From: v070p6nd@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Anthos)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: Riker/Troi relationship
Summary: A miserable civilian...
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:41:00 GMT
Organization: SUNY at Beefalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep15.092014.21396@nntp.uoregon.edu>, eisimps@cie.uoregon.edu (Eileen Simpson) writes...
>In article <r!ynq4j.obrien@netcom.com> obrien@netcom.com (Robert O'Brien) writes:
>>eisimps@cie.uoregon.edu (Eileen Simpson) is attributed to having written:
>> 
>>>Other than the need to meet Fleet Standard Cleavage requirements, why *are*
>>>there Betazoids on star ships?  They can't catch spies or discover liars or
>>>much else of value.  Their primary purpose is stating the obvious.
>>
>>
>>somebody, please shoot me!  I'm about to defend Lawaxana Troi!   
>>
>>"..can't catch spies or discover liars.."
>>
>>She didn't have much trouble with Mick Fleetwood and his partner "fish creature"
> 
>Ah!  Yes, but that character is not a Starfleet officer, nor does she serve
>aboard starships  (she just shows up to be a pain).  Deanna didn't notice
>the problem at all.  
Pardon me...maybe I can help clear this up a little.
	Troi is Half-Betazoid, resulting in her only having empathic abilities
(i.e. "I sense pain.","I sense releif","I sense a wave of nausea sweeping across
the viewing audience every time I say a line like this", etc.). Full Betazoids
have full telepathic abilities (for an extreme case, see the episode with the
'Tin Man').  Deanna couldn't tell, because the thought "I am an assassin" is not
an emotion.
	As for why Troi is even on the Big E, that's simple.  As was said, Troi 
is a Starfleet officer.  The Enterprise IS a Starfleet vessel, of a type where
it might be necessary to have a extremely well qualified SHIP'S COUNSELOR (I 
think that title sound familiar) to handle Emotional problems from a crew
consisting of both Starfleet and non-Starfleet personnel.  Troi is characterized
as an exceptional counselor, who uses her empathic abilities to help her under-
stand her patients' problem (how they Feel).  She is on that vessel because she
is the Starfleet officer assigned to fill the position of ship's counselor for
the Enterprise, NOT because she is a Betazoid.
	Next you may ask "Then why is she on the bridge, instead of helping
patients?"  Answer(s): 1. Picard wants her there so that she can help advise
him and she is very good at telling when an advisary is bluffing (When you bluff
you act, emotionally, in a certain manner <apprehension, insecurity, etc.>). 
2. Most of the people on the ship are emotionally stable enough to handle their
little problems.  3. She isn't always on the bridge, and she does have an 
where she deals with 'patients' (I remember the office from an episode with
Barclay).

I hope this clears things up a little.


BTW, what other starships have Betazoids?  You make it sound like they are on
all starships.  As far as I know, there is only one Betazoid (followed in 
her father's footsteps),as is there only one Klingon (Starfleet officer
 =(almost)= warrior), and one android. (Just like Spock was the only Vulcan).


Anthos, the Grey Knight, High Preist of Minikar, God of Chaos, Horrible Puns,
                                                  and Extremely Bad Form
================================================================================
Across time and space/ The grey knight cometh/ With dragons to rape/
Madiens to slay/ Castles to sack/ Towns to pillage/ Quarterbacks to plunder

Oh, how I am confused!
===========I wish this was a .sig so I wouldn't have to type all this===========