The Final Diagnosis
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Pulaski privately confirms Graves has Varnay's disease and delivers the blunt prognosis 'You're dying,' which collapses any illusion of hope and raises the stakes for Graves, Kareen, and the away team.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Brazen denial barely concealing existential terror
Initially deflects with lecherous humor and intellectual dominance before his facade cracks upon hearing Pulaski's diagnosis.
- • Dismiss the medical diagnosis to preserve his self-image
- • Assert control over the narrative of his decline
- • His genius exempts him from biological fragility
- • Medical professionals are obstacles to his autonomy
Horrified grief breaking through professional composure
Gasping involuntarily at Pulaski's diagnosis, revealing her deepening concern for Graves despite his earlier rebukes.
- • Secure medical intervention for Graves against his protests
- • Anchor Graves to emotional reality despite his intellectual evasion
- • Graves' brilliance doesn't nullify his need for care
- • Her devotion obligates her to act against his self-destructive impulses
Somber resolve masking compassion
Delivers the terminal diagnosis with clinical detachment, maintaining professionalism despite Graves' hostility and Kareen's emotional reaction.
- • Fulfill her duty as a physician by accurately diagnosing Graves
- • Maintain ethical standards despite Graves' resistance
- • Medical truth must be delivered regardless of patient's disposition
- • Graves' condition warrants immediate acknowledgment despite his arrogance
Alert focus on escalating stakes
Authorizes Pulaski to disclose the diagnosis despite Graves' objections, balancing medical ethics with crisis management.
- • Ensure transparency in Graves' medical crisis
- • De-escalate tensions between Graves and Pulaski
- • Graves' hostility shouldn't obstruct critical health disclosures
- • The away team's authority includes overriding patient resistance in emergencies
Unsettled by Graves' behavior but focused on underlying distress
Endures Graves' inappropriate flirtation with quiet discomfort, observing the diagnostic confrontation with empathy.
- • Maintain diplomatic composure despite personal discomfort
- • Assess the psychological implications of Graves' diagnosis
- • Graves' lechery stems from existential fear rather than genuine attraction
- • The medical crisis transcends interpersonal awkwardness
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Though not actively wielded, Worf's phaser remains holstered but conspicuous throughout the confrontation—a visual reminder of Starfleet's preparedness even during a medical crisis.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Graves' cluttered living quarters become an arena for intellectual and mortal confrontation, their disarray mirroring his crumbling health and unstable genius.
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
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"Pulaski: "I checked twice to make certain... You have Varnay's disease.""
"Graves: "Damn doctors! Always sneaking up on you like that -- saying this isn't going to hurt, this isn't going to hurt, when you both know it's going to hurt like hell!""
"Pulaski: "I'm sorry, Ira. You're dying, and there's nothing I can do about it.""