Riker ordered to kill Picard
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
In a private conversation, Baran orders Riker to kill Picard after retrieving the artifact, tasking Riker with proving his loyalty by eliminating "Galen"; Riker acknowledges the order, concealing his true intentions.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Cautious and distrustful—Picard’s primary concern is whether Riker can be trusted, given the high stakes. His suspicion is tempered by his need to maintain the mission, but his volunteer to join the raid suggests a protective instinct toward Riker, despite their tense dynamic. He is also disturbed by Baran’s ruthlessness and the realization that the Enterprise’s vulnerability is now a liability.
Picard stands near the weapons console, his sharp gaze tracking the interaction between Baran and Vekor. When the transmission reveals Koral’s capture, his suspicion immediately turns to Riker, whom he accuses of betrayal with sarcastic precision. He volunteers to accompany Riker on the raid, not out of trust but to monitor him closely. His exit to prepare weapons is abrupt, signaling his determination to stay ahead of the unfolding crisis. Throughout, Picard’s demeanor is cautious, analytical, and slightly confrontational, reflecting his role as a seasoned undercover operative.
- • Ensure Riker’s loyalty to the mission and prevent him from betraying their cover
- • Secure the artifact and neutralize Baran’s threat without exposing their Starfleet identities
- • Riker’s past actions (saving his life twice) suggest loyalty, but the circumstances are too convenient
- • Baran’s paranoia and the neural servo make him a volatile threat that must be managed carefully
Disturbed initially by the setback, but quickly shifting to cold, calculating ruthlessness. Baran’s primary emotion is control—he uses the raid and the assassination order to test loyalty and eliminate perceived threats. His threat of the neural servo is not idle; it’s a tool to enforce compliance and maintain his dominance.
Baran dominates the bridge, his muscular frame tense as he processes the transmission about Koral’s capture. His initial disturbance gives way to cold calculation as he proposes the boarding raid, exploiting the Enterprise’s lowered shields. He targets Riker’s knowledge of Starfleet security, then privately orders Picard’s assassination, using the neural servo as leverage. His demeanor is authoritative, manipulative, and utterly ruthless, revealing a captain who rules through fear and pragmatic violence. The fade-out on Riker’s expression underscores Baran’s psychological control over his crew.
- • Recover the second artifact at all costs, even if it means a high-risk raid on the Enterprise
- • Test Riker’s loyalty by ordering Picard’s assassination, ensuring no potential betrayals
- • Loyalty must be proven through action, not words
- • Weakness in the crew is an existential threat to the mission and must be eliminated
Neutral and focused—Vekor’s primary concern is accurate information delivery. She is not emotionally invested in the crew’s conflicts but recognizes the gravity of the situation. Her composure contrasts with the rising tension around her, reinforcing her role as a steady operator.
Vekor mans her console, delivering the transmission from Koral with professional detachment. She relays the critical information—Koral’s detention and the stopped transmission—without embellishment, serving as the neutral conduit for the bad news. Her role is functional, but her presence underscores the crew’s reliance on communication and the fragility of their plans. She does not react emotionally to the tension around her, maintaining a composed demeanor.
- • Ensure the crew receives accurate and timely information about Koral’s status
- • Maintain operational continuity despite the unfolding crisis
- • Her role is to facilitate communication, not to intervene in crew conflicts
- • The mission’s success depends on clear, unfiltered information
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The second artifact is the catalyst for the entire event. Its mention in Koral’s transmission—confirming its capture by the Enterprise—triggers Baran’s proposal for the boarding raid. The artifact’s value as a telepathic weapon and its role in the larger plot (reassembling the Terikon resonator) make it the prize worth the high-risk operation. Its possession by the Enterprise is both a tactical setback and an opportunity for Baran to test his crew’s loyalty. The artifact’s symbolic weight as a galactic threat looms over the scene, elevating the stakes.
