William Riker quotes from Star Trek: The Next Generation

William Riker

[To Data, on trust] In all trust, there is the possibility for betrayal.

William Riker

Some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you.

Riker

Whoever it was that sent that thing was more than simply curious...

Riker

My beard is not an affectation!

Data

I am superior, sir, in many ways, but I would gladly give it up to be human.

William Riker

Nice to meet you... Pinocchio.

William Riker

A joke.

Data

Ah! Intriguing.

William Riker

You're going to be an interesting companion, Mr. Data.

Data

For example, what Lutan did is similar to what certain American Indians once did called "counting coup." That is from an obscure language known as French. "Counting coup..."

Jean-Luc Picard

Mr. Data, the French language for centuries on Earth represented civilization.

Data

Indeed? But surely, sir...

William Riker

I suggest you drop it, Mr. Data.

Data

Yes, sir. "Counting coup" could be something as simple as touching an enemy with a stick in battle or taking something from him and escaping.

Data

If the Enterprise were really this fragile, sir, she never would have left spacedock. Therefore, her systems' failures are not endemic to the ship, but are the result of the actions of an unknown adversary.

William Riker

We have a saboteur aboard.

Data

I believe I said that.

Tasha Yar

What of justice to Wesley? Does he deserve to die?

Liator

[DELETED LINE] That is a moot issue, unfortunately. The law remains the law, regardless of whose favor it works in. Thus, the question becomes...Where is justice, save in equality?

Jean-Luc Picard

I'm truly sorry, Liator; but I must have justice for my people, too. Transporter Room, energize...Transporter Room, come in!

We can't energize the beam, sir. Everything checks out, but we're getting no results.

God has prevented your escape.

Beverly Crusher

Then your God is unfair. My son had no warning that his act was criminal.

We cannot allow ignorance of the law to become a defense.

Jean-Luc Picard

I don't know how to communicate this, or even if it is possible, but the question of justice has concerned me greatly of late. And I say, to any creature who may be listening, there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Life itself is an exercise in exceptions.

William Riker

When has justice ever been as simple as a rule book?

Liator

[DELETED LINE] For us, the effectiveness of justice has always gone hand-in-hand with its simplicity.

[DELETED LINE] Ever since any of us can remember, there have been two basic types...those who live by the law, and those who die by it. Thus, the question becomes, How can there be justice when laws are anything but consistent?

[DELETED LINE] Making one exception, regardless of circumstances, would compel us to make more...and then still more, until the law became -- we believe you have a phrase for it -- until it became "nothing but words on paper". [sneers] Evidently, your idea of a just legal system is one so complicated that nobody can be punished for anything.

William Riker

Your shields were failing, sir.

Jean-Luc Picard

Mm-hmm. I... improvised. With the enemy vessel coming in for the kill, I ordered a sensor bearing, and when it came into the return arc...

Data

You performed what Starfleet textbooks now refer to as the "Picard Maneuver."

Jean-Luc Picard

Well, I did what any good helmsman would have done. I dropped into high warp, stopped right off the enemy vessel's bow fired everything I had.

William Riker

And blowing into maximum warp speed, you appeared for an instant to be in two places at once.

Jean-Luc Picard

And our attacker fired on the wrong one.

First Officer Kazago to human Riker.

William Riker

Not now, Kazago!

We do not wish to become involved in what is clearly a Federation matter...

William Riker

Fine, fine! Enterprise, out.

You should also know that DaiMon Bok no longer commands this vessel. His first officer has confined him for engaging in this unprofitable adventure. Good luck, First Officer Riker.

Jean-Luc Picard

Bok! Where is Bok?!

William Riker

Removed from command, sir. And placed under guard for his act of personal vengeance. Seems there was no profit in it.

Jean-Luc Picard

In revenge, there never is. Let the dead rest... and the past, remain the past. Enterprise, lock on. Beam me home, Riker.

Keep notes. This project might turn out to be of interest to future scholars.

Geordi La Forge

Really?

Think about it. A blind man teaching an android to paint? That's got to be worth a couple of pages in someone's book.

What's a knock-out like you doing in a computer-generated gin joint like this?

Waiting for you.

"What I don't understand sir, is how Karnas knew you were still… available."

"Still alive, you mean."

So… Jameson, I see time has not been too kind."

"It seldom is, Karnas."

They're dead Jameson a long time..you coming back to Mordan as you did 45 years before

You've never forgiven me

If it's you, show me the scar."

"There! The blood cut you gave me to seal our bargain!"

There die by your own weapons.....Rest, Jameson. Your long night… and mine, are over."

Jean-Luc Picard

Age and wisdom have their graces.

I wonder if one doesn't have to have age and wisdom to appreciate that, sir.

Jean-Luc Picard

I hope not, Number One. It would be such a waste of youth.

Tell me about your ship - the Enterprise, isn't it?

No... The name of my ship is the Lollipop.

I have no knowledge of that ship.

It's just been commissioned. It's a good ship.