I saw this on Memory Alpha today:http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:ISS_Defiant_plaque_cover.jpg
The "ISS" Defiant
- Thread starter toughlittleship
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But isn't it Imperial Space Ship? Wasn't the empire long gone by then?
^ Exactly. The Terran Empire no longer exists, so the I.S.S. designation would no longer apply. Logically, how can there be an Imperial starship without an Empire?
Unless the Terran Rebellion eventually intends to *restore* the Empire, which I find extremely unlikely.
Unless the Terran Rebellion eventually intends to *restore* the Empire, which I find extremely unlikely.
It would not be in the best interests of the Terran rebellion to give even the faintest impression that they wish to restore the empire. They would not win allies that way; quite the opposite, really.
^
Who is goin' to help 'em? The rebellion is on a station in Bajoran space, surrounded by Klingons & Cardassians!!! And the Romulans are extreme isolationists.
The Defiant in both realities is the most powerful little ship ever, sure, but it can only do so much. Smiley & the others do what they can, but it isn't like their influence is goin' to spread out too much from Terok Nor.
Its kind of like Cuba that way.
Yeah, that's right...I went from rednecks to communists.
Who is goin' to help 'em? The rebellion is on a station in Bajoran space, surrounded by Klingons & Cardassians!!! And the Romulans are extreme isolationists.
The Defiant in both realities is the most powerful little ship ever, sure, but it can only do so much. Smiley & the others do what they can, but it isn't like their influence is goin' to spread out too much from Terok Nor.
Its kind of like Cuba that way.
Yeah, that's right...I went from rednecks to communists.
The rebellion (like all rebellions) needs all the help it can get. Even if it's not particularly likely that they would get help from outside races, it sure can't hurt to ask. And as I said, it would be a bad move for the Terran rebellion to even *hint* that it wants to restore the empire, or that it is in any way like that empire. And it wouldn't be, would it? No one seriously thinks that restoration of the Terran Empire is the ultimate goal?
In the end, though, it all comes down to the fact that you can't have an "Imperial" starship without an empire. It's a simple matter of logic. The term 'Imperial' requires the presence of an empire. That's the whole meaning of the word. No empire, no Imperial!
If they must use a prefix, have it be something like R.S.S. (Rebellion Star Ship) or even T.S.S. (Terran Star Ship).
In the end, though, it all comes down to the fact that you can't have an "Imperial" starship without an empire. It's a simple matter of logic. The term 'Imperial' requires the presence of an empire. That's the whole meaning of the word. No empire, no Imperial!
If they must use a prefix, have it be something like R.S.S. (Rebellion Star Ship) or even T.S.S. (Terran Star Ship).
They might be playing a game of double bluff. They use the ISS designation to appeal to Humans and Vulcans and remind them of past glory and freedom to help stir up home town support but it stands for something else, like "Independent Star Ship" so to sooth those who might not be all that fond of the idea of the Terran Empire returning.
It is also odd that they kept the USS Defiant's registry...that doesn't really seem to have any point. It would have been nice to see them start at NCC-1/01 again or NCC-1764-A, though the latter requires them being able to see the future.
It is also odd that they kept the USS Defiant's registry...that doesn't really seem to have any point. It would have been nice to see them start at NCC-1/01 again or NCC-1764-A, though the latter requires them being able to see the future.
It's possible, but no one who's not privy to that secret could possibly know just by looking at the outside of the ship. All they'll see is ISS, and that will automatically evoke memories of "Imperial Star Ship" and, therefore, the Empire.
Real world answer - it helped keep costs down, so they could use the same ship model.
Its the same reason "special dispensation" was given to rename the USS Sau Paulo the Defiant upon its arrival at DS9 durin' the Final Chapter.
I could actually imagine that someone like Mirror Bashir would try to restore the old Empire in a "we're gonna take back what's ours" kind of way. "Smiley" on the other hand not so much.
^ That's pretty much the plot of the novella "Saturn's Children".
^ Which is an alternate timeline, incompatible with that which has been established by the 'extended continuity' of recent Trek novels. And it seems obvious that the MU arc that has been running through these novels will not be restoring the Empire.
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