All the discussion of Federation ideals got me thinking about a very creepy idea for an episode. It involves Hodgkin's Law, which is normally in irritating element, but here is really needed. It also needs an "observer" from some other galactic power, maybe a Klingon or Romulan.
So, the basic point is this, the Starship Hesperus, or whatever, is exploring a not-well-mapped corner of space, and for some reason has this Klingon on board, maybe as an exchange officer. They check out a star a whole lot like Sol, and come across a planet which is a dead ringer for Earth.
Unfortunately, this happens to be a dead ringer for Earth in 1943, at the height of World War II. Right at that moment, on the planet below, Auschwitz is in full gear. Million of men, women, and children are being murdered.
Three points need to be made:
1. This isn't a time travel story. The crew doesn't need to worry about changing the time line.
2. The war is late enough along that a Nazi victory is almost impossible. The issue is not one of the Nazis threatening the Federation; it is purely humanitarian.
3. No interferance caused this to happen. This is not a case of "John Gill". It is purely a natural, coincidental horror.
Now, here is the real conflict:
The Klingon has a simple solution. This is clearly a case of the greatest crime in human history, so go in swinging. "Klingons will not let such horrors happen twice...." It sounds better in my best Worf-accent.
The enlightened, progressive Federation, however, has a thing called the Prime Directive, which will not allow them to interfere in the affairs of a "primitive" culture, no matter what. Clearly, to at least some people in the Crew, this is the case, here.
So, what can be done?
And, who is the real barbarian?
------------------
Slan agat!