- While aiding an androgynous race who lost a couple of members in an unmapped region of space, Riker falls for one of them, which can lead to trouble if detected, since the alien race does not endorse gender specificity.
- The Enterprise obliges the androgynous J'naii race's request to investigate a mysterious shuttle disappearance. When a probe follows an inexplicable neutrino emission, it too suddenly vanishes without a trace, possibly the first-ever documented 'null-space', which absorbs all electromagnetic forces around it. Riker will attempt to chart it in a shuttle with the J'naii Soren. While contemplating the differences between social and biological life with or without gender-distinctions they become close. Entering the null-space, they find the shuttle and beam back with its crew of two to the J'naii's green planet, where they fall in love. Soren is arrested for loving sexually and sentenced to psychotectic therapy.—KGF Vissers
- The Enterprise assists the J'naii, an androgynous race that has no gender, in locating one of their missing shuttle craft. Commander Riker works with the J'naii pilot Soren to recover the spaceship. They have some difficulty understanding each other with Riker always using gender specific pronouns, but they're friendly. Eventually, Soren reveals her deepest, darkest secret: she does feel like a female but simply cannot reveal that to anyone on her planet where their genderless society is paramount. As Riker and Soren become closer, her secret is revealed.—garykmcd
- The Enterprise obliges the androgynous J'Naii race's request to investigate a mysterious shuttle disappearance. The J'Naii are considered androgynous.
They reach the last known coordinates of the shuttle, but find no debris, or any other evidence of any kind. When a probe follows an inexplicable neutrino emission with no visible source, it too suddenly vanishes without a trace, possibly the first-ever documented 'null-space', which absorbs all electromagnetic forces around it. It is like a black hole but doesn't swallow matter, only absorbs all energy. This means the shuttle-craft is still around the null-space but is trapped and it cannot transmit. All the energy around the null-space is bent, so it is naturally cloaked and not visible to any kind of sensors. The shuttle has life support for 10 days due to the specific Plestorene based backup systems on the J'Naii shuttles. If the Enterprise sends in their shuttle, its power would also be absorbed, so Geordi is working on a way to maintain power reserves.
Riker will attempt to chart it in a shuttle with the J'Naii Soren (Melinda Culea). While contemplating the differences between social and biological life with or without gender-distinctions they become close. Riker says that he prefers a woman who is intelligent and can hold her own in a conversation. She has to like his jokes as well. But he stipulates that different males think differently, and some are only attracted to physical beauty in females. They even discuss mating rituals of their species. Soren wonders if humans and J'Naii would be sexually compatible, but sex is prohibited in their culture. Soren says that in J'Naii culture the babies are incubated in a fibrous husk, which the parents inseminate. This method is less risky and less painful. But Riker says that sex is enjoyable. J'Naii used to have 2 sexes earlier, but evolved to a higher form. For J'Naii, gender is primitive.
Geordi improves the power banks on the shuttle to give it enough to rescue the stranded crew and come back to the Enterprise. Soren and Riker chart the null space during their first trip (by firing phasers around the edges of the null space and monitoring the rate of energy absorption) and figure out the contours. While coming back, they hit the edges of the null-space which knocks out one of the shuttle's engines. Soren is injured and is treated by Beverly. Soren is intrigued about how human females behave. Females wear make-up to attract the males. Men like to pretend to not do anything to attract a female, even though that's what they do all the time. Now males and females are considered equal, socially. Soren admits to Riker that she identifies herself as a female and is attracted to him. But she cannot admit this openly, as she will be shamed and ridiculed on her planet, and made to undergo therapy before being allowed to re-join society.
Soren and Riker return to the null-space. Beverly tells Deanna that Soren is attracted to Riker. Entering the null space, they find the shuttle and beam back with its crew of two to the Enterprise. The J'Naii CO Krite (Callan White) invites the Enterprise bridge to their planet for a celebratory dinner. That night Soren and Riker have sex, which Krite notices. Riker confides in Deanna.
Soren is arrested for loving sexually and sentenced to Psychotectic therapy. Noor (Megan Cole) is the judge. Riker intrudes in the proceedings and takes the blame on his own head. But Soren refutes and accepts that she identifies herself as female. Riker offers Soren asylum on the Enterprise, but Noor is adamant. Despite Picard warning Riker not to interfere, he and Worf mount a rescue attempt that night. But now Soren doesn't want to go with Riker and admits that she is sick. Riker leaves heartbroken.
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