Object
Hydrogen Exhaust Plume (Harmless Crimson Effect)
A thin, crimson-tinted vapor plume billows briefly in space and across sensor readouts, glowing like a distant blast but lacking heat, shrapnel, or concussive force. The plume smells of ionized hydrogen in schematic reports and shows a low thermal signature on diagnostics. Bridge officers watch it resolve into harmless exhaust rather than an energy detonation; Riker calls it a bluff while crew members react with wary relief as Geordi quietly verifies he sabotaged the Pakled photons that produced the display.
2 appearances
Purpose
Not a device but a byproduct of a Pakled vessel's systems (photonic/exhaust output); here it functions practically as a visible, nonlethal effect exploited tactically to simulate a weapon discharge and force a surrender.
Significance
Acts as the climactic, nonviolent pivot that secures the rescue: the apparent 'crimson blast' becomes a moral and tactical lever, allowing Riker to compel the Pakleds to drop shields, extract Geordi, and preserve the crew while teaching restraint as command doctrine.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used