Memory Alpha:AOL chats/Ronald D. Moore/ron068.txt

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 7:55:42 PM From:  RonDMoore

Hi, again. It's been pretty hectic around here the past couple of weeks, so I haven't had a chance to get on-line for a while. (Sorry to have missed the Great Clinton-Nixon Bake Off, it looked like fun.) I'll answer the stuff in this folder first since it's the most current and relevant, then go back and try to get some of the questions from folder #34. However, you might want to repost anything from 34 or 33 in here to have a better chance of getting an answer.

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Yes. The other characters do know what happened -- Dukat probably babbled the details of the event over and over again.

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Our thinking is that the Prophets probably would stop any Dominion ship from coming through the wormhole.

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You never know...

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Yes. The Prophets are an integral part of the DS9 landscape and Sisko's interaction with them forms one of the primary threads of the series.

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We do have some ideas about the meaning of these lines, but I'd rather let you all speculate about them.

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 * him* to safety just as easily, letting the fleet come on through. If the

The intervention of the Prophets was something we discussed at length during the development of the six episode arc. As I said above, the Sisko/Prophets story is something we consider to be a key element of the series itself. To us, the finale of "Sacrifice" was something that came organically out of the overall story of DS9 and that's why we did it. The journey that Sisko has made from "Emissary" to "Sacrifice" is a profound one -- he's gone from a man who questioned the very existence of the Prophets to asking them to behave like gods and save their "children" down on Bajor. There will be a price exacted from Sisko for daring to bring the Prophets into this conflict and we'll play that out as the series continues.

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Could be. (Yes, you will continue to get vague answers from me about the future developments in the Dominion War.)

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I never really thought it would get this much activity in such a short period of time. I still enjoy coming here and I hope that you all do too.

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 8:10:37 PM From:  RonDMoore

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We liked the deliberate ambiguity of this scene and were hoping you'd ask that very question. Did she know or didn't she? It's something we'll address later on in the series and for now it's good to let you wonder.

<<the one thing I missed about this particular corner of the War Arc was dialog in the Roddenberry/Kirk-makes-a-speech vein wherein Odo explains WHY he chooses as he does...more than just his feelings for Kira. One of the tenets of the Star Trek "galaxy-view" has always been the theme that, despite our flaws, despite our differences, despite our short- comings, despite our very "Humanity" itself, the Human race (nee "the solids") has a higher purpose, a reason to be out among the stars, a first, best destiny. Why does Odo choose to live among the solids? As he told Wette Midler in "The Search, Part 2", he has formed a link of his own, with these people. He has discovered a worth, a value, something to be admired in these fragile, one-shape life forms. Any plans to follow up with this, Ron?>>

We made a conscious choice not to give Odo the Kirk-makes-a-speech moment regarding the value of humanity. This seemed like very familiar territory within the Trek mythos and we're more interested in taking Odo down unexplored paths. While Odo certainly sees the value and worth of humanity (along with the other "solids" he's met) the reason he stayed behind had more to do with a certain Bajoran Major than with a new-found "galaxy-view".

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No. Sisko had no reason to believe that the Prophets would intervene in this situation as they have never shown any inclination to get involved in "linear" affairs up until now.

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I think we could've used Jake a little better as well. Sometimes our plate does get very full and we find it hard to deal with everything on it. That said, I rather like the challenge of keeping all these different elements going, even if it means making a misstep occasionally, because the payoff can be so very rewarding.

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Every hear of the Stork?

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Kira was given a subscription to the Bajoran Hunk of the Month Club by Sisko in the unaired Director's cut of "Emissary." I believe this version was broadcast in Europe.

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 8:29:00 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<[In "Sacrifice of Angels"] what was Bashir doing on the bridge of the Defiant??? I know the ship doesn't have much in the way of medical facilities, but I sure there was somewhere he could go to help injured crewmembers (and don't tell me no-one got hurt)...>>

This is where TV convention intervenes. Bashir was on the Bridge because we didn't want to lose him from the episode and we weren't going to just do a cutaway down to Sickbay to watch him do med-tech in the middle of the action.

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Unless I'm mistaken, the listening post was not taken out by the Prophets. It was outside the wormhole and not affected by what happened to the Dominion fleet.

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Not officially, but there are certainly a group of stand-ins/background players that we do use over and over again in different makeup and guises.

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We will say something about this on the show.

<<I just watched this week's episode of DS9 titled "Sacrifice of Angels". I was wondering if you and your writing staff considered any OTHER ways to redeem Odo? All this time, I thought for sure that Odo was really "using or misleading" the female changeling so as to gain some secret information that would turn the tide of the war to our favor. I was really hoping this was the case because it would justify his actions and would also explain why Odo was, in Kira's eyes, betraying them all. Can you please talk about this now that the episode has aired?>>

The Odo story went through numerous rewrites and many permutations. We had a lot of conflicting ideas about what to do with Odo -- everything from him leaving with the Female Shapeshifter to him saving the entire station in the end. We talked about Odo staying behind but being charged with collaborating with the enemy. We talked about Odo refusing to help our heroes, and then beginning a new journey on the station, one where he would no longer be friends with our heroes anymore. We talked and talked and talked, and ultimately we realized that we weren't going in any directions that any of us really wanted to explore. So we decided to have him make the heroic decision to save Kira & Co. and stay behind, while keeping as many options open for the future as we could.

