Engineering Grounds the Ship — Wesley Sent to Stores
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
THE ENTERPRISE establishes orbit about a large yellow planet; GEORDI crosses to WESLEY, requests an S-C-M, model three from stores, and WESLEY answers 'Right away' before exiting, initiating the hands-on work that will occupy Engineering.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Enthusiastic and attentive—eager to be useful and demonstrate competence, with undercurrent of wanting approval from senior officers.
Present in Main Engineering, accepts Geordi's request without hesitation, offers a prompt verbal acknowledgement, and physically exits to retrieve the requested S‑C‑M Model Three from stores.
- • Retrieve the S‑C‑M Model Three quickly and correctly.
- • Demonstrate reliability and technical aptitude to Geordi and the senior crew.
- • Following orders promptly is the right and expected behavior.
- • Small, competent actions will earn respect and advancement.
Controlled and pragmatic—seeking information to weigh operational choices, then deferring to Riker's judgment while maintaining command responsibility.
On the Main Bridge, Picard asks for the estimated repair time, receives the report, acknowledges Riker's decision with a nod, and allows the engineering work to proceed under command authority.
- • Ascertain the duration of repairs to evaluate diplomatic and rescue timing.
- • Ensure decisions align with Starfleet protocols and overall mission priorities.
- • Informed decisions require precise technical estimates.
- • Command choices should balance mission objectives with crew safety.
Measured and authoritative—pragmatic acceptance of necessary constraint, prioritizing crew and ship safety over speed.
On the Main Bridge, Riker interprets Geordi's report for command implications, advises Picard, authorizes La Forge to proceed, and orders the ship into standard orbit—balancing mission urgency with safety.
- • Prevent risking the ship by denying warp while critical repairs are needed.
- • Maintain mission control and keep diplomatic timetable within safe bounds.
- • Operational safety supersedes haste in uncertain technical situations.
- • Chain-of-command decisions should be clear and promptly executed to avoid confusion.
Focused and dutiful—professional acceptance of orders and immediate action to comply.
At the Conn on the Main Bridge, Gibson acknowledges and executes the order to assume standard orbit, translating bridge commands into precise ship handling.
- • Establish and maintain the commanded standard orbit precisely.
- • Execute bridge orders without error to support engineering operations.
- • Following bridge commands quickly preserves ship safety and mission integrity.
- • Technical constraints must be respected and implemented exactly as ordered.
Concerned and businesslike—alert to operational risk but calm and efficient in managing logistics and delegating to crew.
At Main Engineering, Geordi reports the overdue deuterium control conduit repairs, gives a time estimate via comms, crosses to Wesley and delegates the parts requisition for an S‑C‑M Model Three before repairs begin.
- • Complete necessary deuterium conduit adjustments correctly and safely.
- • Obtain required replacement part (S‑C‑M Model Three) quickly to minimize downtime.
- • Follow Starfleet protocol while protecting the ship's operational readiness.
- • Delaying maintenance risks greater system failure or danger.
- • Proper delegation to capable crew (Wesley) is both efficient and part of his responsibility.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Ship's Stores Compartment is invoked as the source location for the requested S‑C‑M Model Three; it becomes the immediate logistical destination for Wesley's parts run, converting an abstract technical need into a tangible retrieval task.
The Deuterium Control Conduit is identified as overdue for routine adjustments; its required maintenance is the causal trigger for the operational decision to forgo warp. It functions narratively as the technical fault that forces command-level tradeoffs between speed and safety.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Main Bridge functions as the decision node converting an engineering report into command action. Picard and Riker assess risk and issue the order to assume standard orbit, translating technical constraints into strategic choice.
The Enterprise's orbit around the large yellow planet provides the contextual constraint: proximity to the diplomatic objective heightens the cost of delay and frames the operational consequence of the repair.
Main Engineering is the site where the technical problem is discovered and managed. It hosts Geordi and Wesley's hands‑on exchange, diagnostics, and the immediate logistics for repair — the practical heart of the ship's operational response.
Ship's Stores is invoked as the logistical source for the S‑C‑M Model Three; it stands ready to convert the engineering request into a physical component and thus shorten repair time if accessed efficiently.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"GEORDI: Bridge, this is Engineering."
"RIKER: That would preclude use of our warp drive engines."
"GEORDI: I am going to need an S-C-M, model three, from stores. WESLEY: Right away."