Spoilers Star Trek: Short Treks 1x03 - "The Brightest Star"

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Discovery' started by Commander Richard, Dec 5, 2018.

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Rate the short…

  1. 10 - Brilliant!

    16.9%
  2. 9

    27.0%
  3. 8

    24.7%
  4. 7

    19.1%
  5. 6

    3.4%
  6. 5

    4.5%
  7. 4

    3.4%
  8. 3

    1.1%
  9. 2

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. 1 - Dull.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The Ba'ul are native to Kaminar, just like the Kelpiens. And neither race is warp capable. Thus the Prime Directive forbids the Federation from interfering.
     
  2. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    If that wasn't a subspace radio, then Saru could never have accidentally contacted Georgiou, or talked in real time, who may have been light years away when their conversation began.

    If the Ba'ul have subspace radio, then they can scan via subspace for distant planets and passing star ships, which means that they know about the Federation, even if they can't get out into space to meet the Federation... Which no one has said that they can't.

    The Prime Directive has applications for how post warp cultures relate, per the baby crazy robots in Voy Prototype, and maybe the Non Interference Policy mentioned during the Klingon Civil War, which was likely a pseudonym for General Order One.
     
  3. DaveyNY

    DaveyNY Admiral Admiral

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    Is it really a slave race if all they are required to do is grow their own food and live peacefully among themselves?
    "Slave" indicates to me that they would be used in some manner to enrich the Slave Owners in some way beyond filling their belly's.

    I'd think "Cattle Stock" would be a more apt monicker.
    :shrug:
     
  4. DaveyNY

    DaveyNY Admiral Admiral

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    I don't remember this info being stated in any of the episodes, do we know for sure that this is fact?
    The Ba'ul could just as easily be from a neighboring planet in the system and still not be WARP capable.
     
  5. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    We don't know that it isn't. :shrug:

    In any case, I would think that if the Ba'ul were warp capable...why would they need the Kelpiens?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
  6. eschaton

    eschaton Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Because they're tasty?

    Seriously though, it stretches credulity that Saru independently invented a subspace beacon/communicator. Thus the Ba'ul device likely interfaced with subspace already. If the Ba'ul can listen in on subspace transmissions, than even if they don't have warp capability they know about other races and have been culturally "contaminated." Hence the prime directive does not apply to them.
     
  7. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    If the Ba'ul are from another planet in the system, it could be argued that the Prime Directive would still apply, due to the longstanding arrangement they have with the Kelpiens. Both parties enter into it willingly. Who is the Federation to judge otherwise? The Kelpiens know exactly what they're doing.
     
  8. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Georgeiou could have had a larger ship in orbit, and that was just a regular radio transmitter Saru had.

    Subspace bands and hailing frequencies.

    Plural.

    Tom used a 20th century radio telescope to contact Voyager, and Spock did something similar with old timey tech too to contact Enterprise after their communicators were misplaced.

    Just because they know what subspace is, it doesn't mean that they have a good grasp on the technology. They could be restricted to shitty bandwidths or only able to find the lowest frequencies.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
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  9. Timo

    Timo Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Is that even genuine Ba'ul tech? Or does Starfleet (or at least Georgiou's captain and mentor) drop pieces of communications tech on the planet in the hopes somebody would give them an excuse to intervene? I mean, why should Ba'ul ships be dropping bits and pieces, regardless of whether they are starships or mere airships? Helicopters making New Guinea natives go aah/ooh while on their errands to oil fields or even delivering clandestine observers aren't in the habit of shedding tech...

    Timo Saloniemi
     
  10. Noname Given

    Noname Given Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Great - more guttural spitting inbound. (Personally I hope he has the Kelpians 'Moooo'ing more. ;))
     
  11. shapeshifter

    shapeshifter Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Wow, this one really shattered my preconceptions of the predatory nature of the Ba'ul! I give it a ten for opposite thinking.

    I doubt pieces just fall off the assimilator, (which, btw, reminded me of Moses on South Park) there must be more to the story.

    I think the pieces are intentionally left behind as tests to see if anyone becomes smart enough to figure out the puzzle, use it to escape the slaughterhouse.
     
  12. DaveyNY

    DaveyNY Admiral Admiral

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    Someone up thread suggested that perhaps it's not the Ba'ul at all.
    It might be Georgieu or someone else from StarFleet leaving the stuff around and disguising it as Ba'ul tech.
    :shrug:
     
  13. DaveyNY

    DaveyNY Admiral Admiral

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    Here's a thought...,
    What if the Ba'ul aren't even a real species and it's someone like the Romulans or another Alien Race actually taking the Kelpians away.
    That could be another reason why StarFleet is actively engaged in trying to subvert the process.
    Perhaps "Ba'ul" is the name given BY the Kelpians, not knowing the real name of their Overlords.


    Maybe that scene we see in the latest trailer of Saru's sister, is where we find out the 'real' story of what is going on?
     
  14. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    I thought of that, myself. I've also wondered if they might even be other Kelpians or at least a branching species. But then we're getting into Dear Doctor territory, and who wants that?
     
  15. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Or Alien Nation.

    Dear Doctor was about two completely different aliens who descended from different sources. If they were cousins, then they could just intermarry, and bang till they were one species, with no problems, which was still a possibility, given that that was Picard's solution in Up the Long Ladder.

    Arranged marriages and human husbandry.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2019
  16. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    For what it's worth, in the novel about him, Saru seems perfectly capable of eating ordinary Federation fare in the mess hall.
     
  17. DaveyNY

    DaveyNY Admiral Admiral

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    We do see him eating Blueberries at one point also.
    :cool:
     
  18. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    He's probably sick to death of kelp.
     
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