Silent Crisis, Dancing Hands
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Picard records a captain's log from orbit, announcing rising military activity on Solais Five and sounding dire: without Riva — who remains silent — the Enterprise may fail to prevent catastrophe.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Professionally intrigued
Observing Data's demonstration with keen tactical interest, analyzing linguistic gestures through a security lens with crossed arms and assessing gaze.
- • Assess combat applications of silent communication
- • Maintain security readiness during diplomatic crisis
- • All tools have potential battlefield utility
- • Nonverbal communication offers tactical advantages
Supportive yet pressured
Approaching Data's workstation with supportive curiosity, leaning in to monitor progress while maintaining a commanding posture.
- • Assess Data's preparedness for mediation
- • Maintain operational readiness amid crisis
- • Technological solutions can salvage failing diplomacy
- • Android abilities may exceed human diplomatic methods
Concerned but composed
Voicing a grave captain's log entry about Solais Five's deteriorating situation, projecting professional concern through careful enunciation and measured pauses.
- • Document escalating crisis for official record
- • Maintain morale despite grim assessment
- • Riva's mediation is crucial for planetary survival
- • Federation protocols may be insufficient for this crisis
Fully engaged computational state
Processing sign language data with intense focus while conversing, hands accelerating in sync with the computer display until both become blurs of motion.
- • Master all relevant sign languages
- • Enhance processing speed beyond biological limits
- • Language acquisition is a solvable computational problem
- • Speed and accuracy outweigh social nuance in crisis
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Becomes the focal point for demonstration and tactical analysis, cycling through sign language demonstrations until both display and Data's mimicking hands reach inhuman speeds that fascinate Worf.
Functions as Data's primary interface for linguistic analysis, visually displaying multiple sign language systems while processing his acceleration commands until the display becomes an indistinguishable blur of gestural data.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Serves as the tense operational hub where Picard's log entry frames the stakes while Data's accelerated learning unfolds at Science Station One, creating a juxtaposition of looming planetary catastrophe and focused technological solution-seeking.
Looming in the background of Picard's log entry as the volatile planet threatening to collapse into full-scale war without Riva's intervention, serving as the unseen but ever-present crisis driving the bridge's urgent activities.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Riva's private signing lesson with Troi foreshadows the episode's later pivot to sign language as the viable path to communication and negotiation when the Chorus is gone."
"Riva's private signing lesson with Troi foreshadows the episode's later pivot to sign language as the viable path to communication and negotiation when the Chorus is gone."
"Riva's private signing lesson with Troi foreshadows the episode's later pivot to sign language as the viable path to communication and negotiation when the Chorus is gone."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Picard's early captain's log about a 'transportation only' diversion bookends the later captain's log that records escalating military activity—framing the mission's trajectory from routine duty to existential crisis."
"Data's study and rapid acquisition of gestural languages directly enables Picard's tactical idea to use Data as Riva's temporary translator at the summit."
"Data's study and rapid acquisition of gestural languages directly enables Picard's tactical idea to use Data as Riva's temporary translator at the summit."
"Data's study and rapid acquisition of gestural languages directly enables Picard's tactical idea to use Data as Riva's temporary translator at the summit."
Key Dialogue
"PICARD (V.O.): We are monitoring increased military activity on Solais Five. I fear that we will be unable to keep the Solari from destroying themselves without Riva and still he is silent."
"DATA: I have eliminated all but five distinct forms of signing. I will learn them all."
"WORF: Interesting. A technique of communication which is both silent and covert. It could be very useful."