After re-watching "Caretaker" a thought arose. Or, moreover, several thoughts arose. Since this is not only the premise-setting episode, but also features a lot of fairly random death and destruction, there's a cavalcade of What If? scenarios buried under the surface. Here are some of the ones I've been considering: What if Gul Evek's ship was also caught in the displacement wave? Assuming that Voyager was, still, the only ship left in one piece at the end of the episode, how would the three crews be integrated? If Gul Evek, himself, survived, what provisional rank and position would he be given? Would Chakotay even agree to a crew-integration if the Cardassians were involved? Would he, in McCoy's words "yield to the logic of the situation"? Would Seska reveal herself immediately, as like Tuvok, or would she play a long-con? Come to think of it, does Gul Evek even know that Seska is an spy? What if Cavit survived? Would Janeway still appoint Chakotay as First Officer? If she didn't, how would he react? Would Chakotay even accept a lower position? What if Stadi survived? How would Paris feel having to continue on as an observer? Would he get bored and leave, but for real this time? Would he, instead, be sent to the sick-bay full-time? What if the medical staff survived? Would the EMH even get turned on after that? Would he be regular necessity? Would the Doctor ever develop a sense of personhood, if he wasn't left on for for long stretches of time? What if Chakotay had died in the colision with the Kazon ship, or on the railings in the Ocampa city? Without his leadership, would the Maquis agree to integrate with Starfleet? Who would take over as, de-facto, leader? Would they be more inclined to mutiny? What if they'd used the Caretaker's station to get back home? What would have happened to the Ocampa? Who would care, and why? Would the Maquis be, immediately, arrested upon arrival? Would Chakotay be clear-headed enough to demand they were sent back to neutral territory?
One major change should've been the explanation that it was the Caretaker's own natural power, boosted by the Array, that brought them to the Delta Quadrant and he was too weak to send them back before he died.
I caught that too. I mean if it was just the array, who cares if he's out of time? Go ahead, destroy it. They were done the moment he died. At least that's my interpretation of it.
What if Cavit survived? This might have been interesting. If Janeway felt that she needed Chakotay to be first officer in order for the two crews to work together more effectively and maybe "temporarily" demoted Cavit. This would have brought about some interesting tension though having said that, they tried something similar with Tuvok and Chakotay and it didn't really go anywhere What if Stadi survived? Based purely on hotness, this would be ok with me What if the medical staff survived? I actually think that this would be the best and most intriguing alternative scenario. For it to work though, I think The Doctor would have to turn out to be the superior physician and for that to cause some conflict and confusion. Maybe the doctor is encouraged to work in another area of the ship once the mobile emitter arrives but his medical skills turn out to be so advanced of the human doctor (or was it a Vulcan) that Janeway is forced to undermine the person doctor
Or, the human doctor perishes in a later episode. :-) he seemed like s bigger jerk than doctor. The doctor was funny/jerk
For Tuvok, of course, it's basically impossible for him to carry a grudge in away that humans are often inclined to. There are two directions they could've gone with that in my opinion. First, that Cavit became resentful of the change and sought out a position as a dissenting voice against the new regime. We caught glimpses of his desire to manipulate his subordinates against those who he disliked in his interaction with Harry; he could have a vested interest in subtly sabotaging the integration effort and, possibly, stirring up resentment against the Maquis amongst the crew. Second, that Cavit became a suck-up to Janeway in an ever-present bid to get his position back. He might try to manipulate her and offer himself up, unconditionally, in her defence during briefing room debates. Perhaps, as an extreme conclusion, he could attempt to murder Chakotay (and make it look like an accident). She certainly was quite good-looking. Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. And, no, the Vulcan was the nurse (as far as I could tell). That could lead to a lot of bitterness and resentment. Perhaps the EMH botches an operation but, when Harry, or whoever, checks his programming, they find signs of tampering.
The Cardassians would not agree to crew integration. Chak would probably be falling over himself to propose it, extra brownie points for being the one to go to China. She would play the long term con. She is ultimately all about Seska first, Cardassia is just a tool. She still needs to figure out how to come out on top 70 light years from home, how to be the one with the power.
I think it would depend on how many of them had survived. Do you think they'd have had as much trouble integrating with the Maquis as vice versa? Which side would be most likely to re-ignite the conflict? Which could certainly undermine his authority in the eyes of his former crew; seeming to forgive Tuvok so quickly, seeming to get back into the Starfleet flow of things so quickly, seeming to agree with Janeway's (as opposed to Torres') moral compass so quickly, and then seeming to make peace with the enemy. Yes, I imagine so. If Gul Evek already knew, would he be inclined not to show his hand? That's probably true. But, if she played her cards right, even after joining the Kazon, she might be able to reap a few more Michael Jonas seedlings from amongst the Cardassian crew.
