Object

Picard's Ready Room Com Line

A flush-mounted shipboard communication console embedded in the captain's ready room wall (or desk, depending on scene) with a brushed composite faceplate, narrow illuminated channel strip, and a small tactile press surface that emits a soft chime upon activation. The device facilitates shipwide voice transmissions and is used by Picard for both official and clandestine communications, including summoning crew members (e.g., Data) and coordinating with medical staff (e.g., Beverly Crusher). Its activation often marks narrative transitions, such as shifting focus from confrontations (e.g., with Mendrossen) to urgent discussions (e.g., about Sarek's condition or Wesley's well-being).

3 appearances

Purpose

Enable shipboard voice communications and privileged officer hails; accept and terminate secure command channels for the captain's use.

Significance

Functions as the physical intruder that splits private counsel and official duty—its activation yanks Picard from personal exchange into command responsibility, heightening emotional tension and underscoring the scene's conflict between professional obligation and paternal concern.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S3E1 · Evolution

Quiet Panic: Beverly Presses Picard About Wesley

The ready-room com line frames the opening beats: Picard issues operational orders over it and signs off before turning to Beverly. It functions as the transitional device that moves Picard from duty to private counsel and signals the interplay of command and intimacy.

Before: Active: engaged by Picard to issue orders and running communications.

After: Idle/closed: Picard signs off the channel to conduct the private conversation with Beverly.

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S3E23 · Sarek

The Admiral’s Veiled Ultimatum: Picard’s Career vs. Sarek’s Legacy

Picard taps the sleek, embedded comm panel on his ready room desk after Mendrossen’s departure. His fingers, restless from the confrontation, activate the device with precise resolve. It emits a soft chime through the tense silence, connecting him shipwide to summon Data for a clandestine discussion on Sarek’s condition. The comm panel is not just a tool but a lifeline—Picard’s means of rallying support in the face of bureaucratic resistance, symbolizing his defiance and strategic thinking.

Before: Inactive, embedded in Picard’s desk, ready for use.

After: Activated briefly to summon Data, then returns to its inactive state.

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S3E23 · Sarek

Picard’s Clandestine Gambit: The Summoning of Data

The comm panel is the mechanism of rebellion. After Mendrossen’s exit, Picard’s fingers—still restless from the confrontation—activate it with precise resolve. The soft chime it emits cuts through the tense silence, signaling the first overt act of defiance: summoning Data to investigate Sarek’s condition outside official channels. This object is not just a tool; it is the catalyst for Picard’s shadow plan, the moment he chooses to operate in the margins of Starfleet protocol.

Before: Dormant but ready, embedded in the desk as a standard Starfleet communication interface. Its presence is unremarkable until Picard’s need for discretion and urgency activates it.

After: The comm panel’s function is fulfilled: Data has been summoned. Its role in the event is complete, but its activation marks the point of no return for Picard’s plan. The channel it opens will lead to Data’s confrontation with Sakkath, setting the next domino in motion.

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