Spoilers Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

[trappedslider]

This is one of those things that you can slightly blame Gene

Ronald D. Moore commented, "By the time I joined TNG, Gene had decreed that money most emphatically did NOT exist in the Federation, nor did 'credits' and that was that. Personally, I've always felt this was a bunch of hooey, but it was one of the rules and that's that." (AOL chat, 1997)

 

[payn]

We don’t get a ton of time with Earth in Star Trek. Most of it is ships out in space on the frontier. Though DS9 has the talked about here segment.

I took the credits thing as more of a way to manage beam travel on a planet of billions of people. That’s gotta be a lot of traffic. Hard to know who is going where with what. So the credit system wasn’t so much money, it was more about just getting to schedule travel in general.

 

[MarkB]

It also makes me wonder about Federation citizens who don’t work for Starfleet. So Kasidy is a freighter captain - does she work for herself or for the Federation? Does she own her own ship? Does she profit from goods sold? I get the impression not - she feels more like an airline pilot than anything else, she has a set duty rota and can take vacation.

My impression of Kasidy is that she owns her own ship and hires her crew, but generally doesn't buy or sell goods, instead taking on contract work to ship peoples' goods at an agreed price - essentially a courier for hire. She takes jobs for non-Federation clients, including Bajorans, so is presumably paid in latinum or some other exchangeable currency.

She does seem to be a Federation citizen herself, though, which does leave the question of how one comes to own a vessel in the Federation (or a vineyard, for that matter).

 

[bloodtide]

I kind of assume there is an internal Federation credit system based on work done to help others, Starfleet rank, and personal development - other ST media explicitly say that those things are valued and rewarded - which also can be converted to external funds. But mostly people don’t use them most of the time because they have food, housing, information, and other day to day resources. Presumably Sisko had a lot of back pay left over from decades of service.

I think the Federation Credits give everyone more then enough for 'average' existence, but are more to prevent people from taking too much. Like everyone gets 10 transporter rations a day....most people won't use more then 2: two and from work. But they could transport to Pairs for dinner and back...

It also makes me wonder about Federation citizens who don’t work for Starfleet. So Kasidy is a freighter captain - does she work for herself or for the Federation? Does she own her own ship? Does she profit from goods sold? I get the impression not - she feels more like an airline pilot than anything else, she has a set duty rota and can take vacation.

She works for a freight company for some alien race....I'm not sure we are ever told why. But she is concerned about 'money', so that makes it odd. I don't think she does it just for "fun". As she does make runs to DS9, it does seem she works outside Federation space mostly.

But they keep it crazy vague

This is one of those things that you can slightly blame Gene

Ronald D. Moore commented, "By the time I joined TNG, Gene had decreed that money most emphatically did NOT exist in the Federation, nor did 'credits' and that was that. Personally, I've always felt this was a bunch of hooey, but it was one of the rules and that's that." (AOL chat, 1997)

Except oddly....in the very first ever episode of TNG DR. Crusher BUYS some fabric and has it billed to her 'Account'.

 

[Ryujin]

I think the Federation Credits give everyone more then enough for 'average' existence, but are more to prevent people from taking too much. Like everyone gets 10 transporter rations a day....most people won't use more then 2: two and from work. But they could transport to Pairs for dinner and back...

She works for a freight company for some alien race....I'm not sure we are ever told why. But she is concerned about 'money', so that makes it odd. I don't think she does it just for "fun". As she does make runs to DS9, it does seem she works outside Federation space mostly.

But they keep it crazy vague


Except oddly....in the very first ever episode of TNG DR. Crusher BUYS some fabric and has it billed to her 'Account'.

Crusher buys that fabric at the starport (giant space creature) of a race that is petitioning for Federation membership. They clearly have a method of handling commerce with non Federation nations.

 

[pukunui]

I’ve made it to the end of season 3! I’m well into uncharted territory (for me) now.

I really liked the last two episodes: “Facets” and “The Adversary”.

 

[Gradine]

Look, everybody loves when Avery Brooks gets to chew scenery, and anytime he goes full Emissary he is feasting, and it is a sight to behold.

I think I forgot to mention in there somewhere the "let's give Jake massive PTSD" episode which served as a nice contrast to the "Jake gets bad touched by a literal Muse" episode, which was just awful. It's nice to see Jake actually getting to do stuff and show off his acting chops. A tough episode to watch, but a really good one.

I will say, the "Jake speedruns the Odd Couple" episode had me initially thinking I was going to side with Jake, but good lord, my guy. Are you a literal tornado?

Now I'm wondering if I should rename that previous episode "Jake speedruns M*A*S*H"

 

[jian]

I’ve made it to the end of season 3! I’m well into uncharted territory (for me) now.

I really liked the last two episodes: “Facets” and “The Adversary”.

Welcome! This is where it starts getting really good.

 

[pukunui]

Welcome! This is where it starts getting really good.

I see that season 4 has a revamped intro.

I think bald Sisko will take some getting used to, but I like Kira’s longer hair. (Does she ever grow it out as long as it was in the pilot?)

It’s nice to see Worf as well. I’m glad the showrunners were able to convince Michael Dorn to subject himself to the Klingonification process again.

 

[MarkB]

I think bald Sisko will take some getting used to

Not really. When going back and watching early seasons of DS9, Sisko with hair is always one of the most jarring things.