Object

Ship's Scuttlebutt (Informal Rumor Network)

An intangible, shipwide current of whispered conversations, corridor murmurs and cafeteria speculation that carries half-formed accusations and hints. It has no hardware or visible locus; it manifests through sidelong glances, clipped asides and repeated fragments that ripple through departments. Crew members respond physically—Pulaski's frown, Kyle's guarded smile, Will's tightened posture—as the rumor network reshapes attention and behavior aboard the ship.

1 appearances

Purpose

To circulate informal rumors, gossip and unverified reports among crew members, quickly transmitting social information that influences attitudes and prompts interpersonal actions.

Significance

Acts as a plot catalyst: the scuttlebutt that Pulaski wants to see Kyle precipitates the office confrontation, crystallizing moral stakes, exposing Kyle's evasions, and raising the emotional cost surrounding Will and Riker's forthcoming choices.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Pulaski Confronts Kyle — The Duel's Moral Reckoning

The ship's scuttlebutt functions as the informal mechanism that brought Kyle's plan to Pulaski's attention; it initiates the confrontation and demonstrates how private intentions quickly become communal knowledge aboard the ship.

Before: Active rumor network circulating the anbo-jyutsu match as a matter of crew conversation.

After: Still active; the private confrontation in Pulaski's office may deepen the rumor's emotional valence among the crew, turning gossip into a potential disciplinary concern.

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