Object

Riker's Rib

A section of Commander William Riker's right-side rib cage felt through uniform fabric and flesh: warm, rounded bone and taut muscle beneath a shirt pressed by hands and plates. The rib registers pressure and brief pain when Pagh crew members jab or prod it, producing a tightening breath and a grimace that punctures social banter. Its surface shows no explicit open wound in the text, only immediate, tactile contact used to test Riker's composure.

2 appearances

Purpose

To form part of Riker's thoracic skeleton, protecting internal organs and enabling respiration; in the scene it functions practically as a locus for tactile contact (poking/prodding) used by others to apply social pressure.

Significance

Serves as the physical focal point for an informal trial of endurance and cultural fitness: touch to the rib escalates mockery into a bodily test of composure, revealing Klingon social norms, exposing Riker's outsider vulnerability, and foreshadowing a formal contest of honor.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S2E8 · A Matter of Honor

The Mess Hall Test: Riker's Social Trial

Riker's right‑side rib is tangibly affected when Vekma smacks his back in 'good will,' nearly dislodging the rib; the physical contact converts social teasing into bodily consequence and emphasizes vulnerability.

Before: Intact, felt through uniform as normal; no visible injury noted.

After: Jarred and briefly painful—Riker gives a pleading look and registers physical discomfort along with social awkwardness.

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S2E8 · A Matter of Honor

Mockery as Ritual: Riker Tested in the Mess Hall

Riker's right‑side rib is effectively 'used' when Vekma smacks him across the back; the contact nearly dislodges a rib and registers as a physical violation that raises the stakes of the social test and highlights vulnerability under communal pressure.

Before: Intact beneath Riker's uniform, part of his body and normally unremarked upon.

After: Momentarily jarred; Riker winces and tightens but the rib remains intact — the contact underscores physical risk in Klingon social ritual.

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