SFDebris: Samaritan Snare

[Captain Seafort]

Blip

In which the Enterprise encounters the third most stupid beings in the universe.

[Mikey]

Are you counting the E-D crew? 'Cos they fell for it.

[Captain Seafort]

Are you counting the E-D crew? 'Cos they fell for it.

No, partially because the Pakleds' initial trick was the closest they came to displaying intelligence all episode, partially because we have evidence that the E-D crew know how their own ship works and partially because they managed to fool the Pakleds with an even more obvious trick.

[Mikey]

Being able to trick someone stupid doesn't mitigate the fact of being similarly duped by someone stupid.

[Captain Seafort]

Being able to trick someone stupid doesn't mitigate the fact of being similarly duped by someone stupid.

True, but as I said, at least they demonstrate a basic understanding of how their own ship works.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Then who are the two stupidest groups, Seafort?

[Captain Seafort]

Second most stupid: Signs aliens. At least the Pakleds never tried invading a planet that was 70% acid or engaging in hand-to hand combat with a species that was a) easily damaged and b) about 80% acid.

Most stupid: Take a wild guess. (Clue: starts with C)

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

The Signs Aliens, good call.

The stupidest... the Chakat.

[McAvoy]

I just never got how the Pakleds managed to get even far enough to use ships in the first place.

Yeah, the Signs aliens are dumb.

[GrahamKennedy]

Presumably somebody landed on their planet to make first contact, rather like the Vulcans did to Earth, and they stole the ship and went from there.

[McAvoy]

Perhaps. I think someone like the Ferengi probably did it. Sold them a ship and perhaps attempted to teach them how to work it.

I just don't see how a species like that could possibly even get that far without other species helped them along.

[Tyyr]

I'd nominate the Kazon as being amongst the stupidest as well, they think water is a big deal. They have interstellar space ships and think that the by-product of hydrogen combustion is a precious commodity.

[McAvoy]

Never thought of that. Just figured it's pretty dumb for a spacefaring race with FTL to lack water when they can go the nearest planet/system with water and get it. Or if the Ocampa system is similar to ours then there are plenty of ice in space to mine. That big ships of theirs is big enough.