Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

The Pegasus (1994)

Patrick Stewart: Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Photos 

Quotes 

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : That's what it's about - a cloaking device. In the Treaty of Algeron, the Federation specifically agreed not to develop cloaking technology.

  Admiral Eric Pressman : And that treaty is the biggest mistake we ever made! It's kept us from exploiting a vital area of defense!

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : That treaty has kept us in peace for sixty years! And as a Starfleet officer, you're supposed to uphold it.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : [on recruiting Riker as First Officer]  I was looking through the records of about fifty candidates, and Will's was very much like all the others, filled with... lots of dry statistics and glowing letters of recommendation that tell you nothing. I was about to put it aside, look at another file, and then... something caught my eye. There was an incident on Altair III when Will was First Officer of the Hood. He refused to let Captain DeSoto beam down during a crisis. He disobeyed a direct order, and he risked a general court martial because he thought he was right. And when I read that, I knew that I had found my Number One.

  Admiral Eric Pressman : You wanted someone with a history of disobedience?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I wanted someone who would stand up to me, someone who was more concerned with the safety of the ship and accomplishing the mission than with how it might look on his record. To me, that's one of the marks of a good officer.

• [last lines] 

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : You made a mistake twelve years ago. But your service since then has earned you a great deal of respect, but this incident could cost you some of that respect.

  Commander William T. Riker : I can't help but feel that I should have come forward a long time ago.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : But when the moment came to make a decision, you made the right one. You chose to tell the truth and face the consequences. So long as you can still do that, then you deserve to wear that uniform. And I will still be proud to have you as my First Officer.

• [Picard interrogates Riker about the real purpose of the mission] 

  Commander William T. Riker : I've said all I can. I am under direct orders from Admiral Pressman not to discuss this, sir.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Very well. He's an admiral, I'm a captain. I cannot force you to disobey his orders. Therefore, I will have to remain in the dark on this mission. And I will just have to trust that you will not let Pressman put this ship at unnecessary risk. And if I find that that trust has been misplaced, then I will have to reevaluate the command structure of this ship. Dismissed.

• [Admiral Pressman has suggested to take the Enterprise into the fissure of an asteroid] 

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Admiral, I don't think that we can risk...

  Admiral Eric Pressman : I've made my decision. Prepare to take the Enterprise in, Captain. That's an order.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Mr. Data, will you please note in the ship's log that this action is being taken over my explicit objection.

  Lt. Commander Data : It is so noted, sir.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Admiral, if this passage narrows to less than 500 meters, I will abort the mission. You can charge me with insubordination if you wish, but I'm not going to risk the Enterprise for a salvage operation.

• Commander William T. Riker : So, who won the contest?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Oh, er, Paul Menegay, a seven-year-old. He did a most interesting clay sculpture of my head.

  Commander William T. Riker : Was that the orange one? With the lumpy skin?

• Admiral Eric Pressman : [as he is being led away to the brig]  I have a lot of friends at Starfleet Command, Captain.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : You're going to need them.

• Admiral Margaret Blackwell : [noticing banners on the wall]  Captain Picard Day?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Oh, erm... yes, it's, er, it's, it's for the children. I'm, uh,

  [laughs nervously] 

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I'm a role model.

  Admiral Margaret Blackwell : I'm sure you are. Starfleet out.