Deceptive Hologram of Captain Rice Reveals Deadly Trap

On the surface of Minos, Commander Riker and his away team cautiously explore the overgrown ruins, uncovering melted tritanium and advanced weaponry far beyond Federation technology. Suddenly, a calm holographic projection of Captain Paul Rice, presumed lost with the USS Drake, materializes before Riker. Though Rice speaks familiarly, his inconsistent answers and lack of genuine recognition raise Riker's suspicions that this is a holographic trap. When Riker exposes the illusion, the image vanishes and transforms into a hostile weapon that fires, encasing him in an impenetrable lucinium cube. This sudden, violent turn deepens the mystery surrounding Minos, signaling that the threats are not only technological but psychological, directly targeting the crew with deception and lethal force. The event is a pivotal turning point, escalating danger and forcing Picard's crew to confront a cunning, adaptive menace.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Captain Paul Rice suddenly appears as a holographic image addressing Riker, presenting a calm facade that masks the uncanny and suspicious nature of this unexpected encounter.

confusion to wary intrigue ['clearing near ruins']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

6

Focused and determined, with a readiness to engage lethal threats to protect her team.

Lieutenant Tasha Yar leads with alert vigilance, alerting the team to clues such as melted tritanium and advanced weaponry. She acts decisively by firing upon and destroying the hostile weapon that traps Riker, demonstrating her combat readiness and protective instincts.

Goals in this moment
  • Identify and neutralize threats to the away team.
  • Ensure Commander Riker’s safety and facilitate his rescue.
Active beliefs
  • The planet’s weapons pose an immediate danger to the crew.
  • Swift, decisive action is necessary to survive this hostile environment.
Character traits
Alert Vigilant Combative Protective
Follow Tasha Yar's journey

Anxious but composed, balancing strategic oversight with personal concern for his crew’s safety.

Captain Picard maintains command from the Enterprise bridge, closely monitoring the away team's status and communicating orders. His concern grows as Riker becomes trapped, underscoring his role as a steady, commanding presence despite the unknown dangers unfolding far from the ship.

Goals in this moment
  • Coordinate the rescue and safe extraction of the away team.
  • Uncover the nature of the threats on Minos to protect the Enterprise crew.
Active beliefs
  • The away team faces grave danger requiring immediate attention.
  • The Enterprise must be prepared to act decisively to prevent further losses.
Character traits
Concerned Commanding Resolute Calm under pressure
Follow Jean-Luc Picard's journey

Detached yet vigilant, maintaining composure to assist with technical evaluation and threat assessment.

Data operates methodically, scanning the environment with his tricorder, confirming the absence of other life forms besides the away team, and analyzing the holographic trap. He supports the team’s assessment while remaining calm and precise amid escalating danger.

Goals in this moment
  • Gather accurate sensor data on the environment and detected anomalies.
  • Provide tactical support to the away team to ensure their safety.
Active beliefs
  • The hologram is a sophisticated artificial construct rather than a genuine person.
  • The environment is hostile with advanced technological defenses.
Character traits
Analytical Calm Methodical Supportive
Follow Data's journey

Alert and wary, masking rising tension and disbelief as he realizes the deceptive nature of the projection before being caught off guard and trapped.

Commander Riker leads the away team cautiously through Minos' dangerous ruins, engaging directly with the deceptive holographic projection of Captain Paul Rice. He skillfully navigates a suspicious dialogue to expose the illusion, only to be suddenly trapped inside a lucinium cube after the hologram transforms into a hostile weapon.

Goals in this moment
  • Discover the truth behind the missing USS Drake and Captain Rice.
  • Protect his away team from unseen threats on Minos.
Active beliefs
  • The holographic Paul Rice is not genuine and represents a dangerous trap.
  • The planet’s defenses are highly advanced and lethal.
Character traits
Suspicious Cautious Tense Determined Tactical
Follow William Riker's journey

Feigns calm professionalism masking calculated hostility and lethal intent.

Captain Paul Rice appears as a calm, businesslike holographic projection designed to deceive and manipulate Riker and his team. His inconsistent answers provoke suspicion before the image abruptly transforms into a hostile automated weapon that fires to trap Riker, revealing the artificial and deadly nature of the defense system.

Goals in this moment
  • Lure the away team into a trap through psychological manipulation.
  • Neutralize intruders to protect the planet’s secrets.
Active beliefs
  • Deception is an effective strategy against intruders.
  • The defense system must eliminate all threats autonomously.
Character traits
Deceptive Calm Manipulative Adaptive
Follow Paul Rice's journey

Attentive and ready, maintaining vigilance to detect and communicate emergent threats.

