Why didn't Geordi and Ro fall through the floor?
Or for that matter, why didn't they get left behind as the Enterprise moved?
(Or was it stationary the whole time? I don't remember.)
In my mind there's a whole sub-category of ST:TNG eps in which they're quite enjoyable in a dramatic sense but also have a major flaw which should render the whole thing untenable. This is one of them.
Phil pointed out that problem in his guide as well as the question of how they were even able to breathe the un-phased oxygen, though I'm sure you came up with your own observation independently goog. It's definitely worth pointing out.
This ep seems to show up on a lot of peoples' fave lists, so I guess it's a flaw that a lot of folks are willing to overlook. Another major one is Face Of the Enemy with the whole "universal translator" nit.
You're right, though. Major nits, but in the end, a really enjoyable episode.
Another flaw is that Geordi, Ro, and that Romulan are still solid to each other. If their molecular structure was truly phased then they should pass through each other as well. This episode indicates that their molecules were solid but they existed in a different space continuum. Does this make any sense?
Also near the end Geordi tells Ro that he hasn't eaten for days, so I assume he hasn't drank any water either. I know humans(and also Bajorans) can survive for several days without food. But I wouldn't think they could survive very long without water.
Is it my imagination, or did Ro run her hand along her console when visiting the bridge for "the last time"?
Dave, I think if their molecular structure was phased at the same frequency(?) they would be solid to each other.
Also I believe a person can survive without water for about 3 days. About a month without food.
In the NextGen Guide Phil mentioned the Romulan sitting in the chair, but failed to mention that when he gets up, it wiggles.
I don't remember anybody ever saying exactly what Ro did to get put in the brig, so maybe it involved changing Garon IV into Garon II? ;-)
On page 338 of the NextGen Guide II, Phil wondered why the Romulan's Phaser works, but Ro and LaForge's communicators do not. As I understand it the communicators transmit what you are saying to the computer and vice versa, since the communicator is phased so would the transmission, whereas the Phaser is a self contained unit not dependent on contact with the ship's computer.
NANJAO: This episode vaguely resembles "A Wink Of An Eye" (TOS)
GREAT SFX: Geordi passing through the console, Ro & the Roumlan passing through the walls during the chase scene...the whole thing was just good!
It appears Riker got his birthday wish from "Future Imperfect"...he plays his trombone rather well.
It seems that Picard & the others gave up looking for Geordi & Ro seeing that Crusher was making out their death certificates. In Kirk's era, Kirk asked that the impossible was also investigated. I guess that is no longer necessary in Picard's time. (I don't recall anyone suggesting that the damaged cloaking device might have had something to do with their disappearance...I mean...cloaking devices make everything invisible...right?)
I was going to disagree with your comment John, but then there is the Enterprise episode The Communicator...
So why didn't Data, or even Riker who's read about all the ships called Enterprise, remember that fooling around with a Suliban cloaking device caused Trip Tucker's hand to turn invisible?
But, people didn't go missing. They were caught in a transporter accident. As far as anyone was concerned, they never materialized.
John, assuming Kirk actually said to "investigate even the impossible," it is clearly an embellishment of speech on Kirk's part. Otherwise, where do you draw the line?
Spock: Sir, I've come up with some possible scenarios for Geordi and Ro's disappearance."
Kirk: Shoot."
Spock: "I’ve investigated the notion that they were eaten alive by an giant invisible circus clown."
Kirk: "I beg your pardon?"
Spock: "A clown, sir. Invisible, which is why we couldn’t see it. If it were a giant one, it would explain how they both could’ve disappeared so quickly. It gobbled them both."
Kirk: "Spock, that’s ridiculous."
Spock: "More precisely, sir, it is impossible. That is what you wanted me to investigate."
Kirk: "Well, forget that one. What else have you got?"
Spock: "I have another theory."
Kirk: "Go ahead."
Spock: "Commander LaForge and Ensign Ro never existed. They were figments of our imagination."
Kirk: "Spock, that’s impossible!"
Spock: "Well, I’m glad you like that one, then.."
Kirk: "I don’t like it, Spock, these theories of yours are totally unscientific!"
Spock: "You didn’t ask me to just investigate the scientific possibilities, Captain, you told me to include the impossible."
Kirk: "And just how many of these ‘impossible’ theories do you have so far?"
Spock: "1,228,890,388."
