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Old 11-13-2021, 03:46 AM
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November 11th, 1991, "Unification Part Two"

No fiver

The Episode

SPOCK: It is no concern of Starfleet.
PICARD: On the contrary, it is very much Starfleet's concern. You're in a position to compromise the security of the Federation.
SPOCK: You may assure your superiors, Captain, that I am here on a personal mission of peace, and I will advise Starfleet when it is appropriate.

Spock seems a bit short-sighted here. It stands to reason that he's maintained his expert status is not just Starfleet computers but most Federation technology. It also stands to reason that even though the Romulans don't have training in telepathic techniques, they would've captured any number of Vulcans who DO. And even if Spock wasn't a useful hostage in terms of intel, the Federation would still want him back, even to the point of starting a war.

PICARD: And I will not return without a full explanation. Ambassador, with great respect for all that you've achieved on behalf of the Federation, this sort of cowboy diplomacy will not easily be tolerated any more.
SPOCK: Cowboy diplomacy?

This seems more like an insult against Kirk than Spock. Spock didn't disobey orders that often, and when he did it was usually to save Kirk. He's not using Starfleet resources here, he's an independent citizen who wants to help. Spock isn't even using his Ambassadorial status.

PICARD: I was with him before coming here. He expressed his pride in you. His love.
SPOCK: Emotional disarray was a symptom of the illness from which he suffered.
PICARD: No, those feelings came from his heart, Spock. He shared them with me. I know.
SPOCK: Sarek would no more approve my coming here than you do, Picard.

Spock seems to be confusing Sarek's general opinion of him with his specific opinion of this one mission. The two aren't remotely the same.

SPOCK: For some time now, I've been aware of a growing movement here of people who seek to learn the ideals of the Vulcan philosophy. They've been declared enemies of the state. But there are a few in the Romulan hierarchy like Pardek, who are sympathetic. He asked me to come now, because he believes it may be time to take the first step toward reunification.

Actually, it was Pardek himself that informed Spock of this, at Khitomer. Which is weird, because even though everything is chess with the Romulans, do they really routinely start plans that will take decades to reach fruition?

Furthermore, in order to maintain relationships with Spock and the reunification movement Pardek has had to assume the part of a senator who continually advocates for peace and is seen as a radical by most Romulans. How does Pardek keep getting reelected? Do the Romulans really rig elections for Pardek to keep him in power to manipulate Spock to expose the reunification movement? There's chess and there's Fizzbin, people!

SPOCK: A personal decision, Captain. Perhaps you are aware of the small role I played in the overture to peace with the Klingons.
PICARD: History is aware of the role you played, Ambassador.
SPOCK: Not entirely. It was I who committed Captain Kirk to that peace mission, and I who had to bear the responsibility for the consequences to him and his crew. Quite simply, I am unwilling to risk anyone's life but my own on this occasion. So I ask you respect my wishes and leave.

I know this is a teaser for Undiscovered Country, but it doesn't quite jibe. Spock may have recommended the mission to the Federation and Starfleet, but this was hardly "cowboy diplomacy." Furthermore, the consequences couldn't have been seen by Spock.

SPOCK: I was involved with cowboy diplomacy, as you describe it, long before you were born.

And? So? Spock's been doing this a long time, so that automatically means he's an expert at it and can foresee any danger? Dubious logic at best.

SPOCK: In your own way, you are as stubborn as another Captain of the Enterprise I once knew.
PICARD: Then I'm in good company, sir.

It makes you wonder how many Captains of the Enterprise Spock has known. April and Pike, of course. Did he meet Herriman or Garrett?

DATA: Using conventional means, that would be true. However, I suggest we piggy-back our signal on Romulan subspace transmissions.
K'VADA: Piggy-back?

Ugh, Universal Translator problems. Then again, it almost seems like Klingons choose to learn English in exchange for the Federation programming all Universal Translators to not automatically translate Klingonese.

Incidentally, while "Klingonese" remains the official term courtesy of "The Trouble With Tribbles," Mark Okrand has created the term "tlhIngan Hol" for the language. Prior to this the expanded universe had an alternate "Klingonaase" language.

And you do have to wonder why Data would use human metaphors around Klingons. You'd think his language banks would have some internal switch to go from "human vernacular" to "formal Federation Standard." And that he could also switch to "20th century human vernacular" or "22nd century Vulcan" or any number of other dialects and languages. Why can't Data speak Klingon, anyway? This "piggy-back" thing doesn't seem like a good enough joke to justify opening this particular can of worms.

SPOCK: It has become a serious concern for the Romulan leadership.
PICARD: Serious enough for the leaders to suddenly embrace a Vulcan peace initiative? I have some difficulty in accepting that.
SPOCK: I sense you have a closed mind, Captain. Closed minds have kept these two worlds apart for centuries. In the Federation, we have learned from experience to view the Romulans with distrust. We can either choose to live with that enmity or seek an opportunity to change it. I choose the latter.

Picard has a closed mind? Compared to Kirk Picard is positively easy-going. Picard is being realistic, which in no way equates to pessimism. Spock is also being hypocritical about the distrust of Romulans. The Federation doesn't distrust Romulans just because of the original Romulan War, but because current interactions with the Romulans have shown that their agenda hasn't changed in two hundred years.

AMARIE: So who are you looking for?
RIKER: Who says I'm looking for anybody?
AMARIE: Your face. Your uniform. In a place like this.

Yeah, why is Riker wearing his uniform, anyway? And it occurs to me that this would be a better mission for Worf or Ro.

NERAL: I've never liked titles since I was a lowly Uhlan in the Romulan guard.

You'd think "uhlan" is a simple alien word, but it actually has an Earth meaning. An uhlan is an eastern European cavalry trooper who carries a lance. Why they'd borrow this term for the Romulans is beyond me. considering all of the Roman terms that the Romulans borrow (I wonder what the guy programming the Universal Translator was thinking when he chose "uhlan"). For the Romans a cavalryman who wanted a political career was called an equite.

SPOCK: Are you prepared to support reunification?
NERAL: I believe it must eventually come. Our two worlds need each other.

This whole idea of reunification representing a political union has long been a thorn in my side. Even if the Romulans wanted to reestablish contact with Vulcan, neither side is ready to place themselves under political control of the other. Spock should be very skeptical.

NERAL: Things are not what they once were in the Senate. The old leaders have lost the respect of the people. Involvement in the Klingon War, endless confrontations with the Federation, they're tired of it. Times are changing, and leaders who refuse to change with them will no longer be leaders. Spock, I am prepared to publicly endorse the opening of talks between our peoples. What do you think the Vulcan people think of that?

What Klingon war? We know of the Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt in 2271, and by 2292 they were blood enemies. Was the attack on Narendra III in 2344 part of a larger conflict that the Federation didn't take part in? It can't be, because Worf said that the Romulans and Klingons were allies before the Khitomer Massacre in 2346.

The best I can determine is that the war must've taken place around 2350 when the Romulans attacked General ShiVang's flagship, which resulted in Martok's battlefield commission.

It still doesn't make sense, because the Federation certainly acts like the Romulans were incognito in galactic affairs for a long time prior to "The Neutral Zone." Not just no contact with the Federation, but no contact with anyone.
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