1.4 "Absolute Candor" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vashti

Vashti was originally a human colony on the edge of the Romulan Neutral Zone, but it was repurposed as a relocation hub for Romulans fleeing the impending supernova of their sun. Unfortunately, we see Captain Picard on Vashti as he learns of the synthetics' attack on Mars, and he rushes off with a promise to return.

Flash forward to the present, and we learn that Picard never returned to Vashti, after the events of the attack led to the withdrawal of Federation support in the Romulan refugee relocation efforts.

Answer: A copy of "The Three Musketeers"

The Qowat Milat (warrior nuns) are raising Elnor and training him in their ways, but because he is male, he can never truly be one of them. Their intent is to find a home for Elnor, but when the Federation withdraws its support from the relocation efforts, life on Vashti becomes too unstable, and the nuns choose to keep him with them. As a boy, Elnor is portrayed by Ian Nunney.

Picard's gift of "The Three Musketeers" allows for a deeper connection with the boy, as he shares his love of D'Artagnan's adventure and his own love of fencing.

Incidentally, the Way of Absolute Candor is what it sounds like - the nuns teach (and put into practice) truthfulness and expression of emotion without filter between thought and word - to the point of (as you might expect) bluntness.

Answer: Reading a book

Dr. Jurati attempts to make a connection with Captain Rios, mentioning that she has been trying to keep busy - she has gotten caught up on two years' worth of "The Journal of Theoretical Cybernetics", watered the plants, and is curious as to why the only holo-programs he has are Klingon operas. When she asks about the book he is reading, he responds that it concerns "the existential pain of living with the consciousness of death and how it defines us as human beings."

The book he is reading is Miguel de Unamuno's "The Tragic Sense of Life" (1912).

Answer: On the holodeck

The holodeck has been programmed to approximate Picard's home in France (Château Picard) as per the scans provided by Zhoban. Picard is speaking with the Emergency Hospitality Hologram as to whether it meets his expectations. The hologram has to explain to Picard that his program was included in the basic installation on the ship, and doesn't have many opportunities to manifest. In fact, when Captain Rios enters with Raffi, he is quick to express his displeasure at the presence of the EHH - the one emergency hologram that he dislikes and hasn't named.

Raffi confronts Picard about his decision to go to Vashti, saying that it is a bad idea, given how he left things there. Rios is quick to jump in with an update on the world and how it has devolved into a very dangerous planet and a dangerous part of space.

Answer: Kar Kantar

In addition to Kar Kantar and his 'antique' Romulan Bird-of-Prey that Captain Rios warns of, Raffi also brings up the political climate - specifically a paramilitary group called the 'Romulan Rebirth Movement', wherein xenophobic Romulans aggressively worked towards a revival of their culture.

Despite their efforts at deterrence, Picard insists on continuing on to Vashti.

Answer: Ganmadan

Ha'mara is a Bajoran holiday (celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the Emissary of the Prophets), the Klingons celebrate the Kot'baval Festival (honouring the defeat of the tyrant Molor by Kahless the Unforgettable), and the Vulcans observe 'Kal Rekk' (a day of atonement, solitude, and silence).

Where these other holidays are days of celebration, Ganmadan is like the Norse mythology of Ragnarok, foretelling the end of everything. However, the members of the Zhat Vash believe that it is not only an event to come, but that it happened previously, eons ago.

Answer: It must be for a lost cause

One of the facets of the Qowat Milat is to serve as a qalankhkai, or freeblade, for a worthy cause. Picard speaks with Zani, the leader of the Qowat Milat (played by Amirah Vann), about whether they still do this, but after hearing what he has to say, Zani recommends that he make his plea to Elnor. Even though Elnor has learned all the skills of the Qowat Milat, he has no true place among an order comprised only of women.

Picard sits down with Elnor to explain his need, while also trying to explain why he broke his promise to return - at least, to not wait as long as he did to return. When they are through with their conversation though, Elnor leaves him saying that because Picard had left him on his own all those years ago, he sees no reason not to do the same.

The elder Elnor was portrayed by Evan Evagora.

Answer: Romulan ale

Of course, the alcoholic beverage of choice aboard a Romulan-run operation would be Romulan ale. The very intoxicating, blue ale was first seen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", and has made many appearances in the various series since.

During their conversation, Narek tries to prod Soji on some of the inconsistencies of her background, in the hopes that she will reveal the location of the other synthetics like her, while at the same time trying not to 'activate' her like Dahj was on Earth. Of course, Soji has no self-awareness about her true existence as an android, and the only thing their conversation does is frustrate her.

Answer: False

Adrev (portrayed by Evan Parke) throws a sword to Picard and proceeds to attack him. After a few parries, Picard throws down the sword, refusing to fight. Just as Adrev is about to continue his attack against the unarmed Picard, Elnor arrives and tells Adrev menacingly, "Choose to live".

When Adrev ignores Elnor's warning, moving to attack once again, Elnor quickly (and easily) disables Adrev's supporting cronies and decapitates Adrev in a whirlwind move. He quietly says, "I regret your choice" before announcing to the watching crowd that he has bound himself to Picard as his qalankhkai.

Just as one of the watching Romulans (one of Adrev's group) pulls out a disruptor, Picard and Elnor are beamed aboard La Sirena.

Answer: Seven of Nine

Captain Rios endeavours to engage Emmet - the Emergency Tactical Hologram - to handle the phasers while he maneuvers the ship, but the Bird-of-Prey is more heavily armed and manages to force them up against the planetary defence shield.

Just as things are looking untenable, a small ship comes in and starts firing on Kar Kantor's ship, giving La Sirena just the distraction needed to escape the situation. Even so, the Bird-of-Prey manages to disable the new vessel before being irreparably damaged, itself. Before their mysterious benefactor's ship is destroyed, they beam the pilot over to La Sirena, discovering that it is none other than Seven of Nine (of "Star Trek: Voyager" fame).