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Having just watched the episode "Code of Honor" from Star Trek: The Next Generation, how come upon meeting Lutan, Troi sensed his avarice, ambition and a strong desire for Tasha, but said nothing? She even told the others later that she'd sensed it, and no one pulls her up on it!

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  • In the future can you try and provide more descriptive titles that describe what it is you're actually asking. Also Star Trek questions should always have the [star-trek] tag.
    – TheLethalCarrot ♦
    Aug 29, 2018 at 12:17
  • Perhaps it would be considered a violation of personal privacy? Though I'm not sure the show ever really goes into the discussion of Betazoid/empath ethics - most shown seem fine revealing the private thoughts/feelings of others.
    – DavidS
    Aug 29, 2018 at 12:58
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    "TROI: Some sexual attraction from all the males. Lieutenant Yar is physically very attractive. But with Lutan I felt something else. Something more like avarice or ambition." - she does say something, prior to Lutan announcing her as First One
    – NKCampbell
    Aug 29, 2018 at 12:59
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    Pretty sure this episode is just someone's crazy holonovel adventure being played out.
    – Z. Cochrane
    Aug 29, 2018 at 13:17
  • The MissionLog Podcast has fascinating observations about the episode and how it was, in the eyes of many, a terrible example of racism and colonialism, etc..but that the script, without the visual or audio isn't that way at all - it was all about the casting and direction that made it so stereotyped. Well worth a listen if you have a hate / hate relationship with the episode.
    – NKCampbell
    Aug 29, 2018 at 14:09

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You're conflating two separate things that she sensed; Lutan's strong and extremely obvious attraction for Tasha Yar (which pretty much everyone noticed, regardless of their empathic ability) and Lutan's personal desire for power and influence.

Frankly, the first wasn't worth mentioning. Troi herself notes that Yar is a very good-looking woman and that strong feelings of lust to her were coming from all the men present.

TROI: ...Some sexual attraction from all the males. Lieutenant Yar is physically very attractive.

and while she might have mentioned that Lutan was an

avaricious and ambitious

man, giving that information to Picard would be like telling the Captain a Romulan visitor is "sneaky" or that a Vulcan is "cold", it's nothing he doesn't already know or couldn't guess on his own.

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