TNG - Homeward

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

The pertinence of the Prime Directive partly has to do with the fact that it is how matters are handled on an administrative level, in which the bulk of the fleet don't have any bureaucratic wherewithal to handle when remote from HQ.

So what I have learned from a glance at the wiki is that Nikolai is a Federation officer, I'm guessing commissioned more than of the legislative variety, putting him unilateral to that of The Enterprise.

While the berating of him by everybody still might be callous, it's far better than I presumed, that Nikolai was just some random federation citizen that's supposed to know state officiation conduct. It's much different when he has official capacity.

The bearing of the Prime Directive itself doesn't give much reason for The Enterprise to not help the planet physically (to the best of its capacity), though a.) this is tied up as an official envoy, in which the crew is most likely agreeing to this either to i.) get their asses in trouble or ii.) carry it out as clandestine; while b.) they are actually selecting officially a minority of people to survive, and it is by less than officiating circumstances (at the admin level). The crew isn't lambasting him for saving lives (obviously), but specifically for breaking the Prime Directive.

[Frustration]

We're talking about going behind enemy lines to retrieve a highly incriminating and politically incendiary device that could maybe tip balance in a conflict that will exhume billions.

*blinks*

You mean 'inhume', right? Exhuming is digging up graves.

[Frustration]

I'll note that what Nikolai initially wanted to do was build a 'bubble' to hold in atmosphere over a region. Problem is, there's no way the aliens wouldn't eventually notice - and what evidence we have for what would happen when they found out isn't encouraging.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

We're talking about going behind enemy lines to retrieve a highly incriminating and politically incendiary device that could maybe tip balance in a conflict that will exhume billions.

*blinks*

You mean 'inhume', right? Exhume means digging up bodies.

Not in the way I play.

I'll note that what Nikolai initially wanted to do was build a 'bubble' to hold in atmosphere over a region. Problem is, there's no way the aliens wouldn't eventually notice - and what evidence we have for what would happen when they found out isn't encouraging.

So they find out...

[Frustration]

...and some of them kill themselves, the culture of the survivors is forever altered, and they're reduced to exhibits in a country-sized zoo.

[TGLS]

...and some of them kill themselves, the culture of the survivors is forever altered, and they're reduced to exhibits in a country-sized zoo.

I may have misheard the review, but I thought the guy killed himself because he was upset they were taken away from the planet.

[Fianna]

Even if some of them decided to kill themselves, at least they'd have a choice in whether they lived or died. If the Enterprise does nothing, they'd have no choice.

[Frustration]

They can create a working ecology in a giant bubble. The Federation would have to carefully manage everything, like a terrarium.

What, exactly, would be saved?

[TGLS]

What, exactly, would be saved?

A hundred people and their collective experiences?

I think you're missing the point where they all but stated that Nikolai never planned for the dome scheme to go ahead. It existed to clear his conscience/sound out Picard.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

I think Frustration is confusing this episode with a museum caper where Nikolai and the Enterprise are trying to leave behind no clues.

Nobody cares that it isn't carried out perfectly or even with blatant contingencies.

The Prime Directive is an issue on the Federation Administration's end, it's not a very complex matter for the Enterprise itself, as I said.