I disagree with this
Garak was trying to free Cardassia at all costs
Garak and truthiness in ITPM
- Thread starter Iasius
- Start date
Garak was trying to free Cardassia at all costs
I really enjoy this episode, and I watched it again a few days ago. I know we're not talking about Vreenak, but something struck me again and was a kind of nagging suspicion that I don't think I've heard mentioned. Looking at Sen. Vreenak and how closely he was observing the scene of the Damar and Weyoun discussing the Founders plan, he was looking at and judging the men more than anything else.
What occurred to me was that he was shrewdly judging Sisko as well, just as closely and those in the holo-projection, and Sisko on more than one occasion looked ill at ease, frustrated and uncertain as to how Vreenak was receiving the information. Sisko gave it away. There may not have been a flaw in the recording crystal; Vreenak may have been simply calling the bluff.
What occurred to me was that he was shrewdly judging Sisko as well, just as closely and those in the holo-projection, and Sisko on more than one occasion looked ill at ease, frustrated and uncertain as to how Vreenak was receiving the information. Sisko gave it away. There may not have been a flaw in the recording crystal; Vreenak may have been simply calling the bluff.
From Vreenak's point of view, there's a big problem there: when he "called Sisko's bluff", what did he really learn?
Sisko didn't offer any resistance to Vreenak's "Faaake!". But that's probably exactly what he would do if the recording were genuine (to his best knowledge). There would be nothing further Sisko could do or say to prove that the thing was genuine. Instead, if he did protest, Vreenak would all the more probably start thinking in the "doth protest too much" lines and suspect intentional deception.
So "calling the bluff" didn't win Vreenak anything. He didn't really learn whether Sisko had faked it or not. He only learned that if he continued on his set ways ("Dominion is an ally as solid as lead, and I'm not speaking of holo-lead!"), Sisko and the Federation would not go out of their way to attempt swaying him. Which sort of speaks against the "Sisko faked it" hypothesis, really...
Timo Saloniemi
Sisko didn't offer any resistance to Vreenak's "Faaake!". But that's probably exactly what he would do if the recording were genuine (to his best knowledge). There would be nothing further Sisko could do or say to prove that the thing was genuine. Instead, if he did protest, Vreenak would all the more probably start thinking in the "doth protest too much" lines and suspect intentional deception.
So "calling the bluff" didn't win Vreenak anything. He didn't really learn whether Sisko had faked it or not. He only learned that if he continued on his set ways ("Dominion is an ally as solid as lead, and I'm not speaking of holo-lead!"), Sisko and the Federation would not go out of their way to attempt swaying him. Which sort of speaks against the "Sisko faked it" hypothesis, really...
Timo Saloniemi
If a deflated Sisko did concur, or did not protest, he would know that he, Sisko presented information that he didn't believe in himself. What good is that? Room for doubt.
I'm not pointing to the conclusion necessarily, but to Sisko's confidence, or apparent lack of it before Vreenak actually took the crystal away to inspect it. Vreenak probably weighed all the information available, not only the crystal, but the plausibility of the scene itself, and Sisko's rather ambiguous demeanor. Calling the bluff would be final confirmation if he did not protest.
If he did deem it 'real,' or was uncertain regarding it's authenticity, the next step would be independent confirmation from Romulan sources, and debate in the Senate. That is what Sisko would have wanted. He wouldn't have simply voided the treaty without investigating further.
Geez, when I think about it, Garak's way would have been the only way the thing stood up to scrutiny. Or, is that what Garak said? I'll check that. That may be a(nother) flaw in my thinking.
Garak says that he hoped the data rod withstood scrutiny, but I think we can say Garak's method was the more certain method.
I'm not pointing to the conclusion necessarily, but to Sisko's confidence, or apparent lack of it before Vreenak actually took the crystal away to inspect it. Vreenak probably weighed all the information available, not only the crystal, but the plausibility of the scene itself, and Sisko's rather ambiguous demeanor. Calling the bluff would be final confirmation if he did not protest.
If he did deem it 'real,' or was uncertain regarding it's authenticity, the next step would be independent confirmation from Romulan sources, and debate in the Senate. That is what Sisko would have wanted. He wouldn't have simply voided the treaty without investigating further.
Geez, when I think about it, Garak's way would have been the only way the thing stood up to scrutiny. Or, is that what Garak said? I'll check that. That may be a(nother) flaw in my thinking.
Garak says that he hoped the data rod withstood scrutiny, but I think we can say Garak's method was the more certain method.
Last edited:
Similar threads
