Picard Uncovers the Parasitic Conspiracy and Riker’s Betrayal
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Picard uncovers a grotesque meal of live, writhing worms hidden beneath a silver cover, recoiling in horror as Admirals Aaron and Savar devour the same, revealing their monstrous nature.
Picard tries to flee in disgust but is forcibly restrained by Riker, who reveals a blue parasitic splinter embedded in his neck, signaling his infection and alliance with the alien conspirators.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Horrified and dejected, grappling with betrayal and the collapse of trust within his command, yet determined to resist the alien threat.
Captain Picard is initially seated, horrified by the revelation of living worms as food, recoiling in shock and disgust. He attempts to flee but is forcibly restrained by Riker. Throughout, he is shellshocked and dejected, struggling to process the betrayal unraveling before him. He later aids Riker by seizing the guard's phaser and firing at the Vulcan Savar during the violent confrontation.
- • Survive the immediate threat posed by the infected conspirators
- • Understand the full extent of the alien infiltration
- • Protect the Enterprise and its crew from internal sabotage
- • Expose and confront the parasitic infestation within Starfleet
- • Starfleet and the Federation must be protected at all costs
- • Trust within his command is sacred but currently compromised
- • The alien parasites represent an existential threat to the Federation
- • Loyalty to his crew and friends remains paramount despite deception
Calm and determined with a cold edge of deception initially, shifting to resolute and protective as he confronts the conspirators violently.
Commander Riker initially restrains Picard from fleeing, revealing his counterfeit parasite splinter and complicity in the alien conspiracy. In a sudden, decisive turn, he fires his phaser at the Angel One Guard, igniting a violent firefight. Riker also cuts down Tryla Scott and removes the fake splinter from his own neck, exposing his true loyalty and breaking the conspirators’ façade.
- • Maintain cover within the conspiracy to gather intelligence
- • Protect Captain Picard and the Enterprise
- • Eliminate the immediate parasitic threat
- • Expose the alien infiltration within Starfleet leadership
- • Deception is necessary to combat the parasitic threat effectively
- • The Federation and its command structure must be preserved
- • Picard’s survival is critical to stopping the conspiracy
- • The parasite’s spread must be halted by any means
Confident and malicious, reveling in betrayal and theatrical intimidation, showing no remorse or hesitation in attacking former allies.
Tryla Scott arrives dramatically, revealing her infection and alliance with the conspirators. She mocks Picard, consumes living worms with a malevolent smile, and fires a phaser at Picard and Riker, narrowly missing. She is swiftly cut down by Riker, with the parasite fleeing her mouth, symbolizing her monstrous possession.
- • Support the conspirators' control over Starfleet
- • Eliminate Picard and Riker as threats
- • Maintain the parasite's infiltration and spread
- • Demoralize and isolate Picard psychologically
- • The parasite infestation will dominate Starfleet
- • Violence and fear are effective means to control opposition
- • Picard is a significant obstacle to their plans
- • Loyalty to the parasite supersedes former Starfleet allegiances
Smiling with cruel confidence, displaying aggression and superiority, ultimately desperate as he is fatally wounded.
Admiral Savar gleefully consumes the living worms, showing a chilling Vulcan smile. He mocks Picard and physically attacks Riker in a violent grip. Savar is ultimately killed by Picard’s phaser fire during the chaotic combat.
- • Eliminate those opposing the conspiracy
- • Protect the secret infiltration of Starfleet
- • Assist in securing control over the Enterprise
- • Suppress any threats to the parasite’s spread
- • The parasite must remain hidden until full control is achieved
- • The conspirators are superior to the unsuspecting Federation officers
- • Violence is an effective tool to maintain control
- • Patience ensures success of their long-term plan
Angry and mocking, confident in his control and contemptuous of Picard’s futile resistance, yet desperate when escape becomes necessary.
Admiral Aaron openly consumes the living worms, mocking Picard with taunts and revealing the counterfeit parasite splinter on Riker’s neck, exposing the depth of conspiracy. He attempts to flee during the firefight but is thwarted by Riker and Picard’s coordinated resistance.
- • Intimidate and demoralize Picard
- • Reveal and secure allied conspirators within Starfleet
- • Maintain control of the Enterprise via Riker
- • Escape when the situation deteriorates
- • The parasite conspiracy will succeed in overtaking Starfleet
- • Picard’s resistance is ultimately futile
- • Control of the Enterprise equates to control of the Federation’s fate
- • Slow, dramatic manipulation is preferable to rushed confrontation
Unwavering yet blindly compliant, reflecting the compromised security forces under parasitic influence.
The Angel One Guard, complicit in the conspiracy, consumes the grotesque living worms and advances to serve the conspirators. He is abruptly shot and incapacitated by Riker’s phaser fire, signaling the breakdown of the conspirators’ control and the eruption of violence.
- • Serve and protect the infected conspirators
- • Maintain order during the confrontation
- • Suppress any resistance within the dining room
- • Loyalty to Starfleet is aligned with the conspirators’ goals
- • The parasite’s command supersedes individual judgment
- • Obedience ensures survival within the infected hierarchy
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Phasers are wielded as lethal weapons during the confrontation. Riker uses one to shoot the Angel One Guard, initiating the violent firefight. Picard seizes another to shoot and kill Savar, defending himself and his allies. Tryla Scott also fires a phaser in a failed attempt to kill Picard and Riker, escalating the deadly chaos.
The counterfeit parasite splinter is revealed on Riker’s neck by Admiral Aaron, serving as a crucial plot device to falsely implicate Riker as an infected conspirator. Its removal by Riker at the event’s climax signifies the unmasking of his true loyalty and dismantles the conspirators’ façade.
The silver bowl-like coverings conceal the repulsive living worms serving as the entree at the dining table. Their removal by Picard and conspirators exposes the grotesque nature of the meal, symbolizing the parasitic infection and betrayal embedded within Starfleet leadership.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The dining room serves as the claustrophobic battleground where the parasitic conspiracy explodes into open violence. Its polished black table and formal setting contrast starkly with the grotesque meal and betrayal unfolding. The space traps Picard and others in a psychological and physical crucible, heightening tension and underscoring the theme of corrupted trust within Starfleet leadership.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The suspicious attitude and cryptic behavior of Admirals Savar and Aaron lead directly to their hostile confrontation and reveal as infected conspirators during the dinner scene."
"The polite, cryptic reception by Admirals Savar and Aaron parallels their later revealed monstrous nature, illustrating the theme of betrayal cloaked in civility within Starfleet's leadership."
Key Dialogue
"AARON: Go ahead and start, Captain. We don't stand on ceremony around here."
"RIKER: You're not going anywhere."
"TRYLA: Yes... one thing both races share is a love of theatre. And you've put on a fine show."
"RIKER: You'll understand soon, Picard."
"SAVAR: Indeed. We've been moving slowly, cautiously, for many months now. Careful to cover our tracks. Careful not to arouse suspicion, until it's too late."
"RIKER: And it is too late. For you, that is."