Riker questions Pressman’s moral legacy
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Pressman initiates a friendly conversation with Riker, reminiscing about their time on the Pegasus and Riker's younger days. The exchange establishes a familiar, almost paternal dynamic between them, setting a superficially warm tone.
Riker's questions about finding the Pegasus and their "experiment" reveal his underlying anxiety and the secretive nature of their mission. Pressman's hesitant response amplifies the tension, hinting at a deeper, possibly troubling agenda.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Confident and unyielding on the surface, but with an undercurrent of urgency to secure Riker’s cooperation.
Erik Pressman dominates the conversation with a blend of paternal warmth and calculated manipulation. He begins by reminiscing about Riker’s time on the Pegasus, using nostalgia to disarm and test Riker’s loyalty. His body language is confident—leaning in, smiling—but his deflection when Riker asks about the 'experiment' reveals his discomfort with the topic. Pressman’s tone shifts to reassurance as he reveals Starfleet Security’s support for reviving the cloaking technology, framing it as a second chance to 'do it the right way.' He pressures Riker subtly, citing Admiral Raner’s orders and insisting the mission will succeed this time. His goal is to secure Riker’s compliance, leveraging their shared history and the weight of institutional backing.
- • Gain Riker’s compliance with the mission to revive the cloaking technology
- • Reassure Riker that this time the mission will be ethically and operationally sound
- • The ends justify the means when it comes to Starfleet’s technological superiority
- • Riker’s loyalty to him and their shared past will override his moral objections
Melancholic, conflicted, and increasingly uneasy; his surface calm masks a storm of moral and emotional turmoil.
William Riker sits across from Pressman in Ten Forward, his posture initially relaxed but growing increasingly tense as the conversation unfolds. He begins with forced levity, deflecting Pressman’s teasing about his beard and old nickname, but his melancholy surfaces when the topic turns to the Pegasus. Riker’s questions about the ship and its 'experiment' are probing, laced with guilt and suspicion, revealing his unresolved trauma. When Pressman discloses Starfleet Security’s backing for reviving the cloaking technology—and the orders to deceive Picard—Riker’s shock is palpable. His troubled expression and physical withdrawal (looking away, glancing around) signal his deepening conflict. He is caught between his paternal bond with Pressman, his duty to Starfleet, and his personal ethics, all while grappling with the ghost of the Pegasus’s failure.
- • Uncover the truth about the *Pegasus* mission and its ethical implications
- • Protect Picard from being misled while navigating his own loyalty to Pressman
- • The *Pegasus* experiment was morally questionable, regardless of its intent
- • Deceiving Picard would betray his trust and Starfleet’s principles
N/A (not physically present; her influence is cold and bureaucratic).
Admiral Raner is not physically present but is a looming institutional force in the conversation. Pressman cites her as the 'Chief of Starfleet Security' who has personally assured him of her 'complete support' for reviving the cloaking technology. Her involvement is implied through the written orders she has coded into the Enterprise’s computer, instructing Riker to conceal the mission’s true nature from Picard. Raner’s authority is invoked to pressure Riker into compliance, framing the mission as sanctioned by the highest levels of Starfleet. Her role is that of a distant but powerful enabler, using institutional weight to override ethical concerns.
- • Ensure the successful revival of the cloaking technology for Starfleet’s strategic advantage
- • Maintain secrecy around the mission to avoid political or ethical backlash
- • Starfleet’s security interests justify bending or breaking treaties
- • Loyalty to the chain of command should override individual moral objections
Indirectly implicated in Riker’s turmoil; his presence is a moral anchor Riker grapples with internally.
Jean-Luc Picard is not physically present in this event, but his absence looms large as the unseen fulcrum of Riker’s moral dilemma. The conversation between Riker and Pressman occurs in Ten Forward—a neutral yet public space aboard the Enterprise—where Picard’s authority and ethical standards are implicitly invoked. Riker’s growing discomfort stems from the conflict between Pressman’s revelations and his duty to Picard, whose trust and leadership he deeply respects. The tension arises from Riker’s internal struggle: he is torn between his loyalty to Pressman (a father figure) and his obligation to uphold Starfleet’s principles under Picard’s command. Picard’s influence is felt through Riker’s hesitation and the unspoken question of how he will reconcile this mission with his captain’s expectations.
