Line #25 Literature/StarTrekTheNextGenerationPliableTruths


1	%%
2	%%
3	%% Speculative troping is not allowed on TV Tropes.
4	%%
5	%% We trope what DOES happen in works, not what MIGHT happen or is LIKELY to happen.
6	%%
7	%% For unreleased works where all we have to go on is advertising and other supplemental materials, we have some detailed guidelines, which can be found at Administrivia/CreatingAWorkPageForAnUpcomingWork.
8	%%
9	%% NOTE - these rules also mean that unreleased works should only have one page image, and that image should NOT be changed again until the work is released.
10	%%
11	%% If you have questions, please consult the Unreleased Work Speculation Cleanup thread at https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15514631230A64268600
12	%%
13	%% Thank you.
14	%%
15	%%
16
17	[[quoteright:515:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/star_trek_pliable_truthsjpg.jpg]]
18
19	''Star Trek: The Next Generation - Pliable Truths'' is a ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' novel, released on May 21, 2024 and written by veteran ''Star Trek'' novelist [[Literature/StarTrekTheNextGenerationRelaunch Dayton Ward]]. It also marks Ward's return to the TNG characters for the first time following the completion of the Novel Verse's TNG Relaunch and the ''Literature/StarTrekCoda'' reboot in late 2021.
20
21	Picking up shortly after the events of [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E10ChainOfCommand "Chain of Command"]], ''Pliable Truths'' is a loose crossover between ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. The novel sees the ''Enterprise''-D become caught up in the official ending of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor, their Withdrawal, and the early stages of the Bajoran Provisional Government -- events that will, of course, lead directly into [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS01E01E02Emissary "Emissary"]]. The novel also picks up on Picard's mental recovery in the wake of his torture at Gul Madred's hands.
22	----
23	!!''Pliable Truths'' provides examples of:
24
25	* AlienNoninterferenceClause: As established during TNG and [=DS9=], the Prime Directive prevented the UFP from directly intervening in the Bajoran Occupation (on top of the Federation's own then-ongoing border conflicts with the Cardassians and tense relations). This understandably left many Bajorans with bitterness and anger that the Federation, for all its professed values and egalitarianism, chose their precious Prime Directive over helping them (something Cardassians like Madred smugly rub in Picard's face). For his part, the events of "Ensign Ro" (and his experiences during "Chain of Command") have forced Picard to reevaluate that policy's application to the Bajor situation. Picard now concedes mistakes were made and following the Directive so blindly ironically blinded the UFP to the full extent of the horrors and war crimes unfolding in the Bajoran Sector.
26	* TheAtoner: Picard feels great guilt at how Starfleet and the UFP mishandled the Bajoran Occupation and didn't do more to end it sooner. This leads to him becoming of one of Bajor's most prominent and vocal advocates within Starfleet (thus aligning with "Emissary"). In fact, it's revealed Picard was the one that pushed for Starfleet to maintain a permanent presence in the Bajor Sector -- lobbying which resulted in Terok Nor being repurposed as the newly-christened Deep Space Nine.
27	* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler:Madred.]]
28	* BatFamilyCrossover: A loose one between TNG and [=DS9=]. Most of the [=DS9=] Main Characters circa Season One appear and interact with the ''Enterprise''-D crew (Sisko, Jake, Bashir, and Jadzia being the exceptions as they won't arrive until "Emissary"). Many supporting [=DS9=] characters also pop up (Kai Opaka, Gul Dukat, Garak, Morn) and have interactions with Picard and company.
29	* BlatantLies: When Riker wins Triple Down Dabo at Quark's, the Ferengi (as was implied in "Firstborn") lies about Rom mishandling the combination to his safe and thus being unable to cash out Riker's winnings.
30	* TheBusCameBack: Former or one-shot ''Enterprise''-D Engineers [=MacDougal=], Sonya Gomez, Duffy, Leland T. Lynch, and others all return as part of the Starfleet engineering task force assigned to Terok Nor.
31	* CallBack: To save a sabotaged Terok Nor from falling into Bajor's orbit, Geordi and the ''Oceanside'' engineers use a variation of the technique [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E13DejaQ Geordi employed 3 years earlier to try and save Bre'el IV's moon]].
32	* CallForward:
33	** Picard reflects at one point that another confrontation between the UFP and the Borg Collective is inevitable. After letting Hugh return, [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E24S7E1Descent he wonders what effect he will have on the Collective and his fellow drones]].
34	** Odo has instituted a "No Phasers" ban for the Promenade, a ban that will still be in force come "Emissary".
35	** Kai Opaka hopes that she will meet more officers and people from the Federation like Picard. Shortly thereafter, of course, she will make the acquaitance of the once and future Emissary of the Prophets Benjamin Sisko.
36	** Riker at one points reflects on [[Film/StarTrekFirstContact Zefram Cochrane's historic warp flight]] and wondering what it was like flying aboard the ''Phoenix''.
37	** A ''Cerritos''-class starship, the ''Oceanside'' has a major supporting role over a decade before the class officially appears in ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks''.