Kirk: "What?!?"
Spock: "And counting, sir."
Kirk: "Spock, I can’t believe you’ve been wasting all this time coming up with over a billion useless theories, based on an offhand remark I made."
Spock: "Not all of them, sir."
Kirk: "Excuse me?"
Spock: "Not all of them are what I would place in the ‘impossible’ category."
Kirk: "Aha. And just how many are ones you’d call ‘impossible’?
Spock: "1,228,890,386."
Kirk: "You mean you only have TWO workable scenarios, and 1,228,890,386 other ridiculous flights of fancy??
Spock: "Eighty-seven, sir."
Kirk: "Excuse me?"
Spock: "One billion, two hundred and twenty-eight million, eight hundred and ninety thousand, three hundred and eighty-seven ‘impossible’ theories."
Kirk: "You said eight-six."
Spock: "And counting, sir. I just came up with another one…."
Kirk did actually say he wanted the impossible checked out...in "The Man Trap" (TOS) He said it to McCoy when he was investigating Darnell's death. However, I agree with the embellishment part.
ROTFLOL (again), Luigi. Some days it must just be a whole lot of fun, being inside your head. 
Kirk said a lot of stuff, John A., much of which if taken literally would probably have made for a MUCH more exciting show...but wasn't supposed to be taken literally, any more than most people with a naturally florid turn of speech expect to be. ("Arrgh, I could kill that idiot!" "Yes sir, phasers ready...")
LOL, Kerri. John Malkovich has nothing on me!
Oh yeah?
Now I definitely know I've been watching too much Star Trek.
I was watching "Billy Elliot" on the idiot box tonight, and I thought that the scene where Tony is running through people's houses trying to get away from riot policemen (to the music of The Clash's "London Calling") reminded me a lot of the scene in this episode where Ro is being chased through peoples' quarters, passing through the walls and things, by the Romulan.
How sad is that?!
Another problem with the phasing was that the Romulan was seated in a chair when we first see him. Was the chair phased too?
Spock: Captain, I have also theorized that Ro and Geordi were turned into porridge.
Kirk: You don't mean--
Spock: Yes, that is precisely what I mean. They were immediately converted into two bowls of steaming porridge.
Kirk: Well, where are they?
Spock: My theory on that subject is that the porridge was immediately consumed by a herd of monkeys, which is why we have found no porridge.
Kirk: We would have seen that happen.
Spock: If we simply increase the size of the monkey herd to infinity, the porridge would have been consumed in an infinitely small amount of time.
Kirk: But we've found no monkeys either.
Spock: My theory on that is too implausible to even bear being mentioned.
...IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE...
Arthur Dent: Ford, there's an infinite number of monkeys at the door who want to talk to us about this script for Hamlet they've worked out.
On a Sad note...
Crusher says she hates making out death certificates.
Now I know that numerous people have died over the years but she really doesn't hate them.
Since the Enterprise has one thousand and some hundred and something something number of people on board and we never hear them discussing the loss of people on a regular basis (some exceptions being the crewman who died in "lower Decks" Ensign Sito ... and twenty something in the 3rd borg episode (the 1st two being the Movie: "First Contact" and 2nd being an episode of "Enterprise" - they occured prior to events in the TNG episode) we can assume that the enterprise-d has a constant number of people on board. in the 1,000s.
Now, Is the reason for hating this only because it was bridge officers? She didn't make any comments about creating a death certificate for the crewman who died in "Genesis" Are all these other crewman not worth a comment, a good word, let alone a memorial service? Since there is no mention of any memorial services for these poor souls, we can assume that she rarely makes death certificates and hate them the way hints of it. Or do crewman die all the time and life is just dandy...
Okay, I know that was over the top...
How about:
1.-Crusher made the certificates.
2.-The Enterprise crew holds memorial services in 10-Forward.
3.-The fact that services were held indicates that Geordi and Laren are certifiably dead.
4.-For something to be certified indicates that it is official. They ARE dead.
5.-They're Alive (Cheers and Applause)which means they're not dead.
6,-So can Geordi and Ro say: On the record, "I've been dead before." like Spock?
"Night of the Living Dead Trivia?"
"How many people have died on the Enterprise D?"
That includes all occurances of the ship blowing up etc. from our (the viewers') perspective. Don't forget episodes like "Timescape" and "Cause and Effect" or "All good things"
By goog
Why didn't Geordi and Ro fall through the floor?
