[Stephen]

I am sure that the plan wasn't to base the entire episode round Troi and Riker. But to only feature them. However mid way through filming Kurtzman was replaced and head of the show and there may have been a large number of changes, bit like on Discovery.

It was fantastic seeing the three of them interacting again and just having great chemistry still, after so much time.

There was also a prequel comic series of 3 or 4 issues leading into the show. Which focussed on the exaction of the Romulans with Picard and Raffi. Geordi was in a small part of one issue and he was on Mars heading up the shipworms, so would likely have been there during the attacks.