Lieutenant Solis monitors energy signatures near the away team’s position, providing essential situational data to Riker and Picard. His focus on tracking faint energy buildups informs the team’s tactical decisions in the thick underbrush of Minos.

Goals in this moment
  • Provide accurate, real-time sensor data to support away team safety.
  • Assist command decisions on the bridge through precise monitoring.
Active beliefs
  • Energy fluctuations on Minos indicate concealed dangers.
  • Timely communication of sensor data is critical to operational success.
Character traits
Alert Focused Technical Reliable
Follow Solis's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

5
Melted Tritanium Fragments

Jagged melted tritanium remnants scattered in the ruins serve as tangible evidence of the destructive, advanced technology deployed on Minos. Their discovery raises the team's alarm and signals the presence of hostile forces far beyond Federation capabilities.

Before: Embedded in overgrown ruins, undisturbed and partially concealed …
After: Remains in place as ominous clues to the …
Before: Embedded in overgrown ruins, undisturbed and partially concealed by foliage.
After: Remains in place as ominous clues to the planet’s lethal defenses; prompts increased caution among the away team.
Advanced Rifle from Minos Surface

The super-high-tech rifle found by Data and examined by Riker embodies the advanced weaponry hidden within Minos. It stands as a silent yet menacing artifact, implicating a defense system far surpassing Starfleet's own armaments and underscoring the lethal threat to the away team.

Before: Stationary and undamaged amidst the ruins, untouched on …
After: Remains in the ruins, serving as a chilling …
Before: Stationary and undamaged amidst the ruins, untouched on the ground.
After: Remains in the ruins, serving as a chilling reminder of the planet’s hostile technological arsenal.
Lucinium Containment Trap Cube

The translucent lucinium containment cube instantly manifests around Riker as a high-tech immobilization device. It functions as a lethal trap, encapsulating him in an impenetrable prison that signals the severity of the Minosian automated defense system.

Before: Nonexistent until weapon fires and creates it around …
After: Encases Riker immobile, glowing with eerie energy as …
Before: Nonexistent until weapon fires and creates it around Riker.
After: Encases Riker immobile, glowing with eerie energy as it awaits further action.
Autonomous Hovering Defense Weapon

The hostile hovering weapon emerges instantaneously from the holographic projection, shifting from illusion to physical threat. It fires a phaser blast that traps Riker in the lucinium cube, aggressively enforcing the planet’s lethal defense protocol.

Before: Nonexistent until holographic projection dissolves revealing the weapon.
After: Destroyed by Tasha Yar’s timely phaser fire shortly …
Before: Nonexistent until holographic projection dissolves revealing the weapon.
After: Destroyed by Tasha Yar’s timely phaser fire shortly after trapping Riker.
Holographic Image of Captain Paul Rice

The holographic image of Captain Paul Rice materializes as a calm, convincing projection meant to deceive the away team. It engages Riker in a controlled, yet suspicious conversation that draws him into the trap, ultimately revealing the hologram’s lethal intent when it shifts form.

Before: Nonexistent until activated by the Minosian defense system …
After: Disappears abruptly upon exposure, replaced by a hostile …
Before: Nonexistent until activated by the Minosian defense system in the clearing.
After: Disappears abruptly upon exposure, replaced by a hostile weapon entity.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Surface of Minos Crumbled High-Tech Ruins

The surface of Minos serves as the eerie and foreboding battleground for this encounter. The dense underbrush, overgrown ancient ruins, and scattered melted tritanium fragments create an atmosphere thick with concealed threat and technological menace, framing the away team’s perilous mission.

Atmosphere Tense, oppressive, and charged with an ominous stillness pierced by faint sounds of wildlife and …
Function Hostile terrain and trap site where the away team confronts the adaptive Minosian defense system.
Symbolism Represents isolation, deception, and the lethal legacy of a vanished civilization’s defenses.
Access Effectively restricted due to lethal automated defenses; physically accessible but dangerously hostile.
Verdant overgrowth conceals ruins and hazardous technology. Ambient sounds of birds and insects contrast with mechanical menace. Thick underbrush limits visibility. Ancient ruins bear scorch marks and technological remnants.

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 25
Causal

"Picard logs the mission establishing the investigation that leads directly to the away team's beam down to Minos to explore the disappearance of the USS Drake and the vanished civilization."