It was probably the right decision, although I do wish we had come to that idea a little earlier in the process so we could have built the overall Odo story with a little more clarity and ended it with a little more of a punch.

<<IF there is a 7th season for DS9, I am wondering what course of action you would suggest for me to send in a spec script?>>

As of this moment, just follow the standard guidelines and submit your script ASAP.

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 8:47:31 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<In the original pilot, the wormhole aliens seemed to understand very little about corporeal life and furthermore they had no concept of linear time. In this most recent episode, the dialogue seemed to imply that they have some sort of "plan" for the Sisko. My question is, how can beings who don't grasp the concept of linear time have a plan? A plan seems to, by it's very nature, imply linear time. Have they changed since they pilot? Learned to understand time?>>

Our thinking on the Prophets has evolved and so has their interaction with Sisko and Bajor. Yes, they are beings who do not deal in linear time and yes, they seem to have some kind of plan (that has happened, will happen and has always happened and is always happening... or something) for the Emissary and their special people (the Bajorans). There is a certain contradiction in that, but it's something we can live with for now and hopefully be able to reconcile down the line.

<<What would be wrong for [Kira] to do the courting instead of simply WAITING for someone to ask her out?>>

Absolutely nothing.

<<Is Odo the very first changeling to even consider wanting intimacy with a solid?>>

I think so, yes.

<<Also, when Jezebel finally got around to telling Odo what her real intentions were, did she think that he was too far gone to care about Kira, or did she simply reveal her real intent toward Kira because she thought that it was now too late for him to do anything about it? That there really was nothing he could do to stop the Dominion from executing Kira?>>

I think she wasn't positive that Odo had made a final committment to the Link, but felt like there was a good chance he had. She wanted to test him in a sense, but also to present him with a fait acompli that he wouldn't be able to do anything about.

<<Do you think that Jezebel was using her birth control when they were linking? Or do you think that she will end up on Odo's doorstep with a gelatinous little bundle of goo?>>

Why does SHE have to use birth control??!! What about HIM??!! SEXIST!! SEXIST!! Catbyte, Klincat, atttack, attack!!!!! Boy are you in trouble now....

<<Will we get to know what the game [mentoned by the Prophets in "Sacrifice of Angels"] refers to? Just the Bajoran theatre or is it larger?>>

We will explore this idea more, but I don't want to give a definitive answer to this one.

<<Ron in the last few days the idea of Barry Manilow playing a Vedick on DS9 has come into intense discussion on the Bridge in the Star Trek club. We are commited to get Manilow on DS9 in a guest spot. Tell us Mr. Moore, can it be done? Can Manilow bring his unique talent to the Promenade?>>

Just when I think I've seen it all on this board....

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 9:08:57 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<Hey Ron, thought I would ask about Lt. Neely. She was great from what we saw of her, however this has been buggin me for a while. Has the actress who played Neely ever worked in Trek before? She seems very familiar. I hope we get a chance to see her soon, maybe a friend for Nog when Jake's not around?>>

Neely was played by Sarah MacDonnell and I don't think she's been on Trek before. We could bring her back at some point, but have no plans to do so.

<< [Dax and Worf's relationship is] Contrived writing at best. Their relationship only works if one pretends that they don't do the stupid things that send them to the infirmary.>> -- Catbyte

Nice to see that some things never change...

<< I know you don't handle the starship special effects scenes, but any idea on why we see alot of Excelsior and Galaxy Class ships like the Enterprise B and D, respectitvely in the Federation Fleet but that we do not see Ambassador Class ships like the Enterprise C?>>

It's a question of money; nothing more, nothing less. We don't have an Ambassador-class starship model sitting around. The one seen in "Yesterday's Enterprise" was built as a damaged ship and never meant to be used beyond that one-shot episode. We do use other starship designs that are completely CGI, but they are seen only at a distance because a fully rendered CGI ship that can hold up under scrutiny is basically as expensive as a brand new model.

<<We often see the human condition/moral dilema evaluated in a new way on Star Trek, but don't often see the core values of the Federation itself challenged in such a humorous, basic, practical way [as they were in "In the Cards"]! Eddington also made us see the Federation ideals in yet another more serious light, challenging it as a subtle assimilator of worlds interested only in its political needs, not the needs of mere people. Wow, these are Gene Roddenberry's principles of a utopitarian society under fire from those less fortunate soles in the Galaxy! Can we expect to see more of this Ron? Bring it on!>>

We'll keep questioning and poking at the Federation ideals as long as I'm on the series. I'm a firm believer in the idea that questioning one's ideals and even being able to laugh at them ultimately makes them stronger, not weaker (and if they can't hold up to this kind of treatment, maybe they shouldn't be upheld in the first place).