Or for that matter, why didn't they get left behind as the Enterprise moved?
(Or was it stationary the whole time? I don't remember.)
I saw this cartoon once that dealt with this episode. Ro and Geordi were sticking there hands through a wall. Ro said, "why aren't we going through the floor." Geordi replied, "just step around the plot holes and you'll be fine."
SG1: Wormhole Extreme dealt with this too.
paraphrasing
Alt-Sam: I have a problem with this scene. My character's been phased. So I can walk through walls, right?
Writer & Director: That's right. You can walk through walls, because you've been [finger quotes] "phased".
Alt-Sam: Then why don't I fall through the floor?
Writer & Director: [pause][look at each other] Hmm, we'll get back to you on that.
How do they breathe? They do not intereact with the atoms in walls (just floors). Are Oxygen atoms as magic as the atoms in feet and butts? (When they sit shouldn't they fall through the chair?)
On Dr. Crushers aversion to death certificates, most of the personel are younger like on a navy ship. Death will be more of the accidental "before his/ her time" type than of a 140 year old passing on in his sleep.
There is just not a typically scientific reason for phasing to work as it does. The only explanation that is even feasible is that the original theory was correct. They really did die, become spirits, and managed to find a way to be restored to living bodies within a few days. Disembodied spirits do exist in their reality and can pass through walls, but not through most other objects. If Q can exist, and galaxies where people's thoughts can alter reality can exist, and engines that let ships break the light barrier can exist, how outlandish are ghosts?
There is a fairly good reason why Geordi and Ro don't fall through the floor, but unfortunately the issue at stake is why they stay on the floor when it goes up and down. Apparently they are completely out of phase with electromagnetic forces, as they can't make contact with anything, so why shouldn't they also be unaffected by gravity? Then there's no reason why they should fall through the floor. Unfortunately, they also 'stick' to the floor when going on e.g. turbolifts, so that blows that theory out of the water.
The geometrical shaped control table on the Romulan ship looks very similar to the control table seen on the TARDIS.
So why didn't Riker tell the Away Team no weapons before they went to the transporter room?
Riker suggests giving the Romulans a 30 or 40 year old computer core because the Romulans would already be familiar with them, then tells Worf to check ship's stores.
1. The Romulans had broken off contact with the Federation 58 years earlier and apparently never had contact with a Federation computer core for at least 53 years.
2. Did Sela say the Romulans had captured the Enterprise-C or just the crew. If so they might be familiar with a 22 year old computer core (depending how old the computer core on the Enterprise-C was at the time).
3. Why would the Enterprise have a 30 or 40 year old computer core in ship's stores???
Why did Geordi walk through the console? Wouldn't the natural reflex be to walk around it? (And how many times do you think he walked into objects after being dephased?)
The Bajoran death chant is over two hours long. Even during the occupation? I wonder if the Bajoran resistance stuck to this practice?
How come none of the turbolifts were listed as chroniton sites?
My dad wondered why Geordi didn't try spelling his name on the console & letting Data know it was him.
Shouldn't the phased disrupter beam pass through the walls as well?
Geordi bounced off the couch.
Geordi says that they haven't eaten in nearly 2 days, but all the action seemed to be going non-stop with no indication that anyone had slept.
Goog - Or for that matter, why didn't they get left behind as the Enterprise moved? Or was it stationary the whole time?
Is there such a thing a stationary in space? Isn't everything in some form of motion? Even if the Enterprise had made itself stationary relative to another object is there truly such a thing as All-stop in space?
Thande - Apparently they are completely out of phase with electromagnetic forces, as they can't make contact with anything, so why shouldn't they also be unaffected by gravity?
Not completely out of phase with electromagnetic forces or they never would have been restored there at the end.
Also Ro falls down at one point so she is attracted by gravity.
A good explanation could have been that the artificial gravity affected their phased state & kept them from falling through the floor, but since there is no anti-gravity plating in the walls they could walk through them without a problem.
Two future Trek stalwarts here:
Susanna Thompson (Varel) would go on to play the Borg Queen on Voyager.
Ken Marshall (Ensign McDowell) would play Eddington on DS9.
KAM, your gravity plating is the best solution I've ever heard to the problem! Well done! Pity it wouldn't work for Stargate...
