Reluctant Concession and Kolrami's Public Slight
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Picard consults Kolrami on simulation rules; Kolrami demands an escort and research-only access, and Picard grants the constrained permission and orders Burke to execute.
Kolrami fires a contemptuous aside, belittling Crusher as a 'non-commissioned child,' and Picard muzzles his irritation, letting the insult harden the brewing clash.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Composed and businesslike; focused on executing orders without engaging in the political friction on the bridge.
At Tactical, Burke announces and receives Picard's order to 'handle that,' then promptly exits to carry out the escort and enforce the limits on Ensign Crusher's access.
- • Execute Picard's orders precisely and without causing further disturbance.
- • Ensure the safety and procedural compliance of the returning crew member (Crusher).
- • Chain of command must be followed without debate.
- • Operational orders should be implemented quickly to preserve efficiency and discipline.
Smug and superior; deliberately testing social and command nerves to provoke a reaction and assert intellectual dominance.
Seated to Picard's left, Kolrami weighs in on the simulation rules, prescribes an escort and research-only restriction, then makes a deliberately loud aside dismissing Crusher’s status and mocking Riker’s choice.
- • Assert Zakdorn strategic superiority by publicly critiquing personnel choices.
- • Elicit a visible reaction from Picard or Riker that reveals command weaknesses.
- • Hierarchy and commission status matter more than individual competence.
- • Provocation can be a diagnostic tool to expose leadership flaws.
Irritated but controlled; outwardly composed while inwardly stung by Kolrami's insult and aware of the political implications of his decision.
Seated in the command chair, Picard hears Riker's request, solicits Kolrami's opinion, grants permission with limits, and directs Burke to enforce the escort—containing visible irritation at Kolrami's aside.
- • Preserve Starfleet protocol and the simulation's integrity by asking for objections and imposing research-only limits.
- • Protect crew morale and reputation by granting the request without escalating a public row with Kolrami.
- • Command decisions must balance procedure with humanity.
- • Public confrontation with a provocative observer (Kolrami) will damage authority and morale, so restraint is prudent.
Absent physically; the mood his absence creates is one of slight procedural vulnerability on the bridge.
Mentioned as conspicuously absent from the bridge; Data's absence is noted implicitly as a gap in analytic presence and affects how command distributes attention and responsibilities in the scene.
- • N/A (absent) — his usual goal of providing analysis is unmet in this moment.
- • By being absent, he inadvertently emphasizes human command dynamics between Picard, Riker, and Kolrami.
- • N/A for present action — the crew expects Data's analytic contributions when present.
- • His absence will require human officers to compensate for diagnostic and tactical analysis.
Concerned and practical; focused on the consequence of unattended experiments rather than engaging in political theater.
Appearing on the Main Viewer from the Hathaway bridge, Riker requests Crusher be allowed to reboard and explains the pragmatic reason—unfinished critical experiments—positioning the request as an operational necessity.
- • Secure the Enterprise's help to remedy operational oversights on the Hathaway.
- • Protect his crew (Crusher) from professional harm and ensure mission continuity.
- • Crew competence and the success of the mission trump hierarchy in urgent operational matters.
- • Picard will act reasonably if presented with practical facts.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Main Viewer presents Riker and the Hathaway bridge visually, converting a remote logistic question into an immediate, bridge‑floor drama and orienting attention to the request's human consequences.
The incoming 'Message from the Hathaway' functions as the trigger for the exchange: it presents Riker, conveys the operational problem (unfinished experiments), and compels Picard to make a judgment about personnel movement and safety.
The Captain's command chair anchors Picard physically and symbolically as he listens, solicits objections, makes rulings, and withholds public rebuke. It frames his authority as he absorbs Kolrami's provocation and issues the escort order.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Conn Station sits as a quiet witness to the interaction; its posted supernumeraries reflect the bridge's heightened attention and serve as background anchors to Picard's public exercise of authority.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
No narrative connections mapped yet
This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph
Key Dialogue
"RIKER: "I'd like to request permission for Ensign Crusher to reboard the Enterprise, Captain.""
"KOLRAMI: "He should be escorted, and have no contact with anything save his research.""
"KOLRAMI: "I saw no sense in Riker choosing him anyway -- he is just a non-commissioned child.""