S2E6

· Star Trek: The Next Generation - Loud as a Whisper

The Collapse Into Silence

Geordi, working feverishly in Main Engineering, attempts to repair Riva's translation device but hits a wall of technical impossibility. His regret over not testing it earlier compounds Riva's spiraling despair—made painfully physical when the mediator collapses inward, hands clutching his face in silent agony. Geordi's empathetic admission about losing his VISOR creates a fleeting bond, but Troi recognizes the truth: Riva has already surrendered to the isolation. This marks the nadir of Riva's arc, where the failure of technology strips him bare, forcing the story toward its core question—can mediation exist without the mediator's voice?

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

GEORDI crouches over Riva's device, carefully disassembling it while puzzling over an unfamiliar Beta-wave transmission and admitting regret that he didn't run tests while it was functioning.

curiosity to frustration ['Main Engineering']

GEORDI pleads for any clue—'If he could tell me anything...'—but Riva shakes his head and buries his face in his hands, physically surrendering to the anguish of being unheard.

possibility to surrender ['Main Engineering']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

Deanna Troi

Counselor

primary

Professionally observant yet personally distressed by Riva's suffering

Troi enters Engineering with Riva, immediately sensing and interpreting his emotional collapse. She translates his silent despair for others, delivering the devastating assessment that Riva has already given up.

Goals in this moment

• Assess Riva's emotional state to determine how best to help
• Communicate Riva's despair to others when words fail

Active beliefs

• Emotional states can be just as communicative as words
• Riva has reached an emotional breaking point

Character traits

Empathic Perceptive Direct in communication Compassionate

Follow Deanna Troi's journey

Geordi La Forge

Chief Engineer

primary

Frustrated yet determined, with underlying guilt and deep empathy for Riva's plight

Geordi meticulously works on Riva's translation device, his frustration growing as he struggles to repair the unfamiliar technology. He expresses regret for not testing it earlier, then attempts to comfort Riva by relating to his own dependence on the VISOR.

Goals in this moment

• Repair Riva's translation device to restore his ability to communicate
• Provide emotional support to Riva by relating through shared technological dependence

Active beliefs

• Technological problems should have technical solutions
• Shared experiences of disability create meaningful bonds between people

Character traits

Technically proficient Empathetic Self-critical Problem-solving

Follow Geordi La …'s journey

Rivan

Edo Council Host

primary

Profound despair and isolation, with complete loss of hope in being understood

Riva physically collapses in on himself as his last hope for communication fails, burying his face in his hands in silent agony. His gesture of giving up requires no translation, speaking volumes about his despair without words.

Goals in this moment

• Express his anguish when verbal communication fails
• Withdraw from the painful reality of his isolation

Active beliefs

• Without technological assistance, he cannot function as a mediator
• His essential self cannot be known without the device

Character traits

Despairing Physically expressive Hopeless Vulnerable

Follow Rivan's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

Geordi La Forge's VISOR with Visual Acuity Transmitter

Geordi's VISOR serves as an emotional bridge in his attempt to connect with Riva, comparing its importance to him with Riva's dependence on his communication device. The VISOR becomes symbolic of shared technological reliance and the fear of losing one's adaptive capabilities.

Before: Functioning normally as part of Geordi's regular equipment

After: Gains new significance as a point of empathy …

Before: Functioning normally as part of Geordi's regular equipment

After: Gains new significance as a point of empathy between Geordi and Riva

Riva's Chorus Communication Device

Riva's Chorus device is the focus of Geordi's desperate repair attempts, its failure leaving Riva unable to communicate. The device's mysterious Beta wave transmission baffles Geordi, representing both technological wonder and a source of profound personal devastation when it cannot be fixed.

Before: Non-functional, in Geordi's possession for attempted repairs

After: Still non-functional, now representing irreparable communication barrier

Before: Non-functional, in Geordi's possession for attempted repairs

After: Still non-functional, now representing irreparable communication barrier

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

Main Engineering

Main Engineering, normally the Enterprise's technological hub, becomes the stage for a profound human drama as Riva's communication collapses. The usual hum of the warp core and technical consoles contrasts painfully with the silent despair unfolding among the crew.

Atmosphere Tension-filled with the pressure of failed technology and silent anguish

Function Workshop for the failed technical solution

Symbolism Represents both the promise and limitations of technological solutions to human problems

Access Open to essential personnel only

Hum of warp core providing constant background noise Glow of control panels illuminating worried faces

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 7

Character Continuity medium

"The immediate kinship established between Geordi and Riva (both reliant on external aids) motivates Geordi's personal commitment to diagnose and attempt to repair Riva's device in Engineering."

The Chorus of Understanding