Fabula
Object
Object

Owon Eggs (Riker's Omelet)

A small cache/cluster of rare Owon eggs kept in Riker's quarters and used as the primary ingredient in his private omelet ritual: oval, fingernail-sized shells with a mottled, slightly translucent sheen (pearl greens and bruised purples), fine radial ridges, warm to the touch. They are handled, cracked, and whisked at the stove; one may split when handled, releasing a faint scent. Crew members inspect and taste them during the convivial scene, and their quality becomes a tactile, contested prop.
8 appearances

Purpose

Culinary ingredient used as the primary egg component for preparing an omelet.

Significance

Functions as the material center of Riker's ritual of quiet defiance and communal solace: the eggs anchor the scene's domesticity, provoke technical and personal remarks from Data, Geordi, Pulaski, and Worf, and help humanize the crew before duty reasserts itself.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

8 moments
S2E13 · Time Squared
Riker's Omelet Ritual — Quiet Defiance

The Owon eggs are the narrative ingredient that sparks commentary about supply quality and taste; Riker cracks the last egg into the bowl and later the group discusses their origin and palatability, revealing character and logistic detail.

Before: Stored in Riker's quarters, whole and visible as a prized ingredient from the last stop.
After: Cracked, used in the omelet and effectively consumed; their subpar quality noted by Geordi and Riker.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Omelet, Ale, and Interrupted Respite

The Owon eggs supply the scene’s concrete catalyst: their exotic provenance is named, they are cracked and beaten into the bowl, and their disappointing flavour becomes a subject for banter and thematic remarks about ingredients and competence.

Before: Stored among other containers and condiments in Riker's quarters prior to use; whole and intact.
After: Beaten and cooked into the omelet; served to the crew and found lacking in taste, the shells and packaging implied to be discarded or set aside.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Omelet, Memory, and the Call

The Owon eggs function as the narrative catalyst: exotic flavor profiles provoke differing reactions, reveal cultural taste contrasts, and provide the excuse for conversation about procurement and Riker's small domestic ritual.

Before: In Riker's quarters as a small cache of whole eggs, one of which is freshly cracked into the mixing bowl.
After: Consumed (the last egg broken and incorporated), leaving the package depleted and the meal's taste as the lingering evidence of their provenance.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Interrupted Omelet — Duty Calls

The Owon eggs are the distinctive, alien ingredient discussed and tasted; they prompt Geordi's surprise and the joke about Starbase provenance, and their poor flavor becomes a gag that underlines the ritual's fragility — a cook's talent cannot overcome bad ingredients.

Before: Packaged and present among Riker's cooking materials on the desk, whole and unused.
After: One egg cracked and beaten into the bowl; others presumably used or left open on the counter; identified as having subpar flavor by tasters.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Riker's Domestic Reckoning

The cache of Owon eggs functions as the missing, precious commodity that drives Riker’s apology; he reveals he used the last eggs, making the reveal the emotional pivot of the scene.

Before: Consumed previously — Riker admits he used the last of them for the failed omelet (no eggs left).
After: Still gone; their absence now acknowledged and adds weight to Riker’s apology.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Riker's Redemption Stew and Quiet Confession

The Owon eggs function less as present props and more as a moral currency: Riker's apology hinges on admitting he used the last of them to feed the crew, turning a culinary detail into a confession of sacrifice.

Before: Used up prior to this scene; the last eggs have already been consumed to produce the failed omelet and/or the stew's contents.
After: Depleted; their absence colors Riker's apology and the group's reaction.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Riker's Stew: A Small Ritual of Repair

Owon eggs are referenced as the scarce prized ingredient Riker previously used (and lamented); Riker admits he used the last of them, which furnishes emotional stakes to the apology.

Before: Previously possessed by Riker but effectively depleted before the stew event due to earlier use.
After: Consumed/used up — no longer available; their absence colors the social exchange.
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S2E13 · Time Squared
Riker's Stew and Worf's Refusal

Owon eggs are referenced as the scarce, prized ingredient Riker had intended to use for an omelet; their scarcity motivates Riker's decision to fabricate the stew and frames the prior culinary failure.

Before: Absent from immediate use; Riker admits he used the last of them earlier.
After: Depleted (Riker used the last), which he mentions as explanation for not making another omelet.
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