Riker is hospitalised on a planet on the brink of space travel.
Commander Riker goes undercover on Malcor III, a world on the verge of discovering warp travel, altered to look like one of the natives so that the Federation can study their culture before making official contact. But an accident reveals his true identity, and the Malcorians react with fear and suspicion.
The episode is a thoughtful look at the Federation's rules for first contact, with a humane view of how a society reacts to the news that it is not alone. It also gives an indication of the policies that govern the Federation's dealings with developing worlds.