What next for Section 31? [SPOILERS]

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by rfmcdpei, Nov 7, 2013.

  1. Avro Arrow

    Avro Arrow Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    ^ What would a situation be where they would "need" it? It certainly wouldn't be considered a "measured" response even in the episode Kirk threatened to use it in. Even if you're trying to destroy, say, a random Shedai on the surface of a planet, glassing the *entire* surface would be extreme overkill. I'm really surprised Starfleet has such a general order in the first place.
     
  2. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    Well it's not like Starfleet ships don't have the capability to do it if they so desired. I think the whole point of the amendment is to take the option off the table except for cases where it might call for the Federation Council to debate it.
     
  3. Hartzilla2007

    Hartzilla2007 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I was thinking more of in case Starfleet encountered something like the Flood from Halo aka something you want to make damed sure is dead or else the galactic apocalypse will result when it figures out how to get off the planet.

    And if its a situation where there is a ticking clock that not's really a good thing since legislative bodies aren't known for rapid decision making.
     
  4. Avro Arrow

    Avro Arrow Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I don't play Halo, but I'm going to guess based on context that you're talking about something other than rising water levels! :)
     
  5. Sci

    Sci Admiral Admiral

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    If there were ever a legitimate need to glass a planetary surface, a decent captain would issue the order come what may and then take responsibility afterwards. Meanwhile, not having it be strictly illegal is just begging for someone to come along and find loopholes and abuses and use it when it's not appropriate.
     
  6. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    Also, I'd imagine that amendment was also about placating rival powers on meta weapons like weaponized Genesis. They agreed they wouldn't destroy entire planetary surfaces and by extension that sort of technology wouldn't be used. It's basically the NPT of the Trekverse. Evidently that doesn't prevent say Sisko from destroying an entire biosphere. Or for that matter Starfleet ships from having equipment capability of destroying entire STAR SYSTEMS not just planets.
     
  7. Hartzilla2007

    Hartzilla2007 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Think of the Borg only organic based and 1000 times worse and assimilation is permanent as there is nothing left of the victim and the ability to rapidly spread over an entire planet to the point that the ancient race that fought them could only stop them by using a weapon that destroyed all sapient life in the galaxy.
     
  8. rfmcdpei

    rfmcdpei Captain Captain

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    What biosphere did Sisko destroy? There was the planet with the Maquis population he made uninhabitable for non-Cardassians, I know.

    That amendment was named as the "Eminiar Amendment" by Min Zife, suggesting that it was created in response to the situation involving that planet in TOS.
     
  9. rfmcdpei

    rfmcdpei Captain Captain

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    And again, I'll note that Bashir did not intend that as a compliment. Going to the script makes that clear.

    And in fairness, that idea is questionable. Is Cretak, a woman who joined with a Federation doctor to track down an agency corrupting the policies of both polities, really a better ally for the Federation than a Koval who wanted to weaponize the Quickening?

    That's right. As you'll recall from earlier in this thread, I mentioned that plague as an example of something that the Dominion apparently did not inflict on the Federation Alliance's civilian populations in the Dominion War.

    And this is a good thing?

    Section 31 tried to take over a Jem'Hadar breeding outpost for its own uses, and nearly started a galactic war after the agent it sent went mad and tried to create his own empire starting with a bioweapons attack on Romulan holdings.

    Where is the Church Committee to rein in this agency?

    We know nothing about its levels of activity in Federation history. We do know that, on multiple occasions, it has nearly endangered the survival of the Federation on multiple instances and was saved only by people coming in to cover up its errors. I'd suggest that Section 31's record of gaffes when it tries to intervene in galactic affairs or alien politics indicate it is geared more towards internal Federation affairs and/or alien civilizations that aren't very impressive, minimizing the risk of causing a war.

    We also know that, in the end, Section 31 was uncovered and uprooted for the good of all. It's just a matter of describing how this goes. Was it an instance of one of Section 31's moves finally becoming something it couldn't cover up?
     
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