GEORDI LA FORGE Page 2 Chief Engineer on USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D and -E Captain of USS Challenger in [#100 Timeless] Mentioned in [#152 Inside Man] screenshots and scans by Janet

SUMMARY 2335 Born (blind). 2353-57 Attends Starfleet Academy. 2362 Ensign aboard USS Victory. 2364 Transfers to USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D as the Flight Controller (Conn). 2365 Promoted to Lieutenant and becomes the ship's Chief Engineer. 2366 Promoted to Lieutenant Commander. 2370 Mother killed in destruction of USS Hera. 2371 Undergoes surgery to receive ocular implants. 2372 Upon destruction of the Enterprise-D, assigned to USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E.

Because of his VISOR interface, Geordi was the perfect candidate to test an experimental interface device. In 2370, he used the device to try and rescue the crew of USS Raman. During the rescue, he encountered what appeared to be his mother, Silva La Forge, aboard the Raman. Geordi was at first convinced his mother's ship was actually trapped in the atmosphere, but later realised the experience was an attempt by the Marijne VII beings to communicate. Although he was unable to save his mother, Geordi felt the incident gave him the opportunity to say goodbye to her ([TNG: Interface]).

La Forge in the interface suit

close-up of La Forge in the interface suit

La Forge meets an alien in his mother's guise aboard the fire-damaged and smoke-filled USS Raman

Throughout his time aboard the Enterprise-D, Geordi enjoyed close friendships with many, including the senior staff, and in particular with the ship's Ops Manager Data. (Data, a sentient android, one of two created by brilliant scientist Dr Noonien Soong, became the only android ever to enter Starfleet. He is mentioned by Torres in [#29 Prototype].) Geordi regularly joined the senior staff (excluding Picard) in a weekly poker game. His VISOR gave him 'special insight' into the cards held by his shipmates, courtesy of infrared light, although he said he never peeked until after a hand was over ([TNG: Ethics]).

Geordi is annoyed with Barclay who has arrived late

Geordi at first found the diffident, uncommunicative and unpunctual diagnostics engineer Reg Barclay (who was assigned to the ship in 2366) to be a nuisance. But in 2366 there was a crisis when the Enterprise-D suffered the effects of invidium contamination and Barclay diagnosed it. Subsequently Geordi warmed to Barclay and was impressed by his talent for diagnostics ([TNG: Hollow Pursuits]), to the extent that he had Barclay included in the away team which helped repair Zefram Cochrane's spaceship in 2063 (for that incident, involving time-travel, see below).

Geordi tells Barclay to seek the advice of Counsellor Troi

these two screenshots are from [TNG: Hollow Pursuits]

Geordi tries to get a better performance from Barclay

In 2369 Geordi got to meet Starfleet legend Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott. Scott served in Starfleet for 51 years as at the date of his retirement in 2294. He has served on 11 starships (noted in [TNG: Relics]), most famously serving as the Chief Engineer aboard USS Enterprise NCC-1701 under the command of Captain James T. Kirk in the 23rd century. (Scotty's adventures on that starship are seen in [TOS], and on that starship's refit in 2270 in [Star Trek I: The Motion Picture].) The events that led to the meeting were as follows: In 2294, Captain Scott was aboard the small starship USS Jenolen, a Sydney-class starship registry number NCC-2010, on his way to the Norpin Colony (a retirement community on the planet Norpin V). En route the Jenolen was affected by gravimetric interference generated by the enormous mass of a Dyson sphere. ^{Note: Dyson Sphere} This led to the crash of the Jenolen into the surface of the Dyson Sphere. Ensign Matt Franklin and Scott survived the crash and attempted to keep themselves alive until a rescue ship arrived, to which end Scott modified a transporter and suspended himself and Franklin in its pattern buffer. In 2369 the Enterprise-D rescued Scotty (who had kept himself alive in the transporter pattern buffer for 75 years) but Franklin's pattern had degraded beyond recovery. The meeting of Geordi and Scott was most interesting, as they had been/were both chief engineers on a starship Enterprise. They worked together and managed to repair the Jenolen's systems sufficiently to help the Enterprise-D escape from the sphere's interior, although the Jenolen was destroyed in the process. But Scott realised that technological and certain lifestyle developments meant that he did not fit in on the Enterprise-D. Accordingly he decided to leave. Captain Picard lent Scott the shuttlecraft Goddard (on extended loan i.e. permanently) and in that Scott left to explore the galaxy of the 24th century.

a starship's engine room has changed a lot in the 75 years Scotty was away

Scotty

20 more screenshots from [TNG: Relics]

