Fabula
S1E15 · Angel One
S1E15
· Angel One

Beata’s Veil of Control and Rising Mistrust in Angel One’s Parliament

In the tense Great Hall of Angel One, Commander Riker and the Starfleet delegation confront Beata, the planet’s resolute female leader, pressing for truth about survivors from the lost freighter Odin. Beata’s evasive answers and rhetorical deflections expose a deepening mistrust and political rigidity within the matriarchal Parliament. Ariel’s subtle unease and pointed interjections reveal internal fractures and foreshadow dangerous undercurrents. Despite the delegation’s earnest appeals, Beata maintains strict authority, deflecting responsibility and ordering the away team’s removal, underscoring the fraught diplomatic landscape where cultural pride and political control inhibit straightforward cooperation.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Ariel questions Beata’s trust in the strangers, triggering a tense exchange where Beata defers, and Tasha asserts their honesty, deepening the mistrust within the Parliament.

suspicion to confrontation

Riker demands direct answers about survivors, but Beata evades, frustrating the away team and maintaining political control, before ordering their comfort and Trent’s escort out.

assertion to dismissal

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

6

Stoic and unyielding, masking defensive wariness toward Starfleet’s probing questions.

Beata presides over the Parliament with cold authority, responding to inquiries with rhetorical deflections and guarded hostility. She exercises sovereign power by dismissing the delegation’s requests and ordering their removal, embodying strict political control and cultural pride.

Goals in this moment
  • Maintain political control over Angel One
  • Protect the status quo of the matriarchal societal order
Active beliefs
  • Outsiders cannot be fully trusted
  • Preserving societal order justifies strict measures
Character traits
authoritative stoic defensive manipulative
Follow Beata's journey

Suspicious and guarded, alert to possible deception or threat.

Lieutenant Yar supports the delegation’s inquiry with guarded skepticism, challenging Beata’s honesty with blunt, pointed questions indicative of her security mindset.

Goals in this moment
  • Expose any dishonesty from Beata
  • Ensure the safety and integrity of the away team
Active beliefs
  • Truth is often hidden behind political rhetoric
  • Security must never be compromised
Character traits
skeptical direct vigilant
Follow Tasha Yar's journey

Frustrated by Beata's obfuscation but resolutely determined to uncover the truth and uphold Starfleet values.

Commander Riker leads the away team, carrying the metal box as a tangible symbol of their mission. He actively questions Beata with a mix of frustration and determination, challenging her evasive stance and asserting the importance of even a single survivor.

Goals in this moment
  • Obtain truthful information about freighter survivors
  • Protect and represent the interests of the Enterprise crew and the Federation
Active beliefs
  • Every life holds intrinsic value
  • Diplomacy can bridge cultural divides despite resistance
Character traits
assertive principled diplomatic persistent
Follow William Riker's journey

Calm and cautiously optimistic, striving to maintain dialogue despite tension.

Counselor Troi diplomatically presents the delegation’s case, appealing to Beata with calm reason and hope. She acts as an emotional and ethical conduit, seeking to bridge cultural divides and secure cooperation regarding survivors.

Goals in this moment
  • Persuade Beata to acknowledge survivors
  • Maintain peaceful diplomatic dialogue
Active beliefs
  • Empathy can influence hardened political stances
  • Truth and compassion transcend cultural barriers
Character traits
empathetic diplomatic hopeful
Follow Deanna Troi's journey

Neutral and dutiful, focused on executing Beata’s orders without hesitation.

Trent stands dutifully behind Beata, silently supporting her authority. When commanded, he escorts the Starfleet delegation from the Great Hall with formal efficiency, reinforcing the rigid hierarchy and control of the Parliament.

Goals in this moment
  • Uphold Beata’s commands
  • Maintain order during the delegation’s removal
Active beliefs
  • Authority must be respected
  • Order is paramount for societal stability
Character traits
loyal efficient submissive
Follow Trent's journey

Uneasy and wary, questioning the integrity of the delegation’s statements and their potential impact.

Ariel, seated among Parliamentarians, voices subtle concern and suspicion over the delegation’s claims. Her pointed interjections reveal an internal conflict and foreshadow discord within the ruling body.

Goals in this moment
  • Challenge the delegation’s credibility
  • Protect the Parliament’s authority and security
Active beliefs
  • Federation motives may hide ulterior agendas
  • Internal dissent threatens political cohesion
Character traits
suspicious concerned politically aware
Follow Ariel's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Angel One Parliament U-Shaped Table

The large U-shaped table serves as the imposing setting of the parliamentary confrontation. Its shape physically separates and organizes the participants, emphasizing the formal, confrontational nature of the diplomatic exchange between Starfleet and Angel One’s leadership.

Before: Set in the Great Hall of Angel One, …
After: Remains in place as the delegation departs, symbolizing …
Before: Set in the Great Hall of Angel One, arranged for the parliamentary session.
After: Remains in place as the delegation departs, symbolizing continuing political rigidity.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Angel One Executive Office

Angel One’s Great Hall functions as the formal chamber where the Starfleet delegation confronts the ruling Parliament. The space’s austere materials juxtaposed with natural elements reflect the planet’s complex cultural identity. It frames the tense political negotiation, underscoring power and resistance dynamics.

Atmosphere Oppressively formal and charged with tension; a place of cold authority and political posturing.
Function Serving as the official meeting place for the diplomatic confrontation.
Symbolism Embodies institutional power and cultural pride reinforcing the matriarchal hierarchy.
Access Restricted to Parliament members, their attendants, and authorized guests such as the Starfleet delegation.
Steel, glass, and smooth concrete architecture Dripping ferns and draped sheers softening the space

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

No narrative connections mapped yet

This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph


Key Dialogue

"BEATA: "Representatives of the Starship Enterprise -- do you wish to petition the Parliament of Angel One?""
"RIKER: "We don't consider even one survivor petty.""
"BEATA: "After we discuss that matter, we'll let you know.""