Something just jumped out at me as I was viewing this ep on SpikeTV today. When Data and Worf are in the shuttlecraft, they are discussing the upcoming ceremony for La Forge and Ro. Worf says, "HUMAN custom is to conduct a solemn, dignified ceremony in which the dead are praised by their friends and family."
Wait a minute, HUMAN custom? Humans have THOUSANDS of funeral customs. Even in Western countries, there are great differences in customs. A Native America custom, a Catholic funeral, a New Orleans funeral--all of these are quite different. Some have wakes, some have a separate graveside service, etc. How can human funerary customs be summed up in one sentence?
(It's like the time that Picard and Riker are participating in that program with Minuet in "1000101010" or whatever it is, and Minuet refers to French as a "foreign language." The American-ism of the writers slips through.)
Towards the end, the phased Romulan shoots at Ro and the beam deflects off a wall. Shouldn't it go through the wall and still hit Ro?
NANJAO: In season 7 we find out that Starfleet has a "Phase Cloak" aboard the Pegasus.
Why would the Enterprise have a 30 or 40 year old computer core in ship's stores???
Who says they did? Maybe they replicated it. Or maybe they do have one in case they come across an older ship or station that might need one.
Who cares about scientific inconsistencies? I thought that this episode was great. It might have something to do with my liking of Geordi and Ro.
It's a nice moment, but Ro clearly touches her console. Even given the liberties they've taken with the floor, that one seems a bit much.
quote:John A. Lang: It seems that Picard & the others gave up looking for Geordi & Ro seeing that Crusher was making out their death certificates. In Kirk's era, Kirk asked that the impossible was also investigated. I guess that is no longer necessary in Picard's time. (I don't recall anyone suggesting that the damaged cloaking device might have had something to do with their disappearance...I mean...cloaking devices make everything invisible...right?)
quote:MikeC: Ken Marshall (Ensign McDowell) would play Eddington on DS9.
quote:Jesse: (It's like the time that Picard and Riker are participating in that program with Minuet in "1000101010" or whatever it is, and Minuet refers to French as a "foreign language." The American-ism of the writers slips through.)
quote:dotter31: Who says they did? Maybe they replicated it. Or maybe they do have one in case they come across an older ship or station that might need one.
>>>By Jesse on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 12:17 pm:
Something just jumped out at me as I was viewing this ep on SpikeTV today. When Data and Worf are in the shuttlecraft, they are discussing the upcoming ceremony for La Forge and Ro. Worf says, "HUMAN custom is to conduct a solemn, dignified ceremony in which the dead are praised by their friends and family."
Wait a minute, HUMAN custom? Humans have THOUSANDS of funeral customs. Even in Western countries, there are great differences in customs. A Native America custom, a Catholic funeral, a New Orleans funeral--all of these are quite different. Some have wakes, some have a separate graveside service, etc. How can human funerary customs be summed up in one sentence? <<<
Given that his foster parents are Russian he's probably only aware of Russian customs. That or he's talking about customs on Starfleet ships with a predomantly human crew - which would cover all but one ship in the Fleet crewed by Vulcans it seems....
>>>By dotter31 on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 9:46 am:
Why would the Enterprise have a 30 or 40 year old computer core in ship's stores???
Who says they did? Maybe they replicated it. Or maybe they do have one in case they come across an older ship or station that might need one.<<<
Since Starfleet ships often provide help to ships in trouble, and since those ships may not (and in many cases are unlikely to be) as advanced as Enterprise. It is likely that Enterprise carries a small quantity of older components for ships that couldn't use newer systems - for example the average trading ship isn't going to have a computer core anything near as advanced as a Starfleet ship. It is more likely to be using older equipment.
Why don't the comunicators work? The case and workings may be phased, but they should still be able to send a signal Enterprise can pick up.
It is likely that Enterprise carries a small quantity of older components for ships that couldn't use newer systems
For some reason that makes me think of Picard as the manager of a Federation Best Buy or Electronics Warehouse. Probably badgering the captains of those ships with deals on upgrades. ;-)
Geordi and Laren (if we're on a first name basis) should know that they aren't dead because Q was nowhere in sight. 
Possible Nit:
Where did the Romulan piece of equipment end up? Perhaps later on at a Starbase, Starfleet Security unphased it and used it as a template for the phase cloak in the Piggy Zeus.