- • Uphold Starfleet’s ethical standards (unwittingly threatened by Pressman’s mission)
- • Maintain Riker’s trust and loyalty (as his captain and mentor)
- • Transparency and honor are non-negotiable in command
- • The crew’s moral well-being is paramount to mission success
Lieutenant Boylen is mentioned indirectly by Pressman as the source of Riker’s old nickname, 'Ensign Babyface.' His presence in the …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The written orders from Admiral Raner, coded into the Enterprise’s computer, are the linchpin of Pressman’s leverage over Riker. These orders are revealed as the mission’s true nature: a covert attempt to revive the banned cloaking technology, with explicit instructions for Riker to deceive Picard. The orders function as both a clue and a tool of pressure, forcing Riker to confront the institutional machinery backing Pressman’s agenda. Their existence in the computer—accessible only to Riker—creates a sense of inescapable obligation, as if the very systems of the Enterprise are complicit in the deception. The orders are the physical manifestation of Starfleet Security’s authority, turning an ethical dilemma into a direct conflict of loyalty.
The untouched drinks on the table in Ten Forward serve as a potent symbolic prop, framing the veneer of casual familiarity between Riker and Pressman. Their presence underscores the tension between the surface-level warmth of their reunion and the underlying moral and institutional conflicts. The drinks are a visual metaphor for the 'toast' to their shared past that Pressman attempts to offer, but Riker’s inability to fully engage with the moment—his glances away, his probing questions—reveals the bitterness beneath the surface. The beverages remain largely ignored, mirroring how the nostalgia Pressman invokes is overshadowed by the weight of their unspoken guilt and the mission’s ethical dilemmas.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet Security is the driving force behind the renewed cloaking mission, its influence manifesting through Admiral Raner’s written orders and Pressman’s assurances of support. The organization operates in the shadows, using institutional authority to override ethical concerns and bypass standard protocols. Its involvement is the catalyst for Riker’s moral crisis, as he is forced to choose between loyalty to Pressman (and by extension, Starfleet Security’s agenda) and his duty to Picard and Starfleet’s principles. The organization’s power lies in its ability to sanction covert operations while maintaining plausible deniability, turning Riker into an unwitting accomplice. Its presence in the event is felt through the coded orders and Pressman’s confident assertions, creating a sense of inescapable institutional pressure.
The USS Pegasus crew is invoked as a spectral presence in this event, their shared trauma and secrecy binding Riker and Pressman together. Though the crew is not physically present, their absence is palpable, haunting the conversation like a ghost. The mention of Lieutenant Boylen’s nickname for Riker (‘Ensign Babyface’) and the unspoken weight of the ship’s destruction create a sense of collective guilt. The Pegasus crew represents the cost of Pressman’s ambition and Riker’s complicity, their fate serving as both a warning and a justification for the renewed mission. Their legacy is a silent third party in the exchange, reminding Riker of the lives lost and the ethical questions left unanswered.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Following Picard's orders, Pressman initiates a conversation with Riker designed to allay his concerns."
"Following Picard's orders, Pressman initiates a conversation with Riker designed to allay his concerns."
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Pressman reminisces with Riker and slowly begins to bring up the lost Pegasus so begin to allay his concerns."
"Following Pressman's private discussion to manipulate Riker in Ten Forward, Picard discusses Riker with Pressman in Picard's quarters."
Key Dialogue
"PRESSMAN: How long have you had the beard? RIKER: About four years. I think I just got tired of hearing how 'young I looked.' PRESSMAN: What was it that Lieutenant Boylen used to call you? RIKER: ((grimaces)) Ensign Babyface."
"RIKER: Do you ever... wonder whether we did the right thing? PRESSMAN: Never. It was a tragedy, yes. But it wasn’t your fault and it wasn’t mine. What we were doing was for the good of the Federation. We can’t blame ourselves because the others couldn’t see that."
"RIKER: You want to try again? PRESSMAN: ((glances around, then sotto)) It’s not just me. The Chief of Starfleet Security has personally assured me of her complete support. RIKER: Admiral Raner...? How many other people know about this? PRESSMAN: Not many. And it’s up to us to make sure it stays that way. Raner gave me written orders for you... you’ll find them coded in the Enterprise computer. You’ve been instructed not to reveal the true nature of our mission to anyone, not even Captain Picard."