Synopsis:

After mapping the Pleidaes Cluster, the Enterprise arrives at Velara III, a planet undergoing the new science of terraforming. The Enterprise is asked by Terraform Command back at Starfleet Headquarters to check on the progress of the station. When an away team beams down, they are greeted by the crew and find out what terraforming is all about. When one of the crew members goes to use the laser drill, the machine soon turns on him a kills him. Capt. Picard orders that all terraforming work on Velara III be stopped until the Enterprise crew can investigate the matter. While investigating the laser drilling room on the station, Geordi and Data find that there is actually a life form in the soil of the planet. Now terraforming requires that the planet has no life. When the life form is beamed aboard the Enterprise, it is soon found to be intelligent life. This inorganic life soon tries to talk to the crew of the Enterprise. It says that it will wage war against the Federation if it does not stop killing them. Capt. Picard soon comes to an agreement and fully closes the terraforming mission on Velara III.