Object
Generator Strata (Dilithium Lattices)
A buried sequence of massive, perfectly aligned dilithium veins threading the planet's crust: crystalline lattice planes glint like knife‑edged mirrors within fractured rock. The strata span kilometers, layered like sedimentary bands but crystalline and metallic, emitting a low, rhythmic piezoelectric pulse when heated. Wesley projects an ico‑gram that slices the ground open, revealing the lattices; engineers watch readouts spike as seismic tremors synchronize with the lattices' oscillations. Crew faces tighten as the strata's hum registers on ship sensors and geologic maps.
2 appearances
Purpose
To transduce planetary heat and mechanical stress into directed tectonic force via piezoelectric conversion, effectively acting as a natural energy generator that drives seismic activity and releases trapped radioactive material.
Significance
Serves as the causal mechanism for Drema Four's catastrophic breakdown: the lattices' conversion of heat into tectonic force rips the planet apart and releases Illium‑629, producing the scientific imperative that forces Picard to breach the Prime Directive and prioritize a child's safety over noninterference.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used