The Contamination Revelation: Barclay’s Incompetence Becomes a Ship-Wide Threat
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Duffy discovers a canister leaking gaseous nitrogen, prompting Geordi to order its disposal due to potential contamination of the tissue samples, introducing a potential threat to the health of the away team.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Anxious, guilty, and overwhelmed, teetering on the edge of a breakdown as his insecurities are publicly exposed.
Reginald Barclay enters the cargo bay visibly uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact and speaking in hesitant, stammering sentences. He provides weak excuses for his lateness and fails to repair the anti-grav unit, causing it to crash. When Geordi and Riker confront him, he shrinks under their scrutiny, his anxiety palpable. Later, he awkwardly helps Geordi lift a canister, his movements clumsy and his dialogue rambling. His behavior underscores his social anxiety and inability to perform under pressure, foreshadowing the deeper crisis tied to his holodeck escapades.
- • Avoid further reprimand by appeasing Geordi and Riker, even if it means lying or deflecting.
- • Hide the extent of his holodeck addiction and its impact on his job performance.
- • His holodeck fantasies are a necessary escape from his real-life inadequacies.
- • He is incapable of meeting the *Enterprise*’s standards, but admitting this would be catastrophic.
Impatient and disappointed, but maintaining professional composure to reinforce discipline.
William Riker confronts Barclay about his repeated failures and lateness, emphasizing the high standards of the Enterprise. His tone is firm and authoritative, reinforcing the chain of command. After Barclay acknowledges his reprimand, Riker exchanges a glance with Geordi—an unspoken agreement about the severity of the situation—before exiting. His presence amplifies the pressure on Barclay, making it clear that his performance is under scrutiny from the highest levels.
- • Ensure Barclay understands the consequences of his actions and the expectations of the *Enterprise*’s crew.
- • Support Geordi in addressing the anti-grav unit malfunction and the broader issue of Barclay’s reliability.
- • Barclay’s behavior is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the *Enterprise*’s standards.
- • Geordi is the right person to mentor Barclay, but the situation may require escalation to Picard.
Frustrated but professionally composed, masking deeper concern about Barclay’s impact on the ship’s stability.
Geordi La Forge confronts Barclay about his chronic lateness and poor performance, his frustration evident in his tone and body language. He studies the malfunctioning anti-grav unit, orders Duffy to destroy the leaking nitrogen canister, and requests additional engineering personnel to assist in Cargo Bay Five. When Barclay fails to repair the unit, Geordi turns his impatience toward him, demanding help to lift a canister. His actions are a mix of professional duty and personal exasperation, reflecting his role as both a mentor and a supervisor.
- • Hold Barclay accountable for his performance and lateness to uphold *Enterprise* standards.
- • Diagnose and resolve the anti-grav unit malfunction to prevent further contamination or damage to the Mikulak tissue samples.
- • Barclay’s incompetence is a direct threat to the ship’s operations and crew safety.
- • Mentorship and firm reprimands are necessary to improve Barclay’s performance, but his issues may run deeper than discipline alone.
Frustrated by the malfunction but trusting Geordi to handle the situation.
Miles O’Brien operates the transporter console, materializing canisters for Duffy and Costa to move. When the anti-grav unit fails and the pallet crashes, he reacts with frustration, uttering ‘Dammit’ under his breath. His role is largely observational in this moment, but his presence adds to the tension, as his expertise in transporter operations highlights the severity of the malfunction. He stands by as Geordi takes charge, his demeanor professional but concerned.
- • Ensure the transporter and cargo bay operations remain stable despite the anti-grav failure.
- • Support Geordi and the engineering team in diagnosing the root cause of the malfunctions.
- • The anti-grav unit failure is symptomatic of a larger, unresolved issue aboard the *Enterprise*.
- • Barclay’s incompetence is contributing to the ship’s problems, but he is not the sole cause.
Focused and composed, prioritizing the task at hand.
