When the sun warming the planet Epictetus III starts to go nova, the Enterprise is the only ship that can reach the planet in time. But what can Captain Picard do to save millions of people from the unstoppable explosion that will destroy their world? There is no way Captain Picard can evacuate all the people, so how does he choose who survives? Then Data proposes a revolutionary experiment that could save everyone. But, if it fails, everyone will perish-including the Enterprise crew.