Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 1x08 - "Broken Pieces"

[Greg Cox]

I'd say that the chance of the big bad being this 0 are zero.

I'm inclined to agree and I invented 0.

Needless to say, though, I'm chuffed to see that book discussed again--and curious to see who destroys the Tkon Empire this time.

 

[137th Gebirg]

9 for me. Some fabulous character moments - Picard speaking about Data was a beautiful scene, the holograms were hilarious, Raffi is getting better and Seven being briefly borgified again gave me chills.

However, I am bothered by the clumsy handwaving of Jurati's actions. She says sorry for murder, and everyone's fine with that as long as she hands herself in at some point? She murders her inspiration and lover to prevent hell, but will accept hell because Soji is cool? There's a vague suggestion that she was influenced by the mind meld rather than rationally considering her actions, but it's all very shallowly done.

Even some of the best writers the franchise has had can’t resist the magic of the reset button, no matter how large or small.

 

[Gonzo]

I'm inclined to agree and I invented 0.

Needless to say, though, I'm chuffed to see that book discussed again--and curious to who destroys the Tkon Empire this time.

Well whoever it is they destroyed a Star to do it.

Which narrows the list down a lot.

I wasn't aware you had anything to do with the novels.

If you invented 0 then they would have to credit you for it wouldn't they, which means you already know if they are or are not planning on using it.

 

[DaveyNY]

Well whoever it is they destroyed a Star to do it.

Which narrows the list down a lot.

I wasn't aware you had anything to do with the novels.

If you invented 0 then they would have to credit you for it wouldn't they, which means you already know if they are or are not planning on using it.

I believe that the Trek Novel Writers get paid just to 'write' the novels.
I don't think they get to lay claim to any of the characters they create in said novels.

We saw the same thing with DISCOVERY and its use of CONTROL.
(which came from a novel)

 

[Gonzo]

I believe that the Trek Novel Writers get paid just to 'write' the novels.
I don't think they get to lay claim to any of the characters they create in said novels.

Yeah but they would say that wouldn't they.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I think people aren't giving the way Jurati is being handled enough credit. She's in the unique position of being torn between both sides of the issue. On the one hand, she's seen the Admonition and it affected her enough to make her do something terrible; on the other hand, she's awed by the wonder of what she was supposed to be trying to destroy.

 

[Greg Cox]

I wasn't aware you had anything to do with the novels.

If you invented 0 then they would have to credit you for it wouldn't they, which means you already know if they are or are not planning on using it.

Not necessarily. All TV tie-in books are written on a "work-for-hire" basis, which means CBS owns the copyright on everything in the books. I'm like a carpenter hired to build a back deck for somebody else's house. I may design the deck and work hard to make it the best deck I can build, but it's not my house or my deck. Nor are the home owners obliged to keep me posted on the status of the deck. They can do whatever they want with it. Paint it purple, tear it down, whatever.

Anyway, just in case anyone is confused by all this "0" talk: way back in the nineties, I wrote a TNG trilogy titled The Q Continuum in which it was established that an all-powerful being named "0" destroyed the Tkon Empire. (Still my bestselling Trek novels, btw.)

Not that I'm suggesting that PICARD is inspired by my old books at all. The show is just picking up on the same loose end ("say, what destroyed the Tkon Empire anyway?") that I explored back in the day.

Which has always been there to be seized on.

 

[donners22]

I think people aren't giving the way Jurati is being handled enough credit. She's in the unique position of being torn between both sides of the issue. On the one hand, she's seen the Admonition and it affected her enough to make her do something terrible; on the other hand, she's awed by the wonder of what she was supposed to be trying to destroy.

That can go some way to explaining her own change of position; however, it doesn't explain why she is so quickly welcomed back into the fold by the others on her sayso alone. Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

It doesn't wreck the episode for me, and Trek has had plenty of sloppy writing in the past, but it's just disappointing that it wasn't handled better.

 

[fireproof78]

Anyway, just in case anyone is confused by all this "0" talk: way back in the nineties, I wrote a TNG trilogy titled The Q Continuum in which it was established that an all-powerful being named "0" destroyed the Tkon Empire. (Still my bestselling Trek novels, btw.)

I really enjoyed how you expanded upon a lot of different noncoporeal beings in that series, Greg. I wouldn't mind them utilizing some points of reference form it

 

[Kevman7987]

Omelette. Burp.

