Logline

Commander Una Chin-Riley faces court-martial along with possible imprisonment and dishonorable dismissal from Starfleet, and her defense is in the hands of a lawyer who’s also a childhood friend with whom she had a terrible falling out.


Written by Dana Horgan

Directed by Valerie Weiss

  • Value Subtracted@startrek.websiteOPM
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    1 year ago

    DS9 said that genetic modification was still allowed for the treatment of serious illnesses. So it doesn’t make sense for all permanent genetic modification to be banned.

    The franchise is fairly consistent about genetic enhancements (i.e., augmentation) are illegal, while medical procedures are not. The Darwin station is the biggest outlier.

    • kingofmadcows@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      TNG overall never said anything about the Federation or Starfleet being against genetic modification. It wasn’t just Darwin Research Station. They didn’t say anything about it in “Masterpiece Society” either.

      Dr. Bashir I Presume was the first episode that any kind of ban was ever brought up. They didn’t even say anything about a ban in “Space Seed” or “Wrath of Khan.”

      Also, when Torres was pregnant in Voyager, she wanted the Doctor to modify her baby to remove Klingon traits and no one said it was illegal.

      • Value Subtracted@startrek.websiteOPM
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        1 year ago

        They didn’t say anything about it in “Masterpiece Society” either.

        That colony wasn’t a member of the Federation, though.> Also, when Torres was pregnant in Voyager, she wanted the Doctor to modify her baby to remove Klingon traits and no one said it was illegal.

        Also, when Torres was pregnant in Voyager, she wanted the Doctor to modify her baby to remove Klingon traits and no one said it was illegal.

        One could argue that’s not an augmentation.

        • kingofmadcows@startrek.website
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          1 year ago

          That colony wasn’t a member of the Federation, though.

          But they have discussions about it in the episode and no one brought up any laws about it. Picard even says he disapproves of it personally but says nothing about it being banned.

          One could argue that’s not an augmentation.

          From Dr. Bashir, I Presume: “DNA resequencing for any reason other than repairing serious birth defects is illegal.”

          The Doctor specifically said that many of the modifications Torres wanted to make had nothing to do with the baby’s health.

        • majicwalrus@startrek.website
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          1 year ago

          He was not under investigation for being genetically modified. I think a key aspect of this episode and that episode is that Julian and Una were both under investigation for concealing their status as genetically modified. Neither of them faced any penalty for having the modifications done.

          It is only Mr. Bashir who is punished for seeking out and obtaining genetic modification for his developmentally delayed child. Being genetically modified isn’t a crime and I don’t think it was ever depicted as such - but having a genetic modification done is a crime. And having one done on you prevents you from joining Starfleet in some cases. Although for all we know Ilyrians are given exception to genetic modification rules as long as they’re honest about it, but no human has ever gotten an exception so Julian lied to protect his parents and to ensure he’d get into Starfleet.

          • The Gay Tramp@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            Una’s testimony included a statement that her 10-year-old friend was arrested along with his parents

            • Mezentine@startrek.website
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              1 year ago

              Which is insane. Its not my biggest problem with this episode but the revelation that the Federation has had like…violent pogroms against augments with children being arrested and what sounds like ghettos is incredibly bad? Its presented as an example of how “unfairly” augments have been treated, but that’s not unfair treatment, that’s like borderline genocidal. It puts a way darker spin on the Federation than I think the writers were intending, like I don’t think even DS9 in its attempts to deconstruct utopia ever implied anything half as monstrous.

              • cornofear@startrek.website
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                1 year ago

                My interpretation is that since the planet had just been granted provisional Federation membership, basically the same local government was in charge.

        • kingofmadcows@startrek.website
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          1 year ago

          Which actually contradicts a TNG episode where the Federation had an entire research facility dedicated to creating genetically enhanced children with super powers like immunity to disease, telekinesis, and rapid maturity.