Locutus Delivers the Borg’s Ultimatum: Riker’s Moral Crucible
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Locutus of Borg appears on the viewscreen, delivering his chilling message of assimilation, solidifying the crew's understanding of the threat and leaving Riker no choice but to fire.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Frustrated and defiant, but her emotional state is layered—she is grieving Picard’s loss but also chafing under Riker’s command. Her ambition to prove herself clashes with her desire to save him, creating a tension that fuels her arguments.
Shelby enters the bridge with the away team, her expression determined but weary. She immediately advocates for a rescue attempt, her voice sharp with urgency. She challenges Riker’s decision to fire the deflector, arguing for consultation with Starfleet Command and proposing another sabotage mission. Her frustration is evident as Riker overrules her, but she does not back down, her ambition and loyalty to Picard driving her to push for a different outcome. When Riker refuses to delay, she falls silent, her jaw set in resignation.
- • Convince Riker to attempt a rescue mission to save Picard.
- • Push for Starfleet Command’s input to legitimize her strategy.
- • Picard can still be saved if they act quickly and decisively.
- • Riker is being overly cautious, and Starfleet Command would support a rescue attempt.
No emotional state—Locutus is a vessel for the Borg’s will, his humanity erased. His delivery is cold, calculated, and designed to instill fear and despair.
Picard appears on the viewscreen as Locutus, his body encased in Borg technology, his voice a chilling fusion of his own and the Borg collective. He delivers the Borg’s ultimatum with mechanical precision, his words designed to break the crew’s spirit. His presence is a weapon, weaponizing Picard’s identity to exploit the crew’s emotions. He does not react to their distress, his face an impassive mask of assimilation. His role is not to negotiate but to ensure the crew’s surrender, and his appearance is the final psychological blow before Riker’s order to fire.
- • Break the crew’s morale by weaponizing Picard’s identity.
- • Ensure the *Enterprise*’s surrender to the Borg collective.
- • Resistance is futile; assimilation is inevitable.
- • The crew’s emotional attachment to Picard is a weakness to be exploited.
Neutral on the surface, but his measured tone and deliberate phrasing suggest an underlying awareness of the crew’s distress. He does not grieve, but he does not dismiss their pain either.
Data stands at his station, his golden eyes reflecting the bridge’s red alert lights. He delivers the devastating news of Picard’s assimilation with clinical precision, his voice devoid of emotion but his words carrying the weight of irrevocable loss. He does not flinch as the crew reacts around him, instead providing Geordi with technical updates on the Borg ship’s power fluctuations. His presence is a grounding force amid the chaos, offering logical stability in a moment of emotional turmoil.
- • Provide accurate, actionable intelligence to support Riker’s decision-making.
- • Maintain operational efficiency despite the emotional weight of the situation.
- • Emotional responses do not change the facts, but they must be acknowledged to inform strategy.
- • The crew’s survival depends on clear, unbiased information.
Conflict between his Klingon honor and the necessity of the order. He is disciplined, but his internal struggle is palpable—he respects Riker’s authority but grapples with the ethical implications of firing on a ship that still holds Picard.
Worf moves swiftly to Tactical, his Klingon features set in a grim expression. He confirms the Borg hail with a growl, his fingers hovering over the controls as Locutus speaks. When Riker orders the deflector fired, Worf executes the command without hesitation, his loyalty to Riker and the Enterprise overriding any personal conflict. He briefly attempts to contact Admiral Hanson at Shelby’s request but is overruled, his discipline ensuring he follows Riker’s lead despite the moral weight of the order.
- • Follow Riker’s orders without question, ensuring the *Enterprise*’s survival.
- • Maintain tactical readiness despite the emotional toll of the situation.
- • A warrior must sometimes make difficult choices for the greater good.
- • Loyalty to one’s captain is paramount, even in the face of moral dilemmas.
Conflict torn between loyalty to Picard and duty to the crew, masking deep anguish with stoic resolve. His surface calm belies the raw, unspoken agony of the choice he must make.
Riker stands at the center of the bridge, his posture rigid with the weight of command. He processes Data’s revelation about Picard’s assimilation with visible shock, his jaw tightening as Worf confirms the horror. Shelby’s insistence on a rescue attempt clashes with his tactical instincts, and he weighs the options with a grim resolve. When Locutus appears on the viewscreen, Riker’s face pales, but he steels himself, delivering the order to fire the deflector with a quiet, devastating finality. His voice is steady, but his eyes betray the cost of the decision.
