Fear as Currency — A Wordless Apology
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Beverly attempts to persuade Finn that Picard could help his cause, but Finn dismisses the idea.
Finn asserts that Beverly could influence Picard, not him, revealing his lack of faith in diplomatic solutions.
Beverly counters Finn's threats by exposing his reliance on fear and control, regaining her moral high ground.
Finn admits that fear is an effective weapon, but Beverly challenges his morality by questioning the consequences of his potential victory.
Finn, visibly affected by Beverly's words, gives her his sketch pad as a nonverbal apology before walking away.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Outwardly threatening and self-assured; privately wounded and awkwardly seeking connection — defensive pride masking loneliness.
Finn approaches Beverly while she treats the wounded, verbally threatens Captain Picard to intimidate, insists fear is a useful weapon, then, unable to translate wounded feeling into words, silently hands Beverly his sketch pad and walks away.
- • Maintain control over Beverly and reinforce authority through intimidation
- • Prevent Beverly from persuading Picard to intervene on the rebels' behalf
- • Project strength to his group while testing whether Beverly still feels loyalty or compassion toward him
- • Fear is an effective tool to control people and advance his cause
- • Picard will not be an ally to their movement and must be neutralized or obstructed
- • Emotional expression is dangerous; actions must dominate words — yet small gestures (the pad) can communicate what words cannot
Externally absent but narratively endangered; inferred vulnerability as Beverly offers to persuade and as Finn invokes lethal threat.
Captain Picard is not physically present in this cavern scene but is the threatened party; his influence and safety structure the exchange between Beverly and Finn as the object of Finn's menace.
- • (Inferred) Remain alive and be retrieved safely by the Enterprise
- • Preserve the moral high ground by allowing negotiations rather than retaliatory violence
- • Beverly's faith in his influence is justified — he can make a difference
- • His role as captain makes him a target and a bargaining chip in political conflicts
Calm and resolute, with undercurrents of hurt and compassion; steadiness used as a tool to unsettle Finn and reclaim ethical ground.
Beverly treats the wounded but deliberately engages Finn, refusing to be cowed. She challenges his use of fear, offers to try to persuade Picard to help, and reclaims moral authority before witnessing Finn hand over his sketch pad of her portrait.
- • De-escalate the immediate threat to Picard and the wounded
- • Expose and delegitimize Finn's reliance on fear as a political tool
- • Preserve life by offering to persuade Picard rather than escalate violence
- • Picard can be persuaded to help and will treat people with respect
- • Fear-based authority is morally bankrupt and must be challenged
- • Appealing to a person's humanity can open pathways away from violence
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Koinonian Caverns provide the claustrophobic, dimly lit setting for this intimate moral confrontation: a makeshift infirmary where Beverly treats the wounded and where Finn stages coercive encounters. The cavern amplifies fear, secrecy, and the fragile humanity between captor and captive.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Finn's threat to kill Picard is later confirmed by Beverly to Picard, reinforcing the danger they're in."
"Finn's threat to kill Picard is later confirmed by Beverly to Picard, reinforcing the danger they're in."
Key Dialogue
"FINN: You're glad to see your captain..."
"FINN: I may have to kill him."
"BEVERLY: You've controlled me through fear... just like you've tried to control this whole continent."