@at Quark's I think @Spot261 comment was aimed at the fact it's another 'how do they buy this and that without money' discussion and wasn't aimed at anyone in particular.
How to get a ship?
- Thread starter Rayleo02
- Start date
I feel you'd probably have to work your way up, like starting as a crewperson with a skill, and you'd be promoted on merit when openings come around, and you may eventually inherit one from your captain when she or he feels you're ready and they'd like to retire.
The economy of the future is very different, but it does still exist--why else would someone want to procure a cargo ship in the first place? There is the Federation Credit, a monetary system that has been mentioned across numerous series. For all we know if someone wants to procure a ship, the go to the Federation Credit Bank and apply for the funds needed to buy a ship of their own, then the new ship captain pays the bank back out of the profits they make from their freight runs. After the loan has been paid off then whatever they make is all theirs to keep and invest in their business.
Yup, my "oh no" was about yet another go around the old "money in the 24th century" mulberry bush, the comment being s non specific observation.
It is hard for us to imagine how anything would work without money because we rely on money now. It's s been said that people THINK a different way and i think that's something we can't relate to.
In the 23rd century there are Vulcan merchants. Spock pretended to be one on the Organian's world. It must have been common enough to use as a ruse among Klingons. And of course Baron Grimes was out there selling weapons to whomever. These aren't quite the same as nearly-generational ships the ECS used, but they clearly did have long-distance dealmakers still establishing trade.
Seems quite a plausible method to me.
That might get you the ship (assuming there are no parts that are "unreplicatable" for some reason) but wouldn't get you any antimatter for the warp drive. We know they can't replicate that easily or Voyager wouldn't have had any issues. The TNG Tech Manual suggests they use replicator/transporter tech to "flip" regular deuterium into anti-deuterium, but it's energy-intensive and can really only be done efficiently if you have a large solar collector array near a star to provide the power. Regular starships can convert some of the deuterium they have aboard (or ramscoop) to antimatter but at such low ratios (and they need to be AT warp to collect enough deuterium if ramscooping) that it's not viable as a fuel-replacement strategy.
Ayup - "I've got a trade route mapped out and contacts established, plus a crew of five signed up, we just need a ship. Warp 5 capable for perishables and the distances involved. Cargo capacity of 600 metric tonnes. Here are the details."
Three weeks later.
"Approved. Ship is ready at Earth Station McKinley, your pilot's qualifications check out and you've been registered with the Federation Trade Authority and Civil Space Registry. Safe travels."
Spock - "I will barter the Life and times of Surak for Organian whisky, no monetary exchange is required."
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