In 2371 the Enterprise-D was damaged beyond repair in the following manner: Geordi's VISOR was modified by Dr Tolian Soran while Geordi was held captive aboard a Klingon bird-of-prey starship. The modified VISOR transmitted visual information back to the Klingon ship, giving the Klingon Duras sisters access to the Enterprise-D's vital shield modulation data. This made it possible for them to launch a devastating direct hit against the Enterprise-D. The attack caused the loss of antimatter containment, ultimately destroying the ship's stardrive section, and as a result Executive Officer Commander Will Riker ordered the emergency maneuver known as saucer separation. In this maneuver, the saucer module (primary hull) disconnected from the remainder of the spacecraft. In Galaxy-class starships of the time, saucer separation was generally employed so that the saucer module, containing most of the crew, can remain in relative safety while the stardrive section (containing the ship's powerful warp drive) went into battle or other hazardous situations (first seen in [TNG: Encounter at Farpoint]). Under the command of Commander Deanna Troi the starship's saucer crashlanded on the surface of the planet Veridian III, with substantial damage but with no loss of life. (The crash is depicted in [Star Trek VII: Generations].) (Cmdr. Will Riker and also Deanna Troi, more commonly known by her professional title Counsellor, appear in [Star Trek Voyager] - Riker briefly in [#34 Death Wish] and Troi in [#130 Pathfinder], [#144 Life Line] and [#152 Inside Man]. Riker is also implicitly referred to in the latter.)

After the destruction of the Enterprise-D, Geordi accepted assignment as the Chief Engineer of that starship's successor, the Sovereign-class starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E (hereinafter called "USS Enterprise-E" or "the Enterprise-E"). The Enterprise-D was launched in 2372. By stardate 50893, Geordi had been given ocular implants that replaced his VISOR. Although the implants were much smaller than his VISOR, they still afforded a wide range of sensory information ([Star Trek VIII: First Contact]).

Geordi's ocular implants, [Star Trek VIII: First Contact]

In 2373, on stardate 50893, when a Borg cube penetrated Federation space, the Enterprise-E pursued the Borg sphere which ejected upon the cube's destruction. The Enterprise-E pursued the Borg sphere back in time to April 2063 i.e. in Earth's past. Geordi and a large engineering away team which undertook work on Earth, in Montana, to repair the Phoenix. The Phoenix was a converted missile fitted with a prototype faster-than-light drive (warp drive) designed by Zefram Cochrane and built by engineer Lily Sloane. Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise-E Picard and the rest of the crew battled the Borg. The Phoenix was repaired in time for Cochrane to make, on 4th April 2063, the historic warp flight which led to first contact being made the following day between Mankind and Vulcans. During this time Geordi worked closely with Cochrane, and it was during this time that he told Cochrane that he, Geordi, had attended Zefram Cochrane High School.

Geordi with Zefram Cochrane
(see note about the possible PADD blooper in 'Geordi La Forge: Behind-the-scenes')

Although Earth had made first contact with interstellar non-humans on a number of previous occasions, it was first contact with Vulcans that was the momentous event which gave humanity the perspective and impetus it needed to begin a remarkable renaissance and bring a virtual end to war, poverty, and disease over the next five decades (Star Trek VIII: First Contact]) with Earth's first world government being established in 2150 ([TNG: Attached]) and Starfleet's first mission of deep space exploration being launched in April 2151 ([Enterprise: Broken Bow]).

the Phoenix launches for its appointment with destiny

aboard the Phoenix on its historic warp flight are Geordi, Cmdr. Will Riker and warp drive designer Zefram Cochrane

Below: In the cockpit of the Phoenix, Cmdr. Will Riker, Geordi, and Zefram Cochrane achieve faster-than-light

watched by a crowd of humans including Geordi and other senior officers of the Enterprise-E, a Vulcan greets Zefram Cochrane: "Live long and prosper."
(this exact moment is recalled in late 2377 aboard USS Voyager, in [#169 Homestead], when, urged by Neelix, Tuvok repeats this historic greeting)

the above 3 screenshots are from [Star Trek VIII: First Contact]

Geordi supported Picard by helping him to prevent Starfleet's forcible relocation of the Ba'ku people. This is depicted in [Star Trek IX: Insurrection].

Geordi and Captain Picard head off to talk about problems with Data's malfunction while at the Ba'ku village
(left of picture: Cmdr. Riker and Counsellor Troi, both of whom also appear in certain [Star Trek Voyager] episodes)
(these officers are in dress uniform)   [Star Trek IX: Insurrection]

It is not known when the incident regarding the Ba'ku occurred, as the stardate given in Encyclopaedia is "stardate unknown", but it is obviously after the events of [Star Trek VIII: First Contact] for many reasons. One is that in [Star Trek IX: Insurrection] Geordi, wearing his optical implants, is given the gift of sight after he spends time on the Ba'ku planet, which is a planet with age-retarding and certain body-invigorating properties. There Geordi tells Picard in wonder: "I've never seen a sunrise. At least, not the way you see them."

