Star Trek The Next Generation
S1E13
· The Big Goodbye

Tense Holodeck Circuit Repairs Under Imminent Deadline

Within the Enterprise's Holodeck entrance, Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge and Ensign Wesley Crusher grapple with a critical and escalating Holodeck malfunction. Their painstaking examination of the complex circuitry panels reveals stalled progress, fueling Geordi’s mounting frustration as precious time slips away. Meanwhile, Commander Riker’s urgent, clipped communication underscores the stakes—failure to restore the system promptly risks the lives trapped inside the deadly simulation. This moment deepens narrative tension by juxtaposing technical paralysis with looming catastrophe, setting the stage for desperate measures to save Picard and the crew.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Geordi and Wesley fixate on a complex circuitry panel, their scrutiny revealing mounting technical challenges as they search for a solution.

focused to frustrated

Geordi voices his frustration over their lack of progress, signaling the urgency and pressure mounting on their technical efforts.

frustration intensifies

Riker's voice cuts through the tension, warning that time is running out and heightening the stakes for Geordi and Wesley’s repair efforts.

frustration to urgent dread

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
William Riker
Commander
 primary

Urgent and tense, underscoring the precarious situation and pressing for immediate resolution.

Commander William Riker communicates urgently over comm, emphasizing the critical time constraint and implicitly the life-threatening stakes of the Holodeck failure.

Goals in this moment
  • • Ensure the Holodeck is repaired promptly
  • • Maintain command control over the crisis situation
Active beliefs
  • • Time is the most critical factor in this emergency
  • • Communication and command decisiveness can influence the outcome
Character traits
authoritative urgent commanding concerned
Follow William Riker's journey
Beverly Crusher
Chief Medical Officer
 primary

Anxious yet determined, balancing youthful optimism with the sobering reality of the malfunction's severity.

Ensign Wesley Crusher partners with Geordi in scrutinizing the complex circuitry panel, demonstrating eagerness and technical curiosity while sharing the tension of the moment.

Goals in this moment
  • • Assist in quickly identifying the source of the malfunction
  • • Support Geordi to facilitate a timely repair
Active beliefs
  • • Technical expertise can overcome the Holodeck’s failure
  • • Collaborative effort increases chances of success
Character traits
eager intelligent supportive anxious
Follow Beverly Crusher's journey
Geordi La Forge
Chief Engineer
 primary

Frustration underlying calm professionalism, with growing anxiety about the lives at stake and pressure mounting from command.

Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge is intensely focused on the intricate circuitry panel, actively troubleshooting the Holodeck malfunction. His frustration subtly surfaces as he reports their lack of progress, embodying the pressure of time-sensitive engineering diagnostics.

Goals in this moment
  • • Diagnose the Holodeck malfunction swiftly and accurately
  • • Restore system functionality before catastrophe strikes
Active beliefs
  • • The Holodeck malfunction is critical and must be fixed immediately
  • • Only precise technical intervention can save those trapped inside
Character traits
methodical focused frustrated responsible
Follow Geordi La …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Holodeck Control Panel

The complex circuitry panel serves as the focal point for Geordi and Wesley’s technical examination and repair efforts. Its labyrinth of wiring and diagnostic indicators represents both the tangible obstacle and the key to resolving the Holodeck malfunction threatening the trapped crew.

Before: Fully integrated into the Holodeck Entrance system, active …
After: Still under examination and inoperative due to unresolved …
Before: Fully integrated into the Holodeck Entrance system, active but malfunctioning.
After: Still under examination and inoperative due to unresolved Holodeck issues.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Holodeck IV Entrance

The Holodeck Entrance acts as a tense, high-pressure technical hub where personnel gather to diagnose and repair critical system failures. Its atmosphere shifts from routine operational space to a crucible of urgent problem-solving, bridging the real ship and the virtual danger within the malfunctioning Holodeck.

Atmosphere Tension-filled with focused urgency, underscored by the looming threat to crew safety.
Function Primary technical repair site and nerve center for coordinating crisis response.
Symbolism Represents the fragile boundary between simulated reality and life-threatening peril.
Access Restricted to engineering and command personnel actively involved in repair and crisis management.
Dim lighting focused on the circuitry panel Ambient hum of ship systems and occasional comm alerts

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

"GEORDI: "Nothing yet, Commander.""
"RIKER'S COM VOICE: "We're running out of time.""