Star Trek The Next Generation
S1E9
· Justice

Beverly Urgently Sends Picard to Consult Data

In a tense Sickbay corridor, Beverly Crusher confronts Captain Picard with raw maternal desperation, pressing him to act decisively to save her son Wesley from an impending, unjust execution. Picard balances his heavy burden of command—responsible for the entire crew's safety—while admitting his own fear beneath his stoic facade. Their charged exchange culminates in Beverly directing Picard to seek out Data, whose recovered consciousness and analytical insight are vital for understanding the enigmatic alien vessel and the dire moral crisis at hand. This moment crystallizes the emotional stakes and sets the stage for critical revelations about the godlike Edolord and the complex interplay of Starfleet ethics versus absolute alien law.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Beverly directs Picard to Sickbay where Data awaits, implying that Data’s recovered state holds crucial information for their next move.

resolve to hopeful anticipation ['Sickbay']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain
 primary

Stoic outwardly, masking a deep, quiet fear and sense of heavy responsibility for both Wesley and the crew.

Picard appears composed but internally conflicted, acknowledging the burden of command and his concealed fear. He calmly informs Beverly of Wesley’s status, quietly admitting his apprehension. His steadiness tempers Beverly’s emotional urgency, but he listens and ultimately accepts her plea to involve Data.

Goals in this moment
  • • To balance crew safety against individual rescue
  • • To seek information from Data to guide next steps
Active beliefs
  • • Command responsibility constrains direct intervention
  • • Data’s insight is vital for understanding and possibly resolving the crisis
Character traits
stoic responsible measured fearful receptive
Follow Jean-Luc Picard's journey
Beverly Crusher
Chief Medical Officer
 primary

Desperate and emotionally strained, struggling to maintain composure while pushing for decisive action to save her son.

Beverly Crusher emerges with Picard into the Sickbay corridor, urgently confronting him with desperate concern for Wesley’s fate. She oscillates between pleading, emotional outburst, and controlled apology, clearly torn between her professional demeanor and maternal anguish. Her final act in this event is to direct Picard toward Data in Sickbay as a source of crucial insight.

Goals in this moment
  • • To compel Picard to act swiftly to save Wesley
  • • To ensure Picard accesses Data's insights for strategic advantage
Active beliefs
  • • Wesley is innocent and undeserving of execution
  • • Urgent action can still alter Wesley’s fate
Character traits
maternal emotional pleading resolute vulnerable
Follow Beverly Crusher's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Sickbay (USS Enterprise)

The Sickbay corridor acts as the emotionally charged transitional space where Beverly and Picard confront the grim reality of Wesley’s fate. Its clinical sterility contrasts with the raw human despair and command burden expressed, symbolizing the coldness of the alien justice system they face. The corridor’s confined space heightens tension and intimacy of this private confrontation.

Atmosphere Tense and emotionally fraught, a silent battle of wills underscored by clinical sterility.
Function Meeting place for a private yet pivotal confrontation between maternal fear and command duty.
Symbolism Embodies the moral isolation and weight of ethical dilemmas faced by Starfleet officers when confronted …
Sterile fluorescent lighting Narrow corridor amplifying tension Absence of background noise focusing attention on dialogue

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"BEVERLY: What do you intend to do about my son?"
"PICARD: He is being held safely, until sundown..."
"BEVERLY: When he faces execution! Although he has committed no crime, certainly none that any sane and reasonable person would..."
"BEVERLY: I... apologize, sir... but this is very difficult for me..."
"PICARD: You saw what that thing was about to do. I have a ship, an entire crew to consider..."
"BEVERLY: If you felt the same, you'd be as frightened and trembling..."
"PICARD (quietly): But I am."
"BEVERLY: Data is in Sickbay here. You'll find him able to talk."