- • Destroy the Borg ship to prevent Earth’s assimilation, even at the cost of Picard’s life.
- • Maintain crew morale and unity despite the psychological warfare of Locutus’s appearance.
- • The Borg must be stopped at all costs, even if it means sacrificing individuals.
- • Picard would prioritize the greater good over his own life if the roles were reversed.
Desperate and heartbroken, clinging to the hope that Picard can be saved. Her plea is not just professional but deeply personal, reflecting her love for him as both a colleague and a friend.
Beverly enters the bridge with the away team, her face pale with shock and grief. She pleads with Riker to consider a rescue, her voice trembling as she suggests that Picard might still be restorable if retrieved. Her medical expertise lends weight to her argument, but Riker’s decision ultimately silences her. She stands near the viewscreen as Locutus speaks, her hands clenched at her sides, her emotional state raw and exposed. When Riker gives the order to fire, she does not protest, but her silence speaks volumes.
- • Persuade Riker to attempt a rescue to save Picard’s life.
- • Offer medical reassurance that Picard can be restored, even partially.
- • There is always a chance to bring someone back, no matter how dire the situation.
- • The crew owes it to Picard to exhaust every possibility before giving up.
Determined but somber, grappling with the ethical dilemma of destroying the Borg ship while Picard is still aboard. He focuses on his duties, but the tension in his posture betrays his internal struggle.
Geordi stands at the Engineering station, his fingers flying over the controls as he diverts warp energy to the main deflector. He confirms the weapon’s readiness to Riker, his voice steady but somber. He monitors the Borg ship’s subspace fluctuations, providing critical updates on their power regeneration. His technical expertise is a lifeline in the chaos, but his expression is grim, reflecting the weight of the moment. He does not protest Riker’s order, but his silence speaks to his internal conflict—he knows the cost of what they are about to do.
- • Ensure the deflector weapon is operational and ready to fire.
- • Provide Riker with accurate, real-time data to inform his decision.
- • The crew must prioritize the survival of the *Enterprise* and Earth over individual lives.
- • Technology should be used to protect, not destroy, but sometimes destruction is necessary.
Anxious and somber, grappling with the reality of the Borg threat and the cost of their actions. He is not yet hardened by war, and the weight of the moment is evident in his posture.
Wesley reports the Borg ship dropping out of warp, his voice tense but focused. He assists with bridge operations, his youthful energy tempered by the gravity of the situation. He does not speak during the debate over the deflector, but his presence is a reminder of the crew’s younger generation and their stake in the outcome. When Riker gives the order to fire, Wesley’s hands tighten on his console, his expression a mix of fear and resolve. He is not a decision-maker in this moment, but his role in the crew’s future is implied in his quiet participation.
- • Support the crew in any way possible during the crisis.
- • Learn from the decisions being made, even if they are painful.
- • The crew’s actions are necessary to protect the Federation, even if they are difficult.
- • He must trust in Riker’s leadership, even when it is hard to accept.
Anxious and deeply affected by the crew’s pain, but she channels it into quiet support rather than action. Her own grief for Picard is palpable, but she prioritizes the crew’s needs over her own.
Troi stands near the bridge’s periphery, her Betazoid senses acute to the emotional turmoil around her. She does not speak, but her presence is a silent support to the crew. Her eyes flicker between Riker, Shelby, and Beverly, absorbing their grief and conflict. When Locutus appears, her expression darkens, and she subtly shifts closer to Riker, offering unspoken empathy. Her role is not active in this moment, but her emotional attunement is a grounding force amid the chaos.
- • Provide emotional stability to the crew during the crisis.
- • Offer silent support to Riker as he makes the difficult decision.
- • Sometimes, the greatest act of love is to let someone else make the hard choice.
- • The crew’s unity is more important than individual desires in this moment.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Subspace field fluctuations within the Borg ship are detected by Geordi, signaling that the Borg are regenerating their power and preparing to re-enter warp. These fluctuations are a critical piece of intelligence, as they confirm the urgency of Riker’s decision. The crew knows that if the Borg regain warp capability, the deflector weapon will become useless, and Earth will be left defenseless. The fluctuations serve as a ticking clock, heightening the tension and forcing Riker to act immediately.
