Galactic Controversy?

[Mr Silver]

In TSFS, Admiral Morrow says something along these lines

"In your absence, Genesis has become a subject of Galactic Controversy, consider it a Quarantined Planet and a forbidden topic"

Now given the so called "Galactic Controversy" wouldn't it have been better for the Federation and Starfleet to post more than just one lowly Science Ship to the Mutara Sector?

Given that the Klingons took advantage of the lax of security, it kind of makes out that the Federation was negligent in its responsibilities, now don't get me wrong, I can understand the reasons for story purposes, but for "In-Universe" purposes, why would they do this? After all the least the Federation should have done is posted a heavily armed Escort Squadron and maybe even a Research Station, akin to Regula 1 in orbit

Thoughts?

 

[UssGlenn]

It was probably a political decision. with the different theories about what genesis was built for among the public and other powers (ultimate weapon, attack base etc.) the last thing they wanted was to make it look heavily armed. Hence, one Oberth class ship. They are saying "See it's just a science project".

 

[SchwEnt]

In TSFS, Admiral Morrow says something along these lines

"In your absence, Genesis has become a subject of Galactic Controversy, consider it a Quarantined Planet and a forbidden topic"

Now given the so called "Galactic Controversy" wouldn't it have been better for the Federation and Starfleet to post more than just one lowly Science Ship to the Mutara Sector?

Given that the Klingons took advantage of the lax of security, it kind of makes out that the Federation was negligent in its responsibilities, now don't get me wrong, I can understand the reasons for story purposes, but for "In-Universe" purposes, why would they do this? After all the least the Federation should have done is posted a heavily armed Escort Squadron and maybe even a Research Station, akin to Regula 1 in orbit

Thoughts?

Probably so. I once read an assertion that the Reliant/Grissom roles should have been reversed.

In TWOK, a ship is conducting surveys for a lifeless planet.
No Genesis Device aboard, no real databank info on the Genesis Project. Just scouting around, conducting surveys without any real threats. Sounds like a job for Grissom, but Reliant got the job.

In TSFS, the Genesis Planet is being explored. Also, the planet and sector are under quarantine. Security issues at stake, as well as science operations to conduct. Sounds like a job for Reliant (can conduct science surveys as well as enforce a security quarantine). But Grissom got this job instead.

Kinda ass-backwards, it seems.

 

[Timo]

Our heroes tend to use "galactic" all too often to describe the petty bickerings in their little corner of the Milky Way. It wouldn't surprise me if the controversy here was largely UFP-internal, and if sending an unarmed survey vessel was the only compromise the fighting factions within UFP government and Starfleet could reach.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Our heroes tend to use "galactic" all too often to describe the petty bickerings in their little corner of the Milky Way.

Isn't that more of a TNG era recont then a TOS era factor?

 

[KingstonTrekker]

Using the term "galactic" is a way to dumb things down for the movie going public.

 

[SchwEnt]

Perhaps "galactic" was being used as a superlative.

A "galactic controversy", as in...
"an immense controversy" or "a gigantic controversy".
You know, the way we might speak of an "astronomical cable bill" or a "stellar performance".

Of course, using "galactic" in that way is iffy considering, you know, the Federation and Star Fleet and everybody ARE all across the galaxy.

 

[Timo]

Isn't that more of a TNG era recont then a TOS era factor?

Even in TOS, it was clear that most of the galaxy was wilderness waiting to be explored, full of dangers that were not under UFP control. Whenever our heroes spoke of galaxy-spanning missions (say, "The Cage" or "Alternative Factor"), it thus sounded like exaggeration there already.

Going outside the galaxy upped the ante further, and was never quite achieved by our heroes, or by anybody they knew. If they managed to cross the famed barrier, they found nothing on the other side before they had to return.

This in mind, I wouldn't call it a retcon when TNG and other spinoffs tried to be more explicit about humans still huddling around Earth, only loitering across a few thousand lightyears in the usual case.

I guess our UFP characters would be facing certain vocabulary issues due to the nature of the "us" and the "them" in their daily lives. If a crisis is "interstellar", it doesn't necessarily sound as if it pitted Feds and Klingons against each other - because the Feds are already an interstellar entity all by themselves. Vocabulary might well evolve to describe Andorians vs. Tellarites as an "interstellar" conflict, then, and Feds vs. Klingons as "galactic", without any need to involve Founders or Kelvans in the latter mess.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr Silver]

I myself don't consider the "Galactic Controversy" to mean just that, My impression is that "Galactic Controversy" implies that "Project Genesis" has become an issue of "Galactic Proportions" within the various Governments in the Alpha Quadrant

My point in the OP was trying to figure out why such an issue of importance would be supplied with a lowly, basically Defenceless Science Ship and not an entire Squadron of Ships and maybe even a Space Station (surely the importance and potential danger of the issue would require Starfleet and indeed, The Federation to protect the Sector)

I think it goes beyond an internal conflict (with the Federation), considering the Klingon's knew something about the Project (to motivate them into acquiring more data), the Romulans would likely be aware of it as well, considering Romulan Ambassadors were common place in the late 24th century and we know from TVH that the Federation Council openly debated the issues of the Project in their meetings (perhaps to the point they decided to Quarantine the Sector and issue the Law forbidding Federation Citizens of openly discussing Genesis and its Project)

We can assume that at least the following governments all had more than basic knowledge of Project Genesis and the surrounding events...

Vulcan (UFP)
Klingon
Romulan

Now consider that both the Klingon and Romulan governements at this time were openly hostile with each other and indeed, the Federation, its likely they would have discussed their knowledge with their own "allies", thus leading to information leeking beyond the Federation and its Opposition to Neutral parties

The question remains....Knowing that "Project Genesis" had become common, yet controversial knowledge throughout the Alpha/Beta Quadrants, why did the Federation not better protect the "Mutara Sector"? (after all, we saw how easy it was for a Klingon Renegade to breech Starfleets defenses and take position on the Planet and we know that in the wrong hands "Project Genesis" could be used to create a WMD)

 

[Timo]

Genesis appeared to be within impulse range from Regula I, which in turn was within quick warping range from Earth. If that location became controversial, all the UFP would need for protection would be what it already does for protecting Earth!

Kruge only got as far as he did because he was operating an invisible ship. It's a bit like a science experiment on an island a bit south of Memphis going horribly wrong, and a Russkie minisub suddenly turning up in the Mississippi to kidnap the scientists and sink their survey boat... The Navy could hardly have imagined it necessary to send an ASW destroyer up the river to protect the controversial island!

Timo Saloniemi