Detectives Confront Data and Accuse Dixon Hill of Murder
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Two police detectives, Bell and McNary, appear on scene; Bell directs a gruff warning at Data, scrutinizing his odd demeanor and origin, while Data naively takes Bell’s cryptic remarks literally.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Somber regret underlying a calm exterior, shifting to wary tension under interrogation pressure.
Picard stands at the intersection of illusion and harsh reality, initially enjoying the Holodeck's vibrant 1941 ambiance with Whalen and Data. He is drawn somberly to the newspaper headline about Jessica Bradley's murder, revealing his guilt and regret. Under Bell's aggressive interrogation, he remains composed yet guarded, exchanging terse dialogue that signals mounting tension.
- • Savor the nostalgic Holodeck experience with companions
- • Understand the implications of the murder headline
- • Maintain composure under Bell’s hostile questioning
- • Protect his crew and navigate the emerging threat
- • The Holodeck illusion is fragile and can mask real danger
- • He bears responsibility for failing to protect Jessica Bradley
Calm and neutral, with cautious alertness in response to hostile scrutiny.
Data participates eagerly in baseball trivia with the news vendor, showcasing his encyclopedic knowledge and revealing his outsider status through literal interpretations. He reacts with logical curiosity to Bell's suspicious and hostile examination, maintaining calm but alert.
- • Engage authentically in the Holodeck period role-play
- • Bridge cultural knowledge gap with humans
- • Analyze Bell’s hostility objectively
- • Assist Picard and Whalen in an uncertain situation
- • Human customs and trivia are data to be understood
- • Bell’s suspicion indicates growing danger
Buoyant enthusiasm turning to subdued somberness.
Whalen joyfully embraces the period illusion, sharing the moment's camaraderie and excitement. His mood shifts noticeably somber as he points out the newspaper headline about Jessica Bradley's murder, recognizing the moment's gravity and the breach between fantasy and reality.
- • Enjoy the immersive experience with Picard and Data
- • Provide emotional support to Picard upon discovering the murder headline
- • The simulation offers a meaningful escape
- • Jessica Bradley is a fictional construct but her death carries narrative weight
Lighthearted amusement tinged with skepticism and scorn.
Joe, the newsstand vendor, engages warmly yet skeptically with Picard and Data. His amusement shifts to scornful disbelief at Data’s baseball trivia knowledge. He acts as a grounding presence for the simulation’s period atmosphere and subtly foreshadows the alien nature of Data.
- • Maintain the illusion of the 1941 city
- • Engage customers with charm and local wit
- • Test Data’s oddities with humorous skepticism
- • Data is an outsider not truly from this place
- • The newsstand is a social hub for local life
Belligerent and accusatory, harboring deep suspicion and territorial defensiveness.
Detective Bell bursts into the scene, his gruff and belligerent demeanor immediately imposing. He aggressively interrogates Picard about the murder of Jessica Bradley, suspiciously eyes Data as an alien presence, and escalates tension from playful role-play to threatening realism.
- • Extract confession or information from Picard
- • Assert control over the situation
- • Identify and neutralize perceived threats including Data
- • Picard (Dixon Hill) is involved in the murder
- • Data is an unknown and potentially dangerous outsider
Resigned sympathy mixed with professional detachment.
Lieutenant McNary arrives with Bell, displaying sympathy toward Picard despite the unfolding hostility. He attempts to moderate Bell’s aggression and supports the interrogation with a resigned professionalism.
- • Protect Picard when possible
- • Support law enforcement procedures
- • Maintain order amidst tension
- • Picard might be innocent or at least deserves fair treatment
- • Bell’s aggressive tactics are necessary but harsh
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The 1941 San Francisco Newspaper serves as the pivotal narrative trigger in this event. Picard picks up the paper, reading the headline about the murder of Jessica Bradley, which shatters the lighthearted illusion and introduces real stakes. The newspaper grounds the scene in historical authenticity and acts as a clue linking the fictional simulation to a deadly reality.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Joe's News and Magazines newsstand serves as a neutral ground for initial friendly exchanges and baseball trivia between Picard, Data, Whalen, and the vendor Joe. This location anchors the scene’s authenticity while becoming the focal point for the discovery of the murder headline and the subsequent police intrusion.
The gritty 1941 San Francisco sidewalk outside Joe's News and Magazines acts as the atmospheric stage for this event. It provides a richly authentic backdrop filled with ambient city noises and period details that initially support jovial interaction but quickly become a crucible for tension and confrontation as the police arrive.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Jessica Bradley's murder headline precipitates the police accusing Picard of murder, escalating tension from mystery to direct conflict within the Holodeck."
"Jessica Bradley's murder headline precipitates the police accusing Picard of murder, escalating tension from mystery to direct conflict within the Holodeck."
"Jessica Bradley's initial plea for protection and later murder headline reflect the shift from perceived safety to deadly threat, highlighting the blurring line between illusion and reality."
"Jessica Bradley's initial plea for protection and later murder headline reflect the shift from perceived safety to deadly threat, highlighting the blurring line between illusion and reality."
"Jessica Bradley's murder headline precipitates the police accusing Picard of murder, escalating tension from mystery to direct conflict within the Holodeck."
"Jessica Bradley's murder headline precipitates the police accusing Picard of murder, escalating tension from mystery to direct conflict within the Holodeck."
Key Dialogue
"VENDOR: "Hey Dix! How's tricks?""
"DATA: "DiMaggio. Joltin' Joe, the Yankee clipper.""
"BELL: "Wherever you're from, while you're in my town, keep your nose clean.""
"BELL: "Well, tough guy, this time you've really done it. Your goose is cooked, but good.""
"BELL: "Where were you last night between ten and midnight?""
"PICARD: "That would be a bit hard to explain.""
"BELL: "Yeah? Well you'll have plenty of time to come up with something. You're goin' downtown.""
"PICARD: "What for?""
"BELL: "For the murder of Jessica Bradley.""