Star Trek The Next Generation
S2E7
· Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unnatural Selection

Picard Uncovers Pulaski's Admiration

Captain Picard, puzzled by Dr. Pulaski's abrupt transfer request, seeks answers from her former commanding officer, Captain Taggert. Taggert reveals Pulaski's deep admiration for Picard, as well as her encyclopedic knowledge of his service record. The revelation leaves Picard visibly shocked, hinting at the complex professional dynamics and unspoken tensions that define their relationship. This exchange serves as a key revelation, peeling back the layers of Pulaski's motivations and setting the stage for their future interactions.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Picard presses Taggert for a reason, and Taggert laughs off the probe, revealing Pulaski's stubborn request to transfer, her intimate knowledge of Picard's service record, and a longstanding admiration—turning a procedural question into personal revelation.

challenge to bemused disclosure

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Taggert
Captain
 primary

Lighthearted admiration tinged with professional regret

Captain Taggert, appearing via viewscreen with a jovial demeanor, responds to Picard's inquiry with nostalgic amusement. His revelation about Pulaski's admiration for Picard is delivered with a laugh, underscoring his fondness for her despite her stubbornness.

Goals in this moment
  • • Explain Pulaski's transfer to Picard
  • • Highlight Pulaski's exceptional qualities
Active beliefs
  • • Pulaski's skills outweigh her eccentricities
  • • Professional admiration can drive career decisions
Character traits
Amused Nostalgic Candid
Follow Taggert's journey
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain
 primary

Composed professionalism masking genuine surprise

Captain Picard, seated in his ready room, engages Captain Taggert via the viewscreen, seeking clarity about Dr. Pulaski's unexpected transfer. His composed demeanor fractures momentarily upon hearing Taggert's revelations about Pulaski's admiration, revealing a rare flash of astonishment.

Goals in this moment
  • • Uncover the reason behind Pulaski's transfer
  • • Assess Pulaski's fit for the Enterprise
Active beliefs
  • • Professional transfers warrant clear justification
  • • Understanding personnel motivations is key to command
Character traits
Inquisitive Disciplined Shockable
Follow Jean-Luc Picard's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
Enterprise Main Bridge Viewscreen (Communications & Sensor Display)

The Enterprise's main viewscreen serves as the medium for Picard and Taggert's conversation, displaying Taggert's image with clarity and amplifying the casual yet revealing nature of their exchange. Its presence underscores the distance between the two captains and the formal yet personal nature of their discussion.

Before: Displaying Captain Taggert's image
After: Displaying Captain Taggert's image
Before: Displaying Captain Taggert's image
After: Displaying Captain Taggert's image
Pulaski's Purged Transporter Records

Pulaski's purged transporter records are referenced by Taggert, highlighting her strong aversion to transporter technology and the institutional accommodations made for her preferences. This mention underscores the tension between personal convictions and Starfleet protocols.

Before: Purged from Repulse's systems
After: Remains purged, a point of curiosity for Picard
Before: Purged from Repulse's systems
After: Remains purged, a point of curiosity for Picard
Starfleet Shuttlecraft

The Starfleet shuttlecraft is cited by Taggert as Pulaski's preferred method of transport, emphasizing her distrust of transporters and the lengths to which Starfleet accommodates her preferences, even at the cost of operational efficiency.

Before: Used by Pulaski during her tenure on the …
After: Symbolizes Pulaski's ongoing resistance to transporter use
Before: Used by Pulaski during her tenure on the Repulse
After: Symbolizes Pulaski's ongoing resistance to transporter use

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Captain's Ready Room

The Captain's Ready Room serves as the confidential setting for this revelatory conversation between Picard and Taggert. Its quiet, professional atmosphere contrasts with the surprising personal revelations about Pulaski, framing the exchange with an air of institutional gravitas.

Atmosphere Private and disciplined, with underlying tension
Function Setting for confidential command-level discussion
Symbolism Represents the intersection of personal and professional in Starfleet command
Access Restricted to Enterprise senior officers
Starlight filtering through observation window Subspace transmissions crackling to life

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

"TAGGERT: The moment she heard of the opening on the Enterprise, she put in a request for transfer. Knew your service record backward and forward. Apparently she's been an admirer of yours for some time."
"PICARD: (shocked) Extraordinary."