Riker Reflects on Captain Rice’s Bold Leadership Amidst Minos Mystery
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"Picard logs the mission establishing the investigation that leads directly to the away team's beam down to Minos to explore the disappearance of the USS Drake and the vanished civilization."

Minos’s Automated Hail: A Legacy of Deadly Arms
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"Picard logs the mission establishing the investigation that leads directly to the away team's beam down to Minos to explore the disappearance of the USS Drake and the vanished civilization."

Enterprise Investigates the Vanished Civilization of Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"Picard logs the mission establishing the investigation that leads directly to the away team's beam down to Minos to explore the disappearance of the USS Drake and the vanished civilization."

The Peddler’s Eerie Sales Pitch on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"Picard logs the mission establishing the investigation that leads directly to the away team's beam down to Minos to explore the disappearance of the USS Drake and the vanished civilization."

Picard Initiates Away Team Amidst Minos' Deadly Legacy
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Foreshadowing

"The Peddler's recorded sales pitch foreshadows the later live holographic encounter with the Peddler AI on the planet revealing the weapon system's lethal nature."

Picard Initiates Away Team Amidst Minos' Deadly Legacy
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Foreshadowing

"The Peddler's recorded sales pitch foreshadows the later live holographic encounter with the Peddler AI on the planet revealing the weapon system's lethal nature."

The Peddler’s Eerie Sales Pitch on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Foreshadowing

"The Peddler's recorded sales pitch foreshadows the later live holographic encounter with the Peddler AI on the planet revealing the weapon system's lethal nature."

Minos’s Automated Hail: A Legacy of Deadly Arms
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Foreshadowing

"The Peddler's recorded sales pitch foreshadows the later live holographic encounter with the Peddler AI on the planet revealing the weapon system's lethal nature."

Riker Reflects on Captain Rice’s Bold Leadership Amidst Minos Mystery
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Foreshadowing

"The Peddler's recorded sales pitch foreshadows the later live holographic encounter with the Peddler AI on the planet revealing the weapon system's lethal nature."

Enterprise Investigates the Vanished Civilization of Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
What this causes 21
Causal

"Riker's entrapment in the cube directly leads to Data's strategic actions to free him, maintaining the away team's ability to continue the mission."

Data Destroys Riker’s Lucinium Prison, Renewing Hope
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Causal

"The Peddler's initial recorded message sets up the context for the holographic trap of Captain Paul Rice, a manifestation of the Minosian weapon system's deception."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Character Continuity medium

"Data's recognition of communications monitoring and suspicion of an unseen watcher underlines his analytical nature and cautious approach."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS medium

"The initial encasement of Riker in the cube is immediately followed by Picard and Crusher arriving to assess and attempt rescue, continuing the rising tension on the surface."

Tasha and Data Destroy Weapon, Lose Contact, Picard and Beverly Plunge Underground
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS medium

"The initial encasement of Riker in the cube is immediately followed by Picard and Crusher arriving to assess and attempt rescue, continuing the rising tension on the surface."

Trapped in the Minos Cube and Sinkhole
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS medium

"The initial encasement of Riker in the cube is immediately followed by Picard and Crusher arriving to assess and attempt rescue, continuing the rising tension on the surface."

Automated Ambush and Sinkhole Descent
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker’s Confrontation with the Illusory Captain Rice
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker Unmasks the Holographic Trap and Is Captured
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Riker Trapped by Minosian Weapon Cube
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats feature the Peddler as an eerie automated salesman interface representing Minos's arms legacy and danger, underlining the theme of technology run amok."

Picard Confronts Minosian Weapon; Riker Confirms Dire Situation
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats feature the Peddler as an eerie automated salesman interface representing Minos's arms legacy and danger, underlining the theme of technology run amok."

Picard Confronts the Lethal Legacy of Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Away Team Encounters Deceptive Surveillance and Traps on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom
Thematic Parallel medium

"Both beats explore the eerie absence of life and presence of advanced weaponry, underscoring the theme of the danger hidden beneath Minos's surface."

Encounter with a Deadly Illusion and Advanced Weaponry on Minos
S1E21 · The Arsenal of Freedom

Key Dialogue

"RICE: Hello... Commander Riker."
"RIKER: You haven't used my first name once, Paul. You remember it, don't you?... Because you don't even exist. You're a fake -- an image of the original! Aren't you?... Answer me!"
"TASHA: He can't answer you, Captain. Commander Riker has been encased in a cube of complex lucinium compound."