Star Trek The Next Generation
S1E19
· Coming of Age

Jake Defies Duty, Shuttles Away from Responsibility

In the tense cockpit of a shuttlecraft, Jake Kurland decisively rejects his obligations to face his father after failing to qualify for Starfleet Academy. He coldly informs Captain Picard of his intent to abandon his responsibilities by signing onto a freighter at Beltane Nine and asks Picard to apologize on his behalf. Picard's voice, calm yet authoritative, commands Jake to return immediately, urging him to confront rather than evade. Despite the command, Jake whispers a fearful refusal, triggering the shuttle’s controls to lurch violently as power fails, symbolizing both his internal panic and the escalating physical crisis. This moment crystallizes Jake’s personal rebellion against duty and sets in motion the urgent rescue that will test Picard’s leadership and the crew’s resolve.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Jake reveals his plan to abandon his post and sign onto a freighter, asking Picard to apologize to his father as he refuses to face him.

determined to despair ['shuttlecraft cockpit']

Picard’s voice commands Jake to return immediately, ordering him to bring the shuttle back, asserting authority despite Jake's intent to flee.

defiance to command

Jake whispers his refusal to face his father, solidifying his decision to leave and escape responsibility despite Picard’s orders.

fear to resignation ['shuttlecraft cockpit']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

1
Jake Kurland
primary

Desperately fearful and panicked, masking a deeper emotional turmoil and avoidance of confrontation with his father and obligations.

Jake Kurland is at the shuttlecraft controls, resolutely rejecting Picard’s command and declaring his intention to flee to Beltane Nine. His whispered confession reveals deep fear and panic as he struggles to pilot the failing shuttle, physically embodying his internal conflict between duty and escape.

Goals in this moment
  • • Escape from responsibility and familial confrontation
  • • Evade Picard’s authority and Starfleet expectations
Active beliefs
  • • Facing his father now is unbearable and will cause pain
  • • Leaving to sign onto a freighter at Beltane Nine is a viable path to freedom
Character traits
Defiant Desperate Fearful Resentful
Follow Jake Kurland's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Starfleet Shuttlecraft

The shuttlecraft serves as both Jake’s literal means of escape and a physical symbol of his rebellion. Its controls are frantically manipulated as Jake attempts to flee, and its sudden power loss dramatically externalizes his internal panic and the crisis escalating onboard the Enterprise. The shuttle’s failing systems heighten the tension and urgency of the moment.

Before: Operational and under Jake’s control inside the Enterprise’s …
After: Power failing; shuttlecraft lurching unpredictably with lights dimming …
Before: Operational and under Jake’s control inside the Enterprise’s shuttlebay.
After: Power failing; shuttlecraft lurching unpredictably with lights dimming and engine noise dying, signaling critical malfunction.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

2
Beltane Nine

Beltane Nine is referenced as Jake’s intended destination, a symbolic off-world hub representing escape and detachment from Starfleet duties and familial obligations. Though not physically present, its mention frames Jake’s flight as a crossing into moral and personal exile.

Atmosphere Unseen but evoked as a place of looming abandonment and new beginnings under duress.
Function Symbolic destination for Jake’s self-imposed exile and rejection of responsibility.
Symbolism Embodies the crossroads between duty and escape, hope and avoidance.
Shuttlecraft Cockpit

The shuttlecraft cockpit functions as the confined, tense arena where Jake’s rebellion and panic converge. The claustrophobic space amplifies his emotional turmoil and the physical stakes as he grapples with controls amid failing systems, embodying the pressure cooker of youthful desperation and crisis.

Atmosphere Oppressively tense and claustrophobic, filled with flickering lights and the sounds of failing engines, heightening …
Function Physical and emotional crucible for Jake’s defiance and the immediate crisis.
Symbolism Represents moral isolation and the narrow path between duty and escape.
Access Restricted to authorized personnel; currently occupied solely by Jake.
Dimming control panel lights Sudden lurching movements of the shuttle Engine noise fading to silence Confined, cramped space emphasizing emotional pressure

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 1
Character Continuity

"Wesley’s concern for Jake in the corridor foreshadows Jake’s desperate shuttle escape attempt, linking Wesley’s emotional investment in his friend with Jake’s fear-driven actions."

Wesley’s Farewell to Jake and Duty’s Call
S1E19 · Coming of Age
What this causes 2
Causal

"Jake’s shuttle malfunction and loss of power directly cause the crisis on the Enterprise bridge, initiating Picard’s urgent rescue operation."

Picard Seizes Command to Save Jake's Life Amid Crisis
S1E19 · Coming of Age
Causal

"Jake’s shuttle malfunction and loss of power directly cause the crisis on the Enterprise bridge, initiating Picard’s urgent rescue operation."

Jake’s Shuttle Spirals toward Atmospheric Doom
S1E19 · Coming of Age

Key Dialogue

"JAKE: Captain Picard. I'm going to Beltane Nine to sign onto a freighter. Tell my father I'm sorry."
"PICARD (V.O.): Tell him in person. Bring the ship back. Now."
"JAKE (whispers): No. I can't face him. I'm leaving."
"JAKE: I've lost power!"