Rascals (TNG episode)
A transporter malfunction causes
Captain Picard,
Guinan,
Ro Laren, and
Keiko O'Brien to become children, the anomaly extracting key cells from their bodies that were responsible for their development past puberty. Captain Picard, now biologically about 12 years old, thinks of giving up his job in
Starfleet when it becomes clear that he may never be able to command in his present state. He leaves
Commander Riker in charge of the
Enterprise, while Keiko finds herself upset by O'Brien's uncertainty around her and the fact that her own daughter no longer recognises her.
Suddenly, two
Klingon warships uncloak and attack Enterprise.
Ferengi board the ship and take control of the bridge, but Riker has enough time to lock out the main computer to prevent the invaders from controlling the ship's functions.
Picard, masquerading as Riker's son, throws a tantrum and demands his Ferengi guard to take him to his 'father'. He complains to Riker that none of the computer games will work and asks him if he can unlock the console in the schoolroom. Riker replies that he will try, and Picard is taken away. The lead Ferengi threatens harm to the Enterprise's children if he does not unlock the computer and teach his lieutenant how to operate the Enterprise. Riker relents and then confuses the hapless Ferengi with deliberately meaningless
treknobabble, while unlocking the computer console in Picard's schoolroom.
Under their disguise as children, Picard, Guinan, Keiko, and Ro divert the Ferengi so that Riker can beam them behind a forcefield around the transporter pad, such as planting combadges on the Ferengi while apparently playing 'Tag'. In the end Riker regains control of the ship, and Picard, Guinan, Ro, and Keiko use the transporter to become adults again, although Ro takes the opportunity to draw some pictures of her mother before turning back to her normal age; something she never did when she was a child.
* The "child officers" at one point use a remote controlled vehicle to distract a Ferengi guard. The vehicle enters the transporter room, then backs out. Each time, the door opens and closes in response to it. However, in previous episodes it has been established that the doors on the Enterprise will only open for humanoid life forms. Something as small as Data's cat,
Spot, or the remote controlled vehicle could not open a door. To make this plausible it suggests that combadges (which the vehicle was carrying) are needed to open doors.
