Object
Barzan Wormhole Purchase Contract
A formal multi-page legal contract referenced during the ready-room debate over the Barzan wormhole. The script does not display the document physically; characters treat it as a binding commercial agreement that allocates risk and obligations tied to acquiring or transferring access to the wormhole. Inferred physical attributes include official letterhead, clause-dense pages, signature blocks, and possible commercial seals—details not shown on-screen. The crew reacts to the contract as the material stake of the negotiation: Mendoza frames its commercial peril, Riker highlights tactical risk, and Picard invokes restraint against impulsive closing.
3 appearances
Purpose
To capture and formalize the legal and commercial terms for acquiring rights, control, or transfer of access to the Barzan wormhole (purchase, liability, and obligations).
Significance
Serves as the narrative focal point for conflict between commercial temptation and command caution; functions as the concrete bargaining stake that raises diplomatic and operational risk, catalyzing Picard's orders for exhaustive sensors and delaying any impulsive manned mission.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used