Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Federation Starbase & businesses

  1. #1

    Federation Starbase & businesses

    Hello all,

    My gamers want to have our next campaign be based out of a Starbase and they want to pick up that DS9 vibe, but they want to be on a Federation starbase.

    So here is the question.

    Given that the Federation is supposed to be in a "post-scarcity" situation, given the many replicators around, would there actually be businesses on a Federation starbase?

    Or, on a slightly different tack, if there were "local" businesses (e.g. something like Quark's or Garak's tailor shop), would they actually charge money? And if so, how would you see them competing with the use of replicators?

    Just more mindwarps for the moment...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Paris, France, Earth
    Posts
    2,588
    Welcome!

    I don't see any issues with having businesses on a Federation starbase, just like Sisko's father had a restaurant in New Orleans. I tend to consider that Federation worlds are currency-free for Federation citizens, and the starbase would be no exception. People from outside the Federation would probably still need to pay in credits or latinum.

    Apparently replicated food or clothes tend to be generic, so restaurants or tailors could have no problems finding customers in search of a more authentic feel.
    "The main difference between Trekkies and Manchester United fans is that Trekkies never trashed a train carriage. So why are the Trekkies the social outcasts?"
    Terry Pratchett

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    I agree, there was also a precedent with Sisko's father's restaurant being able to supply tube grubs that were alive to Nog and we saw Sisko (I think if I remember correctly) peeling potatoes in one scene suggesting his father had access to grown food rather than replicator food.

    Your crew could have a restaurant that offered 'real' food as the draw, as many people in the Federation believed they could tell the difference between replicator produced food and the 'real' thing.
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    3,490

    "

    Quote Originally Posted by C5 View Post
    Welcome!

    I don't see any issues with having businesses on a Federation starbase, just like Sisko's father had a restaurant in New Orleans. I tend to consider that Federation worlds are currency-free for Federation citizens, and the starbase would be no exception. People from outside the Federation would probably still need to pay in credits or latinum.

    Apparently replicated food or clothes tend to be generic, so restaurants or tailors could have no problems finding customers in search of a more authentic feel.
    I agree with C5 that there should be no problem with private businesses on Federation starbases. Unfortunately, Sisko's Kitchen was not a really relevant example, as it was based on Earth in a city. However, it does point out that there is a ready market for artisanal foods and other things. More to the point are the various businesses on Deep Space Nine, a Starfleet-run station presumably subject to the same rules and regulations as regular Starfleet facility. Hence we get Quarks's Bar, Garak's tailor shop, the Klingon restaurant and the many businesses on the Promenade, as seen in this image: Q5y4O.png

    Star Trek III, the Search for Spock depicted an obviously civilian-owned bar complete with hostesses in flamboyant costume; in Earth Spacedock, which is most assuredly a Starfleet facility.

    As for non-Starfleet facilities, Deep Space Station K-7 shows us a civilian station with yet another civilian-owned and operated business; yet another bar with colourfully-costumed hostesses.

    As a real-world example, during Canada's involvement in Afghanistan, coffee/donut shop Tim Hortons set up an outlet at the Canadian Forces operations base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, open from July 1, 2006 to November 29th, 2011

    Deep Space K-7 also answers the question of what is the usual medium of exchange in this ostensibly "post-scarcity" society - the Federation credit. They never really define this medium of exchange beyond various allusions to it not being "money" or "currency" in other episodes and movies, but looking back with the lens of time (50+ years) it is most probably a cryptocurrency like bitcoin (but more developed and, dare I say "perfected"). In context it needs no further explanation than does a modern movie or TV show where someone buys a coffee or a Coke. The closest we'd ever see to that sort of thing is in a spy thriller where the character needs to discuss the exchange rate between British pounds and US dollars.
    Last edited by Owen E Oulton; 03-21-2021 at 05:21 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    as far as being relevant, the restaurant owner on the starbase could simply lease a cargo bay, converting it to a hydroponic's and installing a series of hydroponic growing stations (like Kes did on Voyager) and grow all their food for the restaurant (or hire someone with expertise to do it for them).

    The other thing would be artisan brewing of alcohol, again rather than replicating it, (Picard's family wine vineyard) although this may be as Owen stated planetary based rather than Starbase based, though if you have a starbase within transporter range this isn't a problem.
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •