1156 – Chain of Command Pt2 | Sleep with TNG S6 E11

Notable Language:

• TNG: The Night Good
• Cardassian Vase Music
• Foley-Level Plan (FLP)

Notable Culture:

• Galaxy Quest 2: Bogomil’s Adventure
• Family Ties
• Cop Rock

Notable Talking Points:

• Domo arigato, Mr. Robusto
• This man drinks out of a Tin Cone
• Ronny Cox Facts

Episode 1156 – Chain of Command Pt. 2 | Sleep with TNG S6 E11

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, whether you’re into the Cardassians, the Kardashians, or the Cadassians, or you have the same feelings about both…I mean, after this episode, I know how you’re gonna feel about the Cardassians with a C…the Kardashians with a K, though there’s probably Cardashians that start their name with a C. I just don’t know…you say, oh, those are my neighbors, the Cardashians with a C. That’s what we call them. We always tell them there should be a show, Catching Up With the Cardashians With a C, but there isn’t. Now, if you’re confused…you say, I thought I tuned into a sleep podcast that was gonna talk about nothing and then eventually talk about an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

 

You’re in the right place ‘cause this is…welcome to Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. I make this show because you deserve a good night’s sleep, you deserve a place you could rest, and this podcast — you’re right — doesn’t make a lot of sense, goes off topic, and is here to keep you company so that you could fall asleep. It does take a few tries to get used to, so see how it goes. If you already loathe the podcast, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou; you could check that out. But what’ll happen is…this is our greeting. Welcome. Glad you’re here.

 

Then there will be some support for the show, then there will be a long, meandering intro which is a show within a show meant to ease you into bedtime, maybe put you to sleep, then there will be…talking about TNG, and that’ll be kinda like a bedtime story. So, don't worry if you don’t even know what TNG is, ‘cause the night is good. That could be your TNG. Instead of the good night, the night good. The night good, they said. It was a knight named Good and alls he did was ramble. We call him Scoots. TNG. It’s time for Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. Thanks for making it possible, my patron peeps.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is to create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake, whether it’s thoughts you’re thinking about, like thoughts on your mind. Maybe they’re thoughts about the past, the present, the future. Thinking stuff; oh boy, there’s one thing I got down, is overthinking. It’s regular for me. When they say ‘overthinking’, they say that’s me on regular. So, it’s regular thinking, robust thinking. How come they don’t call it that?

 

That’s what I…you say, how would you describe your thinking? I wouldn’t describe it as robust. I would say it has a robust attitude, though. I would say it means robust, but not in the initial sense. Like, it’s not meant as a compliment or a display of my ego, but I think the definition of ‘robust’ would define how my thinking is. But maybe…I know there’s a kind of bean, a coffee bean, the Robusto bean, and I’d say my thoughts…I would affiliate my thoughts with those Robusto beans, too. Maybe there isn’t, but I would say to my thoughts, domo arigato, thoughts, oh, so robusto. Or…I guess that doesn’t rhyme, but…my thoughts are so…oh, my thoughts are robusto. Oh boy, where am I? Thoughts…those…that’s one of the things that could be keeping you awake.

 

It could be feelings, anything you’re feeling emotionally coming up for you related to those thoughts or feelings that are there or that are coming up. It could be physical sensations, it could be changes in time, temperature, routine, you could be going through something, getting over something, dealing with something. Whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, I’m here to take your mind off of it and keep you company so that you could fall asleep. That’s what my job’s gonna be here, and I’m here to be your friend in the deep, dark night, and the way I do it…oh, the reason I do it…I said it a little bit earlier, but I’ll go into more depth here. There’s two reasons I make the show, or three reasons. One, I’m really good at never getting to the point, but I don't think I could do almost 1,200 episodes if that was the only reason.

 

The main reasons are…and a lot…why a lot of people are probably leaning in and nodding their heads, regular listeners, is because when I went through all that stuff, I don't know exactly why you can’t sleep or what’s…you’re going…your dealing with exactly. I may have never been through what you’re going through, but I can relate to how it feels, and if I can’t, there’s someone out there — I guarantee you — that can relate to how it feels and that says, yeah, I know how that feels; I’ve been through something similar and it’s not pleasant. Or maybe it’s so pleasant you can’t sleep. I mean, maybe you’re going through something so exciting you just can’t sleep. I hear from listeners that are dealing with that.

 

I’ve never heard from a listener that’s on…so exciting…like, I’m trying to sleep on a…I’m trying to do this new thing, sleeping on a Ferris wheel, and…so, I tried your podcast. Works great. I haven’t heard…I haven’t got that…or a roller coaster. I don't think any professional on the planet would recommend sleeping on a roller coaster, but I could be wrong. But what was I saying? Oh, there’s a lot of people listening that know how it feels or have a general idea. That’s why I call it the deep, dark night. It’s a deep, dark place we can be in, and sometimes it feels very lonely to me and from other listeners I’ve heard from. So, I’m trying to penetrate that loneliness and say, hey, I’m here to…you know, it’s a different relationship; digital, downloadable.

 

But I’m here to keep you company, but I’m also here on behalf of all the other people listening. There’s people that have been listening to this show since I started making it in whatever year that was, 2013. So, I’m so glad you’re here and I want to help. That’s the other side of it, is you deserve a good night’s sleep. You deserve a place you can get some rest, the rest you need so that your life can be more manageable tomorrow, and a bedtime you don’t have to dread, a bedtime you could feel neutral about or look forward to or forget about and say, okay, well, it’s time to go to bed. I’m gonna do my bedtime stuff, listen to my bedtime guy, my bore-friend, and fall asleep. So, that’s why I make the show, is because if you’re out there getting the rest you need, your life’s more manageable, you could be flourishing down the road as you get more and more sleep.

 

That means our world’s a better place to be in ‘cause your world’s a better place to be in. So, that’s important. It really is. Even if you never listen to anything else about this podcast again, it doesn’t change that fact. In fact, I have a website; sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. Just in case this show doesn’t suit your needs or isn’t your style, that has other sleep podcasts and stuff on there. So, that’s why I make the show. What else do you need to know? Oh, what I’ll do is…here…I’m gonna send my voice across the deep, dark night, I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, which means my voice is not traditionally soothing. I’m gonna go on superfluous…I have…pointless meanders and superfluous tangents; you’ve already seen a couple of those.

 

It means I get mixed up, I go off topic, start talking about something else, switch back, ramble on and on and on, and…yeah, all to keep you company and help you fall asleep. So, that’s…what else do you need to know? The structure of the show…oh, why I make the show, we covered that. Oh, first thing to know; if you’re skeptical or doubtful about this podcast or you say, this may be too robust for…robust in its…not only robust in your thinking, you’re robust in your strangeness. I would say, thank you, and I would say that’s a totally normal way to approach the show. If you have a robust amount of skepticism, why wouldn’t you, right? If you’re like me and the hundreds of thousands of other people that listen to this show on a regular basis, you say, yeah, I tried so many different things to help me fall asleep, so many different things people told me, and none of it worked consistently, and I’m tired of trying or tired of trying all this different stuff.

 

Spent all this money…why would a free podcast with a weird dude help me sleep? I’d say, you’re exactly right. If you’re skeptical or doubtful…I mean, it makes sense to me. None of my rambling thus far would have cleared it up. But I would say that the majority of listener experience is that it takes two or three tries to get used to this podcast and at some point, if the show works for you, you just realize, oh, it never goes anywhere. It never makes any sense. It kinda is…it does, but it doesn’t. It’s a rare thing. It’s like a train on a track or something that’s going around in a circle but at some point you forget about that, too, and then you say, I don't…there is, and then you say it like Neo; there is no train. Then you say, wait a second, what? I thought you were making a metaphor about a sleep podcast.

 

Now you’re talking about the movie The Matrix? I’d say, Sleep With Me podcast; there is no metaphor. These are the metaphors you’ve been looking for. They’re…they don’t…anyway, so if you’re skeptical or doubtful, give it a few tries and just see how it goes. You got nothing to lose and I really hope it works for you. But if you already loathe me and the podcast and you just don’t like it, that’s normal, too. You don’t have to. It doesn’t change the fact you deserve a good night’s sleep. You do not need to put me on blast ‘cause someone else probably already has today, but you could go to sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou and test out another sleep podcast. So, that’s what…what else do you need to know? Structure of the show…oh, structure of the show. Oh, no, a couple other things.

 

This is a podcast you don’t really listen to. That’s one of the things that takes some getting used to. It’s a podcast you just barely listen to, like TV on in the other room, like a phone call from a friend that says, just talk to me. I’m not…I can’t listen to you. I just want somebody to talk to me, but I don't really want to pay attention. Keep me company with your voice. That’s what this podcast does, or it could be background noise or you could turn it down to a mumble. But it’s a podcast you just kinda barely listen to, but you could listen. If you can’t sleep, there’s a percentage of listeners that can’t sleep, so you’re not alone there, either. I’m here to the very end to keep you company whether you’re awake or asleep. In the end, that’s what I believe works about the show, is you could listen to it, but you don’t need to.

 

There’s no pressure to listen, no pressure to fall asleep, ‘cause believe it or not, this podcast does not put you to sleep. It keeps you company while you fall asleep. It distracts you and you say, oh, okay, I forgot what was keeping me awake and then I forgot to listen to your podcast and then I woke up the next day. I’m here to be your friend in the deep, dark night, your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-cuz, your bore-bestie, your bore-bor, your neigh-bore, your bore-friend, whatever else; your bore-bruh, your bore-bud, your friend in the deep, dark night…keep you company while you drift off. Another thing that can throw listeners off is the structure of the show, which is also understandable. So, I’ll tell you about the structure of the show right now.

 

It’s very intentional and you could adjust how you listen to the podcast. So, the show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, then I tell you a little bit about the podcast as a basic teaser intro. No teasing, though. You say…so that way you feel seen and welcomed and you get a kinda idea of the tone of the podcast. You say, huh, I might be able to listen to that. Let me see. Then there’s support for the show from sponsors, and that’s how we’re able to do the show for free, is the people that pay for the podcast and the sponsors, the people that support them. That’s what keeps the podcast coming out twice a week. Then after that is support for listeners and communities around the show. Then after that is the intro to the podcast, which is a show within a show.

 

I just got a e-mail today about this ‘cause someone used to think that the sponsors and the intro were the same thing and that the intro was some sort of self-congratulations or promotional thing. Now they say the intro…they didn’t realize that I was serious when I said it’s a part of…it’s a show within a show. Then they say now my…the intro’s my favorite part. One of the reasons people like the intro…but you can’t…there is 2% of people that skip the intro and there’s about two thousand people on Patreon that listen to story-only episodes, but there’s also about three thousand people that…oh, now that’s the downloads, but there’s people that like intros more than stories. So, everybody listens differently, but at least at first let me explain to you, and then you can adjust as you become a regular listener.

 

The intro goes on and on and on for ten to twenty minutes so that you can be eased into bedtime, so that you can have a transition period from whatever you were doing before bed until you fall asleep. So, for some listeners, they’re getting ready for bed. For a lot of listeners, they’re doing some sort of other wind down activity, some chillaxing activity. Then for some listeners, they’re in bed getting comfortable, and then for a percentage of listeners, they’re sleeping already and we’re happy for them. But the intro is meant to have a twilight period. It’s not…it could put you to sleep, but it doesn’t have to ‘cause there’s no pressure to fall asleep. I’m meant to ease you into bedtime. So, that’s the intro, then again there’s support between the intro and the story so that show could be free. Then there’s a bedtime story.

 

Tonight it’ll be based on a episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but believe me when I say this, you don’t have to have seen the episode or know anything about it to have it put you to sleep. It’s just meant to kinda keep you company and take your mind off of stuff. So, that’s the intro. Then what else do you need to know? The intro…oh, no…oh, then the bedtime story, then thank-yous at the end. So, that’s the structure of the show. That’s what I meant. I told you why I make the show. I’m really glad you’re here. Just give it a few tries, see how it goes. But I really hope I can help you fall asleep. I appreciate you coming by. I yearn and I strive, I work really hard on the show. So do a bunch of other people because we want to help and because it’s our pleasure to…it’s fun to do this and to keep you company and try to make something that’s a bit different but maybe helps keep you company and put you to sleep. So thanks again for coming by, and here’s how I’m able to do it for you for free twice a week.

 

Alright everybody, we’re here with the conclusion or Part 2 of Chain of Command, a Next Generation episode with Ronny Cox, Lieutenant Bogomil…last time…is the coverage up first. Picard and…what’s the guy’s name? Jellico; Edward Jellico. Sounds like something you use to make…I don't know. But they recap what happened last time. Basically, Picard went on a secret mission into the Cardassians, and they said hey, why don’t you stay with us for a while as our guest? Hinty, hinty, hinty-poo. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Bogomil from Beverly Hills Cop — I realize this is a stretch, but this is just what happened — became undercover of a name, Edward Jellico. What happened was he was staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel under the name Edward Jellico on the advice of Axel Foley, and somehow…I don't know.

 

I think this may have been the plot for the new…what was that movie called? Galaxy Quest 2, Bogomil’s Adventure. Oh, that was fanfiction I didn’t…never wrote, but I imagined. Oh, boy. That was a brief stage of my adolescence where I wrote fanfiction about Lieutenant Bogomil. But this one starts…it’s…then you have to make it into a TNG episode. Also, yeah…so, it starts with Lieutenant…no, Captain Picard. I always think Lieutenant Bogomil…if you’re at the…captain…I don't know, deputy? Okay, I don't know. But so, this starts with Picard answering questions again. He’s in a black knit…two different versions of knit sweater, Cardassian…that they’ve given him. They ask his place of birth. Labar, France. His parents; Yvette and…imagine if it was…Gaston was his father…like, because…was this before…?

 

His mother’s name is Yvette Gessard. Then they say…oh, they don’t even ask him his father’s name. So, it could be. I know his father was in those episodes, though. Celtris…what are you doing here? I was checking out Celtris III. What was your mission? You had some sort of metagenics going on. We had to shut it down. Who else was involved? Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher and Lieutenant Worf. What’s going on in Minos Korva? Picard does not know. The dude is like…so, Cardassians are tall. So, he really has to lean in. Then he says, give him 0.13. This reminded me of a…this obviously has a lot of callbacks to a lot of different stuff, but particularly a call forwards…if you’re just thinking about fiction that could be covered in a sleep podcast…Andor or Ondor and…what do you call it? The Matrix.

 

Later there’s a scene similar to the Matrix, I guess. Okay, so now we have Captain’s Log…Jellico’s log. Negotiations with Cardassians not making progress. Both ships we see. May have to have a dance-off. Gul Lemec…Bogomil says we want peace. Then this is the big reveal at the top of the episode; well, how come people snuck into Cardassian space and played hide-and-seek there? Don’t know what you’re talking about. Let me explain. A lot of close-ups. He stands and says, Jean-Luc Picard, Lieutenant Worf, and Beverly Crusher — by the way, it’s Dr. Beverly Crusher — were caught playing hide-and-seek on Celtris III without our permission. But they tell it like something…so, they use a lot of disinformation, this…these Cardassians. So, they give a piece of…they say, and by the way, they broke three vases. Riker says, what?

 

They say, yeah, we’re keeping him ‘cause they broke three vases. Priceless heirlooms, by the way. They say, holy cow, this is not gonna go good. You got the three Cardassians and they say, yeah, this is not…we can’t tell you any more. He may have to work off…we haven’t decided if he’s gonna have to put the vases back together. Then Riker says, yo, Bogomil, is this true? Yeah, they were sent there to hide…practice hide-and-seek in case we ever have a hide-and-seek game with the Cardassians. They had some sort of secret thing, so we gotta…we’re supposed to meet up with Picard in eight hours. Riker, why don’t you take a shuttle there to rendezvous, but we’ll remain here? We gotta play out the end game. Or maybe he said I gotta watch the end game. I said, well, that’s like a three-hour movie, dude.

 

Then we have Picard; he comes in. He’s wearing a nice eye mask. Actually a different color but similar to the one I have that I recommend, the sleep something. It’s green, mine. Picard’s is brown. The Cardassian…the head of Cardassian interviews says…and vases says, hey, can we sit down and talk, the two of us? At first pretends he’s reasonable, but it turns out this dude is…vases is only the start of his problems. He’s his own broken vase, this Cardassian, metaphorically. So, doesn’t take part, but…so, he starts off with his fake thing; hey, I heard…you love archaeology, I love archaeology. Have a seat. Let’s talk. Picard goes, yeah, we…I heard there’s magnificent ones, early civilization stuff. The guy says, yeah, used to be once upon a time. Two hundred years ago it was great, full of jevonite, a rare stone.

 

Anything like vibranium? They say, no. Anything like the stuff they had on…not on…you know, they used against…the thing Arya had? No. Everybody took them. Probably used them as props in these movies you’re referring to. Picard said, it’s not movies; those were streaming shows. Well, one’s a movie. Bogomil’s watching one…and the guy says, actually, I was trying to change the tone in our discussion to let you know the consequences of you breaking those vases, which may or may not have contained jevonite. He goes, well, how would you feel about a docent-led tour? Picard goes, I prefer to go home. He goes, but you broke three vases in your hide-and-seek games. You were playing hide-and-seek without our permission.

 

I don't know how they do it in earthly worlds, but if you sneak into someone’s house and play hide-and-seek without their permission and break vases…I don't know what the consequences will be. But Picard’s like, I don't remember breaking any vases. He goes, I’ll tell you what; let’s change it up. He goes, tell me everything about Minos Korva. Then we’ll go from there. Picard’s like, is Minos Korva a singer or a vase-maker? He goes, come on, man, I just want the information about Minos Korva, all of it. Picard goes, like, what kind of information? Like a…I don't know who…I don't know. The guy goes, it’s not true. You do know. He goes, maybe you know more than I know. Then the guy uses a doorbell to call in two other people and he…they bring in Picard. This actually has happened to me. They bring in glue and dust at first.

 

Then the guy takes out something made of jevonite and it goes through the dirt. He says, you’re gonna have to put all…take…this is one of the vases you broke. Picard goes, this is no vase. He goes, I want you to put this vase back together, or you could tell me about Minos Korva. Which one? They also…this was strange but not…he says, by the way, that’s a Cardassian sweater. I’d like to have it back. Picard goes, I don't remember borrowing it. You just gave it to me. He goes, from now on, I’m gonna call you human, not Picard, and until these vases are put together or I know everything about Minos Korva or some other thing when we’re, you know….you won't wear any sweaters and…’cause we got a lot of work to do. Picard can see through all of it. There’s a lot of great closeups on his face where he’s not happy.

 

We do see Picard’s…he’s in a very, very…he’s been really doing Pilates or something. Then we go back to the two ships, face to face. A couple of silver spoons, almost. Worf and Crusher are back. Worf’s very stoic. Crusher says, yeah, we just got…we were playing hide-and-seek, then Picard got caught and we came back with the Ferengi. So, the Ferengi, they didn’t double-cross them. I’m surprised about that. The whole thing was a setup. Then Riker and Bogomil talk. He says, let’s check Beverly’s tricorder, try to re-map stuff, GPS-type stuff…Celtris III. Riker says, let’s get a rescue thing going. The guy goes, dude, I’m in charge here. He goes, don’t…can’t you trust me that I’m your leader? It’s not time for a rescue mission. Riker’s not happy about it.

 

I don't know, I mean…I guess maybe it’s just my jealousy of Riker that sometimes guides this stuff, but…or maybe it’s just my love of Lieutenant Bogomil or how I was projecting onto this episode. It’s always interesting when you make stuff and you watch stuff a few times. You say, from my impressions, Bogomil’s doing the best job he can. He’s no Picard. I mean, how are you ever gonna follow up Jean-Luc? But no one really gives him the benefit of the doubt and they kinda blame his brusque manner. But then it’s the next day on Cardassia and the main dude, Gul something, he brings in his thermos, pours himself a thermos…he drinks out of…one, he drinks out of a cone, a cup that is shaped like a cone. So, it has its own cone-holder. Looks like it’s a tin cone. This man drinks out of a tin cone. Could also wear it as a hat.

 

So, Picard goes, are you drinking out of a tin cone? He goes, actually it’s not tin, but whatever. He goes, do you ever wear that as a hat or are you thirsty? Guard goes, yeah, as a matter of fact, I am. Then the guy goes, yeah, I imagine you would like to wear this as a hat and drink out of it, but this is my tin cup. Picard goes, it’s a cone, a tin cone that you’re using as a cup. Then things get weird, but it is hearkened back to other historical things. But this is where the real depth of the episode is. But he says, look at these lights. Tell me if there’s…how many lights there are. Picard goes, there’s four lights there, man. The dude goes, there’s not; there’s five. Picard goes, are we quibbling about how many lights there are? He goes, yeah. We’re gonna…he goes, quibble is my hobby, Jean-Luc. Or, whatever, Human. He doesn’t say Jean-Luc.

 

I was just saying that. But he says, until we get to this…bottom of these vases…he goes, have you ever listened to Cardassian vase music? They say humans don’t like it. It’s just people…he goes, I heard you have something called Tibetan bowls. Not like that. He goes, but it’s like when people put their finger on a wine glass, but not as pleasant. So, why don’t you listen to that for a while, or you could fix the vase, or you could tell me about Minos Korva, or you could tell me there’s five lights when there’s only four. Which would you prefer? Picard goes, none. He goes, okay, I just want to know that there’s five lights. I don't care about the other stuff, really. Picard goes, there’s four lights, dude. I mean, unless you’re talking about the bulbs or something. The guy goes, can’t you just say there’s five lights? Picard goes, no. Bye.

 

Then we go back to the Enterprise. There’s a conference with the Cardassians. They have a recording of Picard being interviewed by that guy. Ronny Cox…Bogomil says, I don't even know…he goes, it wasn’t my orders. They talk about Seldonis and they say there’s still the Seldonis rules; you can’t make someone put a vase back together if they’re willing to apologize and make it right moving forward. They say, that’s only if we’ve agreed to a dance-off, which we have not, or a hide-and-seek competition, which we have not. Then he says, by the way, if you pull out of this sector, maybe we could work something out. Picard could come back here and we could forget about the whole thing. You just gotta leave this un-inspected area. He says, I’ll call my boss. They go, okay, you got seven hours. Then Troi says, what are you gonna do?

 

He goes, call my boss, Admiral Nachev, and we’ll have to get to work. They go, what about…? Alls Riker cares about is Picard, which does not ring true to me. Okay, I guess I gotta pause it ‘cause he does… I mean, rep…Picard’s there to represent the whole Enterprise, but really, he’s…I would say to him…just…Bogomil…I mean, I think Bogomil could be a bit less brusque, or clearly he’s communicating components about the mission but he doesn’t have a overall…he’s not inspiring staff unity, though he does spur some actions. But I think Riker does have…I mean, maybe he does…he is trying to find the middle ground, but he does…’cause he does say, I’m not suggesting you trade an entire star system for Picard, but you gotta get him…you gotta tell him he was on…that he had permission from your boss and that we’re about to have a dance-off.

 

Then they go back and forth. Bogomil says, you don’t understand. I’m here debating with this guy…and they go back and forth, then Troi tries to diffuse it, but it’s un-diffusable. Goes, are you questioning my judgement? Riker says, yeah, I am. I have to point out any mistakes I’d be making, and he basically gets fired. He goes, you’re relieved. So, I guess…then we see Data in the maroon, maybe? I don't know. So, maybe Data becomes his Number One, Bogomil’s Number One. He goes, Taggart wasn’t…I mean, if Bogomil had a Number One, it’d be Axel Foley. Taggart’s his Number Two, and who’s the other guy? It’s like a two-syllable thing. Anyway, they have another meeting, Data, Geordie, Bogomil.

 

They say, okay, they tried to get us to get Picard because that whole thing was like…with theta-band, Data says, and says, that whole thing was with theta-band, and why would they get him over there to play hide-and-seek with theta-bands? They go, maybe he was thinking about something in the future. The Enterprise…then the Enterprise would stay here and maybe they assumed Picard would know more about Minos Korva. Data says, okay, if that’s correct, then they must be planning something. Then Bogomil says, okay, let’s figure this out, here. He goes, Geordie, look for anything on their ship. Discrete scan; figure out where they’ve been, where they came from. You know, check the dirt.

 

Then we go to…back to the…Cardassia where they’re putting water in for the Cardassian’s daughter’s pet, which was a…let me look it up. I can’t remember what the pet was called. Oh, a wombat. As a fish would say, I have to have that. So, she’s…it looks like the wombat’s having water. I don't know if it’s a earthly wombat. It has its own little terrarium. Very cute. She heads off with the wombat…have to have that. Picard’s sleeping. He’s wearing a light…a very small robe in maroon. The guy, he says, your daughter’s great, man. A great kid. Then whoever the Cardassian is, Gul Bad Attitude, I’d say, he talks about how his instruction…and his daughter to kinda separate…a hundred…all…he’s taught his daughter to do a lot of all-or-nothing thinking. Picard goes, why would you teach your daughter…?

 

That’s unfortunately something we need to grow out of, all-or-nothing thinking, and good or bad, friend, enemy, all that…things. He goes, well, that’s…you’re not a friend of the Cardassians, so it’s a fact. Picard says, when children learn to devalue others, they can devalue anyone, including their parents. The Cardassian says…he…I think people have said this to me on the internet; what a blind, narrow view you have, Picard. That’s what he says. He stands, says some other stuff. I probably hear some of this stuff. Oh, what an arrogant man you are, trying to tell me to think in the gray areas. Picard goes, you know, you were once a peaceful people with a rich spiritual life. The dude says, what did peace and spirituality get us, man? Nothing.

 

Picard goes, it doesn’t seem like it’s going so well now that you’re not living by spiritual…with any spiritual tools, with only all-or-nothing tools. The dude goes, well, we’ve created structure for people and mandates, and that’s what we’ve done. What have you done, Jean-Luc? He doesn’t say that again, but he goes, now my daughter has a world of structure and mandates. Picard goes, her belly may be full, but her spirit is empty. Gul Bad Attitude doesn’t like that. Picard goes, you’re lucky Axel Foley’s not here, because your ship would be…and then he goes, let’s try this lights thing again. How many lights you see? Picard goes, on or off, I see four lights, dude. Are we really gonna keep at this? Oh no, he says, what lights? Total…even better burn. The guy turns the lights on in his face, and the guy is so stern.

 

He sits down with a big frowny-frown and he says, I believe in all-or-nothing thinking. Then he puts on the bowl music. We go back; Geordie, Data, and Bogomil are going over the hull of the other ship. Geordie says, we got something. Molecular dispersion field. Well, where’s that? Closest one’s McAllister C-5 Nebula. Seven light-years from here. He goes, could the ships hide there? Yeah, Geordie says, but not long ‘cause there’s particle flux. Seventy-two hours is the longest. He goes, what’s the nearest Federation system? That’s when he says, Minos Korva, eleven light-years from the nebula. Cardassian’s already tried to annex it once. He goes, Data, get me to Minos Korva in an hour. Got it, sir. So, they head off at Warp 8.5, which is fast, ‘cause they go in fast mode. Picard is sleeping.

 

He’s singing a French song, ‘sur le pont d’Avignon on y danse on y danse.’ The guy wakes him up. Picard goes, I’m not sleeping; I’m singing to myself. He goes, what’s that song? Picard goes, when I was at home as a lad…Sunday dinner. He goes, we’d sing after Sunday dinner. The guy goes, oh, that’s beautiful, like a postcard; the Picard family sing, sing, singing away. He goes, that’s what keeping you from telling me, memories of home and hearth and happier times? He goes, you’re really strong-willed. Then he plays with him…this was from GoT, this move. He goes, why don’t you leave? I mean, it was played out in a different way but he goes, yeah, go back to your ship. Forget about this whole thing. Picard goes, really? Okay. Well, I’ll give it a shot, at least. He goes, not really. He goes, I’m gonna talk to Dr. Crusher.

 

Picard goes, no, no, you’re not talking to Dr. Crusher. Just talk to me. He goes, oh, you’re gonna stay with me, then? Picard goes, darn tootin’. But it’s more of a slow scene ‘cause right now Picard’s slowly walking out. He says, yeah, we’ll talk to the human female, see if she could put together any of these broken vases. Picard stops. Dr. Beverly Crusher…turns around. I mean, this guy has no idea what he’s dealing with, someone full of empathy, compassion, and self-esteem, but also incredibly brilliant. The guy goes, yeah, well, why don’t we work together? Picard goes, what about Worf? Where is he at? He goes, oh, he went to the…I mean, it’s all disinformation. He keeps giving him disinformation right up to the very end to try to make Picard lose hope, but Picard’s hope is somewhere else.

 

Picard goes, she wouldn’t know anything about Minos Korva, anyway. If I don't know anything about it, she’s not gonna know anything about it if it’s some official thing. This dude says, okay, well, your choice. You’re choosing to stay with me? Zoom on Picard. His face is H-A-R-D, hard. The guy says, I’m so pleased. I say, you won't be for long, dude. What lights? I say. Okay, then we go back to another meeting; Geordie, Troi, Crusher, Data, Worf. They talk about the nebula. Bogomil’s got a plan, a fully-level plan. He goes, they’re in there hiding. They say, you’re gambling with…and he…Bogomil says, listen, I’ve got a plan. I got approved by my superiors and if we could pull the plan off, it’ll work. No one trusts him. I mean, I guess it makes sense ‘cause it’s…he’s not Picard.

 

He goes, five hundred…we can put five hundred things on their ships which slow them down, magnets with ribbons on them, long, long ribbons. We’ll need a shuttle ‘cause we’re gonna go into the nebula where they can’t see us and we’re gonna basically toilet-paper their ships but magnetically, and they won't be able to move at any high rate. Everybody’s displeased with this poor guy, but he’s actually come up with a brilliant plan. Then we go back and the dude’s having some sort of baked eggs or hard-boiled eggs, and there’s actually…there’s a plate of other food, too, for Jean-Luc. He goes, hey, have an egg. The guy thinks it’s so witty. He goes, it’s a deviled egg. Picard…I guess he didn’t know that there’s…the deviled eggs on Earth, so he thought it was…he said it like…I mean, I guess if you told some little kid this is the devil’s egg, maybe…you say, is it a deviled egg or a devil’s egg?

 

Is there a difference? This one has horns. But Picard goes, dude, we have devils…deviled eggs on Earth, so I love them. So he starts eating them and the guy goes, huh, other planets…when we say that, they think the idea of a devil’s egg…they won't eat it. Then there’s some golden raisins, looks like some kale. The Cardassian goes, yeah, I remember when I was six or whatever, five, four, I don't know, I lived in a Dickensian novel and we had heard about these deviled eggs at a buffet party. We were Dickensian kids running around like wild gettles. He goes, one time there was deviled eggs in front of a window on a platter. I grabbed the platter through the window, ate one of the eggs, and I figured I’d take the rest back to my other companions or myself and hide them and eat them.

 

He goes, but like a Dickensian novel, somebody else grabbed it from me and they took my eggs. Picard goes, that must be so rewarding, paying me back for the misery those kids inflicted on you. I can see right through you. The dude does not realize it. Picard goes…he goes, what do you mean? Picard goes, can’t you see how your behavior is self-defeating? I could see right through you. The guy goes, what is this, analysis? Picard goes, whenever I look at you now, I’m gonna see a little boy who lost his deviled eggs, not a powerful Cardassian warrior. A six year old boy, powerless to hold his eggs, and the guy turns on the lights. Picard goes, you know, I find you pitiable. I feel bad for you now. He goes, stop…stop it. Picard goes…he says Picard, so Picard goes, you called me Picard, you’re so irritated.

 

Then he goes, what’s the plan on Minos Korva? Picard goes, four lights. The guy goes, there’s five lights. Picard says, you’re a six-year-old who lost his deviled eggs, weak and helpless. He goes, you can’t…he goes, you’re not gonna…the guy goes, how many lights are there? Then Picard starts singing from his dinner, even though he’s playing that Cardassian music. Okay, then we’re doing the shuttle prep. Bogomil and Geordie, they’re talking. Everything’s almost ready. We got…we’re gonna transport them on there or something. Bogomil sits down in the pilot’s seat. He goes, oh boy, it’s been a while since I flew one of these bad boys. He goes, what about you, Geordie? Fly any of these things? Geordie goes, yeah, back in…I was a shuttle pilot on the Jovian run. Jupiter to Saturn and back. Once a day, every day.

 

Bogomil says, I did that for a while, too. They talk about old Titan’s Turn. So, Bogomil shows that he had a little flash in him at one point…some sort of risky maneuver kinda like Top Gun, like flying by the thing. But Geordie goes, you’re gonna need someone that could do that in their sleep. The best pilot on the ship, probably. He goes, is that you, Geordie? Geordie goes, no, ‘cause there’s not gonna be any sensors…pilot to pull that off? There’s only one of them; Riker, Commander Riker. He’s the best there is, or Han Solo. Bogomil goes, huh. You know, I dealt with Axel Foley before. It’s surprising that I can’t get a working relationship with Riker. But at this point there’s nothing he can do right. Riker’s reading a book. It looks like an encyclopedia. He’s in a robe. No, he’s in pajamas, silk pajamas. He goes, what up?

 

You play music? Traditional, contemporary, classical? Riker says, jazz, man. Okay, he goes, jazz; it makes me nuts. He goes, what do you need? You beating around the bush? He goes, yeah, we got some plans. Riker goes, yeah, I’m on the rumor mill, man. I know all about your plans. You need a pilot, eh? Need the best pilot; that’s me. I listen to jazz while I fly by. I fly like I play my jazz. He goes, well, I don't like you, Riker. You’re insubordinate, arrogant, and willful, and I don't even think you’re a good first officer. So, this crosses a line, but he goes, you’re the best pilot on the ship. Riker goes, well, I don't like you, either. You’re closed-minded, arrogant, con…you have to control everything and everyone and you don’t create…you don’t inspire people. I don't want to go out of the way for you. Everybody’s so stressed, man.

 

You’ve taken all the joy out of hide-and-seek. I don't think you’re a good captain. He kinda trembles a little bit, Bogomil. He says, I won't order you to fly this mission. Riker says, why don’t you ask me? He smiles. He goes, will you pilot the shuttle, Commander? Yes. Then Bogomil turns away and Riker says, you’re welcome. It’s a little passive-aggressive, but he smiles ‘cause now he’s got the best of him. Okay, then we go to the shuttle again. It’s Geordie and Riker. Secondary systems…they’re flying through the cloud. They lose everything…they only have the proximity detector. We’re gonna have to get really close. Riker’s having fun. They even hit a couple bumps, but it’s Riker’s style. He’s playing…he flies like he does play jazz, loose but with structure.

 

I don't know how he plays jazz, but…then the Enterprise is waiting, or waiting for the shuttle. The shuttle comes out and they say, okay, we got it. Toilet paper applied. They don’t know it, though. He goes, okay, let’s…Red Alert. They go, call the Reklar. They say, what are you doing in our…what are you doing? This is Cardassian turf, man. He goes, I’m not here to argue with you, Gul Lemec, but you’re in a bad position. He goes, you can’t intimidate us. He goes, why don’t you try to see how fast you could go? Why don’t you try to see if you can go as fast as us? Then they try to start their car and the toilet paper…I think they hid the banana in the tailpipe, too. I just realized it. So, that’s what it was. So, the toilet paper was just…I didn’t realize how brilliant…so they can’t drive. He goes, yeah, I learned that from Axel Foley.

 

You’re not going anywhere. He says, okay, pull out of this territory and get us Jean-Luc Picard stat, man, and…immediately. He totally…they say, okay. Then we go back to…Picard’s alone. He’s kind of really tired because they’ve been…they have…so, there’s this pile of what seems like broken pottery pieces and glue. Picard goes up to it and starts just smushing all the broken pottery pieces. Then this…the Cardassian comes in. There’s also another larger bowl of…but he goes…he goes, that’s not the real vase. Picard goes, it felt good. The guy totally lies to Picard; he goes, well, you lost the hide-and-seek games. He goes…and he goes, by the way, that was a gamble of all the Minos Korva vinyl and at the Enterprise. So, the Enterprise is now a Cardassian ship that we won in a game of hide-and-seek.

 

It’s too bad you didn’t just work with us. Picard goes, I want to see a neutral representative. No chance, dude. You’re here with us for…we also…we told them you quit the Enterprise and you don’t want to talk to them. Picard’s like…he’s just breathing. Then the guy goes, well, I could work something out, though, really. He goes, we could keep going back and forth on this lights thing and you could put…have…try to keep trying to put together vases, or we could be friends. Could get you a apartment. You could probably study philosophy and history. We could have debates. He goes, you have a keen mind. Could have a life of ease, reflection, and intellectual challenge. He goes, or every day with me, talking, putting vases together. He goes, well, what do I have to do? The guy goes, nothing, really.

 

He goes, just tell me how many lights you see. Picard goes, you gotta be kidding me, man. There’s a long scene…we zoom from behind the lights to Picard’s face as he’s counting them. He kinda looks like he’s in disbelief. The guy goes, how many lights? Picard goes…he goes, this is it. Make your choice, ‘cause a couple people come in the room. He goes, how many? Then the other three Cardassians are like, yo, he’s supposed to go back to his ship now. Why is he still in his robe? The guy…so, this reminded me of Matrix where they go, what’s been going on back here? We got stuff to deal with. They go, we gotta take him back to his ship, the Enterprise. They won in a game of…they didn’t…we never played hide-and-seek with them ‘cause they toilet-papered our ships and did a banana in the tailpipe.

 

So, we’re taking you back to your ship. Then Picard goes, there’s four lights. He yells it at the guy. Game Picard. Then Picard walks off under his own power, in his robe. The robe barely covers his behind. Not an important note, but probably was on set. Then we go back. We see the Cairo and the Enterprise side by side. Picard comes on the Bridge. They say, captain on the Bridge. They shake hands. Welcome home, Jean-Luc. He goes, thanks. Just like you left it. Maybe a little better. That wasn’t nice, though. They transfer all the codes back. Jellico, Alpha 31. Transfer…the Enterprise now under command of Jean-Luc Picard. I relieve you, sir. I stand relieved. Jellico goes off. Been a honor serving with you, and just walks off. Just ‘cause he’s awkward, man. Picard turns the Bridge over to Number One. He goes to talk to Troi.

 

They go into his office. His book’s back. I’m assuming his fish tank’s back. No pictures from Jellico’s kids. Picard goes, man, I don't even know where to start. Troi says, well, I read your report. He goes, well, there’s some stuff in…not in the report. The guy kept trying to get me to say there was five lights when there was four and using that as a tactic to wear me down. He even gave me a choice, right? Say there’s five lights and I could have comfort, or not. He goes, I did say there was four lights and I think factually there were only four lights, but at that point…he’s using his hands, he’s making his body small. Great acting. Picard goes, I would have done anything, but the worst part was I saw five lights, or I believed that I could se five lights. The episode comes to a close on that note. So, a very powerful two-parter.

 

Let’s look up a couple facts on the fly, here. Picard in Ready Room…I think we looked up…but let’s see. Oh, it’s a Globe Illustrated Shakespeare, the Complete Works. This is from Memory Alpha. So, that makes sense that it was an encyclopedia. It’s a annotated hard-bound book. All works by William Shakespeare. Picard kept it under a glass cover. Q went through it. After retirement, has kept it in his archives. It was the 1986 Greenwich House Edition with authentic leather binding, written by…written and annotated by Howard Staunton. It was attractively bound. But as far as scholarship, it was looked upon as outdated. It was on display until TNG: Coming of Age. Then it was replaced by Volume I and later Volume II of the annotated Shakespeare.

 

After that, it appears in his quarters in a few Season 2 episodes, seen in the movies, and let’s see if there was anything else. No, that’s it. So, that’s a little bit about…let’s see if we get…Ronny Cox…Ronny Cox. He’s an American actor, singer, and song-writer. Wow. This one has a bunch of other movies that were before my time. Oh, he was in the TV show Family Ties. He’s been in some sci-fi movies. He was the president in 1990’s Captain America, vice president in several episodes of Stargate: SG-1, and Jellico, and he’s in a episode of Prod…Star Trek: Prodigy. He’s…performs at…he’s performed at festivals, music festivals, since…for a long time, it says. So, yeah, a music career star. After having a successful movies…movie career, he was even inducted in the New Mexico Hall of Fame.

 

I’m trying to think…Live at the Kitchen Sink…oh, he won New Mexico Music Awards with Norman Petty’s Producer Award. Interesting. Anything else? Let’s see if there’s anything else. Vision Quest…oh no, that’s a different…I thought that was, whatever, the…now I’m…oh, he was on Cop Rock, which was a police procedural musical series that came out. I thought Cop Rock was just a dream I had. It’s a police procedural musical television series. Premiered in 1990. Broadcast eleven episodes. It was both critically and commercially not well-reviewed. Looks like Randy Dewman did the opening song. Premise…let’s read about this. I have no…I mean…it was a ensemble show mixing musical and choreography through storylines to introduce new characters.

 

Huh, I guess, yeah, tonally it sounds very…hard to take a show like those procedural shows and then…they don’t say anything about comedy in here. I don't know, I wonder where you could have watched this. This could be something worth looking into. Let’s see, the development game…started in the eighties with Bochco, Steven Bochco, as a proposal to convert the TV show Hill Street Blues into a musical, which was declined. Then said, what about making a Broadway show into a procedural? They said, this is a bold and adventurous idea. Oh, Bob Iger was one of the only people willing to give them a chance. They said it was impossible. These are the kind of things that are cool to go after, though, I think. Somebody says it’s impossible. To not try is, I think…like, I think it’s cool that they tried.

 

I kinda remember this, but I honestly thought it was a dream. See, it only has seventeen audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, or maybe that’s the critical reviews. Its ambition to innovate is admirable, but yeah, it didn’t seem to do well. I mean, tough to do. Home media…it was on DVD. I don't know if it’s on streaming. We’ll have to look into it. But yeah, that’s a little bit about…that’s a little post-TNG talk that took us some place interesting. Goodnight, everybody.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcribed by Leah Hervoly)