Riva's Ceremonial Revelation
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Humanoids materialize from wall portals and begin to assemble in the large, geometrically designed room, creating an immediate atmosphere of ritualized stillness and quiet expectation around the away team.
Riva appears and moves among the crowd, pausing to appraise Picard, Worf and Troi with a penetrating, confident gaze, then offers Troi a warm, flirtatious smile—establishing his authority, charisma, and immediate rapport with the away team.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Professionally attuned yet momentarily thrown by Riva's abrupt shift in tone
Functioning seamlessly as Riva's expressive conduit through synchronized speech while maintaining ceremonial detachment, until Riva's outburst briefly fractures their usual harmony before recovery.
- • Accurately convey Riva's words and emotional intent to the away team
- • Maintain ceremonial dignity despite rapid shifts in tone
- • Their role anchors Riva's diplomatic authority
- • Cultural misunderstandings must be corrected without visible frustration
Politely didactic, mission-focused throughout the exchange
Providing formal hospitality and technical explanations about the Chorus's function, serving as the most approachable interface between Riva's delegation and Starfleet.
- • Bridge cultural knowledge gaps with clear explanations
- • Project Riva's sophistication through refined hospitality
- • Technical explanations build trust in mediation processes
- • First contact benefits from unambiguous introductory protocols
Fascinated yet cautiously probing, masking momentary uncertainty beneath practiced diplomatic calm
Balancing diplomatic formality with genuine curiosity as he navigates the alien ritual unfolding before him, absorbing the novelty of Riva's Chorus while ensuring Federation protocols are upheld.
- • Establish mutual respect and understanding with Riva to facilitate the upcoming mission on Solais Five
- • Decipher the cultural significance of the Chorus communication system to prevent diplomatic missteps
- • First contact rituals reveal cultural priorities and must be approached with respect
- • Mediators like Riva function best when their preferred methods are accommodated
Professionally wary, ready to intervene at the first sign of threat
Standing guard with disciplined posture, reacting defensively when Riva suddenly raises his voice, instinctively stepping forward to protect the captain before the situation de-escalates.
- • Maintain security protocol despite unfamiliar cultural context
- • Deter potential aggression through visible readiness
- • Cultural anomalies may conceal physical threats
- • First contact situations require heightened defensive postures
Attentive but clinically detached, maintaining operational oversight from afar
Remaining professionally detached via comms link, acknowledging Picard's status update without visible reaction to the unfolding cultural encounter.
- • Maintain real-time awareness of the diplomatic engagement's progress
- • Ensure Picard has command support despite physical absence
- • First Officer duties include maintaining situational awareness during sensitive encounters
- • Remote monitoring allows for rapid response if backup is required
Professionally charmed yet slightly unsettled by the Warrior/Adonis' romantic boldness
Forming an immediate empathic and sensual connection with Riva through exchanged smiles, then serving as cultural interpreter when Warrior/Adonis directly engages her with brazen flirtation.
- • Bridge cultural gaps through personal connection with Riva's Chorus members
- • Assess emotional subtext of the ritual for Captain Picard's benefit
- • Physical presence and nonverbal cues carry diplomatic weight equal to spoken words
- • Flirtation can be a legitimate form of cultural engagement when appropriately bounded
Confidently bemused, enjoying his control over the cultural moment
Commanding the room effortlessly with regal poise, studying each away team member intently before suddenly testing Picard with an aggressive outburst about speaking protocol.
- • Assess the away team's adaptability to his unconventional communication methods
- • Assert dominance over the diplomatic exchange through controlled unpredictability
- • True mediators reveal themselves under sudden pressure
- • Cultural first impressions establish long-term power dynamics
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Serves as the ceremonial stage where mediator Riva reveals his unique communication method through dramatic choreography with the Chorus, making first contact with the Starfleet delegation under the tension of unresolved planetary conflict nearby.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"Picard's captain's log and the order to divert to Ramatis directly set the away-team meeting that produces the ritualized assembly where the story's central mystery (Riva and his Chorus) is introduced."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The revelation on Ramatis (Riva's deafness and Chorus' function) is carried forward and reiterated during shipboard introductions, maintaining continuity of how the crew must understand and interact with Riva."
"The revelation on Ramatis (Riva's deafness and Chorus' function) is carried forward and reiterated during shipboard introductions, maintaining continuity of how the crew must understand and interact with Riva."
"The revelation on Ramatis (Riva's deafness and Chorus' function) is carried forward and reiterated during shipboard introductions, maintaining continuity of how the crew must understand and interact with Riva."
"The revelation on Ramatis (Riva's deafness and Chorus' function) is carried forward and reiterated during shipboard introductions, maintaining continuity of how the crew must understand and interact with Riva."
"The revelation on Ramatis (Riva's deafness and Chorus' function) is carried forward and reiterated during shipboard introductions, maintaining continuity of how the crew must understand and interact with Riva."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
"The ritualized arrival context immediately leads to the Chorus's explanation and the critical revelation that Riva is deaf and uses the Chorus as his voice."
Key Dialogue
"WARRIOR/ADONIS: 'You're empathic.' / TROI: 'Yes.' / WARRIOR/ADONIS: 'Then, although you already know my feelings toward you, allow me to put them into words...'"
"CHORUS: 'Riva the famous mediator is... / CHORUS: Deaf. / CHORUS: Born, and hope to die.'"
"RIVA: 'Speak to me!' (aggressively) / PICARD: 'What?!' / TROI (subtly): 'He's prodding you to get a reaction.'"