From: runyan@cup.hp.com (Mark Runyan)
Subject: Re: TNG Grade Report: "Rescals"
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 17:31:05 GMT
Organization: HP, Cupertino, CA, USA
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.8 PL6]

Michael Rawdon (rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu) wrote:
: Spoilers for the TNG episode "Rascals"...

>1) That the Klingons have "surplus" starships that renegade Ferengi can just
>   go to buy (at their local K-Marts as blue light specials, maybe)?

Consider the following points known from the show.
 1) During the civil war, there were various factions that might have
    been in need of money to improve their position.  While selling a
    Prell class B.O.P.  doesn't make sense in a war, the concept of
    "loan" and "honor" comes into play.  Some set of Klingons that were
    on the wrong side could well have gotten a `loan' from the Ferengi
    and, upon losing, have had to sell their ships.
 2) The Ferengi have found ways to capture and refurbish Federation
    ships (e.g. Stargazer)
 3) The Federation keeps a `boneyard' of ships (including an old D7,
    if I remember the scene) from which we know several ships are now 
    missing and we know the Ferengi were in that area.

>2) That such ships would be able to overwhelm the Federation flagship in a
>   matter of minutes?

 If the Federation ship is
  1. Unprepared for an attack from allies,
  2. Facing Klingon ships that have been "improved",
  3. Is not prepared for hostile attack

 The Enterprise was crippled much quicker in "Peak Performance" by a
 Ferengi attack craft.  It should come as no surprise that two Klingon
 ships overhauled with Ferengi weaponary could stop the Enterprise.

>3) That Riker is such an awful captain and the officers and crew so
>   incompetent that in a pitched battle they are unable to get off more than
>   one phaser shot at their assailants?  (I mean, I know TNG's philosophy
>   is "all talk, no action", but this is ridiculous!)

 Yes, but he may have been thinking of the "Picard Maneuver" (i.e. these
 are our allies and when they finally stop shooting and ask for surrender,
 I will and *then* we'll find out what the hell is going on).  Wrong thing
 to do in this instance, since it *wasn't* the Klingons doing the
 attacking.  Hindsight is wonderful, ain't it?
 On the other hand, if they were Klingons, fighting back and winning may
 have been a bad idea.

>4) That the interior defenses of the Enterprise are so inferior that they
>   can't ward off the Ferengi invaders, or at least put up a good fight?

 Reasonable point (no rationalization I know of for why Worf missed).

>5) That the Ferengi would for some reason keep the children on the ship,
>   rather than sending them down to the planet?  They could be as easily
>   executed there, after all!

 1) The intent was not to execute the children, it was to use them as
    hostages to force the adults to work in the mines.
 2) Later, the children might be used to work the mines, but I doubt
    the Ferengi knew what to do about them.  They mentioned they didn't
    bring their young on space missions, implying they seem to have
    a different viewpoint about young than humans.  Confining them to
    the ship rather than forcing them into the primitive conditions
    of a "profitable" mining camp might make sense from their alien
    point of view.

What, no complaint that the famous Ferengi power-whips weren't used? :-)

Mark Runyan  {r.a.s. random rationalizer}
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current