"The Price" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 56th episode of the series overall. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, several groups, including the Federation, bid for rights to manage the entrance to a wormhole near a resource-poor planet. Plot The crew plays host to a group of visiting interplanetary dignitaries who are negotiating for the rights to a stable wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant discovered by the Barzan people, which could provide a valuable and efficient "bypass" through known space. Deanna Troi, overwhelmed by her duties as ship's counselor, reluctantly agrees to attend the delegations' reception. She meets Devinoni Ral, secretly a fellow empath and negotiator for one of the groups. Ral and Troi fall into an instant, passionate affair. Meanwhile, talks over the rights to the wormhole are coming to a boiling point. Resolved to achieve success and take over the rights, the Ferengi incapacitate the Federation representative, Seth Mendoza. Captain Jean-Luc Picard selects First Officer William Riker to replace Mendoza in representing the Federation's interests. Riker recommends that the USS Enterprise conduct an exploratory expedition into it before committing the Federation to a binding contract. Picard agrees and orders Chief Engineer La Forge and Second Officer Data to take a shuttlecraft into the wormhole. In an effort to prevent being outdone, the Ferengi send in a shuttle of their own. The two craft are surprised to find themselves in the Delta Quadrant, and as they monitor the wormhole, La Forge and Data agree that while the other end of the wormhole may be stable, this end is not, making the wormhole worthless. Further, they detect signs that this end of the wormhole may move soon. The two try to warn the Ferengi about this before they return through it, but the two Ferengi remain steadfast. The Ferengi are shocked when the wormhole vanishes in front from them, stranding them in the Delta Quadrant. Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, negotiations for the wormhole continue, as well as the sparks between Troi and Ral. Even though she has fallen for Ral, Troi starts to have some second thoughts about him when he tells her in intimate confidence that he is part Betazoid and that he has been using