Object

Farek's Neural Probe

A Ferengi-designed neural torture device used exclusively in lab settings to invasively target Betazoid telepathy, with no defensive or Starfleet-related functions.

3 appearances

Purpose

Invade telepathic minds, induce severe physical and mental agony, and visualize brain manipulation on monitors

Significance

Farek's use of the probe on Lwaxana Troi shatters Riker's restraint, prompting him to grab Nibor's phaser and spark the prisoners' rebellion against Ferengi captivity

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S3E24 · Menage a Troi

Riker’s Rage: The Breaking Point of a Man Who Can No Longer Watch

Farek’s neural probe is the instrument of Lwaxana’s torture, a cold, clinical device designed to invade and dissect her mind. Its application is methodical, the shifting colors on the monitor reflecting the grotesque manipulation of her brain activity. The probe is not just a tool—it is a weapon of psychological and physical domination, turning Lwaxana’s telepathic gifts into a source of agony. Its use is a violation, a grotesque spectacle that forces Deanna to experience her mother’s suffering firsthand, shattering her composure and spurring Riker into action.

Before: Operational, held by Farek, actively probing Lwaxana’s mind. The monitor displays erratic, storm-like colors as her brain activity is manipulated.

After: Still active but now a catalyst for Riker’s rebellion. Its continued use on Lwaxana is the final provocation that pushes Riker to seize Nibor’s phaser and escape.

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S3E24 · Menage a Troi

Lwaxana’s Gambit: A Mother’s Sacrifice and the Cost of Agency

Farek’s Neural Probe is the instrument of exploitation in this scene, designed to pierce Lwaxana’s mind and extract her telepathic abilities for Ferengi gain. Riker destroys it with a phaser shot, shattering its invasive function and freeing Lwaxana from immediate torment. The probe’s flaring monitor and Lwaxana’s arched body symbolize the violence of scientific exploitation, but its destruction marks a temporary victory—one that shifts the power dynamic in the room, allowing Lwaxana to negotiate from a position of strength.

Before: Active and functional, attached to Lwaxana’s head, with its monitor displaying shifting colors mapping her brain activity. Farek is adjusting it to intensify the probe’s invasion of her mind.

After: Destroyed by Riker’s phaser shot, reduced to smoldering debris on the lab floor. Its invasive function is neutralized, but the threat of further exploitation lingers in Tog’s bargain with Lwaxana.

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S3E24 · Menage a Troi

Lwaxana’s Gambit: A Mother’s Sacrifice and the Cost of Betazoid Honor

Farek’s neural probe is a brutal instrument of extraction, designed to pierce Lwaxana Troi’s mind and map her brain activity for Ferengi exploitation. Its application arcs her body in agony, eliciting telepathic screams that ripple through the lab. Riker destroys it with a phaser shot, shattering its invasive function and freeing Lwaxana from its torment. The probe symbolizes the Ferengi’s ruthless pursuit of knowledge and power, but its destruction marks a temporary victory for the captives—though the threat of further exploitation looms.

Before: Active and functional, attached to Lwaxana’s head, inflicting searing pain and extracting neural data.

After: Destroyed by Riker’s phaser, reduced to smoldering debris on the lab floor.

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