Where did the Romulan piece of equipment end up?
If you mean the cloaking device, wasn't that still on the Romulan ship at the end?
Starfleet Security unphased it and used it as a template for the phase cloak in the Piggy Zeus.
Errm, not unless they sent it back in time first. Riker was a very junior officer when Starfleet was testing their phase cloak. At the time of this episode he's been a Commander for at least 6 years.
1. I meant the piece they were transporting to the Enterprise for replication.
2. I know it was in the past. That's why I jokingly said the Piggy Zeus.
I personally felt the sub plot about the Romulans betraying the enterprise by setting up a feedback wave in the energy transfer beam was a bit much. It really made the Romulans look two-dimensional "oh they are Romulans, and as we know ALL Romulans are deceptive and back stabbing even in the face of compassionate folks that just saved their sorry butts from implosion" I think the episode would have been fine without it. I know the writers needed a big *GASP* moment for the end of the show, a ticking clock as it were for Gordi and Laren to beat but it could have been accomplished without making the Romulans look like complete Cads. For example it could have been as simple as solving the phasing problem before the ship goes to warp because sticking to the floors is one thing but Gordi could have been worried that with the pop to warp speed, the two of them might have been left behind. That to me would have been very suspenseful because we just saw the Romulan officer meet a similar fate moments before.
The other thing I took note of was the fact that When Riker and Picard walk into the momorial service they look quite surprised, clearly this is their first time seeing it and they have never heard about the preparations because they both look surprised yet Riker chirps that he likes it and promptly walks over to the band, scoops up a trombone and plays along. My wife confirmed that as a musician, this is *horribly* rude, #1 that is not his instrument, if it were he would not have been surprised at the arrangements, #2 it is completely out of line to just step into a song mid swing like that. I always thought it looked odd but my wife who plays in a band added how out of bounds this would been concerning musical ediquite.
On another note: After Laforge and Ro make it back, he orders his boys to take the engines off line until further notice. I don't recall however if he tells them about the feedback loop. I know he tells the Captain about the danger but I don't think he mentions it to his men. which is all well and good, maybe he wants to run the test himself since he knows what he is looking for but then instead of going to Engineering....he sits down and has dinner! For an Hour! during the last scene of the show the stars in the window are not moving so we can presume the ship has not moved. The reason I have issues with this is because there was a rush to get somewhere do to a deteriorating diplomatic incident, thus the big gasping moment of needing to jump to warp. Did Picard decide that the situation could just rot because he was so happy to have Gordie back? did he cancel the misson and use Gordie's Funeral as an excuse? Or is Gordie that much of a control freak? "no one touches my Engines but ME and *I* am going to have dinner first darn it!" or was Gordie Milking it?
Picard: Bridge to Lt.Cmd Laforge, Gordie have you located that feedback loop yet?
Laforge: *chomp chomp, slurp* mmmnope Captain nothing yet *munch munch* darn Custard... I mean Romulans have it hidden well... oooh pudding!"
Picard: did you say pudding?
Laforge:....... no
Picard: yes you did, you said pudding...ARE you still in 10 forward?
Laforge: shhhhcracklecrackle...um you are breaking up captain....must be the...the ..the radiation from the feedback loop that I cant find. call you back later!
Re Minuete referring to French as a foreign language she was programmed by aliens for an American plus no one seems to speak French in the future Picard and his family have strong English accents, even now its starting to decline as more and more people speak English, they're actually talking about bringing in legislation to stem the tide of English because they're so worried about it. Also if no one speaks French in the future it would be referred to as a foreign language, how many people refer to Latin as such when strictly speaking it isn’t its just a dead one. Maybe England invaded France in WW3.
As for Geordie eating a meal he hasn’t eaten or drunk anything for days he’d actually be quite close to dying (mostly du to the lack of water) he’d need maximum concentration to work on the engines so its best to get a big meal in first.
DonF, there is a time lapse after Geordi tells them to take the engines off-line and before the eating scene. If you notice, Ten Forward had completely cleared out by the time Geordi was eating. So, most likely immediately after the scene where he tells Picard and Data about the feedback loop, he discusses it further with Data and Data heads off to fix the problem while Geordi grabs a bite.
Those who are talking about the oxygen have a point. Remember, no one could hear Geordi and Ro. Sound is an interaction between vocal chords (in this case) and air. So, if the normal people couldn't hear their voices, it means that their vocal chords were incapable of interacting with the air. Thus, their lungs should have been incapable of interacting with the air too.
Micah; that's right up there with the fact that they can pass through solid matter and yet can still walk. They should just float through the floor too; but than we'd have a short show.
They couldn't go through the floors because of that wax build-up. The janitor doesn't use the right floor wax...
Apparently they DO use the right floor wax, otherwise we'd have lost Ro and LaForge.
Shame for the poor Romulan that he doesn't wax the walls... :-)
This is one of my favorite fifth season episodes. It's my favorite one with Ro Laren. And Geordi gets to kill the "phased" Romulan who was threatening him and Ro (by shoving him out of the bulkhead into space). They were defending themselves, but I still thought it was cool.
How scary would it have been if Geordi and Ro had not overheard Mirok's plan to set up the "feedback wave in the energy transfer beam" that would have made the Enterprise's engines explode when they went to warp? Very, I think. Just as scary as if Geordi had failed to save the ship during "The High Ground" by getting the bomb off the warp core and beaming it into space! The fact that non-aligned terrorists were made into that much of a threat that they were almost able to destroy the Enterprise is pretty disturbing if you ask me!
Also, regarding Ro and Riker's "liason" when their memories had been temporarily wiped in "Conundrum". Apparently in this episode, Riker remembers that and references it a few times, but for some reason, Ro has no recollection of it. She keeps saying "what is he talking about?", that kind of thing. Why would she not remember that?
As for the Bajoran Death Chant, that was strictly for TNG-era Bajorans, and was never used on DS9. I don't recall it ever being referenced again after this!
And the Interphase Generator on the Romulan Science Vessel? Is that ever seen again? Well, like someone already said, the seventh season would give us the Phased Cloaking Device, which had been installed on the U.S.S. Pegasus by order of Capt. Pressman in direct violation of the Treaty Of Algeron, which prohibits the Federation from using cloaking devices. At least until the Dominion became a threat, that is!
There's a problem with Ro and Geordie entering Picard's ready room.
First Ro arrives on the bridge and stops just short of the doors to the room as they close behind Picard and Riker who have just entered the ready room.
Then Ro enters the room, but from a wall several feel to the right of the door.
Geordie does this, too.
Then they exit the ready room, even further along the wall, very near Picard's aquarium (off-camera, but that's what's there, and then his oblong window out into space).
2 problems.
First, why didn't Ro just walk through the door? She was right there.
Second, she and Geordie enter several feel to the right of the door-- which lines up with the curved ramp on the other side! The floor of Picard's ready room is not flush with the bridge's floor that far over! Therefore, they would have both entered the room, stepping down from the raised, angular floor outside!
Worf is concerned that the Romulans will have access to Federation technology if they share a present-day computer, but...
...what about the Romulans, themselves?! Why are they so blaise about sharing THEIR tech with their Federation enemies? For 2 days they have Federations engineers and personnel tinkering with their equipment, and this is okay with them? *The ROMULANNNS*?! Kinda strecthes credibility regarding their species characteristics!
And I'm all for light-hearted giggles at the end of the episode, everyone's happy that they're alive, blahblahblah, but Geordie and Ro are killing themselves laughing from his lame comment,
"Well, if we can teach Ro Laren humility we can do anything." or words to that effect.
They then shared uncontrolled laughs and giggles, as if this was the funniest thing ever said.
Humor is an individual thing, but sheesh! The writer could have done alot better!
To those of you wondering why Geordi and Ro didn't fall through the floor while they were phased, the answer is simple - the phase variance was too low. Section 4.13 of the Starfleet Survival Guide by David Mack states that a person is only unable to interact with normal matter, such as the floor, if the variance is greater than .010. If the variance is between .004 and .009, the person would be invisible, but still able to partially interact with their enviroment.
That is a good attempt to explain it but unfortunately it doesn't quite hold up because they are able to pass through all other barriers in the episode. They walk through walls, people,consoles and in the end they toss the romulan through the bulkhead. If the phase variance was not great enough for them to pass through the floor then they shouldn't have been able to push him through the bulkhead.
Per Starfleet Regulation 4747, all starship floors are required to have phase variance greater than 0.010. 4747(a) requires all personnel and all other equipment and bulkheads to have a phase variance of .006 +/- .001.