Object
Colonel S. Richey's 52‑Star American Flag Patch (on Pale‑Blue Spacesuit)
A small, rectangular 52‑star American flag patch machine-stitched to the outer sleeve of a faded, pale‑blue preserved spacesuit belonging to Colonel S. Richey. Frayed threads and dulled dye suggest centuries-old wear; the embroidered stars and stripes remain legible. The suit bears a stitched nameplate reading "Colonel S. Richey" adjacent to the patch. The patch functions as the pivotal identifying clue that links the suit (and its occupant) to that name, prompting Data's cross-reference and Riker's salute.
0 appearances
Purpose
To denote terrestrial (American) national affiliation on a spacesuit sleeve — a sewn insignia indicating origin and identity of the suit's wearer.
Significance
Serves as a crucial historical clue and personal identifier: the 52‑star arrangement dates the suit and anchors the buried skeleton to a specific Earthly era and to Colonel S. Richey, converting sterile forensic discovery into intimate mourning and heightening the scene's moral and narrative stakes.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used
No events recorded for this object