38	* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: A variation with Kira deciding to allow Garak to remain aboard [=DS9=]. She believes he's a former spy and that his exile is a ruse and that keeping him in place can be beneficial to the Bajoran Militia.
39	* CanonWelding: Ward re-canonizes elements of the now-defunct ''Literature/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineRelaunch'' (specifically that Gul Dukat and Gul Macet are cousins to explain Marc Alaimo playing both roles in-universe.)
40	* CommonalityConnection: Picard and Kai Opaka both bond over their shared experiences and losses at the hands of the Cardassians (Picard's torture and the murder of Opaka's son).
41	* CommutingOnABus: The O'Brien Family's departure from TNG is set up here, as we get the circumstances of why Miles took the [=DS9=] gig.
42	* ContinuityOverlap: The novel begins shortly after the events of "Chain of Command" and ends the day before Sisko arrives aboard in "Emisary".
43	* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: While it was there in [=DS9=], Ward runs with the idea that is why many alums of the Bajoran Resistance like Kira ended up joining the Militia after the end of the Occupation. They'd grown up in a post-Occupation world and had never known a free and peaceful Bajor. The Militia offered the same kind of foundation and sense of community and purpose that the Resistance provided its members.
44	* DramaticIrony: Riker reflecting on Zefram Cochrane's historic warp flight and wondering what it was like to fly aboard the ''Phoenix''. The audience knows Riker will be get his wish [[Film/StarTrekFirstContact in a few years]].
45	* TheDreaded: Gul Dukat is still this to the Bajorans in the immediate aftermath of the Occupation. Even Kira, in spite of her years fighting the Cardassians, can't believe the full extent of the pettiness.
46	* EvilIsPetty: The Cardassians engage in full-on spite across the board while withdrawing from Bajor.
47	* EvenEvilHasStandards: A black comedy example with Garak. While he certainly understands the outgoing Cardassian forces sabotaging key systems of Terok Nor to spite the Bajorans and Starfleet, Garak thinks sabotaging the food replicators -- which is now ruining their entire selection of Cardassian dishes -- was a bridge too far.
48	* TheExile: Garak, who's now having to adjust to a post-Cardassia Bajor and what was a Cardassian territory is now under the control of non-Cardassians.
49	* FauxAffablyEvil: Gul Dukat as always. Picard correctly pegs him as this within seconds of their very first meeting. Madred likewise is still this.
50	* ForegoneConclusion:
51	** The Bajoran Provisional Government will be unable to exact any recompense or reparations for the Occupation at this point in the [=DS9=] chronology. For example, the stolen Orbs will not be returned and will only be slowly recovered (with the majority of them still missing by the end of the series). Many Bajoran nationals stuck in secret labor camps will not be freed either (leading to the beginning arc of Season Two).
52	** O'Brien, Keiko, and Molly will leave the ''Enterprise''-D to take the [=DS9=] assignment. The dramatic tension here lies in not knowing what canonically caused the O'Briens to make this decision.
53	* GreaterScopeVillain: The Cardassian Central Command, which intentionally dispatches Gul Madred to the Withdrawal negotiations to throw Picard off-balance and throw a wrench into the process.
54	* HappyPlace: A variation. It's revealed Picard retreated into his memories from [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E25TheInnerLight "The Inner Light"]] to help cope during his imprisonment and torture.
55	* HesBack: Downplayed, but working with the Bajorans and seeing their own resilience against the Cardassians allows Picard to finally begin healing from what Madred put him through during "Chain of Command".
56	* HeroicBSOD: Picard is still struggling with the trauma Gul Madred inflicted during "Chain of Command".
57	* HowTheMightyHaveFallen:
58	** Dukat is still in the middle of this thanks to the end of the Occupation. He's lost his position as Prefect, Central Command blames him, and he's being forced to help with the Withdrawal negotiations as added humiliation. Then to rub salt in the wound, Central Command forcibly yanks him out of the negotiations and subs in Legate Madred.
59	** Invoked by Dukat during what he thinks is his last meeting with Garak before the Withdrawal. Dukat can't resist taking potshots at his rival about how far he's fallen and how out of reach Cardassia remains. Of course, Garak being Garak, he turns it right back on his old rival.
60	** Madred's backstory is also revealed to be this during his confrontation with Garak. In fact, Garak doesn't believe for an instant that Madred's career is on the rebound after the events of "Chain of Command". He thinks someone in the Central Command assigned Madred to the Withdrawal negotiations just to screw with Picard and tank the talks. He warns Madred he's likely in for a rude awakening once the talks end and he returns to Cardassia.
61	* IfIWantedYouDead: [[spoiler:Garak's defense when Odo accuses him of being involved in the bombings. To paraphrase the tailor, if he was ''really'' and seriously trying to kill someone, he ''wouldn't'' miss.]]
62	* {{Interquel}}: The novel acts as a bridge between "Chain of Command" and "Emissary".
