Families of Red Shirts?

[Crewman47]

There's been episodes in Star Trek where we've had red shirts killed meaninglessly or in accidental situations like Kirk being under the influence of mind control and beaming two crewman into space and the incident where the Defaint had to defend itself against the Lakota which resulted in two crewman being killed.

Today, situations like this would probably be investigated and some families would probably go as far as suing the military, if they could. So how do you suppose Starfleet compensates the families of Red Shirts when situations like this happens?

 

[Sam_I_Am]

I thought you were going to ask what happens to families of 'red-shirts' on ships like the Enterprise-D. Are they just kicked off ship at the next starbase?

 

[The Wormhole]

^^Presumably, yes.

 

[Pauln6]

NuTrek II: the Wrath of Mrs Olsen?

 

[T'Girl]

The families wouldn't sue Starleet, they would sue the Federation, or United Earth (if human).

Remembering the first scene of the episode Court Martial, I would imagine that every death would receive an official investigation, by the first officer or more likely security, it would seem the perfect job for them, investigating deaths. The captain would sign off on the resulting report and it would go "up stairs." Come to think of it, security might have to do some sort of investigation everytime someone uses their phaser, a shooting review board of some kind.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Anyone else thinking of those henchman family scenes in Austin Powers?

It's probably like that.

What would they sue the Federation for in a moneyless society? "In compensation for the death of Lt. Nobody, the Nobody family is awarded an Ambassador-class cruiser". Gee, thanks.

 

[DevilEyes]

Anyone else thinking of those henchman family scenes in Austin Powers?

It's probably like that.

What would they sue the Federation for in a moneyless society? "In compensation for the death of Lt. Nobody, the Nobody family is awarded an Ambassador-class cruiser". Gee, thanks.

It is not a moneyless society. At least not if you want the Federation to make some sense.

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/economy.htm
http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=3812477#post3812477

 

[Nerys Myk]

If I was Kirk I'd lay low. I've a feeling that "sorry your son was turned in to a polyhedron and crushed. But on the upside we gave the aliens that did it their own planet." is gonna sooth any pain.

 

[Sector 7]

It really depends on whether the Federation is a moneyless society or not. If it is not, then they could hire Samuel Cogley to get them a good settlement. He would get them enough to buy a small moon or retirement home. If it is a moneyless society, there is not much compensation to be had.

 

[The Wormhole]

It is not a moneyless society. At least not if you want the Federation to make some sense.

The Federation is a money-less society according to Canon. And as a True Fan, I'm required to accept Canon over logic.

 

[SpyOne]

Well, if the Federation is moneyless, how would you "compensate" anybody?
If the Federation is instead merely "cashless", "greedless", and "wantless", then probably the survivors continue to collect the salary of anybody killed in the line of duty.

 

[DevilEyes]

It is not a moneyless society. At least not if you want the Federation to make some sense.

The Federation is a money-less society according to Canon. And as a True Fan, I'm required to accept Canon over logic.

Not really. Canon is terribly inconsistent on the matter, with as much or more evidence for the existence of money as against it.

Using the analysis on this website:

For:

• Kirk asks Spock, "Do you know how much Starfleet has invested in you?". Spock starts to reply, "Twenty-two thousand, two hun ..." (TOS: "The Apple").
• Cyrano Jones negotiates the price of the Tribbles with the bartender on a Federation space station. The bartender is expected to pay with credits (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles").
• McCoy negotiates with an alien about a transfer to Genesis, and he says he would have enough money for that ("Star Trek III").
• Scotty says that he is going to buy a boat ("Star Trek VI").
• Beverly Crusher buys a roll of cloth, and has her account on the Enterprise billed (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint").
• Four Starfleet starships rally at a planet called Dytallix B, which is said to be owned by the Dytallix Mining Corporation. Dytallix is apparently in Federation space (TNG: "Conspiracy").
• The Federation bids a sum of 1,500,000 Federation credits for the Barzan Wormhole (TNG: "The Price", offer depicted in STTNG: The Continuing Mission).
• It becomes obvious that Dr. Apgar's reason for developing the Krieger wave generator was to sell it to the highest bidder (TNG: "A Matter of Perspective").
• Federation officers have to and are able to pay for drinks and for holosuite usage in Quark's bar (DS9).
• Quark sells his damaged shuttle to a scrapyard, obviously in the Sol system (DS9: "Little Green Men").
• Joseph Sisko is maintaining a restaurant in New Orleans, which is open every evening. Would he be at other people's service just for fun? (DS9: "Homefront", "Image in the Sand").
• Yanas Tigan owns a mining company on New Sydney. Although the planet may not be under Federation jurisdiction, Trill is clearly supposed to be a Federation member (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter").
• Tuvok, together with Janeway, buys a meditation lamp from a Vulcan master who doubles the price when he notices their Starfleet insignia (VOY: "The Gift").

​

Federation credits? What is that but money by another name?

Against:

• Kirk tells Spock about 20th century Earth: "They're still using money. We need to get some." In the same movie, when Kirk is unable to pay in the restaurant, Gillian asks sarcastically, "Don't tell me they don't use money in the 23rd century.", and Kirk tells her "Well, we don't." ("Star Trek IV")
• Picard tries to explain to Ralph Offenhouse from the 20th century that there would be no need for his law firm any longer: "A lot has changed in three hundred years. People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." (TNG: "The Neutral Zone")
• When she asks how much the ship has cost, Picard tells Lily: "The economics of the future is somewhat different. You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century... The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity." ("Star Trek: First Contact")
• When Nog suggests that Jake should bid for a baseball card in an auction, Jake says: "I'm human, I don't have any money." Nog replies: "It's not my fault that your species decided to abandon currency-based economics in favor of some philosophy of self-enhancement." Jake: "Hey, watch it. There's nothing wrong with our philosophy. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity." (DS9: "In the Cards")
• Jake talks to Quark about publishing a book on his life on the occupied station with the Federation News Service. Quark asks, "And they are not paying you?", which Jake confirms (DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited").
• Janeway is visibly not accustomed to using money on the Mari marketplace. She may be just unsure about the value of the alien currency though (VOY: "Random Thoughts").
• Paris says about the significance of Fort Knox: "Well, uh, when the New World Economy took shape in the late 22nd century and money went the way of the dinosaur, Fort Knox was turned into a museum." (VOY: "Dark Frontier")

 

[Gagarin]

And how do people eat at Quark's if they have no money?


Re: topic ---

I can only imagine the pile of paper work that would be needed on a Starship. Kirk might go on landing parties to just get AWAY from the paperwork!

 

[T'Girl]

^^^^
That's what happen to Janice Rand, she didn't leave the ship, she just never got out of her little office.

 

[Orcus]

If I was Kirk I'd lay low. I've a feeling that "sorry your son was turned in to a polyhedron and crushed. But on the upside we gave the aliens that did it their own planet." is gonna sooth any pain.

Especially since their "son" was, in fact, their daughter...

 

[Nerys Myk]

If I was Kirk I'd lay low. I've a feeling that "sorry your son was turned in to a polyhedron and crushed. But on the upside we gave the aliens that did it their own planet." is gonna sooth any pain.

Especially since their "son" was, in fact, their daughter...

I wondered about that, but was too lazy to check.

 

[threeb]

A couple of additions to the "for" column in DevilEyes' list:

Mudd's Women, Harry was trying to set the women up with wealthy dilithium miners
In Devil in the Dark, the miners cooperated with the Horta so they could get rich