Object
Rina's Empty Glass
A clear, empty drinking glass resting on the polished bartop of Ten-Forward, its pristine surface reflecting the ambient starlight streaming through the lounge's viewports. Commander Riker lifts it with practiced charm, the glass becoming a prop in his flirtatious gambit as he offers to fetch Specialist Trainee Rina another drink. Rina's sharp verbal riposte about protocol turns the innocuous vessel into a silent witness to her boundary-setting—where Riker sees an opening for connection, the glass's emptiness mirrors the hollowness of his approach compared to Geordi's genuine technical rapport with the specialist moments earlier. Pulaski's interruption at the bar completes the triangle of narrative tension, with the glass suspended between competing energies: Riker's performative charm, Rina's intellectual independence, and Pulaski's no-nonsense professionalism.
8 appearances
Purpose
To serve as a casual beverage facilitating socialization in Ten-Forward
Significance
Acts as both social lubricant and power dynamic amplifier during Riker's attempted flirtation with Rina, its exchange offering microscopic visibility into Starfleet hierarchy negotiations. The drink's passive presence underscores how even mundane objects become charged when wielded by a commander against a wary specialist trainee.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used