The main viewscreen serves as the Borg’s weapon of psychological warfare, displaying Locutus—Picard’s assimilated form—as he delivers the Borg’s ultimatum. The screen’s glow casts an eerie light over the bridge, amplifying the tension as the crew grapples with the horror of seeing their captain as a tool of the enemy. Locutus’s appearance is a calculated move to break the crew’s morale, and the viewscreen becomes the focal point of their despair. Riker’s order to fire the deflector is given while staring into Locutus’s impassive face, making the moment even more agonizing.
Warp energy is diverted from the *Enterprise*’s warp drive to power the main deflector, a desperate measure to ensure the weapon has enough energy to penetrate the Borg cube’s shields. Geordi monitors the diversion, confirming its readiness, and the energy surge arms the deflector for the fatal strike. The warp energy’s repurposing is a last-ditch effort, reflecting the crew’s willingness to sacrifice the ship’s mobility for a chance at survival. Its use is a gamble, as it leaves the *Enterprise* vulnerable if the attack fails.
The main deflector is repurposed as a weapon of last resort, its primary function as a navigational tool subverted to channel warp energy into a devastating strike against the Borg cube. Geordi diverts the *Enterprise*’s warp energy into it, and Riker orders its activation, knowing it is their only chance to destroy the Borg ship before it regains warp capability. The deflector’s readiness is confirmed by Geordi, and its firing is the culmination of the crew’s desperate strategy. Its role is both a tactical necessity and a symbolic act of defiance against the Borg’s inevitability.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The *Enterprise*’s main bridge is the nerve center of the crisis, where the crew’s desperate decisions are made. The red alert lights cast a grim glow over the consoles, and the blaring klaxons create an atmosphere of urgency and dread. The bridge is divided—Riker and his supporters advocate for firing the deflector, while Shelby and Beverly plead for a rescue. The turbolift doors hiss open as the away team returns, their grim expressions adding to the tension. The bridge is not just a physical space but a battleground of ideologies, where loyalty, duty, and survival clash in real time.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet is invoked as an authority figure, with Shelby arguing that Riker should consult with Starfleet Command before firing the deflector. However, Riker overrules her, prioritizing immediate action over bureaucratic delay. Starfleet’s presence in this moment is more symbolic than active—it represents the institutional protocols and hierarchies that the crew must navigate, even in a crisis. The organization’s influence is felt in Shelby’s insistence on following protocol, but Riker’s defiance highlights the crew’s autonomy in the face of existential threat.
The Borg Collective is the antagonist force in this event, manifesting through Locutus and the Borg cube. Its presence is a psychological and tactical threat, designed to break the crew’s morale and ensure their surrender. The Borg’s hail and Locutus’s ultimatum are calculated moves to exploit the crew’s emotional attachment to Picard, turning his assimilation into a weapon. The Borg’s power dynamics are overwhelming—they adapt to phaser fire, regenerate their shields, and threaten Earth with annihilation. Their influence is felt in every decision the crew makes, as they are forced to confront the inevitability of assimilation unless they act decisively.
The *USS Enterprise-D* is the crew’s home and their last line of defense against the Borg. Its systems—from the deflector weapon to the warp drive—are pushed to their limits as the crew fights for survival. The ship’s crew operates as a cohesive unit, despite internal conflicts, and their actions reflect the *Enterprise*’s core values: courage, ingenuity, and sacrifice. The ship itself becomes a symbol of resistance, a beacon of hope in the face of the Borg’s inevitability. Riker’s order to fire the deflector is an act of defiance, not just for the crew but for the *Enterprise* and everything it stands for.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Riker informs Shelby of the time limit before they have to disengage - The away team returns with devastating news: Picard has been transformed into Locutus of Borg, shattering any hope of a simple rescue and stunning Riker."
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"WESLEY: *Sir, they did it... the Borg ship is dropping out of warp...* RIKER: *Go to impulse.* GEORDI: *Diverting warp energy to main deflector...* RIKER: *Move us to within forty thousand kilo meters, match velocity. Commence arming sequence... Increase deflector modulation to upper frequency band...*"
"DATA: *Sir, Captain Picard has been altered by the Borg. We were unable to retrieve him...* WORF: *He is a Borg, sir.* RIKER: *Altered... ?* SHELBY: *We'll go back... I need more people... we need to retune the phasers again... we'll get him out of there...* RIKER: *This is our only chance to destroy them... if they get back into warp, our weapon becomes useless.*"
"PICARD/BORG (Locutus): *I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service... us.* RIKER: *Mister Worf... fire.*"