Private Grief, Public Engage
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Picard pauses as Wesley stares at the Main Viewer; celestial images compress Wesley's discovery and love into a private ache, turning wonder into quiet sadness.
Picard snaps 'Engage'; Wesley brings the warp drive online and watches Daled Four slide out of the Viewer as the Enterprise departs and the act closes with FADE OUT.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Sad and reflective — a private ache at Salia’s departure — yet composed and obedient, converting longing into professional competence.
Exits the turbolift, moves to the Conn, relieves Ensign Gibson, confirms Picard’s order, then pauses to stare at Daled Four on the Main Viewer before engaging the warp drive at Picard's command.
- • Obey the Captain's orders and execute the ship's speed change without error
- • Process and contain personal feelings about Salia while on duty
- • Demonstrate reliability and maturity at the helm
- • Starfleet duty and chain of command come before personal desires
- • Competence at his station will earn trust and help him grow
- • Private emotions must not interfere with ship operations
Composed and quietly empathetic; aware of crew feelings but prioritizes mission and order.
Receives Riker's navigational confirmation, issues the speed order to 'Mister Crusher,' notices Wesley’s pause, and with a measured final command converts the moment into action: 'Engage.'
- • Set the Enterprise on course and maintain schedule
- • Preserve order on the bridge and ensure crew focus
- • Gently enforce the boundary between personal sentiment and duty
- • Chain of command must be upheld for ship safety
- • Leaders must both observe crew morale and not let it compromise operations
- • A decisive command can restore focus and convert hesitation into action
Neutral and observational; focused on data rather than emotion.
Stationed at Ops, monitoring systems and sensor returns while providing the steady, impassive presence of a technician-analyst during the bridge exchange and departure.
- • Maintain accurate sensor and system readouts
- • Provide any technical confirmation required for warp engagement
- • Objective data is necessary for safe operations
- • Emotional states of crew do not alter system requirements
Stoic and watchful; externally calm with an undercurrent of readiness.
Posted at Tactical, alert and present, providing the security posture appropriate for a diplomatic transport and remaining ready as the ship prepares to jump to warp.
- • Maintain ship security during the departure
- • Be prepared to respond to any sudden threats or orders
- • Preparedness prevents crises
- • Security duties must be maintained even during routine maneuvers
Focused and businesslike; performs routine duties without distraction.
At his command position, confirms that the course is set for Aldebaran Zeta and communicates that navigational readiness to the Captain and bridge crew.
- • Ensure navigation is properly configured for the next leg
- • Support the Captain’s decisions and maintain bridge composure
- • Clear, timely reporting enables command decisions
- • Maintaining professional procedure steadies the crew
Calmly dutiful and unobtrusive; performs transfer of station with routine competence.
Occupying the Conn just prior to Wesley's arrival; is relieved professionally and hands over helm responsibilities without incident.
- • Complete a clean handover of the Conn
- • Follow chain of command and support junior officer's assumption of duty
- • Proper procedure governs station transfers
- • Respecting rank and orders maintains bridge efficiency
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Main Viewer displays a wedge of Daled Four and a field of stars that become the emotional focal point for Wesley’s pause; visually it frames his private longing and then shows the planet receding as warp is engaged.
The Main Bridge Turbolift is the point of ingress for Wesley; the doors open to deposit him on the deck, enabling the physical transition from private corridor to public command space and triggering the sequence of handover at the Conn.
The Tactical Operations Console is manned by Worf and contributes ambient tactical presence; it stands ready and active while bridge personnel execute navigational and speed orders, reinforcing the ship's operational completeness.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Forward Stations/Conn is the operational locus for helm control where Wesley relieves Gibson and executes precise speed settings; it anchors the technical action that translates orders into ship movement.
The Aft Turbolift is the immediate point of transit that delivers Wesley onto the bridge; it functions as the literal doorway between personal corridor space and the public command area.
Aldebaran Zeta is the destination announced by Riker and becomes the practical objective that frames Picard's orders—its mention converts intention into navigational action.
Daled Four exists as an off-ship location visible on the Main Viewer; narratively it functions as the object of Wesley’s affection and the political origin point of Salia’s journey, making its disappearance an emotionally resonant loss.
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
Themes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"PICARD: Mister Crusher, set speed -- warp six point five."
"WESLEY: Done, Captain."
"PICARD: Engage."