I always felt the Chodak were more like evolved hermit crabs since they lived in shells. Add some butter.

 

[Greg Cox]

I wasn't aware you had anything to do with the novels.

If you'll indulge me a shameless plug, I've been writing Trek novels for Pocket Books for more than a quarter of a century now. My most recent TOS book, The Antares Maelstrom, came out not too long ago.

 

[matthunter]

Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

They're based on Rios - they aren't mentally linked to him NOW. The EMH would have had to physically TELL him Jurati killed Maddox. She shut it down. It couldn't reactivate until there was another medical emergency (Jurati's desperate move with the hypospray), at which point that took priority. So it DID tell someone, just well after Jurati had allayed their suspicions.

 

[Nerys Myk]

That can go some way to explaining her own change of position; however, it doesn't explain why she is so quickly welcomed back into the fold by the others on her sayso alone. Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

It doesn't wreck the episode for me, and Trek has had plenty of sloppy writing in the past, but it's just disappointing that it wasn't handled better.

I think they see her as a victim. Also she's very remorseful.

 

[The Old Mixer]

That can go some way to explaining her own change of position; however, it doesn't explain why she is so quickly welcomed back into the fold by the others on her sayso alone.

Because they could tell, as we could, that she was being sincere?

Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

As has been covered, the EMH had no opportunity to tell anyone until he was activated again, which happened when Jurati disabled the tracker. And somebody who remembers Voyager better than I asserted that the EMH did not have the ability to turn himself on until the crew was persuaded to reprogram him to be able to.

 

[fireproof78]

Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

I never got that impression. Why would the holograms need to communicate verbally if Rios has other means to access the information? Why would Rios look in to the EMH's records when they took Juranti's statement at face value at the time?

 

[Tuskin38]

That can go some way to explaining her own change of position; however, it doesn't explain why she is so quickly welcomed back into the fold by the others on her sayso alone. Nor does it explain why Rios was unaware of her actions at the time - the headcanon at the time was that she wiped the EMH's memory, but that's clearly not the case. Given their demonstrated close links to Rios, it makes no sense that he was unaware earlier.

So far everytime the EMH has appeared, it has been when it was requested, or when there was a medical emergency. We didn't have any medical emergencies until Jurati poisoned herself, so the EMH was probably never activated since Jurati murdered Bruce.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

I'm inclined to agree and I invented 0.

Needless to say, though, I'm chuffed to see that book discussed again--and curious to see who destroys the Tkon Empire this time.

I really like your Q Continuum trilogy Especially Q-Zone. It's one of my favorite TNG novels

The way you depicted the Tkon and their culture was for me the highlight of the trilogy.

Just one question. I really wonder why there is nothing about the portals in the novel. But maybe i simply forgot something. It's been a while since i read the books

 

[Greg Cox]

I really like your Q Continuum trilogy Especially Q-Zone. It's one of my favorite TNG novels

The way you depicted the Tkon and their culture was for me the highlight of the trilogy.

Just one question. I really wonder why there is nothing about the portals in the novel. But maybe i simply forgot something. It's been a while since i read the books

To be honest, it's been a while since I wrote them!

But weren't the portals the Iconians, not the Tkon?

Thanks for the kind words, btw. I still remember the day those Q books hit the New York Times Bestseller List. I went running through the halls at work, waving the fax from the Times. Really!

 

[Gonzo]

I really enjoyed how you expanded upon a lot of different noncoporeal beings in that series, Greg. I wouldn't mind them utilizing some points of reference form it

I liked the outline of what I read on Memory Alpha so I may go and read them now.

I have always been interested in the Q, they are powerful but there will always be others who can rival them, if not in this galaxy then another.

If you'll indulge me a shameless plug, I've been writing Trek novels for Pocket Books for more than a quarter of a century now. My most recent TOS book, The Antares Maelstrom, came out not too long ago.

Never really gone into the ToS era in detail as it is before my time, by the way your new book isn't listed on your wiki.

I think they see her as a victim. Also she's very remorseful.

She clearly is, she even said about how she had a superpower, knowing she was making a mistake as she was in the process of doing it, thus a pretty useless one really.

What consequences she will face remains to be seen and depends greatly on how the season ends, an action in defence of a synth would go a long way, or maybe even a sacrifice of herself for the cause.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I think Agnes might be a dead woman walking.