The Drumhead

A big poker win has caused me to question whether there's justice in the world. From the crouching guerilla in the jungle, to the poor Guatemalan wishing to exchange the hurricanes of his homeland for someplace nicer to raise his family, to the hunched online poker player clicking "call" - risking everything in desperate defiance of a harsh situation - all are hoping that they struggle not in vain. Could it be that for some, doom is already upon them, and their situation has no winning outcome? It seems that justice does not equally protect everyone in the world today. So what is our role in expanding justice? As I was watching "The Drumhead" (Star Trek episode 21 of season four of The Next Generation) I thought, is it not our own sense of justice that we all fight for day by day?


The story begins like this: after it was confirmed that at least one person aboard the starship Enterprise has been involved in delivering sensitive technical data to Romulan Intelligence, a subtly paranoid mood is set up when retired Starfleet Admiral Norah Satie is taken aboard the Enterprise to help investigate a possible conspiracy...

A congenial meeting between Satie and Picard takes place where she voices a profound admiration for her father (a renowned former judicator in the Federation) and expresses a desire to work together with Captain Picard on the investigation. She also predicts that Lt. Worf "will be extremely valuable in this investigation". While working on discovering their saboteur, Sabin (an aide to Satie and a telepath) tells Worf that the security chief had been a suspect due to his own family history, however his enthusiastic cooperation has earned him their trust.

Then Simon Tarses, a civilian crewman, is questioned at an "informal inquiry" and asked about J'Dan and whether he'd seen the Klingon outside of his duty as medical tech, or heard him make any suspicious comments. The Admiral dismisses him after a few questions, but Sabin sensed that Crewman Tarses was hiding a big secret. Picard points out to Satie that shadowing and restricting a person solely based on that would be treating him as if he were already a known criminal. At that point LaForge calls Picard to engineering, where he and Lt. Commander Data report that an "undetectable defect" in a new hatch casing, not sabotage, resulted in the explosion.


In the second half of the show, Adm. Satie's intentions are revealed with the statement that "just because there was no sabotage doesn't mean there isn't a conspiracy on this ship." Picard is extremely skeptical but Worf echoes Sabin's interest in further investigating Tarses. To the captain's dismay, the investigation takes the form of an open hearing, where Simon Tarses is further interrogated, this time by an aggressive Sabin. But before that, Satie asks Dr. Crusher, Simon's boss, to "name names" of whom she saw around Tarses socially, who might be connected with J'Dan.

It's uncovered that Tarses' grandfather was not a Vulcan but a (genetically-similar) Romulan, and he lied about that on his personnel file application. Confronted with this, Tarses chooses not to answer on the advice of his advocate, Commander Riker. Picard, feeling that they've all moved beyond legitimate suspicion, interviews Tarses in private, and finds him a bright-eyed eager type who admires Starfleet. Insisting that Satie put an end to the proceedings against him though results in a confrontation between Picard and the admiral, where after repeating that he was her partner in the investigation, Satie states, "I have a purpose", and reveals that she had not accepted retirement, but for 4 years has been working on her own, presumably at rooting out "enemies of the Federation". On her recommendation Starfleet Command has authorized to expand the current investigation (to all the crew of the Enterprise) and that she does "not need your permission or your approval," speaking to Picard. The Captain declares that he will fight Satie, and is soon summoned to be questioned, with Adm. Henry of Starfleet Security overseeing the hearing.

At the inquest, Adm. Satie ignores Picard's opening statement and immediately begins accusing him of wilfully disregarding the Prime Directive of the Federation and facilitating the escape of a Romulan spy. When Worf speaks up in his captain's defense, Sabin repeats the claim that Worf's father had been a traitor aiding the Romulans (at Khitomer) again assaulting Capt. Picard's judgement for putting the Klingon in charge of ship's security. When finally Satie condemns Picard for exacerbating Starfleet casualties during the war against the Borg (of the last season) - a circumstance he could not have escaped - Picard rebukes her quoting her own father, and Satie explodes in an emotional tirade, at which Admiral Henry leaves the room. The trials are called off, and the episode closes with a discussion between Picard and Worf. When the latter apologizes for supporting Satie's crusade, Picard says, "She or someone like her will always be with us, waiting for the right climate in which to flourish, spreading fear in the name of righteousness."


Analysis

Adm. Satie's view of justice had been too extreme and incompatible with the organization she hoped to preserve. I think that over time people can veer off the course they think they're following without realizing it. That is what the Captain alluded to when Satie made him admit that he would infringe on the rights of one of his crew (the right to privacy) on the advice of the partly telepathic Counselor Troi. That's why one must be willing to re-evaluate such a choice, when it becomes apparent that it contradicts a more important decision.

There is no doubt that at all times Adm. Satie thought what she was doing was the right thing. But what exactly forced her to ignore the counsel of others, namely her "partner" Picard? The admiral was trying to follow in the footsteps of her father, but primarily in being a hero of the Federation, as opposed to upholding justice per se. So pride was undoubtedly a factor. But one cannot believe in the rightness of something, yet consider it acceptable to trample all over that thing in order to save it. Or can he? In any even Satie's unwillingness to honor a Federation principle because it would interfere with her hunt for those who effectively reject ALL its principles seems a commonly-made choice. And I would guess it simply never occured to her to consider her methods in any light other than apparent effectiveness, and it's of the utmost importance for society that people realize and address this vulnerability in themselves - particularly those who undertake to be leaders or administrators.


The ominous truth spoken at the end of the show is worth considering. According to Picard, fear and those who would wield it are the enemy of democracy. I would further argue that it's an enemy to human happiness itself. Fear of death or fear of injustice is futile and pointless, because for the time being both are inevitable consequences of existence. On the other hand to take action against the fear is productive, because even if you do not usher in final justice yourself, lives will certainly be improved whenever someone's fear is reduced.

For the Federation, as with any body, not only victories can be expected, but defeats must sometimes be endured. This cannot be avoided. However if they do not foster more fear, those experiences can grant strength even while setting them back. And supporting the strength of each individual, in a democratic society, adds to the strength of the many. Thus the chaos of life is brought to a prosperous order, without resorting to fundamentalist, militant or oppressive methods. This kind of philosophy is what inspires Star Trek and is frequently encountered in the show's storylines.