Koral’s incoming transmission is the inciting incident of the event. Delivered by Vekor, it reveals Koral’s detention by the Enterprise and the cessation of his transmission, shattering the mercenaries’ operational secrecy. The transmission’s brevity and timing—sent fifteen minutes prior—adds urgency, as the Enterprise’s possession of the second artifact is now an immediate threat. Its content forces Baran to adapt, shifting the crew from artifact acquisition to high-stakes retrieval. The transmission’s role as a catalyst is underscored by the crew’s disbelief and Baran’s swift, ruthless response.
The raiding party’s weapons and equipment are the tangible tools for the boarding operation, symbolizing the crew’s shift from planning to action. Baran’s order to draw them signals the raid’s immediacy and high stakes. Picard’s exit to prepare them underscores his role in the operation, while the weapons themselves—phasers, disruptors, or other mercenary gear—represent the crew’s willingness to use violence to achieve their goals. Their preparation is a practical step, but also a narrative beat that raises the tension, as the raid’s success or failure now hinges on their use.
Vekor’s console is the primary interface for the transmission from Koral, serving as the nerve center for the bad news. Its panels and readouts display the critical information—Koral’s detention, the stopped transmission, and the Enterprise’s involvement—which Vekor then relays to Baran. The console’s role is functional but symbolic, representing the crew’s reliance on technology and communication. Its presence on the bridge also underscores the mercenaries’ vulnerability to external threats, as the transmission exposes their operational flaw.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The mercenary ship’s bridge is the epicenter of the event, a cramped and tension-filled command center where the crew’s fate is decided. Its consoles, transporter pad, and navigational computer are functional elements, but the location’s true role is as a pressure cooker of shifting loyalties and high-stakes decisions. The bridge’s atmosphere is thick with distrust—Picard and Riker exchange suspicious glances, Baran’s orders are met with disbelief, and Vekor’s transmission delivers the bad news that sets everything in motion. The location’s confined space amplifies the emotional and physical tension, making it a microcosm of the larger conflict between the mercenaries and Starfleet.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet is the unseen but dominant force in this event, shaping the mercenaries’ actions through the Enterprise’s detention of Koral and the second artifact. The crew’s disbelief at Baran’s raid proposal stems from their awareness of Starfleet’s capabilities—Picard and Riker, in particular, know the Enterprise’s security protocols and the risks of boarding. The organization’s presence is felt through the transmission’s revelation of Koral’s capture, which forces Baran to act. Starfleet’s indirect influence is also seen in Riker and Picard’s undercover roles, as their loyalty to the organization complicates their interactions with the mercenaries.
The Klingon Empire is indirectly but critically involved in this event through Koral’s capture and the transmission of the second artifact. Koral, as a Klingon pilot, is transporting the artifact under the Empire’s operational umbrella, and his detention by the Enterprise exposes the Empire’s role in the smuggling operation. The transmission’s revelation of his capture forces Baran to adapt his plans, tying the Klingon Empire’s actions to the mercenaries’ immediate crisis. The Empire’s involvement is a backdrop to the event, but its presence looms large, as the artifact’s seizure by Starfleet could have broader diplomatic repercussions.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Enterprise possesses the second artifact Baran proposes a risky plan to board the Enterprise."
"Beverly does a scan, resulting in Vekor receiving a message from Koral."
"Enterprise possesses the second artifact Baran proposes a risky plan to board the Enterprise."
"Enterprise possesses the second artifact Baran proposes a risky plan to board the Enterprise."
"Enterprise possesses the second artifact Baran proposes a risky plan to board the Enterprise."
Key Dialogue
"BARAN: In case you are thinking of betraying us to your friends on the Enterprise... you might remember that I can still kill you at the first sign of trouble."
"RIKER: I haven't forgotten."
"BARAN: I have an additional task for you... one that will prove your loyalty. This raid is an opportunity to get rid of Galen. Once you've found the artifact... kill him."