Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2x03 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
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Which makes me wonder why the Department of Temporal Investigations didn't stick their collective time travel noses in that mess and try to fix it?
Maybe in this case they couldn't since it involved the Red Matter black hole? It became a cross-universe, barrier-smashing event that perhaps Temporal Investiagations couldn't detect? So when Ambassador Spock vanished without a trace in 2387 and was later declared dead they never knew for certain it involved time travel and assumed like the rest of the galaxy that Spock died while trying to stop the shockwave from the Romulan supernova?
Yes, I know that by 3189 Kovich in DSC knows that the Kelvin Timeline exists so that partially defeats my argument, but maybe they knew it existed but because of it's cross-universe nature couldn't travel there to correct the damage?
Yes, I know that by 3189 Kovich in DSC knows that the Kelvin Timeline exists so that partially defeats my argument, but maybe they knew it existed but because of it's cross-universe nature couldn't travel there to correct the damage?
Section 3, sub paragraph G of the Temporal Accords states “needs of the plot”.
Well, if one needs an “in-universe” explanation:
The role of DTI is to protect its own timeline. Kelvinverse is a permanent diversion that doesn’t intersect (in fact, drifts further away per Kovacs in DSC), so it poses no threat to the “prime” timeline. Thus no need to “fix” anything.
There's also no guarantee the DTI in Picard's time have the capability of time travel. (At least, not as specific as we have seen done by 29th century agents.) Knowing how they are, at least portrayed on screen, they wouldn't interfere to correct something anyway due to the inherent dangers of doing so.
Which brings up an idea I had about them.
The DTI of the 24th century (and up to whatever time before precise time traveling is perfected) simply report the incidents and have it archived for the express purpose of a future version of the DTI who have the capability of correcting mistakes.
And considering the Krenim had advanced time weapons in the 24th century, perhaps the DTI either works with them or pilfered some of their technology at some point, because even if you send agents back in time to correct something, the DTI in the 'present' would need something to shield them from changes in the timeline, just so they can accurately monitor if a mission was a success or not. Probably ships like the Relativity are equipped with time shields, for lack of a better term.
I know Christopher wrote a couple of DTI novels. (I have never read them.) Perhaps he can chime in how the DTI really functions. (At least, what he's done. It may help us understand the DTI here.)
Which brings up an idea I had about them.
The DTI of the 24th century (and up to whatever time before precise time traveling is perfected) simply report the incidents and have it archived for the express purpose of a future version of the DTI who have the capability of correcting mistakes.
And considering the Krenim had advanced time weapons in the 24th century, perhaps the DTI either works with them or pilfered some of their technology at some point, because even if you send agents back in time to correct something, the DTI in the 'present' would need something to shield them from changes in the timeline, just so they can accurately monitor if a mission was a success or not. Probably ships like the Relativity are equipped with time shields, for lack of a better term.
I know Christopher wrote a couple of DTI novels. (I have never read them.) Perhaps he can chime in how the DTI really functions. (At least, what he's done. It may help us understand the DTI here.)
makes sense.
Well, he knew about it by then but such knowledge could have emerged centuries afterwards, when someone (the temporal agent he mentions perhaps) crossed in the prime universe somehow. And by then they probably were either unsure on how to fix things or decided it was riskier than leaving things as they had been for centuries.
They certainly have time travel *capability* in theory, as there are like at least half a dozen ways to time travel known to the federation by then but if they have precise time travel methods like they do in the 29th century or if their modus operandi involves the use of time travel at all, as opposed to merely investigating on TT incidents, is unknown to us.
Fascinating idea.
Voyager cobbled together a temporal shield under dire conditions, I’m sure that the department has done the same or better.
The USS Relativity from the 29th century had Temporal Shielding technology. Then again, 7 of 9 managed to create Temporal Shields on VOY during Year of Hell (which was subsequently erased when Janeway rammed VOY into the Krenim Temporal ship which caused the Temporal Core to overload).
Its possible that Seven worked with DTI at some point to develop those technologies as the DTI would have deemed the capability useful to shield themselves from changes in the timeline if something goes wrong.
Or the UFP developed this technology independently of Seven's assistance.
The DTI of early 25th century should certainly have the ability to travel through time.
The ENT-E was able to travel back from 2063 by using deflector modifications the Borg used in FC movie. Though for some reason, this 'trick' was conveniently forgotten by the writers, so they opted for the Time Warp method by slingshot around the Sun.
Plus, I think other methods also exist to travel through time... its possible that the early 25th century SF started delving more actively into this field.
I agree that the methods do exist, but most of them involve large scale time travel. (Slingshot a ship around a star, ship goes through a chroniton field like in FIRST CONTACT, etc.) Those methods would involve many people on a ship, and the more people that travel to any time, the greater the chances of mistakes happening. Too many cooks in the kitchen, basically.
Something more singular like how Daniels in ENT traveled. That's what I mean by more precise. Fewer people on a temporal mission, fewer chances for errors or pollution of the timeline.
Regarding Seven helping DTI creating shields... the shielding was created in direct response to the Krenim attacks, which never occured since those events were erased. Since the danger never appeared, DTI may likely never have approached her... or even thought to.
I doubt the DTI even knows about the Kelvin timeline.
From the prime timeline's POV, Spock simply disappeared and was never seen again. Nobody knows where or when he went.
And since the Kelvin timeline didn't overwrite the prime one....what does the DTI care?
Makes me wonder what would happen if, from behind their shields, DTI notices a large unauthorized change to the timeline. However, this change is unequivocally for the better, it's not even a debate. What do they do?
That's actually a very good question. Perfect story point for an episode down the road.
(I can't believe I said that, given how very, very tired I am of time travel stories and how I would LOVE to see a single series not do time travel... AT ALL. But I can't argue the merit of that idea.)
You know, the Eugenics War shift might be just such an event.
If you are referring to Picard season 2, they didn’t necessarily forget. Picard says that “there are cruder means of time travel” (as opposed to Q snapping his fingers), the slingshot manoeuvre is the one they went with but they are clearly aware of other options.
Furthermore, the slingshot had been done with a junk ship like the Bounty, the only time we’ve seen the neutrino surge method they had the big E (and data), maybe it was just easier to pull off in a pinch on a relatively unknown and underpowered ship such as the alternate La Sirena.
Such as? Interesting question anyway.
They let Q do what he does.
You are sitting in your shielded DTI office, there is a flash outside the window and suddenly all the buildings and ships look way cooler. Turns out, the Eugenics Wars just shifted forward 50 years. A census check shows no people seem to be missing, in fact there are a few more. You call your wife, she still remembers you, a few key questions confirm that your personal history is basically intact. As far as you can tell, everything just got a massive technological and aesthetic upgrade. So you think, you know what, I'm just going to let this one slide, and press the "merge into timeline" button.
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