You are the captain...

[Trek Writers Room]

When do we get the next dilemma? Maybe each one should have its own thread, so we can discuss them separately with going back and forth between scenarios.

Good idea. Moving forward I will post them as a separate thread every Thursday. Thanks.

 

[Jedi Marso]

That is basically what happened in SNW's "Among the Lotus Eaters". Except in that case, the crewman was thought to have already been dead.

Another take on this plotline is that the incarcerated crewmember 'goes native', and is released from prison early with the promise that when returned to starfleet, he is going to steal technology and return it to the planet in question, giving them a huge leap in capabilities. A clever writer would let the character succeed, opening up a whole arc and pressing home the point that sometimes a decision made to uphold starfleet's 'values' might have unintended consequences. Even more so if this was an Eminiar / Vendikar sort of situation, and the world in question uses the windfall to eradicate a hostile neighbor.

 

[Will_Carter]

A clever writer would let the character succeed, opening up a whole arc and pressing home the point that sometimes a decision made to uphold starfleet's 'values' might have unintended consequences.

That could make for a fun seasonal arc.

Season opener have the 'going native' crewman get 'rescued' but leave the door open on questionable loyalties without saying as such. Then drip feed bits of that story throughout. Make it so their disappearance is a faked shuttle accident or the like so what happened isn't immediately picked up on. So when Starfleet returns, they now have a fairly sizeable contamination issue on their hands.

To make it even more of an issue. Showcase that the stolen technology and technical knowledge demonstrably improve the lives of those on world, at least those on the side with the thumb on the scale. Show that it is in fact a complicated issue and that the argument against sharing isn't an ironclad one, because the real world rarely gives us nice and tidy right and wrong situations.

 

[Uhura's Song]

Let him serve the time. But work to get the sentence lessened in the meantime.

Then I call B. Torres and ask her if she wants a job.

 

[at Quark's]

I really couldn't say what I'd do, it'd depend on too many factors.

Diplomatically, letting him serve the one-year sentence would be the best option, but I'd also take into consideration how bad the offense actually seemed (shouting mortal insults to said elder is different from accidentally forgetting a honorific), what prison conditions are like, what Starfleet and his family have to say about it, and such.

 

[Dr Helen Noel]

Why are we visiting this planet? If it's because they have dilithium/medical supplies/etc then presumably Starfleet will be returning at some point and need to maintain a good relationship. If diplomatic efforts have failed then he is stuck there, provided he will be treated humanely. I'm assuming the next ship to arrive will try again with diplomatic efforts.

If it's some no name planet that we don't need or if the sentence is inhumane then he's getting beamed out.