"Message in a Bottle": Missed Dominion War Opportunity?

[DarKush]

A thought came to me about the Voyager fourth season episode "Message in a Bottle". Though I enjoyed the episode as is, I wondered if they missed an opportunity to involve the Dominion. There was like zero repercussions we saw for the Romulans' botched theft of the Starship Prometheus, so making them the villains seemed a waste. Seems to me that this could've been an easy way to include the Dominion (Jem'Hadar, Vorta, or more Cardassians) on a Voyager episode. What do you all think?

Also does anyone know if there were ever plans to have the Dominion on Voyager, or any more VOY/DS9 crossovers than what we got?

 

[NCC-73515]

The Romulans were the closest to the DQ

 

[amp]

I remember reading an old Ronald D. Moore Q&A where he said that DS9 and Voyager basically divvied up different storylines. DS9 got the Dominion, Cardassians, Klingons, etc. Voyager got the Borg and Q.

I believe this was to prevent continuity issues as much as anything. With two different writing staffs they had to be careful of plot points which could affect the other show. Also, they wanted each show to have some uniqueness and not be treading over the same ground.

 

[somebuddyX]

I love this idea a lot. I was never a fan of the Romulans being in this. I can't say it's not Romulan behaviour but it just felt off that they would be this overt about murdering an entire starship crew and stealing some starship. I feel like they'd be smarter or more sneaky, or at least that's what I'd rather have seen if you're going to use them. I guess if there is any time that they would do it it would be right when the Feds are having their asses kicked and it probably lines up with their aggression in things like "Balance of Terror" or threats in "The Pegasus". But if you subbed in the Jem Hadar then you don't worry about those details because they would murder an entire crew without hesitation and regift a starship for their gods.

 

[Finn]

The Romulans were the closest to the DQ

Wasn't it suggested the Jemhadar entered Romulan space and went into Federation space, before the Rommies joined the war?

Personally, I would have gone with Voyager encountering one of the hundred....

 

[Farscape One]

The Dominion would every so often cross into a piece of Romulan territory to hit the Federation, as mentioned by Sisko to Dax when she was being 'Romulan' in "IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT".

I like the idea of Voyager encountering one of the hundred. (Well, 98... take out Odo and Laas.)

 

[Finn]

^97. You forgot that changeling baby Quark acquired and gave back Odo's shapeshifting abilities.

 

[Farscape One]

I actually question that for a couple reasons. What are the odds that another of the 100 ended up so close to where Odo was at, despite getting to Odo by means of Quark buying it off someone else? And I've always felt this was how the Changelings 'forgive' Odo, as she mentions in "BEHIND THE LINES". He was a solid for about half a year, so they send out that infant for the very specific reason of what we end up seeing. Changeling Bashir could very have been the one to get the ball rolling on that one. They give his abilities back and this was the best way.

So I don't think it really was one of the 100, just a new one put for that mission.

 

[Finn]

Wow. That's a new fan theory......

 

[Orphalesion]

Wasn't it suggested the Jemhadar entered Romulan space and went into Federation space, before the Rommies joined the war?

That's because there's no Canon map of the Star Trek galaxy. So everything the writers wanted to use in DS9 could be right next to Bajor and the wormhole.

 

[Finn]

That's because there's no Canon map of the Star Trek galaxy. So everything the writers wanted to use in DS9 could be right next to Bajor and the wormhole.

whut?

Nobody's talking about a map. It's canon that the Dominion has been sending ships into Rommie space so they could sneak into Federation space. No need for that map. It's enough to accept that there was a dominion ship within the supposed area where the events of this episode took place.

 

[Timo]

Then again, nothing would have stopped the writers from using any random culture for "Message in a Bottle" and by that very act establishing this culture as being conveniently spatially positioned for the plot. Perhaps the Tholians live closer to Delta Quadrant than any of the others? Perhaps the Breen do?

But the layout of Star Charts would have been old news to the writers at that point. And the writers of DS9 had already gotten used to looking at a map or two before writing: the studio walls were decorated with an Alpha/Beta map and a map of Bajor for the very purpose. So the upper right corner of a map would already have been "established" as featuring the Romulans, and indeed such maps would make actual appearances in the show at various points.

So I don't think it really was one of the 100, just a new one put for that mission.

Add to the pile of evidence the fact that Quark gave up the baby at a bargain price. That is, he didn't even bother to haggle for profit, instead volunteering to lower the price! Obviously, somebody was paying him to deliver...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Voth commando1]

The romulans and federation were still in a Cold War at the time. And the operation to steal the prometheus(and its recapture) was likely super classified. Cloak and dagger intrigue was ongoing into the dominion war. And the doctor on the Prometheus says as much-the romulans aren’t allies or enemies but rivals.

The dominion is mentioned, but not directly relevant(except that clearly the Prometheus would likely be used in the dominion war). Tech the romulans want and the federation can’t afford to have stolen.

Also it was a long running subplot of Voyager that the romulans had the most interest/contact with the DQ.

