Question about Clues

[DonIago]

^That's what makes it especially funny.

Even as a kid I'm pretty sure I guffawed when Wesley was naive enough to claim that Starfleet doesn't lie.

All that was missing was Picard or another one of Our Heroes stage-whispering to Wesley, "...actually, sometimes we do...and now, so did you..."

 

[ThankQ]

I wonder how Picard would explain that to Wesley "Starfleet doesn't lie!" Crusher?

We can canon that away saying that's the black and white understanding of right and wrong of a sheltered, privileged teenager. Or a teenager who has to believe that so he can always maintain the belief (true or not) his dad died a hero's death.

Or both.

 

[Mojochi]

^That's what makes it especially funny.

Even as a kid I'm pretty sure I guffawed when Wesley was naive enough to claim that Starfleet doesn't lie.

I'm struggling right now to remember when he actually said that, but I'm certain it was in the early seasons, that were chock full of a lot of those cringey lines lol

 

[DonIago]

We can canon that away saying that's the black and white understanding of right and wrong of a sheltered, privileged teenager. Or a teenager who has to believe that so he can always maintain the belief (true or not) his dad died a hero's death.

Or both.

"Hey Wes, you're now old enough to hear how your dad -really- died...and boy, is it embarrassing..."

 

[DonIago]

I'm struggling right now to remember when he actually said that, but I'm certain it was in the early seasons, that were chock full of a lot of those cringey lines lol

"Justice"; the one with the scantily clad people and Tasha Yar failing her saving throw vs. due diligence.

 

[Oddish]

I'm struggling right now to remember when he actually said that, but I'm certain it was in the early seasons, that were chock full of a lot of those cringey lines lol

The difference between "cringey" and "awesome" lines is often a matter of individual perspective.

 

[carcinoGeneticist]

I wonder how Picard would explain that to Wesley "Starfleet doesn't lie!" Crusher?

I mean... maybe by explaining that had Starfleet not lied, they'd all be dead?

I've been saying that for years. It makes no damn difference to anyone that he actually follow thru on holding the secret, but if a secret order had instead been given to Data, to keep everyone in the dark UNTIL they're at a safe distance, everything would've been better than fine.

The Paxans go on thinking they got their way. Everybody gets away safely, & the crew can now knowingly better safeguard the planet from further interaction with accidental passersby.

Instead, Picard fully kowtowed & put Data in a very bad position. You'd even maybe expect that to be standard operating procedure for an organization accustomed to first contacts. Surely, part of that is expecting that some of who you'll meet might never have wanted to be met & will take exception to outsiders knowing about them. So you pretend, to the best of your ability, that you can wipe the knowledge of them from the record, so they won't get all belligerent about it maybe

Anyway, I feel like letting all the crew know of the Paxans might not be such a good idea. I get that it was

a pretty shitty Catch 22 to have done to Data

but I kind of think that letting Starfleet have knowledge of the Paxans might result in some other Federation vessel trying to find the Paxans for god only knows what reason, which probably wouldn't go well for them. Then again, maybe I'm just thinking up stuff that doesn't actually matter again lollll :P

"Justice"; the one with the scantily clad people and Tasha Yar failing her saving throw vs. due diligence.

I don't remember that episode but with what I'm hearing about it in this thread, maybe I don't want to. Sounds maybe bad.

 

[DonIago]

I mean... maybe by explaining that had Starfleet not lied, they'd all be dead?

"Starfleet doesn't lie...usually. Most of the time. Sorta."

 

[at Quark's]

"We're Starfleet! We don't lie .... at least not any more than we feel we can justify to ourselves!"

 

[Mojochi]

Anyway, I feel like letting all the crew know of the Paxans might not be such a good idea. I get that it was

but I kind of think that letting Starfleet have knowledge of the Paxans might result in some other Federation vessel trying to find the Paxans for god only knows what reason, which probably wouldn't go well for them. Then again, maybe I'm just thinking up stuff that doesn't actually matter again lollll :P

But that's why you'd formally quarantine the region. Contact has been made & rejected, just as it had been with the Malcorians in First Contact, except with an asterisk, that they'd left on the terms that they're supposed to not recall any of it. So it's also to remain a classified quarantine.

The prime directive thereafter forbids interference. I suppose there's always a chance some lunatic tries anyway, but they'd be in violation & whatever happens to them, as a result, is solely their own fault, & it's likely to be as rare as any other random trespasser thru their region. You'd still more than likely reduce the contact events for the Paxans, which, without them knowing why, would be a benefit to them as much as everyone else.

The way they did leave it, they simply put out a hazard warning about the "wormhole". That's certainly not even a soft guarantee from future interference, & leaves things in a riskier state for future travelers. Plus! They have no clue that's what they just did. They're just blissfully ignorant about the potentially lethal trap still sitting out there, all except Data, who now has to risk himself if ever a probing question gets a little too close to the truth

 

[carcinoGeneticist]

That makes sense Mojochi. I didn't think of quarantining the region as a potential solution.