Fabula
S1E8 · Lonely Among Us

Riker Confronts Badar N'D'D Over Concealed Weapons Amid Rising Tensions

In the shadowed confines of Badar N'D'D's quarters, First Officer Riker confronts the hostile Antican delegate about suspicious weapons-like devices discovered near the Selay delegation. Badar defensively insists they are merely tools for hunting food, underscoring his people's impulsive nature and deep-seated hatred for their reptilian rivals. Despite Badar’s dismissive attitude and allusions to political inevitability, Riker firmly asserts Starfleet’s zero-tolerance policy on weapons aboard the Enterprise, signaling a hard crackdown to prevent violence. The exchange crystallizes the volatile diplomatic atmosphere, leaving an ominous undercurrent as Badar ominously vows that though they won’t start a conflict, they intend to finish it. This tense confrontation escalates the fragile peace aboard the ship, foreshadowing imminent conflict and underscoring the precarious balance the crew must maintain.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

5

Riker confronts Badar N'D'D, presenting confiscated concealed weapons and demanding an explanation for their presence near the Selay quarters, signaling a tense escalation in security measures.

calm authority to suspicion and confrontation ['Basic Quarters Suite, low-lit with dark …

Badar N'D'D defensively claims the confiscated objects are mere tools for dispatching food animals, while Tasha Yar challenges the logic by noting the food storage location, intensifying the underlying tension.

defensive dismissal to pointed challenge ['Basic Quarters Suite, low-lit with dark …

Riker asserts that the tools can indeed kill, prompting Badar to admit his people's impulsiveness and mutual hatred with the Selay, while Tasha and Badar exchange terse acknowledgements of the political hostility framing the conflict.

accusation to grudging admission and political resignation ['Basic Quarters Suite, low-lit with dark …

Riker formally warns Badar that all weapons will be confiscated and violence prohibited aboard the Enterprise, challenging delegation authority to maintain order amidst simmering hostility.

assertive enforcement to diplomatic warning ['Basic Quarters Suite, low-lit with dark …

Badar pledges that the Anticans will not initiate violence, but ominously vows to finish any conflict, leaving unresolved menace as they exit with the confiscated weapons.

political calm to ominous threat ['Basic Quarters Suite, low-lit with dark …

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3

Controlled and focused, underscoring the gravity of the security concerns without escalating tension unnecessarily.

Lieutenant Tasha Yar stands beside Riker, professionally questioning Badar N'D'D and reinforcing the seriousness of the weapons discovery. She acts as a calm, composed security presence, ensuring adherence to protocol and highlighting the mutual hostility between the Anticans and the Selay.

Goals in this moment
  • To assist Riker in interrogating Badar N'D'D about the suspicious devices.
  • To confirm and clarify the hostile relations between Anticans and Selay.
  • To uphold Starfleet security protocols aboard the Enterprise.
  • To support diplomatic stability by managing volatile interactions.
Active beliefs
  • Security protocols must be enforced consistently to prevent violence.
  • The Anticans and Selay’s mutual animosity poses a significant risk.
  • Clear communication and professional demeanor help contain tensions.
  • Supporting superior officers is essential to maintaining order.
Character traits
Calm Professional Alert Supportive Resolute
Follow Tasha Yar's journey

Calm but resolute, conveying authority and a sense of urgency to prevent violence; focused on maintaining order despite palpable tension.

Commander Riker stands firm and authoritative, holding the suspicious devices and confronting Badar N'D'D head-on with clear resolve. He articulates Starfleet's zero-tolerance weapons policy, asserting control over the fragile diplomatic situation while navigating underlying tensions with measured, resolute leadership.

Goals in this moment
  • To uncover the true nature and intent of the suspicious devices.
  • To enforce Starfleet regulations prohibiting weapons aboard the Enterprise.
  • To de-escalate potential violence between hostile delegations through clear warning.
  • To maintain ship security and uphold diplomatic neutrality.
Active beliefs
  • Weapons, regardless of guise, pose a direct threat to ship safety and peace.
  • The Antican delegation harbors hostility towards the Selay, risking conflict escalation.
  • Starfleet authority must be unequivocally asserted to preserve order.
  • Preventing violence aboard the Enterprise is paramount to mission success.
Character traits
Firm Resolute Commanding Diplomatic Strategic
Follow William Riker's journey

Guarded and dismissive on the surface with simmering menace beneath, conveying a readiness to escalate conflict if provoked.

Badar N'D'D reacts with defensive disdain, dismissing the devices as hunting tools while revealing cultural attitudes of impulsiveness and entrenched hatred toward the Selay. His body language—shrugging and a lifted eyebrow—couples with his ominous vow to finish any conflict, marking him as defiant, provocative, and unyielding in the tense diplomatic standoff.

Goals in this moment
  • To downplay the severity of the seized items and avoid punitive action.
  • To assert Antican cultural identity and their right to self-defense.
  • To threaten future retaliation implicitly without igniting immediate conflict.
  • To maintain a strategic posture of strength amid fragile diplomacy.
Active beliefs
  • The devices are legitimate tools, not weapons, reflecting Antican customs.
  • The Selay are inherent enemies and justify Antican hostility.
  • Political conflict and hatred are inevitable aspects of interspecies relations.
  • Violence will be reactive and justified only as finishing a conflict begun by others.
Character traits
Defiant Disdainful Provocative Cultural prideful Ominous
Follow Badar N'D'D's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Badar N'D'D's Quarters

Badar N'D'D's quarters provide the setting for this tense confrontation, characterized by low lighting and shadowed corners that accentuate the atmosphere of mistrust and hostility. The quarters act as a private yet oppressive environment where diplomatic facades crack, revealing cultural antagonism and foreshadowing violence.

Atmosphere Dimly lit, shadowy, tense with underlying menace and diplomatic friction.
Function Private meeting place where Riker and Tasha confront Badar N'D'D about hidden weapons, making it …
Symbolism Embodies the shadowy undercurrents threatening to destabilize the peace mission and symbolizes the cultural isolation …
Access Restricted to delegation members and senior Starfleet officers; private quarters with limited access.
Low light emphasizing shadows and dark corners Sparse, solid-color furniture without decoration Quiet, confined interior space intensifying tension

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"RIKER: These weapons were removed from two of your people who were loitering out of sight in the vicinity of the Selay delegation quarters. Would you care to explain, sir?"
"BADAR N'D'D: Those are not weapons, First Officer. They are tools we use to dispatch the animals we consume."
"RIKER: And you will admit these tools can kill."
"BADAR N'D'D: Some of my people are impulsive. And we all have reason to hate the Selay."
"RIKER: Nonetheless, Chief Delegate, I'm putting you on notice that all weapons -- no matter what their basic function -- are being confiscated. Violence will not be tolerated on the Enterprise."
"BADAR N'D'D: Of course not. And if any does occur, I can assure you it will not be we Anticans who start it."
"BADAR N'D'D (ominously): But we will finish it."