Picard's behaviour in 'The Enemy'

[JesterFace]

I'm surprised at Picard's behaviour in 'The Enemy'. Romulan officer's life is at risk and the Enterprise can't go to meet with the Romulan warbird because they need to get Geordi back from the planet down below soon as possible.

Even if the Romulans came to Federation space without permission before they crashsed, wouldn't it have been a smart thing to let the warbird to meet with the Enterprise so that the Romulans could get their officer, save him and return to their territory soon as possible. After that Federation could discuss with the Romulans about what they've done... But Picard chose not to allow the Romulans to save their officer, even if he was in Federation space without permission...

I know, territories and all that... but that Romulan only had 1 life, like all of us, maybe a warbird in Federation space for few hours is worth saving a life?

 

[Tosk]

Considering Tomalak's masked agenda and obvious dissembling, it was probably smarter to make sure they didn't have a Romulan Warbird to contend with while trying to rescue Geordi and Bochra.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^And as captain of the Enterprise, Picard's first priority was the safety of his crew, not the wellbeing of a single Romulan officer who violated Federation territory.

 

[Finn]

Didn't Tomalak claim there were no Romulans on that planet?

Yes, Picard's priority was that of his crew and civilians aboard the Enterprise. And the Romulans would have screwed Enterprise if they did what the OP suggested. It's a nonbrainer.

 

[Jedman67]

Originally the story was supposed to have Picard on the planet, not Geordi, and Riker was going to crash the ship. That plotline was scrapped and ultimately saved for Generations.

 

[JesterFace]

What if... Picard allowed for a shuttle to enter Federation space to help the Romulan officer?

 

[Mojochi]

What if... Picard allowed for a shuttle to enter Federation space to help the Romulan officer?

I don' t really see much a difference. If you catch an unfriendly over the border, the last thing you should be doing is granting them more berth, when they've already been caught in violation. Might as well just put a big sign on yourself that says "floor mat"

You can' t exactly trust these people in this situation. Adding another unknown variable to the thing, by letting a suspect vessel into your territory, puts you at more risk

 

[JesterFace]

You can' t exactly trust these people in this situation.

True... however my thinking takes me to the fact that this Romulan only had one life... Most likely he knew the risks before the mission, but still. If situation was reversed, how would we / Federation react?

 

[Mojochi]

True... however my thinking takes me to the fact that this Romulan only had one life... Most likely he knew the risks before the mission, but still. If situation was reversed, how would we / Federation react?

Officially? Disavow any knowledge of Picard's mission & let him get tortured by the people he was covertly & illegally infiltrating

Interesting comparison, that... actually

 

[exocomp]

Officially? Disavow any knowledge of Picard's mission & let him get tortured by the people he was covertly & illegally infiltrating

Interesting comparison, that... actually

There are four lights!

 

[JesterFace]

There are four lights!

No... actually there are five.

 

[exocomp]

No... actually there are five.

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[Mojochi]

"What lights?"

Probably the best line in the whole episode

 

[Paradise City]

The Enemy is an episode were the facility for saucer separation is quietly not remembered.

 

[exocomp]

The Enemy is an episode were the facility for saucer separation is quietly not remembered.

A convenient selective memory.

 

[JesterFace]

The Enemy is an episode were the facility for saucer separation is quietly not remembered.

The separation happens so rarely, one might as well forget the Enterprise can do it... Explains many plotholes that might arise.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

In this case Picard's first priority wasn't even to the crew, it was preventing a war. Remember at this point Tamalak's goal was to bait the Federation into appearing to fire the first shot to give themselves a pretext to invade without seeming the aggressors.

Tamalak made the request to enter the AQ knowing it was a win win scenario for him. Either Picard says yes and his enemy shows weakness and proved they can violate the border with impunity or the enemy says no and he can play it like an act of cruelty.

If Picard made a mistake in that episode it was not ordering Worf to cooperate.

 

[In_Correct]

I'm surprised at Picard's behaviour in 'The Enemy'. Romulan officer's life is at risk and the Enterprise can't go to meet with the Romulan warbird because they need to get Geordi back from the planet down below soon as possible.

Even if the Romulans came to Federation space without permission before they crashsed, wouldn't it have been a smart thing to let the warbird to meet with the Enterprise so that the Romulans could get their officer, save him and return to their territory soon as possible. After that Federation could discuss with the Romulans about what they've done... But Picard chose not to allow the Romulans to save their officer, even if he was in Federation space without permission...

I know, territories and all that... but that Romulan only had 1 life, like all of us, maybe a warbird in Federation space for few hours is worth saving a life?

Because The Romulans are sneaky. I know that The Romulans are not evil and there are many examples of this, but in this episode there is plenty of evidence that Picard found suspicious such as crash landing in a planet that because the Climate is so hostile, The Romulans could build a secret base without it being detected. Also, the "crashed" vessel self destructed. Despite Tomalak appearing to be looking for a ship "in distress" that was "malfunctioning", Tomalak was lying about it. Picard wouldn't hear of it and that is why Picard (and Worf) were so rude and even seemed cruel.

 

[In_Correct]

Originally the story was supposed to have Picard on the planet, not Geordi, and Riker was going to crash the ship. That plotline was scrapped and ultimately saved for Generations.

Riker just can't wait to crash the ship. He tried to do that in The Best Of Both Worlds.

 

[In_Correct]

What if... Picard allowed for a shuttle to enter Federation space to help the Romulan officer?

Picard was trying desperately to save Geordi. If Picard allowed a Romulan Shuttle, Geordi would have been taken prisoner or killed.