S1E16
· 11001001

Enterprise Hijacked: Captains Stranded as Ship Flees Starbase

At Starbase 74's command center, the realization dawns that the USS Enterprise has been commandeered and is departing autonomously at warp speed. Captain Picard and Commander Riker remain trapped aboard the eerily empty ship, their absence noted with growing alarm by the crew. The magnetic field regeneration under unknown influence signals a sophisticated hijacking, plunging the stranded crew and Starbase personnel into urgent crisis mode. This pivotal moment escalates tension dramatically, marking a turning point where the protagonists must grapple with isolation, loss of control, and the desperate imperative to reclaim their vessel and uncover the Bynars' deeper motives.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Quinteros warns that time has run out, injecting a crushing finality as Starbase 74 announces the Enterprise's magnetic field is regenerating under unknown influence.

urgent hope to ominous dread

Starbase Command confirms the USS Enterprise departs at warp speed, vanishing from their reach and leaving the crew stranded in helpless shock.

helplessness escalating to shock

The Enterprise races at warp speed toward an unknown destination, its decks and corridors empty and dangerously silent beneath flashing warning lights, signaling isolation and peril.

from frantic motion to eerie emptiness ['Enterprise decks and corridors']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

7

Worried yet resolute, ready to act decisively

Lieutenant Natasha Yar replies with worried resolve that Picard and Riker are not at the Starbase, underscoring the gravity of their absence and the impending danger.

Goals in this moment
  • Confirm the absence of senior officers on the Starbase
  • Prepare for emergency response as needed
Active beliefs
  • Captain and Riker's absence indicates trouble
  • Immediate response protocols are necessary
Character traits
resolute worried pragmatic decisive
Follow Tasha Yar's journey

Calmly urgent with focused determination

Data beams into the command center with logical urgency, discussing the need to beam back to the Enterprise to retrieve Picard and Riker, and analyzing the unusual magnetic field regeneration.

Goals in this moment
  • Secure the safe retrieval of Picard and Riker
  • Understand and counteract the hijacking mechanisms
Active beliefs
  • The captain and commander are trapped aboard the ship
  • Technical anomalies indicate external interference
Character traits
logical urgent analytical focused
Follow Data's journey

Resolutely concerned with a sense of responsibility

Worf inquires sharply about the whereabouts of Picard and Riker, demonstrating determined concern and readiness to act, while anchoring security perspectives during the crisis.

Goals in this moment
  • Confirm the safety and location of senior officers
  • Mobilize security support for potential rescue
Active beliefs
  • Picard and Riker are still aboard the Enterprise
  • Security protocols must be enforced to regain control
Character traits
determined concerned direct loyal
Follow Worf's journey

Concerned and anxious, but trying to maintain composure

Wesley Crusher stands among Starbase personnel with concern and attentiveness, absorbing the unfolding crisis and the alarming absence of senior officers from the command center.

Goals in this moment
  • Understand the situation regarding the captain and Riker
  • Support senior officers in managing the crisis
Active beliefs
  • The absence of Picard and Riker signals serious trouble
  • Starfleet protocols must be respected despite urgency
Character traits
concerned attentive observant respectful
Follow Beverly Crusher's journey

Concerned and puzzled, seeking technical clarity

Geordi La Forge beams into the Starbase command center, expressing concern and puzzlement about the magnetic field's unexpected regeneration and the ship's autonomous departure.

Goals in this moment
  • Determine the cause of the magnetic field regeneration
  • Support efforts to regain control of the Enterprise
Active beliefs
  • The magnetic field regeneration is suspicious and unexplained
  • Technical expertise is crucial in resolving the crisis
Character traits
concerned puzzled focused inquisitive
Follow Geordi La …'s journey

Urgently alarmed with mounting frustration over dwindling options

Orfil Quinteros commands the Starbase 74 operation with urgent alarm, directing attention to the Enterprise's departure and conveying the critical lack of time to intervene, embodying authoritative crisis leadership.

