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Old 10-05-2007, 04:41 PM
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I think this could make for an excellent, timely (mini-)series.

Could, mind you. In reality the people producing it would almost inevitably screw up pretty badly, of course. But it could work wonders.

Here's the basic premise:

Quote:
"And so the problem is this." Admiral Whitestone had had 84 years of life during which to practice stern expressions, and he seemed to put every day of practice into effect now as he looked each of the officers in the eye. "Very simply, every one of those eight planetoids is showing signs of impending depletion of the vorbium ore deposits."

"Ah. So that means less varbium," said Lubbock, jumping ahead as a bright, attention-paying Starfleet Officer should do.

"Less varbium would be mined, yes," agreed Whitestone, [...] "but as I said, that byproduct can be replicated to some extent. The true problem is the vorbium itself. It is one of those few substances which we still have yet to successfully replicate--in fact, I believe that we have not yet fully understood its structure, correct, Science Officer?"

[...]

"And yet, ironically, vorbium is essential to replicator technology, correct, Chief Engineer?"

"To modern replicator technology, yes." [...] "It's used in the construction process and in repairs to certain criticial components and subsystems. If the Federation were to totally lack any vorbium at all . . . well, sir, our lives would be severely disrupted. To say the very least. The existing replicators could continue to function for as long as they didn't need any repairs requiring vorbium, but after they all broke down we'd be left with prior replicator technology. The difference would be, oh . . . like the difference between modern warp drive and pre-dilithium warp drive that could barely make Warp 4."

"That is perhaps an overstatement, Chief Engineer," Whitestone said, "but you have summed the situation up well otherwise. Certainly there would be many Federation citizens who would agree with you. Vorbium technology has made possible the super-efficient replicators we depend upon today, and without the precision and other qualities those replicators afford, we would be unable to replicate many medicines, biomolecules, nanites, construction materials, experimental chemicals, and much more." A slight pause. "I trust you all understand the potential difficulties this presents us."
Social commentary in Star Trek? Whodathunkit?

Quote:
"[...] We don't expect you to find any vorbium in the sector you will be exploring, but when you take into account that we have only ever detected it in abundance in thirteen planetoids in a grand total of nine star systems, you will understand that we can't afford to miss a single planet where it may be found. Also, you'll be doing a good deal of active scanning in a sector that borders space disputed by a race that, as rumors would have it, is working on a new superweapon."
Potential for big funky technobabble battles in Star Trek? Whodathunkit?
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