So I heard that there were dolphin crew members on the Enterprise D.

[somebuddyX]

I keep imagining the dolphin helm officer trying to whack the console with his flippers or his face or something. Do we have to give them some robot arms now too like Doc Ock?

 

[Nerys Myk]

This stems from the Technical Manual, which has an area called Cetacean Ops. Which would in theory support such lifeforms. it's not a budget constraints thing... well no more than you don't see all 36+ decks built fully. The technical manual is full of weird and wonderful theories and 'what if's to flesh out the universe.

So there was never canon use of them. I think in an episode they may have mentioned Cetacean Ops on an voiceover or something, as s small nod to it. and I think Enterprise E didn't have one, so what the hell happened to them?

Went down with the D.

 

[Kor]

They were sentient dolphins in tanks who were actual crew members, but of course it was just one of the parts of the Enterprise-D that was never seen on screen due to budget constraints.

So I have two questions:

1) Do you think there were other unconventional (non-humanoid) crew members serving on the Enterprise-D?

2) Do you think the dolphin crewmembers wore Starfleet uniforms inside their tanks? I think dolphins wearing uniforms would be really adorable.

I believe this notion was first spelled out in the non-canon TNG technical manual published in 1991. Before that, in "Yesterday's Enterprise" there was a possible background mention of Cetacean Ops, but that was in the alternate reality. And it could have been "station ops." Later in "The Perfect Mate," Geordi mentioned "the dolphins," but didn't say if they were actually crew members or not.

So TNG never did much with this idea at all. But then SeaQuest DSV came along in 1993, taking the concept and running with it.

Kor

 

[Relayer1]

Went down with the D.

Would you like to rephrase that ?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Would you like to rephrase that ?

No. They are horny little bastards

 

[Tribble Threat]

Later in "The Perfect Mate," Geordi mentioned "the dolphins," but didn't say if they were actually crew members or not.

Interesting! In what context did LaForge mention dolphins? What did he say about them, and were they definitely on the ship?

 

[Jayson1]

Interesting! In what context did LaForge mention dolphins? What did he say about them, and were they definitely on the ship?

He was going to show some Ferengi intruders them because they were basically bugging the ambassador guy and Picard wanted to get them out of the way.


Jason

 

[dupersuper]

Well there might be a chance that we see Cetacean Ops in the future. I certainly hope so .

You may get your wish. Apparently the Lower Decks showrunner wants to use it. It's also in the fan made series Clear Skies, but that's just people playing the Star Trek Adventures RPG, so you don't see it.

 

[O'Dib]

To make it worthwhile for dolphins to enlist, they'd need tech that lets them float along the ship's corridors inside water bubbles. Or atop a pair of cybernetic legs.

 

[Orphalesion]

You may get your wish

Yup! And I really hope it will be the case. I just wasn't sure whether directly talking about a show-runner's plans would fall under the "no spoilers" rule

 

[Qonundrum]

What do you all think of this uniform on dolphins?

Needs more tuna stitches around the dorsal section... and that one would be workin' red or mustard much nicer.

Actually, that is seriously cool artwork.

 

[Marc]

No. They are horny little bastards

thought they were dolphins not narwhals.

 

[JaxsBrokenHeart]

Typical early TNG, its not enough they lifted plots and elements from TOS, but then they just had to steal TVH's fascination with sea mammals too.

 

[Orphalesion]

thought they were dolphins not narwhals.

Narwhals don't have horns. They have a spiraled tusk

 

[publiusr]

The uniform makes sense, if it also has a sensor net in it. Not being a fish, they don’t have a lateral line. But with the uniform, they have that and a sensor replica of every aquatic species the Fed ever encountered, plus some transdermal oxygenation from the suit.

There was a painting showing a dolphin in a spacesuit—Sternbach’s I think

 

[Cyfa]

There's an old thread here about Cetacean Ops and Andrew Probert's work on an aquatics lab for Star Trek Online - including a cool illustration.
I've dabbled with two or three cetacean crew members over the years for the Fan Art forum - all wearing some kind of uniform (just for the hell of it), but I think any cetacean crew member would probably only have some sort of band encircling their body (hooked over their flippers to keep it in place) containing sensors and comm badge where they can reach it.

There was a painting showing a dolphin in a spacesuit—Sternbach’s I think

- This one?

 

[Orphalesion]

I keep imagining the dolphin helm officer trying to whack the console with his flippers or his face or something. Do we have to give them some robot arms now too like Doc Ock?

It was the 80s, so obviously the dolphins are psychic and operate the machinery with their telekinetic powers.

 

[publiusr]

I miss Future Life and magazines like it in the late 70’s-early ‘80’s. That was indeed the painting, Cyfa

 

[Ghel]

I'm glad they didn't go that route. This would be a little too Seaquest DSV for my taste. I could see an aquatic alien crewmember, but I think a Terran dolphin would be a bit cringy.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm glad they didn't go that route. This would be a little too Seaquest DSV for my taste. I could see an aquatic alien crewmember, but I think a Terran dolphin would be a bit cringy.

Now I'm picturing a Terran (is in, Mirror Universe) Dolphin