What, you think Sisko and Garak are going to chat about Vreenak over a beer and a kanar at Quarks? No. They're going to talk about it absolutely never and take the secret to the grave with them, probably with the strong encouragement of Starfleet Command. Sisko is going to have to live with it, without even help from a counselor or Dax. So's Garak, but he's used to living with deep dark secrets.
Consequences
- Thread starter Dee1891
- Start date
I could see an argument that even if the Romulans later figured out that Sisko manipulated them into the Dominion War, they wouldn't openly react or acknowledge it.
One of the big aspects of the Romulans we've seen is pride. For the Romulan government to admit they were outsmarted by a Federation that their propaganda portrays as weak and stupid wouldn't fit with the narrative that their empire sells to the people. To admit that potentially thousands or millions of Romulan soldiers died because of a lie would undermine the image of their government's power.
Beyond that ...
-The Tal Shiar was onboard with an attack on the Founders from the beginning. Whether that was pushed along by the changeling infiltrator or legitimately represents a consensus within the Tal Shiar, there would probably be members of the Tal Shiar looking for reasons to avenge what was done to their colleagues. So Sisko's and Garak's manipulations found a group probably already looking for ways to justify an offensive against the Dominion, and there may be members of that group that don't even care if the information was true or not as long as it supported their position.
-Sloan states that after the Dominion War the Federation and Romulan Star Empire will be the only true superpowers capable of projecting influence across the Alpha Quadrant. If true, the Romulans' involvement in the war served their interests, and there were probably elements within the Romulan government pushing for an intervention in the war even before Sisko assassinated the senator.
-Section 31/Starfleet Intelligence had a mole within the Romulan government. It's possible that he helped push this lie along if Section 31 figured out what was going on.
One of the big aspects of the Romulans we've seen is pride. For the Romulan government to admit they were outsmarted by a Federation that their propaganda portrays as weak and stupid wouldn't fit with the narrative that their empire sells to the people. To admit that potentially thousands or millions of Romulan soldiers died because of a lie would undermine the image of their government's power.
Beyond that ...
-The Tal Shiar was onboard with an attack on the Founders from the beginning. Whether that was pushed along by the changeling infiltrator or legitimately represents a consensus within the Tal Shiar, there would probably be members of the Tal Shiar looking for reasons to avenge what was done to their colleagues. So Sisko's and Garak's manipulations found a group probably already looking for ways to justify an offensive against the Dominion, and there may be members of that group that don't even care if the information was true or not as long as it supported their position.
-Sloan states that after the Dominion War the Federation and Romulan Star Empire will be the only true superpowers capable of projecting influence across the Alpha Quadrant. If true, the Romulans' involvement in the war served their interests, and there were probably elements within the Romulan government pushing for an intervention in the war even before Sisko assassinated the senator.
-Section 31/Starfleet Intelligence had a mole within the Romulan government. It's possible that he helped push this lie along if Section 31 figured out what was going on.
"IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT" functions very well precisely because only Sisko and Garak know all the details of this operation. I agree that the franchise does have a tendency to bring something up and drop it immediately, but in this case... a HIGHLY classified operation during wartime that basically no one is supposed to know about... not only is it justified, but is actually realistic.
And the way it was directed, with Sisko undressing as he goes further into detail and baring his soul and his crimes, was one of the best little touches of this episode.
That log entry Sisko does is supposed to not sit well with anyone, and even he has to learn to live with the consequences within himself.
You're trying to tell me that the genetically engineered Doctor didn't figure it all out in real time, and then bury his head in the sand?
The only thing Bashir had any knowledge about in the episode was the biomimetic gel order from Sisko, but he didn't know where it wasgoing or to who, and the attack on Quark by Tolar.
But neither incident could possibly be connected, especially since the attack occured earlier in the episode.
Remember, according to Sisko at the beginning, it's been two weeks. The attack and the gel order could easily have been a few days apart.
We as the audience know, but these are really unrelated events to an outsider. Especially since Bashir would not know about the security arrangements Worf made for Vreenak's appearance. He didn't have enough information to piece things together.
But neither incident could possibly be connected, especially since the attack occured earlier in the episode.
Remember, according to Sisko at the beginning, it's been two weeks. The attack and the gel order could easily have been a few days apart.
We as the audience know, but these are really unrelated events to an outsider. Especially since Bashir would not know about the security arrangements Worf made for Vreenak's appearance. He didn't have enough information to piece things together.
Bashir is a super intellect.
The point of a super intellect, is that it makes regular intellects seem ineffectual by comparison.
He should be able to figure out more from less.
In “Statistical Probabilities” (the episode with the “Jack Pack” of genetically engineered group that analyze data to make predictions about future events), both Bashir and the group claim that the Romulans joining the war on the Federation’s side and a revolt by the Cardassians against the Dominion are “unlikely” events. Also, they claim that if the Federation surrenders, a new stronger Federation will be born on Earth down the line after years of Dominion subjugation. However, “Sacrifice of Angels” implies that the Dominion would have probably eliminated Earth’s population if they had won the war.
The series showed there were limits to Bashir’s genetically engineered intellect and the ability to piece together what was happening. Also, this is Garak’s plan, and Garak knew Bashir enough and how to dance around the truth with Bashir to raise suspicion without giving away his secrets.
A super intellect does not magically make him able to draw correct conclusions from no data.
It allows them to draw conclusions from data a normal intellect would not consider data.
So Bashir either did not twig, or he twigged and decided to do nothing, or Juluan twigged and did ”something" that we were not privileged to know about.
Maybe I'm not saying that he definitely figured it out, but he should have... Seriously have you seen Sherlock?
Would you rather have a troubled conscience and a free quadrant, or a clean conscience and enslaved people?
Seriously, no, I have not. I have seriously read some of the Arthur Conan Doyle books, and some of the deductions are quite clever... and others are ridiculously improbable.
You seem to want Bashir to leapfrog Sherlock and go right to 60s TV Batman solving Riddler's latest clue level deduction...
sherlock is just insanity powered by residual heroin flaking off his deer stalker.
Julian had his brain modified by drugs and surgery until it was stronger, better and faster.
Simple fact.
Julian Bashir is an infallible lie detector.
A base line unmodified human being can't lie to Doctor Bashir successfuly.
Sisko lied poorly.
Unless Jules had something better to do, he should have gotten to the bottom of that lie because Bashir is a meddling busy body nosey parker pill.
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The CMO of a space station near the front lines of an interstellar war? No, I'm sure he has tons of free time to look into conspiracy theories...
The following week (DS9 His Way) Julian get's his Vic Fontaine "toy" or maybe Julian got his Vic Fontaine Hologram toy during In The Pale Moon Night, and that's why he was off his game, ignoring current day spyshit because he was distracted smoking cigarettes with a lounge lizard?
Me thinks Julian got a HUGE amount of down time?
I used to watch that show... I think if Batman put together everything he pulled out of his utility belt just when he needed it they'd weigh about a ton.
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