Wesley and Robin investigate the game's spread
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Inspired by Wesley's curiosity, Robin and Wesley decide to investigate the game's effects by connecting it to a computer and analyzing its impact on brain responses, sparking a collaborative investigation.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Initially warm and connected, shifting to uneasy and determined as he recognizes the threat posed by the Risan game.
Wesley Crusher engages in a deeply personal conversation with Robin Lefler, sharing his own experiences of isolation and bonding over their unconventional upbringings. He listens empathetically to Robin’s story, offering comfort and validation when she reveals her loneliness. His unease grows as he observes the Risan game’s influence on the crew, leading him to propose a scientific investigation. Wesley’s analytical mind and protective instincts drive him to take action, transitioning the scene from emotional connection to strategic resistance.
- • To build trust and rapport with Robin Lefler by sharing personal experiences.
- • To investigate the Risan game’s effects on the crew and understand its mechanism.
- • Shared experiences foster connection and trust.
- • Unusual behavior or rapid cultural shifts among the crew warrant scientific scrutiny.
Initially sad and reflective, shifting to engaged and determined as she connects with Wesley and focuses on the investigation.
Robin Lefler shares her personal story of isolation and loneliness with Wesley, revealing her vulnerability and the emotional scars from her upbringing. She bonds with Wesley over their shared experiences and technical backgrounds, showing appreciation for his empathy. Robin transitions from personal reflection to practical problem-solving, agreeing to Wesley’s proposal to investigate the Risan game using an optical sensor and computer interface. Her technical expertise and willingness to collaborate mark her as a key ally in uncovering the game’s true nature.
- • To share her personal story and bond with Wesley over shared experiences.
- • To collaborate with Wesley in investigating the Risan game’s effects using technical means.
- • Trust and connection are built through shared experiences and vulnerability.
- • Technical problems require systematic and collaborative solutions.
Not directly observed, but implied to be absorbed in the game’s addictive pull, similar to other affected crew members.
Geordi La Forge is mentioned indirectly by Robin Lefler as one of the crew members in engineering who is 'crazy about' the Risan game. His involvement is referenced as part of the broader context of the game’s spread, highlighting its pervasive influence on the crew, including senior officers.
- • To engage with the Risan game for entertainment or escape.
- • Unintentionally, to spread the game’s influence further among the crew.
- • The Risan game is a harmless and enjoyable pastime.
- • Participation in the game is a normal and acceptable crew activity.
Lost in the game’s allure, detached from her surroundings and social norms.
An unnamed crew woman is observed by Wesley and Robin putting the Risan game device over her ear and immediately becoming absorbed in it. Her actions serve as a visual cue of the game’s pervasive and addictive influence, reinforcing Wesley’s unease and prompting the decision to investigate. She embodies the rank-and-file crew members vulnerable to the game’s control, highlighting the broader threat to the Enterprise.
- • To engage with the Risan game for personal satisfaction or escape.
- • Unintentionally, to demonstrate the game’s addictive hold on the crew.
- • The Risan game is a harmless and enjoyable activity.
- • Participation in the game is a normal and acceptable use of personal time.
Not directly observed, but implied to be absorbed in the game’s addictive pull, similar to other affected crew members.
Beverly Crusher is mentioned indirectly by Wesley as a crew member who has been influenced by the Risan game and has tried to get him to play it. Her involvement highlights the game’s reach even to senior officers and medical personnel, underscoring its insidious nature and the urgency of the situation.
- • To engage with the Risan game, possibly for stress relief or entertainment.
- • Unintentionally, to spread the game’s influence to her son, Wesley.
- • The Risan game is a harmless and enjoyable activity.
- • Sharing the game with her son could be a way to bond or relieve stress.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Beverly Crusher’s tricorder is mentioned indirectly as a tool that could be used to simulate human brain responses when investigating the Risan game. While not directly present in this scene, it is referenced as part of the broader plan to analyze the game’s neurological effects. Wesley suggests using medical programs on a computer to simulate brain responses, implying the tricorder or similar medical technology could be involved in the investigation.
The Risan game is referenced as a crescent-shaped device that fits over the ear, projecting a visual interface and triggering physical rewards. It is described as a 'Risian gadget' that has rapidly spread among the crew, including senior officers like Beverly Crusher and Geordi La Forge. The game’s addictive nature is highlighted when Wesley observes a crew member putting it on and becoming immediately absorbed. Wesley and Robin propose investigating its neurological effects by interfacing it with a computer, marking the first step in countering its influence.
Robin Lefler’s optical sensor is proposed as a tool to connect the Risan game’s visual interface to a computer for analysis. She suggests using it to decode the game’s addictive pull, demonstrating her technical expertise and collaborative approach. The sensor is a compact device that promises to facilitate the investigation by linking the game’s visual components to medical programs, enabling a deeper understanding of its effects.
The ship’s computer interface is proposed by Wesley as a tool to analyze the Risan game’s effects. He suggests connecting the game to the computer and using medical programs to simulate human brain responses, providing a systematic way to investigate its neurological impact. The computer represents the technical infrastructure of the Enterprise, enabling data analysis and simulation. Its role in this event is to facilitate the scientific investigation, marking a shift from emotional bonding to strategic resistance.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Engineering is mentioned indirectly by Robin Lefler as the location where Geordi La Forge and other crew members are 'crazy about' the Risan game. While not the primary setting of this event, its reference underscores the game’s pervasive influence across the ship, including technical and operational areas. Engineering represents the heart of the Enterprise’s functionality, where critical systems and personnel are vulnerable to the game’s addictive pull.
Ten Forward serves as the neutral ground where Wesley and Robin share their personal stories and bond over shared experiences. The lounge’s intimate setting—with its wide viewports, soft lighting, and scattered tables—creates an atmosphere of respite and connection. However, the mood shifts as the Risan game’s influence becomes apparent, with crew members succumbing to its allure. The space transitions from a place of emotional intimacy to a stage for the game’s pervasive spread, highlighting the tension between personal connection and institutional vulnerability.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet is indirectly represented through the crew members’ roles and the institutional context of the Enterprise. The Risan game’s spread among the crew—including senior officers like Beverly Crusher and Geordi La Forge—highlights the vulnerability of Starfleet personnel to external influences. The game’s addictive nature threatens the crew’s ability to perform their duties, compromising the ship’s operational integrity and mission readiness. Wesley and Robin’s decision to investigate the game reflects Starfleet’s values of curiosity, problem-solving, and protection of the crew.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The decision to investigate the game's effects leads directly to their discovery of intense activity in the brain's pleasure center, confirming its addictive nature. Their curiosity is rewarded with hard evidence."
"The decision to investigate the game's effects leads directly to their discovery of intense activity in the brain's pleasure center, confirming its addictive nature. Their curiosity is rewarded with hard evidence."
Key Dialogue
"ROBIN: When your parents are the only exobiologists in the sector, you do a lot of travelling around. Base to base to base... After a while, I felt like a piece of luggage."
"WESLEY: Really? Mine was a warp coil."
"ROBIN: My parents weren't around much. Even when I needed them... their work always came first. That's how I learned my first law. Law One -- The only person you can rely on is yourself."
"WESLEY: Sounds lonely."
"ROBIN: It's everywhere."
"WESLEY: My mom has one. She was trying to get me to play it."
"ROBIN: It's strange, don't you think? Everybody playing it all the time..."
"WESLEY: I wonder how it works?"
"ROBIN: Why don't you try it and find out?"
"WESLEY: I'd want to know more about it first. We could hook it up to a computer. The medical programs can simulate human brain responses..."