Chandlerland Ambush — Picard Shot Point‑Blank
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Slade thunders out as a grey-suited stranger plants himself between Picard and the office, face shadowed by a fedora and cigarette; Picard needles him with a knowing quip, testing the newcomer.
The stranger drives a concealed gun into Picard’s back and orders him to freeze, demanding Slade Bender; hands raised, Picard turns to a scarred, pale‑eyed enforcer and keeps the patter alive.
Picard refuses to give up Bender and smiles at the hard‑boiled threat, relishing the genre cue as the Toughguy rams the muzzle into his ribs.
Picard snaps a classic punch that staggers his attacker; the Toughguy recovers and fires point‑blank into Picard’s gut, flipping bravado into stunned peril.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Practical and focused on the transaction — he is determined, impatient, and confident the payment secures Picard's services; he appears unaware of the imminent threat behind him.
Slade Bender appears at the event's opening beat, produces payment for Picard and leaves through the Exit; he is not present for the later gunfire but his presence and reason for being there (Alva) motivate the tough's inquiry.
- • secure Picard's services to find Alva
- • ensure the agreed payment is delivered
- • leave promptly to pursue his own agenda
- • money will guarantee action from Picard
- • Picard (Hill) is capable and trustworthy enough to be hired for the task
- • his problem (Alva's disappearance) requires immediate, pragmatic action
Feigning casual amusement that escalates into bold bravado; the bravado briefly masks surprise and then collapses into stunned, acute pain and disorientation when he is shot.
Picard, in Dixon Hill mode, maintains sardonic composure, answers threats with wit, physically strikes the attacker with a classic punch, then is unexpectedly shot point‑blank in the abdomen and reels before the scene cuts to black.
- • defuse the immediate threat without bloodshed
- • protect himself and maintain control of the situation
- • preserve the dignity and credibility of his Dixon Hill persona (and by extension, his role as captain)
- • the assailant is testing or bluffing and can be unsettled by calmness or mockery
- • his own physical skill and composure can neutralize violent threats
- • the Holodeck environment, while simulated, still demands performance — and performance can influence outcomes
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Cigarette smoke issues from the toughguy's lit cigarette, clinging to the dim hallway and thickening the atmosphere; it functions as an aural/visual curtain that obscures motion, increases menace, and accentuates the noir mood immediately before and during the confrontation.
A small, concealed handgun is the instrument of immediate threat: the attacker draws it from beneath his grey jacket, presses the barrel against Picard's ribs to coerce information, then thrusts it into his belly and fires at close range, abruptly converting verbal menace into lethal action.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The narrow, decrepit corridor leading to Dixon Hill's office functions as the staged noir threshold where the Holodeck's safety is breached. Its worn surfaces, single sputtering bulb and enclosed geometry concentrate the confrontation, turning private menace into an unescapable, cinematic battleground.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"After being shot by the holodeck tough, Picard heads to Rex's bar for a drink, staying in character."
Key Dialogue
"TOUGHGUY: Freeze."
"TOUGHGUY: Because he owes me money. And because if you don't, I'll blow your head off."
"PICARD: I don't think so."