<<Marc said that the next episode he'll be in will be one in which he, Andy and Armin work *without* the makeup--so obviously they're playing people other than Dukat, Garak and Quark. Ron, what is the name of this episode? Is it a drama or a comedy? When will it air? Who wrote it? Is Andrew Robinson directing it? Any plans for an episode with Michael Dorn sans Klingon make-up? >>

Marc has a big mouth. The episode's name is still up in the air and that's all I'm going to say about it for now.

<<When I sat down and tried to make some schematics of the FC phaser rifles (to construct my own), I watched the movie a number of times. I realized that there are AT LEAST 3 different versions of the rifle, each with a different barrel on the front. Do you know the reason for these differences?>>

I really don't know the technical reasons behind the different phaser rifle designs.

<<In the episode "the ship" (the one with the changling inside it) how did the changling die? They said it couldn't hold it's shape, but why couldn't it? And what did it turn into?>>

We never said directly what caused the death of the Changeling, but it presumably had something to do with the crash of the ship in the first place. Something happened that mortally wounded it and so it couldn't hold its shape and eventually died -- turning into a sort of "dust".

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 9:33:15 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<I don't know if you ever answered this, but: 1) were you at the Trek awards show last year (where everyone was presented with a flag flown on the shuttle) and if so, 2) what did you think of the Voyager skit done with the cast of Frasier?>>

I was there and I liked the skit (although I wish Kelsey Grammar had been able to play the Captain as originally intended).

<<Who will be palying Moogie when she returns this season? I have my money on Andrea...am I right??>>

No. We were unable to work out an problem with Andrea's schedule again so Cecily Adams will be playing the role.

<< the American voting public is a pack of morons? At least those who voted for Clinton and Perot...>>

Good to see that the Cheap Shot Department is still functioning at peak efficiency. Please put in my order for a CS directed at the intelligence of those who voted in the majority during the 1980 and 1984 elections. Make it a rush delivery as I really need this CS as soon as possible.

<<Alternate history... Well, my brief take on it would be that, assuming Nixon had won, there would have been less of a reckless brinksmanship on the part of our foreign policy; we probably would not have had the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis, nor would we have had the pathetic Bay of Pigs fiasco.>>

Okay, I can't resist:

It's extremely hard to say how the Missile Crisis would've gone down with Nixon. One of the key moments in the Crisis was the decision by Kennedy to put off an attack on the missile sites despite the near-unanimous opinion of his advisors that it was time to attack. This delay allowed the Crisis to be defused peacefully and recent scholarship has discovered that the Soviets had nuclear warheads already in Cuba and were planning a relatialory strike in the event of a US attack. Would Nixon have delayed the attack as well? Hard to say. His key advisors would've all be different and his own instincts may have propelled him into a tougher line than Kennedy (remember that Nixon was still very much the Cold Warrior, as was JFK, at this point in his life) so it's possible that Nixon may well have actually triggered a full out nuclear exchange. But again, it's virtually impossible to say one way or the other.

It also hard to argue that the Crisis would or would not have occured at all under Nixon. The oft-repeated assertion that Khruschev was "testing" the young president because of his perceived weakness at the Vienna summit seems to have been a myth, since recent accounts of the Crisis point to other motives for the deployment of missiles in Cuba. Khruschev saw the missiles as a reasonable response to the US deployment of forward-based systems near the USSR border -- not a deliberately provocative act designed to test the will of JFK. In that context, he probably would've sent the missiles to Cuba regardless of who was the US president.

As for the Bay of Pigs, it is worth noting that it was a scheme dreamed up during the Eisenhower/Nixon administration.

Subj: Answers Date: 11/12/97 11:09:03 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<How do symbionts reproduce since they spend most of their lives isolated inside some trill?>>

We've established that the symbionts do return to the underground pools periodically and that's where they presumably procreate.

<<When Odo first linked with Jezebel, did he come under some kind of mind control? It sure seemed that way to me...Or was this the changeling equivalent of Prozac???>>

Odo was caught up in the joy and clarity of thought that comes with joining the Great Link, even on a small scale. It is an experience that is unique to Changelings and to everything else Odo has experienced in his life since his discovery in the Alpha Quadrant. The Female Shapeshifter did not exert any kind of mind control over him, he was linking of his own free will.

<<Did the same people who cast DS9 cast the other recent Treks?>>

The casting chores on DS9 are handled by Ira, Steve Oster, the Director, the Writer and Ron Surma (casting director). On Voyager, it's Jeri, Brannon, Meri Howard, the Director, the Writer, and Ron Surma.