Lal Tests Command — Data's Instant Damage Control
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Data narrates Lal's developmental progress with pride but acknowledges her social missteps remain problematic.
Lal breaches protocol by sitting in the captain's chair, forcing Data into damage-control mode as he exchanges a loaded look with Picard.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Curious and quietly excited — intrigued by Lal's behavior and sympathetic to Data's parental concern.
Wesley witnesses Lal's entrance and the audacious act of sitting in the captain's chair with curious, engaged attention, mentally cataloguing the social dynamics and Data's response as a learning opportunity.
- • Observe how Lal interacts with authority and the crew to inform later suggestions (e.g., school)
- • Support Data informally and learn from the unfolding ethical situation
- • Lal's development will be best supported by guided social experiences
- • Understanding emergent behavior is as much emotional as technical
Childlike curiosity with no malice — delighted or intrigued by the novelty and by the attention it produces.
Lal unexpectedly enters the bridge and sits in the captain's command chair in a simple, exploratory act — her behavior is simultaneously innocent and provocative, testing boundaries and observing reaction patterns from the crew.
- • Explore human social rituals and test the significance of the command chair
- • Elicit responses from humans to learn appropriate behavior
- • Objects associated with adults (like the captain's chair) are interesting and informative
- • Social learning requires direct interaction and observation of reactions
Controlled concern — outwardly calm but internally alert to the implications for command, responsibility, and the ship's ethical standing.
Picard stands on the bridge as Lal sits in his command chair; he registers the breach of protocol through a composed yet intense look exchanged with Data, processing the incident as both a command issue and an ethical dilemma.
- • Maintain the integrity of the chain of command and the bridge's operational order
- • Assess whether Lal's action requires disciplinary, protective, or legal response
- • The captain's chair symbolizes institutional authority and cannot be treated lightly
- • Institutional procedures must be reconciled with humane treatment when new life or personhood is involved
Mild alarm layered with paternal pride — Data is proud of Lal's curiosity but anxious about institutional consequences for her and himself.
Data provides voiceover context about Lal's learning, then turns from Ops with visible concern when Lal sits in the captain's chair; he meets Picard's look and physically escorts Lal off the bridge, balancing procedural respect with protective paternal action.
- • Remove Lal from a situation that could provoke institutional intervention
- • Protect Lal's wellbeing while minimizing disruption to the ship's command
- • Lal's continued development is best served by supervised social exposure
- • As her creator, he has responsibility and some claim to care for her rather than immediate transfer to Starfleet Research
Heightened alertness bordering on suspicion — ready to act to protect the ship and command structure.
Worf, positioned on the bridge, reacts with visible alertness and guarded posture; he reads the unannounced presence as a potential security breach and prepares to enforce order if necessary.
- • Ensure the safety and security of the bridge and crew
- • Restore proper protocol and prevent escalation
- • Unauthorized access to key stations is a security risk
- • Order and protocol are essential for shipboard safety
Concerned compassion — she feels for Lal's vulnerability and anticipates the emotional consequences of institutional reaction.
Troi observes the scene with empathetic attention, registering Lal's childlike curiosity and the crew's reactions; she reads emotional undercurrents and readies herself to advocate for Lal's psychological needs if challenged.
- • Protect Lal's emotional welfare and argue for humane consideration
- • Mediate between Data's parental claim and command responsibilities
- • Lal is emotionally significant and deserving of counseling and protection
- • Emotional insight should inform command decisions when dealing with emergent persons
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The captain's command chair becomes the focal prop when Lal climbs into it; the chair transforms from inert furniture into a charged symbol that draws looks, forces a command-level appraisal, and catalyzes Data's protective intervention.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Main Bridge functions as the public forum where Lal's private curiosity becomes an institutional problem. Its layout — central chair, consoles, forward viewscreen — concentrates attention and forces senior officers to witness and respond, converting a small act into a visible ethical test.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Key Dialogue
"DATA (V.O.): "Most encouraging is her commitment to master the skills necessary to live successfully among humans. Her curiosity is insatiable... although it sometimes creates inappropriate behavior...""