Fabula
S1E2 · Encounter at Farpoint: Part Two

Entering the Living Vessel’s Heart

Riker's away team dematerializes into the eerie organic tunnels of the alien vessel, immediately struck by their unsettling resemblance to Farpoint's underground passages. Data and Tasha note the absence of any mechanical sound or power source, deepening the mystery of this seemingly living ship. Troi experiences a sudden psychic surge—an intense, directed anger emanating not toward them but the ancient Bandi city below—hinting at the vessel's hostile intent and establishing a profound connection between the ship and the threatened civilization. This pivotal discovery shifts the crew’s understanding from a conventional starship threat to a sentient entity with complex emotions and motives.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Riker’s away team materializes inside the alien vessel, immediately noting the eerie familiarity of the glowing, organic tunnels.

neutral to cautious curiosity ["alien vessel's organic corridors"]

Data and Tasha recognize the tunnel’s construction as identical to the underground passages on Farpoint, but absence of ship sounds or power raises unsettling questions.

curiosity to growing unease ["alien vessel's corridor matching Farpoint tunnels"]

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4

Alert and pragmatic, maintaining composure amid uncertainty and potential danger.

Tasha takes point confidently, cautiously leading the team through the tunnel while noting the identical construction to previous underground passages. She expresses concern about the lack of power sounds, signaling tactical awareness of unseen threats.

Goals in this moment
  • Lead the away team safely through the alien tunnels.
  • Identify any potential threats or anomalies related to the ship’s power and structure.
Active beliefs
  • The tunnel’s organic nature and silence indicate an unfamiliar technology that demands heightened vigilance.
  • Their survival depends on understanding the environment’s dangers quickly and precisely.
Character traits
focused cautious observant decisive
Follow Tasha Yar's journey

Engaged and intrigued by the anomaly, displaying a subtle eagerness to unravel the mystery despite the uncanny atmosphere.

Data meticulously scans the tunnel walls with his tricorder, sharing his analytic observations with Riker and the team. His curiosity and precision anchor the investigation amid eerie silence, highlighting the absence of technological noise or power sources.

Goals in this moment
  • Collect precise scientific data on the tunnel’s construction and energy signatures.
  • Support the team’s understanding of the vessel’s nature through objective analysis.
Active beliefs
  • The absence of mechanical sounds suggests a non-conventional starship design.
  • Data’s observations can provide crucial insight to inform tactical decisions.
Character traits
analytical curious methodical respectful
Follow Data's journey

Alert and cautiously optimistic, masking underlying anxiety about the unknown psychic phenomena impacting Troi and the implications for their mission.

Riker leads the away team with measured authority, anxiously monitoring Troi’s sudden distress while encouraging Data’s analytical commentary. He decisively directs the team’s movements through the eerie tunnels, blending tactical rigor with empathetic concern.

Goals in this moment
  • Ensure the safety and cohesion of the away team within an alien, potentially hostile environment.
  • Gather intelligence about the nature of the mysterious ship and its connection to Farpoint Station and Bandi City.
Active beliefs
  • The tunnels’ organic construction suggests a radically different technology or life-form, requiring careful investigation.
  • Troi’s psychic disturbances are critical clues to understanding the ship’s nature and intent.
Character traits
authoritative attentive calm under pressure supportive
Follow William Riker's journey

Distressed and overwhelmed by the psychic energy, yet determined to interpret and communicate the meaning of the vessel’s emotional signals.

Troi is suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful psychic surge, groaning in distress as she perceives intense anger and hate emanating from the vessel. She clarifies the hostility is directed not at them but at the ancient Bandi city below, revealing crucial empathic insight.

Goals in this moment
  • Decode the psychic disturbance to understand the vessel’s true intent.
  • Warn the team about the emotional and existential threat posed to Bandi City.
Active beliefs
  • The vessel’s sentience expresses complex emotions which are key to comprehending its actions.
  • Emotional cues provide a bridge between alien intentions and human understanding.
Character traits
empathic sensitive vulnerable resolute
Follow Deanna Troi's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Medical Tricorder

Data actively uses the Starfleet tricorder to scan the tunnel’s walls, seeking energy signatures or mechanical components. The tricorder’s silent, humming sensors underscore the absence of conventional ship systems and help ground the team’s observations in objective data.

Before: In Data’s possession, operational and ready for environmental …
After: Still in Data’s possession, continuing to function as …
Before: In Data’s possession, operational and ready for environmental scans aboard the USS Enterprise.
After: Still in Data’s possession, continuing to function as the primary investigative tool within the alien tunnel.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Farpoint Old City

The eerie mystery ship tunnel serves as the claustrophobic and unsettling setting for this investigation. Its organic, glowing walls mirror the underground passages at Farpoint Station, suggesting a shared or related origin and enhancing the atmospheric tension. The tunnel’s silence and absence of machinery amplify the sense of an alien, living presence.

Atmosphere Quiet, tense, and charged with an ominous, almost sentient presence.
Function Exploration site where the away team confronts the physical and psychic mystery of the vessel.
Symbolism Represents the boundary between known technology and alien sentience, blurring the line between ship and …
Access Restricted to Enterprise away team members equipped for deep reconnaissance.
Rounded tunnel shape with glowing walls. Complete absence of mechanical sounds or power humming.

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

No narrative connections mapped yet

This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph


Key Dialogue

"DATA: Most interesting, sir."
"TASHA: Much the same construction as the underground tunnel we saw."
"TROI: No, this is... different. It feels much more powerful... full of anger... hate..."
"TASHA: Toward us?"
"TROI: No. It's directed down toward the old Bandi city."
"DATA: Most intriguing again. The place that this vessel was firing upon..."
"RIKER: Good. Don't stop it, my friend."