Object

Reginald Barclay's Protective Cargo Bay Gloves

Worn by Barclay and Geordi La Forge during the Invidium contamination crisis in the Enterprise-D's cargo bay. Used to handle liquid nitrogen canisters and detect Invidium residue via a specialized detection tool, directly advancing the emergency subplot.

2 appearances

Purpose

Shield engineering crew from extreme cryogenic temperatures during hazardous canister handling; surface captures and exposes trace contaminants for diagnostic scanning

Significance

Exposes Invidium infiltration through residue evidence, catalyzing Barclay's risky nitrogen flood proposal and Picard's critical approval to avert ship-wide failure

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S3E21 · Hollow Pursuits

Barclay’s Revelation: The Invidium Gambit

Barclay’s protective gloves play a dual role in this event: they protect him from the nitrogen canister’s extreme cold while also serving as a diagnostic tool. When Barclay withdraws his gloved hand from the canister, Geordi shines the detection device on it, revealing the Invidium residue clinging to the fingers. This visual confirmation is the turning point that validates Barclay’s contamination theory and spurs his proposal to flood the injector pathway with liquid nitrogen. The gloves thus become both a safety measure and a crucial piece of evidence.

Before: Intact and uncontaminated before Barclay inserts his hand into the canister.

After: Contaminated with Invidium residue, serving as proof of the threat and a catalyst for action.

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S3E21 · Hollow Pursuits

Picard’s Gamble: Trusting the Unproven to Save the Enterprise

Barclay’s protective gloves serve as both a tool and a canvas for the crisis. As he reaches into the canister, the gloves protect his hands from the nitrogen’s extreme cold, but they also become the medium through which the Invidium residue is discovered. When Geordi shines the flashlight-like device on the glove, the residue clings to the fingers, visible and undeniable. This moment is pivotal: the gloves, meant to shield, instead reveal the threat, turning Barclay’s hands into a symbol of both vulnerability and solution. The residue’s presence on the gloves bridges the gap between abstract danger and tangible evidence, propelling the crew into action.

Before: Intact and unmarked, worn by Barclay in Cargo Bay 38.

After: Contaminated with Invidium residue, now a critical piece of evidence; Barclay removes them carefully to avoid spreading the contaminant further.

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