Goals in this moment
  • Prevent the Enterprise from escaping without intervention
  • Coordinate Starbase resources to respond to the hijacking
Active beliefs
  • The Enterprise is under unauthorized control
  • Immediate action is required despite limited time
Character traits
authoritative urgent directive concerned
Follow Orfil Quinteros's journey

Neutral but urgent, conveying critical information

Starbase Com Voice provides authoritative status updates on the Enterprise's magnetic field status and warp departure, delivering critical operational intelligence to the command staff.

Goals in this moment
  • Communicate real-time ship status to Starbase command
  • Support coordinated crisis response through information sharing
Active beliefs
  • Clear communication is vital for effective crisis management
  • Operational data guides tactical decisions
Character traits
authoritative precise urgent
Follow Starbase Com …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Transporter Room Seven

Transporter Room Seven is referenced as the vital staging area for potential rescue operations, with Data and others discussing the need to beam back to the Enterprise to retrieve Picard and Riker.

Before: Active and ready aboard Starbase 74, awaiting deployment …
After: Standing by as a critical access point for …
Before: Active and ready aboard Starbase 74, awaiting deployment commands.
After: Standing by as a critical access point for attempted transport back to the Enterprise.
Antimatter Containment Magnetic Seals

The antimatter containment magnetic field's unexplained regeneration is a critical technical anomaly signaling sophisticated interference, suggesting the hijacking employs advanced manipulation of ship systems.

Before: Previously weakened or unstable, causing concern among engineering …
After: Regenerating unexpectedly under unknown influence, complicating efforts to …
Before: Previously weakened or unstable, causing concern among engineering staff.
After: Regenerating unexpectedly under unknown influence, complicating efforts to understand the ship's autonomous behavior.
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701‑D)

The USS Enterprise is the central object of the hijacking event, as it autonomously backs away from its dock and warps out of Starbase 74 under unknown control, embodying the loss of command and escalating crisis.

Before: Docked securely at Starbase 74 undergoing scheduled maintenance …
After: Departed Starbase 74 at warp speed, empty of …
Before: Docked securely at Starbase 74 undergoing scheduled maintenance and upgrades.
After: Departed Starbase 74 at warp speed, empty of crew except for the missing Picard and Riker.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

2
Main Bridge

The Main Bridge of the USS Enterprise is notably empty and silent during the event, juxtaposing the ship's autonomous movement with the absence of its commanding officers and crew, symbolizing loss of human control.

Atmosphere Eerily quiet, with flashing warning lights underscoring the alien takeover.
Function Physical locus of control now vacated, emphasizing the ship’s hijacking.
Symbolism Symbolizes isolation and abandonment amid technological usurpation.
Access Empty and inaccessible to Starbase personnel at this moment.
Flashing warning lights Silent consoles Vacant corridors and decks
Starbase 74

Starbase 74 serves as the overarching jurisdiction and operational hub during the crisis, coordinating efforts to monitor and respond to the Enterprise's unauthorized departure, encapsulating the tension between control and helplessness.

Atmosphere Tense and urgent, filled with coordinated but strained activity as staff scramble to comprehend the …
Function Command and control center for crisis response and tactical coordination.
Symbolism Represents institutional authority challenged by unexpected technological subversion.
Access Restricted to authorized Starfleet personnel and command staff.
Large command center with operational consoles Viewscreens showing Enterprise backing away and departing Ambient tension-filled chatter and alert signals

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 1
Escalation

"The chaotic evacuation culminates in the Enterprise becoming an empty, stolen ship, escalating the crisis to its peak."

Automated Evacuation Amid Antimatter Crisis
S1E16 · 11001001

Key Dialogue

"WORF: Did you see the captain and Commander Riker?"
"TASHA: No."
"GEORDI: Are you saying they are still on the Enterprise?"
"QUINTEROS: Look!"
"STARBASE COM VOICE: The USS Enterprise has departed in excess of warp one."