Costa assists Duffy in moving canisters from the transporter pad to the anti-grav unit. He does not speak or react visibly to the anti-grav failure, but his presence contributes to the sense of a well-oiled team working under pressure. His role is supportive, ensuring that cargo operations continue despite the malfunction. He exits the scene without drawing attention to himself, embodying the quiet professionalism of the Enterprise’s engineering crew.
- • Ensure the safe transport and storage of the Mikulak tissue samples.
- • Support Duffy and the engineering team in maintaining cargo bay operations.
- • The anti-grav unit failure is an isolated incident, but it warrants further investigation.
- • Barclay’s behavior is unusual, but it is not his concern to address.
Neutral but alert, focused on resolving the immediate technical issues.
Duffy discovers the leaking nitrogen canister and immediately alerts Geordi, who orders its destruction to prevent contamination. He assists in moving canisters from the transporter pad to the anti-grav unit and reacts to its failure with professional detachment. His actions are methodical and efficient, reflecting his experience as an engineering technician. He does not engage in the confrontation with Barclay but remains aware of the broader implications of the malfunction.
- • Prevent contamination of the Mikulak tissue samples by following Geordi’s orders to destroy the leaking canister.
- • Assist in moving cargo safely despite the anti-grav unit failure.
- • The anti-grav unit malfunction is likely due to negligence or a deeper systemic issue.
- • Barclay’s performance is a liability, but it is not his place to intervene in the disciplinary process.
Jean-Luc Picard’s voice-over log sets the context for the Enterprise’s mission: transporting Mikulak tissue samples to Nahmi IV to combat …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The transporter console is operated by Miles O’Brien to materialize nitrogen canisters onto the cargo bay pad. While it functions correctly in this instance, its role is critical to the scene’s tension, as the canisters it delivers are later found to be contaminated. The console’s reliability contrasts with the anti-grav unit’s failure, highlighting the fragility of the *Enterprise*’s systems. O’Brien’s frustration at the anti-grav crash indirectly reflects on the transporter’s role in the cargo chain, as the canisters it delivers are now at risk.
The cargo bay canister, carried by Geordi and Barclay after the anti-grav unit fails, becomes a symbol of the crew’s strained collaboration. Barclay’s awkwardness in handling the canister—his avoidance of eye contact and rambling dialogue—contrasts with Geordi’s professionalism, underscoring the tension between them. The canister’s weight and the silence between them during the carry highlight the unspoken pressures on Barclay and the crew’s growing distrust of his abilities. Its later disassembly is framed as a potential solution to the anti-grav mystery, but the event foreshadows that the problem runs deeper than mechanical failure.
The anti-grav unit’s access panel is examined by Geordi and Barclay, who attempt to diagnose its failure. Barclay’s incompetence is on full display as he fumbles with the panel, unable to identify the issue. When he reactivates the unit, it immediately fails, causing the pallet to crash. The unit’s malfunction serves as a microcosm of the *Enterprise*’s broader instability, directly tied to Barclay’s holodeck-induced neglect. Its failure forces Geordi to escalate the situation, requesting additional engineering personnel and marking a turning point in the crisis.
The nitrogen canisters are materialized via the transporter and moved to the anti-grav unit by Duffy and Costa. One canister is discovered with a broken seal, leaking gaseous nitrogen—a contamination risk to the Mikulak tissue samples. Geordi orders its immediate destruction to prevent tainting the cargo. The canister’s failure symbolizes the broader instability aboard the *Enterprise*, as its leak foreshadows the escalating malfunctions tied to Barclay’s holodeck-induced delusions. Its destruction marks a turning point, as the crew realizes the severity of the situation.
Geordi’s combadge is used to call for additional engineering personnel in Cargo Bay Five, demonstrating his leadership under pressure. The device symbolizes the chain of command and the *Enterprise*’s reliance on communication during crises. Its activation underscores the urgency of the situation, as Geordi recognizes that Barclay’s incompetence and the anti-grav failure require immediate reinforcement. The combadge’s role is functional but narratively significant, as it foreshadows the escalation of the crisis and the need for collective problem-solving.
