TNG episodes where they hang out with species without warp drive

[Timo]

Picard was going to allow them to die until he heard the little girls' pleas for help.

No, he says no such thing. He tells Data to stop the one thing that is against the Prime Directive - talking with the native.

That was the only thing that Picard found wrong about the events, at any point of the story. Data being insubordinate was his sole voiced-out worry about the sorry affair. At no point does he protest against plans to save the Dremans; very much to the contrary, he arranges for such plans, arranges a conference to discuss them, and then executes them.

"Letting them die" is something Riker makes fun of, with his "fate" comments. Nobody seems seriously concerned about that aspect of the discussion.

He insists that the Boraalans not become aware of the Federation even at the point that they are all going to die in a few hours, otherwise why send Worf down in disguise.

Quite so. But this doesn't constitute evidence on what affected Picard's noninterference decision and what did not, which was the only point I was making there.

Really, there's a funny bias there if people really think TNG is about letting primitives die, when "Homeward" is the only example of this anywhere in the show.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[sariel2005]

"Letting them die" is something Riker makes fun of, with his "fate" comments. Nobody seems seriously concerned about that aspect of the discussion.

Riker says that letting them die is an option they should be considering and both that and his fate comment are completely in earnest.
the debate is entirely because Picard feels that violation of the Prime Directive "however well intentioned" is wrong. Its clear that the girls pleas do sway him but he is still somewhat unsure. After all if he was sure he would not call a conference discussing the prime directive in the first place.

 

[BillJ]

No, he says no such thing. He tells Data to stop the one thing that is against the Prime Directive - talking with the native.

Come on, Timo. There is no possible way that you believe that.

Data asks Picard if they are going to let her die and Picard answers by telling him to cut communication. The meaning is pretty plain.

If he was going to save her then there would have been no reason for this line:

PICARD: Wait. Oh, Data. Your whisper from the dark has now become a plea. We cannot turn our backs.

No need for the dramatic pause, no need for Data manipulating the situation by making the signal audible for everyone in the room to hear.

 

[Timo]

Data asks Picard if they are going to let her die and Picard answers by telling him to cut communication. The meaning is pretty plain.

Data has been told not to communicate. Several times, with direct orders. His response? Accusing Picard of murderous intent! Picard should have phasered down the cybernetic asshole there and then, but all he does is quietly offer this failure of an officer one last chance to redeem his career. I have no reason to think Data's accusation would have had any basis in fact, and indeed his libel should be added to the list of charges.

No need for the dramatic pause, no need for Data manipulating the situation by making the signal audible for everyone in the room to hear.

Data can manipulate all he wants - yet more black marks against him. This doesn't change the fact that Picard asked him for proposals for saving Sarjenka's people, launched a study into them, and (coincidentally only after the hearing) executed them.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[BillJ]

What are you even talking about? Have you even seen the episode?

 

[sariel2005]

Data has been told not to communicate. Several times, with direct orders. His response? Accusing Picard of murderous intent! Picard should have phasered down the cybernetic asshole there and then, but all he does is quietly offer this failure of an officer one last chance to redeem his career. I have no reason to think Data's accusation would have had any basis in fact, and indeed his libel should be added to the list of charges.

Data is not accusing Picard of anything, merely asking a question. While his ethical programming may well cause him to ask if they are letting someone die accusing Picard of murder would be based in emotion, something that Data is not capable of.
It seems as if the girls plea does sway Picard, and its almost as if being asked for help gives him wiggle room to intervene. Which makes a sort of sense. Starfleet can ( and does) offer aid to those aware of them and will respond to requests for aid but otherwise have a non intervention policy no matter what.

 

[Maxwell Everett]

Data has been told not to communicate. Several times, with direct orders. His response? Accusing Picard of murderous intent! Picard should have phasered down the cybernetic asshole there and then, but all he does is quietly offer this failure of an officer one last chance to redeem his career. I have no reason to think Data's accusation would have had any basis in fact, and indeed his libel should be added to the list of charges.

Libel is a written (not spoken) defamation, I think you mean slander. And surely phasering down an officer whom he argued in court just a few months prior was a sentient being is not only way out of character for Picard... but would in fact demonstrate a murderous intent!

 

[sariel2005]

Libel is a written (not spoken) defamation, I think you mean slander

beaten in an argument by J.J.Jameson!