Geordi: "I've never seen a sunrise. At least, not the way you see them." (behind them is the Ba'ku village)

both screenshots are from [Star Trek IX: Insurrection]

In early 2377, when Lieutenant Reginald ('Reg') Barclay unexpectedly interrupts her vacation, Deanna Troi mentions that the last time they met was at Geordi's birthday party ([#152 Inside Man]).

In 2378 Geordi is still part of the Enterprise-E's crew. He attends the wedding of Will Riker and Deanna Troi.

Geordi (third from right at the table) at the wedding reception of Will Riker and Deanna Troi, [Star Trek X: Nemesis]

Geordi with friend Data

Geordi with friend Guinan

the above 3 screenshots and the 1 below are from [Star Trek X: Nemesis]

Adm. Janeway contacts Picard

Kathryn Janeway, having returned recently in late 2377 from the Delta Quadrant along with her starship (USS Voyager) and crew, is now an Admiral and she conveys Starfleet's orders to Picard to meet with the mysterious Shinzon, the new Romulan Praetor. During the struggle to defend Earth against Shinzon's powerful weapon, Geordi helps Data leap into space from the Enterprise-E in order to reach Shinzon's ship where Data rescues Picard and destroys the weapon, although Data sacrifices himself in order to do so. These momentous events are depicted in [Star Trek X: Nemesis].

Geordi examines B4, a Data-type android but with a simpler brain

Geordi's last sight of his friend Data

Geordi, along with Deanna Troi and Jean-Luc Picard, watch as Data destroys Shinzon's ship and himself along with it

Geordi mourns Data

the above 4 screenshots are from [Star Trek X: Nemesis]

Captain La Forge tries to persuade Chakotay (and Kim) to surrender

In an eventually unrealised timeline, by 2390 Geordi has been promoted to Captain, and commands USS Challenger, a Galaxy-class starship. In 2390 he is ordered to apprehend the two fugitives (the galaxy's most wanted) named Chakotay and Harry Kim. These desperadoes are the only survivors of the crew of USS Voyager, killed in a crashlanding short of the Alpha Quadrant in 2375. Geordi catches up with the Delta Flyer, which Chakotay and Kim are using as their base for a desperate mission - to change the past so that the Voyager crew are not killed.

Geordi tells Chakotay, via comms: "This is Captain La Forge of the starship Challenger. You seem to be in quite a hurry."
Chakotay, via comms: "You could say that."
Geordi, via comms: "Why don't you shut down those impulse engines, drop your shields, let's talk about this face to face."
Chakotay, via comms: "Mind if I take a rain-check?"
Geordi, via comms: "As a matter of fact, I do. We know what you're about to attempt. We can't let that happen. So the Federation Council's willing to make you an offer: hand over the Borg transmitter, stand down your vessel, and the charges of conspiracy will be dropped."
Tessa (Chakotay's lover), via comms: "That's not much of an offer. If we succeed those charges will never have existed in the first place."
Geordi, via comms: "If you succeed, countless lives will be affected."
Chakotay, via comms: "We're here to save 150 lives - our crew."
Geordi, via comms: "I understand, and I might be doing the same thing if I were in your position but I've got my own crew to protect not to mention fifteen years of history. So, I'm asking you again: stand down and return the transmitter."
Chakotay, via comms: "You know I can't do that."
Geordi, via comms: "And you know I have to try and stop you."
Chakotay, via comms: "Yes, I know. Good luck."
Geordi, via comms: "Same to you."
As communication ends, Geordi opens fire on the Delta Flyer.

Chakotay breaks the Delta Flyer away from Geordi's tractor beam

Chakotay's and Kim's efforts to evade capture result and escape Geordi's tractor beam eventually end in the Delta Flyer suffering a warp core breach....but a crucial second before then Kim has managed to alter the past and save the Voyager crew. Geordi's situation in 2390 of the changed timeline is not known.

In an eventually unrealised timeline created by Q (and depicted in the [TNG] series finale [TNG: All Good Things...]), by 2395 Geordi is married to Leah and the couple have three children: Alandra, Brett and Sydney. (It would seem that Leah is Leah Brahms, but she and their children are not seen on screen although the Encyclopaedia fights shy, I think unnecessarily so, of stating that Geordi married Leah Brahms.)

La Forge talks to retired Jean-Luc Picard [TNG: All Good Things...]