 

[Deks]

I actually question that for a couple reasons. What are the odds that another of the 100 ended up so close to where Odo was at, despite getting to Odo by means of Quark buying it off someone else? And I've always felt this was how the Changelings 'forgive' Odo, as she mentions in "BEHIND THE LINES". He was a solid for about half a year, so they send out that infant for the very specific reason of what we end up seeing. Changeling Bashir could very have been the one to get the ball rolling on that one. They give his abilities back and this was the best way.

So I don't think it really was one of the 100, just a new one put for that mission.

Pretty much.
The female Changeling even mentioned to Odo that they forgave him and restored his abilities... which suggests how that young changeling had but 1 function:
to restore his abilities as a changeling when he was in direct physical contact with him. Probably no more than a 'genetic container' (a delivery system).
Everything else was orchestrated by the Dominion via couriers to ensure the container would reach Odo.

 

[Josh Kelton]

A thought came to me about the Voyager fourth season episode "Message in a Bottle". Though I enjoyed the episode as is, I wondered if they missed an opportunity to involve the Dominion.

There were rumors about an episode where Q sends Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant and tries to convince them that they're better off in the Delta Quadrant because the Dominion had won.

http://www.hack-man.com/StarTrek/TREKFAQS/voy.txt
" 16. “Quartered” - Q makes his third appearance as he temporarily brings the Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant, where he tries to convince the crew that the Federation has been defeated by the Dominion and that they’re better off in the Delta Quadrant. This show will celebrate TNG’s 10th anniversary and will feature part of the TNG cast.

 

[at Quark's]

The Dominion instead of the Romulans, hmmmm....

I think we'd get an episode where the EMH annoys the Founders immensely by cheekily insisting that 'if liquid is superior to solid, then holographic must be more superior still'.

 

[Swedish Borg]

A thought came to me about the Voyager fourth season episode "Message in a Bottle". Though I enjoyed the episode as is, I wondered if they missed an opportunity to involve the Dominion. There was like zero repercussions we saw for the Romulans' botched theft of the Starship Prometheus, so making them the villains seemed a waste. Seems to me that this could've been an easy way to include the Dominion (Jem'Hadar, Vorta, or more Cardassians) on a Voyager episode. What do you all think?

Also does anyone know if there were ever plans to have the Dominion on Voyager, or any more VOY/DS9 crossovers than what we got?

I am not sure Voyager would have benefited from even more Alpha-Quad involvement.

 

[Voth commando1]

I like the way the episode handled it. The dominion is referenced in the context of Romulan-Federation cloak and dagger games and commando heists.

 

[DarKush]

There were rumors about an episode where Q sends Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant and tries to convince them that they're better off in the Delta Quadrant because the Dominion had won.

http://www.hack-man.com/StarTrek/TREKFAQS/voy.txt
" 16. “Quartered” - Q makes his third appearance as he temporarily brings the Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant, where he tries to convince the crew that the Federation has been defeated by the Dominion and that they’re better off in the Delta Quadrant. This show will celebrate TNG’s 10th anniversary and will feature part of the TNG cast.

Wished we had seen that. When I think about it, VOY had quite a few TNG appearances, more than DS9 (not counting Worf), so I imagine it would've been easy for them to pull it off.

 

[FederationHistorian]

There were rumors about an episode where Q sends Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant and tries to convince them that they're better off in the Delta Quadrant because the Dominion had won.

http://www.hack-man.com/StarTrek/TREKFAQS/voy.txt
" 16. “Quartered” - Q makes his third appearance as he temporarily brings the Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant, where he tries to convince the crew that the Federation has been defeated by the Dominion and that they’re better off in the Delta Quadrant. This show will celebrate TNG’s 10th anniversary and will feature part of the TNG cast.

That would have been an interesting episode to see.

There seem to be quite a few opportunities for the Dominion to appear in VOY, as that link suggests.

"5. “Two Way Mirror” - a complex synchronic mirror universe show that will start in a Voyager show and end with the following week in DS9 show or the other way around."

If there was an interest to display the mirror universe version of the Dominion. Tuvok was already established in the mirror universe, so all that were needed were the rest of the VOY crew.

"8. “The Privateers” - a group of daring alien mercenaries helps Voyager out of a tight spot only to make impossible demands in return."

This may have been meant to been alien of the week, but could have been reworked into being about a group of Jem’Hadar or Vorta that broke away from the Dominion.

"12. “Retaliation” - after a Maquis crew member is killed during an away mission his buddies embark on an unauthorized reprisal action against the assailants."

This story would make sense with the ongoing Dominion War as a backdrop and the assailants were the Dominion themselves. But if the Maquis crewmembers get reprimanded, then it would have to lead into this episode…

"7. “Cascade Clause” - a major Maquis mutiny rocks the entire ship after Janeway relives both Chakotay and Torres of their duties."

And we know that a showdown between the Starfleet officers and Maquis officers never came to fruition outside of being a holodeck program.