63	* LaserGuidedKarma: For his role in the events of "Ensign Ro", Admiral Kennelly has been sentenced to the Federation penal colony on Jaros II (i.e. the same penal colony where Ro spent her imprisonment following her own fall from grace before Kennelly reinstated her for his scheme).
64	* MysteriousPast: Garak is still this for everyone pre-''Deep Space Nine''; only the audience understands the cryptic references he and Dukat both drop. That said, most people believe he is a former (or still-current) spy.
65	* NeverMyFault: Subverted with Riker and his lingering opinion of Edward Jellico. While he still doesn't like Jellico or his command style, Riker's had time to let his anger cool and reflect on Jellico's tenure aboard the ''Enterprise''. Riker now concedes with retrospect that he mishandled the situation and was just as culpable in the breakdown of their working relationship.
66	* NotMeThisTime: [[spoiler:Garak, as always, denies any involvement in the Cardassian delegation bombings. Naturally, Odo doesn't believe him.]]
67	* NotProven:
68	** Kira and Odo believe Dukat was responsible for the bombing of the Promenade as the Cardassians pull out (as a final act of vindictive spite from the outgoing Prefect). But obviously they can't prove it.
69	** [[spoiler:Odo believes Garak was responsible for the bombing of the Cardassian delegation and later the destruction of their vessel. Obviously, he can't prove it (and Garak naturally denies involvement).]]
70	* NotSoAboveItAll: Despite his normal diplomatic conduct and reputation, even Picard can't help being petty with Madred during the Withdrawal as payback for "Chains of Command".
71	* NoSocialSkills: Kira at this point in the [=DS9=] timeline, as she's still the same brusque woman coming out of the Occupation that we'll meet in "Emissary".
72	* OhCrap: Picard and Troi when they realize Legate Madred has been dispatched to join the Cardassian delegation.
73	* PragmaticEvil: While he's no stranger to torture, Garak still disproves of Madred's treatment of Picard during "Chain of Command". After all, the interrogation was a success and the Gul had successfully exacted the information his assignment required. There was no need or reason to torture Picard and Garak correctly accuses Madred of selfishly indulging his personal sadism and vanity.
74	* {{Prequel}}: To "Emissary", showing the end of the Cardassian Occupation and the early stages of the Bajoran Provisional Government.
75	* RankUp: Despite the events of "Chain of Command", Madred has been elevated from Gul to Legate.
76	* ReassignedToAntarctica: It's revealed that Madred's presence on Celtris III in "Chain of Command" was actually this. He was reassigned after an incident involving the death of a Detapa Councilor's son (whom Madred claimed was a spy and tortured against the explicit recommendations of Garak and others in Central Command and the Obsidian Order). Madred thinks Garak was responsible for his exile, but in fact Garak only ''recommended'' the exile; the actual selection of planetary reassignment came from somebody in the upper echelons of the Central Command. Garak thinks whoever this benefactor was, they were shielding Madred from a worst punishment and getting him out of the way (but not ''too'' far out of the way) to protect him until the controversy had died down.
77	* ResolvedNoodleIncident:
78	** We finally get to see Riker's game of Triple Down Dabo [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E20Firstborn which Quark mentioned during "First Born"]] (and how he was "unable" to cash out Riker's winnings and had to pay him with worthless vouchers).
79	** In "Emissary", O'Brien mentions that the Cardassians had "fun" on the Promenade before pulling out (leaving it in its wrecked state when Sisko arrives). That act of vandalism also finally gets dramatized.
80	* {{Sadist}}: Garak thinks Madred is one (and even by Cardassian standards).
81	* SaltTheEarth: As established in "Emissary", the Cardassians intentionally wreck as much of Bajor (and the then-future Deep Space Nine) on their way out as they can out of spite.
82	* SequelEpisode: To "Chain of Command", picking up Picard's recovery from his trauma as Gul Madred's prisoner.
83	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Quark's plans to abandon his Bar (as seen in "Emissary") gets set up here after Cardassian operatives bomb the Promenade on their way out (thus account for the damage Sisko and O'Brien encounter in the Pilot).
84	* TornApartByTheMob: Narrowly averted with Garak, who gets rescued by Odo, Geordi, and Data after being attacked by a Bajoran mob.
85	* TemptingFate: One of O'Brien's motives for taking the [=DS9=] assignment is the chance for a quieter life and safe, stable place to raise Molly. The audience knows the discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole will have the exact opposite effect.
86	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: A variation when Riker realizes they've run into the ''Reklar'' -- meaning they're going up against Gul Lemec again, i.e. a Cardassian who's still smarting after getting humiliated by Jellico while he commanded the ''Enterprise''-D.
87	* TranquilFury: Picard when Legate Madred arrives on Terok Nor. Ironically, Dukat has the same reaction (albeit for the implications and humiliation).
88	* WhateverHappenedToTheMouse:
89	** Admiral Kennelly's fate following the events of "Ensign Ro" is finally revealed. He was court-martialed and is currently serving out a sentence on the Jaros II penal colony.

Context Literature / StarTrekTheNextGenerationPliableTruths