Public Betazoid Proposal — Riker Retreats to the Holodeck
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Riker tries to slip away, but Mrs. Troi commandeers the moment and publicly announces a Betazoid marriage to him, stunning the bridge. Shock ripples as Wesley blurts, "Married?" while Riker reels.
Riker starts to protest; Mrs. Troi steamrolls him and exits to 'prepare' via the turbolift. Deanna moves to confront her, but Riker stops her, citing orders to keep Mrs. Troi untroubled, drawing a sharp "Coward!" from Troi.
Seeking cover, Riker decides to head for the Holodeck and invites Data along; Data responds with a faint, eager smile, signaling their escape.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Surprised and a little bewildered — genuinely unsure how to process the sudden social development while on duty.
Expresses audible surprise at the marriage proclamation with a single question ('Married?'), embodying naive curiosity and the bridge's collective confusion; stands by as an audience to the scene.
- • Understand the unexpected announcement.
- • Remain observant and ready to follow orders as the situation develops.
- • Unexpected personal announcements are unusual aboard the bridge.
- • The bridge's operational needs persist regardless of social disturbances.
Professionally detached — focused and unflappable, treating the situation as a clinical problem rather than a social spectacle.
Speaks over comm with clinical precision to inform the bridge that the Antedians are stirring from hibernation and estimates full consciousness within hours, establishing a medical timeline that undercuts the levity occurring on the bridge.
- • Convey accurate medical status to command quickly.
- • Anchor ship operations to medical realities so proper containment and scheduling happen.
- • Prevent medical uncertainty from becoming a diplomatic crisis.
- • Timely medical information will enable command to make correct operational choices.
- • The Antedians' awakening is a matter of hours and should be treated with clinical urgency, not drama.
- • Shipboard protocol and quarantine concerns must trump social distractions.
Pleasantly curious and obliging — engaged in providing a pragmatic solution rather than emotional counsel.
Offers a practical, literal-minded suggestion about the Holodeck as an escape, accepts Riker's invitation, and briefly smiles — providing a calm, social buffer and an outlet for Riker to remove himself from the scene.
- • Support Riker socially by offering a distraction.
- • Maintain bridge decorum by helping remove an embarrassed officer from public scrutiny.
- • A change of scene (Holodeck) can effectively diffuse personal embarrassment.
- • Social duties can be managed by small, practical actions that restore operational focus.
Flustered and mortified on the surface; choosing avoidance to manage personal humiliation and to contain potential diplomatic fallout.
Receives Pulaski's report, announces intent to notify the captain, attempts a polite exit, is blindsided when Mrs. Troi publicly names him as her future husband, gently restrains Deanna, and chooses to defuse rather than confront — then offers the Holodeck as an escape with Data.
- • Inform the captain about the Antedians to maintain operational integrity.
- • Contain the social disruption caused by Mrs. Troi to protect mission priorities.
- • Prevent Deanna from escalating the public confrontation and preserve decorum until command can intervene.
- • Chain-of-command (the captain) should resolve family/diplomatic embarrassments.
- • Public spectacle threatens the ship's diplomatic mission and must be minimized.
- • Personal discomfort is secondary to Starfleet duty and the conference preparations.
Angry and embarrassed, torn between familial loyalty and professional duty; she wants to set her mother straight to prevent harm to the conference.
Reacts angrily and protectively to her mother's proclamation, attempts to pursue Lwaxana to confront her, voices indignation when stopped by Riker, and frames her response in familial and diplomatic concern.
- • Confront Lwaxana immediately to stop the public spectacle.
- • Protect Riker from being publicly humiliated or dragged into scandal.
- • Prevent the Troi family actions from jeopardizing the diplomatic mission.
- • Lwaxana's behavior can cause real political/diplomatic harm if unchecked.
- • Personal family matters should never endanger Starfleet responsibilities.
- • Command (and Picard) should be the authority to resolve such crises.
Collective astonishment mixed with professional restraint — surprised but keeping composure enough to continue essential functions.
As a collective, the bridge crew freezes and registers stunned silence and shocked reactions when Mrs. Troi announces the proposed marriage, holding stations while absorbing the social shock and the medical update.
- • Maintain operational readiness despite the social disruption.
- • Await direction from senior officers about how to proceed with both the medical and diplomatic elements.
- • Unexpected personal declarations are not their domain to adjudicate; command will direct response.
- • Maintaining station duty is primary even when startled by social events.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The aft turbolift doors function as the immediate physical exit for Mrs. Troi's theatrical exit; she moves to and exits through the lift, using it to punctuate her announcement and to leave the bridge without further public argument.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The forward turbolift (the bridge's transit conduit) is used as a public threshold for Mrs. Troi's exit; its opening and her departure physically and emotionally puncture the bridge's composure and turn a private family claim into shipwide notice.
The Holodeck corridor is evoked as the next practical refuge when Riker, embarrassed, accepts Data's company to 'go into the Holodeck.' It functions narratively as the immediate means to remove Riker from public humiliation and to shift into the next, more private scene.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Lwaxana's flirtation and sizing up of Riker on the bridge culminate in her public declaration to marry him."
"Lwaxana's flirtation and sizing up of Riker on the bridge culminate in her public declaration to marry him."
"Troi warns that spurning her mother will upset her; later, Riker avoids confronting Lwaxana to keep her untroubled."
"Troi warns that spurning her mother will upset her; later, Riker avoids confronting Lwaxana to keep her untroubled."
"Lwaxana declares an alternate plan and mate hunt among officers, setting up her public marriage announcement to Riker."
"Lwaxana declares an alternate plan and mate hunt among officers, setting up her public marriage announcement to Riker."
"Riker flees to the Holodeck and brings Data, prompting Data's period getup and persona."
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"PULASKI (V.O.): "The Antedians are coming around. They're currently in the early stages of post-hibernation.""
"MRS. TROI: "There, on the shores of the western sea... in a traditional Betazoid ceremony... your Commander Riker and I will be joined in the union of holy wedlock.""
"DATA: "Are you planing on going into the Holodeck, Commander?" / RIKER: "Thought I might, Data. Want to come along?""