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S2E7
· Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unnatural Selection

Charm Meets Resistance in Ten-Forward

Commander Riker's flirtatious advances toward Specialist Trainee Rina take center stage in Ten-Forward, his performative charm clashing with her professional reserve. His effortless offer to fetch her drink masks a calculated social maneuver, which Rina deftly deflects with pointed skepticism about Starfleet hierarchy. Meanwhile, Geordi establishes genuine rapport through shared academic nostalgia and poetic reverence for warp travel—a stark contrast to Riker's games. The dynamic shifts when Dr. Pulaski confronts Riker over his neglected medical exam, her clinical authority puncturing his laid-back demeanor with veiled threats. Through Rina's quiet observation of the stars, we glimpse her unexpected connection with Geordi's visionary perspective—a moment of authentic wonder amidst the social posturing.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Riker crosses to the bar, slides two empty glasses to the bartender and calls for 'same again,' a small, physical move that signals continued pursuit and casual charm.

playful to purposeful ['Ten-Forward (bar area)']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
Katherine Pulaski
Doctor (Chief Medical Officer)
 primary

Professionally frustrated but strategically patient.

Dr. Pulaski interrupts Riker at the bar with a firm reminder about his missed medical exam, deploying clinical authority and veiled threats to enforce Starfleet protocol.

Goals in this moment
  • • Enforce medical compliance regardless of rank
  • • Assert institutional authority over personal charm
Active beliefs
  • • Starfleet medical protocols supersede social maneuvering
  • • Negligence requires confrontation, not accommodation
Character traits
Authoritative Uncompromising Direct
Follow Katherine Pulaski's journey
Rina
Specialist Trainee
 primary

Guarded appreciation for Geordi's sincerity, tempered by skepticism toward Riker's charm.

Specialist Trainee Rina remains professionally reserved, deflecting Riker's advances with a pointed question about protocol while engaging earnestly with Geordi about Academy memories and admiring warp-speed starlight.

Goals in this moment
  • • Maintain professional boundaries with senior officers
  • • Connect authentically through shared technical interests
Active beliefs
  • • Starfleet hierarchy should prioritize professionalism over flirtation
  • • Cosmic phenomena reveal deeper truths about physics and beauty
Character traits
Quick-witted Pragmatic Technically astute
Follow Rina's journey
Geordi La Forge
Chief Engineer
 primary

Nostalgic enthusiasm for academic memories, genuine awe at cosmic beauty.

Geordi La Forge bonds with Rina over propulsion theory nostalgia and poetic reverence for warp travel, his VISOR-enhanced perception inspiring shared wonder at the streaking stars.

Goals in this moment
  • • Establish authentic technical rapport with new specialist
  • • Share the visceral thrill of engineering achievements
Active beliefs
  • • Warp theory connects people across generations of Starfleet
  • • Technology reveals sublime cosmic artistry
Character traits
Enthusiastic Mentor-like Visionary
Follow Geordi La …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Geordi La Forge's VISOR with Visual Acuity Transmitter

Geordi's VISOR enables his unique cosmic perception during the stargazing moment, becoming both a literal lens for shared wonder and a symbol of his outsider perspective that resonates with Rina.

Before: Functioning normally during engineering discussion
After: Adjusted to better perceive Rina's reaction to starlight
Before: Functioning normally during engineering discussion
After: Adjusted to better perceive Rina's reaction to starlight
Navigational Shield Display

The navigational shield's prismatic warp effects captivate Geordi and Rina during their shared stargazing, transforming from technical phenomenon to poetic canvas that facilitates their authentic connection.

Before: Displaying warp-speed starlight streaks
After: Continuing its visual display as backdrop to their …
Before: Displaying warp-speed starlight streaks
After: Continuing its visual display as backdrop to their conversation
Rina's Empty Glass

Rina's empty glass becomes a prop in Riker's flirtatious gambit when he retrieves it with exaggerated charm, symbolizing the transactional nature of his advance until her protocol question hollows out his maneuver.

Before: Empty, held by Rina after finishing her drink
After: Placed on the bar for refill, then abandoned …
Before: Empty, held by Rina after finishing her drink
After: Placed on the bar for refill, then abandoned during Pulaski's interruption

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Galaxy Beyond Ten-Forward Viewport

Ten-Forward serves as a battleground for competing social energies—Riker's flirtatious performance at the bar, Pulaski's protocol enforcement, and Geordi/Rina's genuine connection by the viewports—with warp-speed starlight underscoring the tension between performative and authentic interaction.

Atmosphere Layered with social tension beneath casual camaraderie
Function Stage for hierarchical power negotiations and unexpected bonds
Symbolism Microcosm of Starfleet's dual nature: protocol-bound yet personally improvisational
Access Open to crew but with implicit rank-based social territories
Bow ports framing warp-speed starlight Ambient bar noise contrasting with intimate viewport conversations

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"RINA: Tell me Commander. Is it the custom on the Enterprise for the First Officer to wait on trainees?"
"RIKER: If they were all like you, I'm certain it would be."
"PULASKI: Spontaneity is the sand in the clockworks of science."
"GEORDI: The most beautiful thing I know."