That's an interesting thought about a Cardassian ship also getting stranded. There would not be crew integration but maybe some cooperation. But the Cardassians would probably have wanted to trade technology with the Kazon so there would be some irreconcilable differences. The people who died in the first episode were only there to die and be replaced, if they did not die the main characters would just have been starting trouble in the background and the Doc would have never been turned on. Or if he was, it would have been only for short term use in emergencies as he was originally intended.
It would be great dramatic irony if Cavit survived, but he and others were so frustrated by how readily Janeway accepted the Maquis that they ended up wanting to leave the ship instead, feeling perhaps that Janeway had strayed too far from Starfleet values. Given some of her actions in episodes such as "Equinox" and her dismissal of concerns expressed over such actions, I think it could be argued that Cavit might have a point. Heck, if things evolved otherwise "Equinox" could have been a situation where Voyager encounters a ship that's done a better-perceived job of holding up Starfleet ideals under stress than Voyager itself has.
With Cavit alive, we could have gotten the XO/First Officer situation. I'm not aware what the difference between those two positions is in Star Trek, but Chakotay could have been installed as the lower one.
I'm not exactly fluent in all Treks but could anyone vouch Cavit had the dumbest death? It was embarrassing. Kim barely grabbed a console, he should have been flying and it's like Cavit-grab the pole or something! Don't turn a corner to hop into a chair with no seat belt...sheesh. Anyway, it was embarrassing for that reason and because the guy looked like he was falling into a ball pit at chuck cheese.
What if Gul Evek's ship was also caught in the displacement wave? Beach party fun for everyone? I think they would have used Seska in an attempt to stage a coup, but would have quickly been beaten back, possibly taking refuge with the Kazon and continued to be adversaries. Perhaps there would have been a couple of cooperative Cardassians who would have stayed with Voyager. One of them could have made a fine main character. If there would have been a merging of three crews, then problems might have arisen whether Voyager can shelter so many people. What if Cavit survived? Hmmm... I could imagine Janeway appointing Chekotay to a sort of "advisory position", a Marquis liaison who's there to act as the voice of the Marquis part of the crew (kind of like Troi in TNG was originally conceived to act as the voice for the civilian crew) Likely they would have just installed a third seat in the centre of the bridge and Cavit and Chekotay would have been permanently on each others' throats. What if Stadi survived? I would have liked to see another Betazoid (especially one who wasn't in a caregiver position or a sociopath) I am sure Stadi could have helped with Kes' training. Tom? Why he becomes a full-time nurse, putting him with Kes into the sickbay to facilitate their budding romance. What if the medical staff survived? I would be very happy. We didn't see much of the original doctor, but to me he seemed less of an a**hole than the EMH (well it's difficult not to be) Plus it would have spared us "Author Author" which alone would have been worth it (imo) And who knows maybe the original doctor wouldn't have been a complete creeper for Seven. Not thrilled about the Vulcan nurse through, I prefer Kes to her. What if Chakotay had died in the colision with the Kazon ship, or on the railings in the Ocampa city? I think disorganized and leaderless they might have accepted to join Janeway's crew even more readily. As for who would have become their spokesperson. Well B'Elanna was the other main character from the Marquis, so likely it would have been her. Other than that, I can see Seska exploiting the power vacuum and assuming that position eventually leading to all sorts of shenanigans further down the road. What if they'd used the Caretaker's station to get back home? There wouldn't have been a series.
B'elana would have never taken the leadership position, as of the first episode she was too impulsive and violent. I think Seska using the opportunity to manipulate her way into power is a more likely scenario, only she would have waited for an opportunity to take Voyager.
If the Cardassian ship were in good shape (but Gul Evek was dead), and Voyager was damaged beyond repair, what then?
B'Elanna died in early season one and was replaced with a transporter clone. Seska could have taken the ship whenever she wanted to, but after that, she wouldn't have had the crew to run Voyager.
Seska is clever, she would have figured out a way to reproduce the Doctor with tweaks. The ship would be run by dozens of Emergency Ensign Holograms. Except for the really dirty jobs, she would have had a few Chak holograms to do those.
The Federation and Cardassia were allies at the time. Seska's behaviour was unwarranted on a political & professional level. It all came down to personal animosity.