jason Vigo, starting with Miranda Vigo. Riker, after starting an attempt to communicate with Ferengi authorities about Bok, shows Picard an old picture of Jason, who is now 23 years old. Picard tells Riker that he had a relationship with Miranda Vigo 24 years ago that was very brief, and that he may well be the father - but if so, he never knew about it. The Enterprise heads for Camor Five, where Jason and Miranda were last known to be.

There, sensors pick up someone who matches Jason's physical description, and he is hastily beamed on board when seismic disruptions disturb the cave he is climbing in. Jason is surprised to find himself aboard a Federation ship, and even more so to hear what Picard has to say: that someone has made a threat against Jason, and that Picard may be Jason's father. Jason readily agrees to a genetic scan to verify whether Picard is his father or not. As the test is conducted, Picard attempts to get to know Jason a bit better, but is rebuffed. Finally, the test results come in - and Jason is Picard's son.

Later, Picard shows some of his archaeological treasures to Jason, who is underwhelmed. He tells Jason that his relationship with Miranda (who Jason says died a few years ago) was brief and that he never knew about Jason - if he had known, he says, "I would have been part of your life." "Maybe that's not what she wanted," replies Jason heatedly, and expresses a wish to return to the surface. Picard, however, suggests that he remain on board until Bok is located and the issue is settled for good; and Jason reluctantly agrees.

While the probe's navigational data is encrypted, there are some physical clues as to where it came from. However, those clues are not enough - not enough, that is, until Ferengi DaiMon Birta informs them that Bok (who despite his uniform, is not a DaiMon any longer) bought his way out of prison two years ago and is now somewhere in the Durias Cluster. That is enough to pinpoint the probe's origin as the Xendi Kabu system, and the Enterprise heads there posthaste.

While they're en route, Picard talks to Beverly to get parenting advice. Picard is concerned about the barriers Jason is putting up to protect himself, and even though he realizes Jason has been fatherless for his entire life, he wonders if it wouldn't be better to back off and let Jason approach him rather than reaching out himself. Bev agrees it's a possibility, but suggests that Picard consider something: "Are you doing what's best for Jason, or what's easiest for you?" [Meanwhile, Troi goes to talk to Jason, but leaves rather hastily when it becomes apparent that all he wants to do is flirt.]

Late that night, Picard is asleep in his quarters, but is awakened by Bok's voice. He looks up to see Bok standing at the foot of his bed, renewing his threats against Jason and guaranteeing the boy's death. Picard calls security - but when he looks back up, Bok is gone.

No one can figure out quite how Bok did what he did. It wasn't a hologram, for no generating device was picked up by sensors; it wasn't a regular transport, for no beaming was recorded; and it wasn't mind control like the one Bok had attempted six years earlier, for those transmissions are absent. Geordi and Worf decide to retune the sensors and sweep Picard's room for resonance traces. Meanwhile, Picard orders a security team to keep an eye on Jason - and Data enters to tell Picard what he has found out about Jason's criminal record. (It's only petty crimes, but is rather extensive.)

In Ten-Forward later that morning, Jason tells the security team to back off and give him a bit of room, and then hides a shaking hand as Picard enters. Picard and Jason talk a bit about why Jason currently has a team looking after him, and then the subject turns to Jason's future. Jason is unhappy with the whole situation, and tells Picard brusquely that his attempts are useless: when things with Bok are resolved, he's leaving and that's it, so "you see, there isn't really any point in us ... getting acquainted." Jason leaves Picard alone to brood.

A few hours after reaching the Xendi Kabu system, there is still no sign of Bok - that is, until another probe appears out of nowhere off their starboard bow. It approaches, then explodes, causing no damage but releasing a coded Ferengi message: "My revenge is at hand..."

Picard, ticked off, goes into his ready room to ponder the situation. He gets up for some tea, then turns to see Bok again, gloating. This time he doesn't call security, but stays and talks to Bok, trying to ease the situation. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do to bring him back," Picard says, referring to Bok's son. "How touching," growls Bok, unimpressed. "Your apology is worthless," he adds, demanding payment for his loss. "You cannot put a price on a man's life." "Oh, but you can. You can pay me with your son's life." Picard refuses, but Bok gloats that he has no choice and disappears in a transporter beam. As if that weren't enough, Bev is then called to Jason's quarters to find Jason unconscious and convulsing...

Jason has a condition called Forrester-Trent syndrome, a neurological disorder that only manifested recently. It is degenerative and potentially dangerous, but Bev thinks Jason will hopefully respond well to treatment. However, since the condition is hereditary and neither parent seemed to have it, Bev decides to run a microscan to check into why Jason has it.

Meanwhile, Geordi and Data have used Bok's ready room appearance to deduce how he is getting on and off the ship. He is using an unstable technology involving transporting through subspace; it is unreliable, but works over a span of light-years. When it's used again, it might be used to track down Bok's ship - but it could also be used again to beam Jason off the ship entirely. Picard orders a signal lock kept on Jason at all times, and heads to the holodeck to find him.

There, he climbs up to join Jason on the ledge where he sits. Here, Picard finally manages to make a connection with Jason, first by asking how his mother died [she was killed for the food she was carrying home for orphans she had adopted], and then by accepting Jason's criminal record without protest. Picard says that he was estranged from his own father, and has never been able to live with the fact that his father died before the two could settle matters. Like it or not, Picard says, they are father and son, and they have to deal with that. "One thing's clear..." adds Picard, "you'll never look at your hairline again in the same way."

Later, Bev calls Picard in to sickbay with some news. She's finished some tests on Jason; "there's something you need to know..." Suddenly, however, Bok attempts to beam Jason off the ship - and despite Geordi's best efforts, succeeds. What's more, the beam decayed too rapidly for them to track Bok down, so they are helpless. When Bok sends one more probe to gloat, however, that is enough for them to locate his ship - and while it is too far away for them to reach in time, Picard uses the subspace transporter himself to beam himself onto the ship.

There, he tells the Ferengi crew to lower their weapons or cause Bok's death. Bok responds by threatening Jason, but Picard informs him triumphantly that "you and I both know that this is not my son." Bok had earlier rewritten Jason's DNA to make it appear that he was, but the rewrite caused the genetic disorder that Jason now has. The rest of the Ferengi ask about the ransom for Jason, and Picard informs them that there never was a ransom - that all Bok ever wanted was blood. With the Enterprise closing, he tells them that their only chance at avoiding Ferengi punishment is to turn Bok in and explain how they were duped, which they quickly decide to do. With the situation resolved, Jason returns to Camor Five - but his condition has been cured, he has resolved to straighten out his life, and Picard gives him one of his archaeological finds as a keepsake.

Highlight Listing:

"Bloodlines" - Picard learns that he has a son, and that the young man has been targeted for murder by an old enemy in search of revenge.

Advertising Headline:

OUT OF THE PAST Picard meets the son he never knew he had - and an old enemy wants him dead!

TV log listing:

Picard meets the son he never knew he had on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.

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