The pallet of Mikulak tissue samples is stacked on the anti-grav unit, which Barclay attempts to repair. When the unit fails, the pallet crashes to the deck, scattering the samples and drawing O’Brien’s exclamation of ‘Dammit.’ The crash exposes the fragility of the ship’s systems and the critical nature of the cargo. The samples’ potential contamination—both from the nitrogen leak and the anti-grav failure—elevates the stakes, tying Barclay’s personal failings to the broader mission. The pallet’s destruction serves as a visceral metaphor for the unraveling of the *Enterprise*’s operations.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Cargo Bay 38 serves as the primary setting for the event, where the tension between Geordi, Riker, and Barclay reaches its breaking point. The bay’s utilitarian design—stacked pallets, anti-grav units, and canisters—contrasts with the high emotional stakes of the confrontation. The crash of the pallet and the leaking nitrogen canister transform the bay from a mundane workspace into a pressure cooker of unspoken tensions. The bay’s echoing bulkheads and harsh lighting amplify the crew’s frustration, while the scattered tissue samples symbolize the fragility of the *Enterprise*’s mission. The location’s role is both practical (cargo transport) and symbolic (the unraveling of the ship’s stability).
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet Academy is invoked indirectly through Geordi’s frustration with Barclay’s performance and Riker’s comment about his graduation. The Academy’s name serves as a backdrop for the crew’s disbelief that Barclay could have passed its rigorous training, given his current incompetence. The organization’s standards are held up as a benchmark, contrasting with Barclay’s failures. While Starfleet Academy itself does not take direct action in this event, its presence looms as a symbol of the expectations Barclay has failed to meet, reinforcing the *Enterprise*’s high standards.
The *USS Enterprise* (Starfleet) is the overarching stakeholder in this event, as the cargo bay operations and Barclay’s performance directly impact the ship’s mission and stability. The organization’s standards are reinforced by Riker’s reprimand of Barclay, while the anti-grav failure and nitrogen leak threaten the *Enterprise*’s ability to fulfill its duty of transporting the Mikulak tissue samples. The crew’s actions—Geordi’s leadership, Riker’s authority, and Barclay’s incompetence—reflect the organization’s values, hierarchies, and vulnerabilities. The event underscores the *Enterprise*’s reliance on its crew’s competence and the consequences of failing to meet Starfleet’s expectations.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"The canister leaking gaseous nitrogen leads to Geordi's announcement that Duffy's broken glass and their presence in the cargo bay when the anti-grav unit failed, while Wesley recalls the transporter malfunction, leading to a clearer picture that they are spreading the contagion and the ship's computer now warns the engine containment field is near safety limits."
"The canister leaking gaseous nitrogen leads to Geordi's announcement that Duffy's broken glass and their presence in the cargo bay when the anti-grav unit failed, while Wesley recalls the transporter malfunction, leading to a clearer picture that they are spreading the contagion and the ship's computer now warns the engine containment field is near safety limits."
"The canister leaking gaseous nitrogen leads to Geordi's announcement that Duffy's broken glass and their presence in the cargo bay when the anti-grav unit failed, while Wesley recalls the transporter malfunction, leading to a clearer picture that they are spreading the contagion and the ship's computer now warns the engine containment field is near safety limits."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
"Geordi assigns Barclay to fix the anti-grav unit and almost immediately after Barclay activates it, it fails, creating suspicion about Barclay's competence or a more deliberate involvement."
Key Dialogue
"GEORDI: *I just don’t know what to do with him. He’s always late, never gives his best effort, always slides by... I can’t deal with it anymore.* RIKER: *I think it’s time we talked to the captain about Broccoli.* GEORDI: *It fits.*"
"RIKER: *Mister Barclay, I’m tired of seeing your name on report. I don’t know what you got away with on your last posting, but this is the Enterprise. We set a different standard here. Understood?* BARCLAY: *Understood... sir.*"
"DUFFY: *A broken seal, Commander.* GEORDI: *You better destroy it. Those samples will be tainted.*"