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This was a constant theme in early Voyager, particularly as it came to the interaction with the Kazon. The idea isn't the problem so much as the manner in which it was done - an overly simplified method to the point that it strains credibility to the limit. It was more lazy writing with little apparent thought put into it.

The worst offender was the one instance in which the Kazon tried to "steal" transporter technology by removing a block of circuitry that fits in the hand from the transporter room. One could no more pull the faucet off a sink, put in their car and claim they had installed indoor plumbing in the car. Like plumbing, the transporter is a system integrated into the structure of the ship, with pattern buffers and all the tech in the transporter pads linked to transporter emitters on the hull with the transporter control computers integrating the whole system. It is reminiscent of the asinine interpretation of warp coils by the Enterprise writers.

As you said, it is akin to the laziness in writing exhibited in the instances of the Doctor being moved arouns, which you had mentioned in another thread.

Unfortunately, it leaves little to be said in-universe other than that it is somehow possible.

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:This was a constant theme in early Voyager, particularly as it came to the interaction with the Kazon. The idea isn't the problem so much as the manner in which it was done - an overly simplified method to the point that it strains credibility to the limit. It was more lazy writing with little apparent thought put into it.

The worst offender was the one instance in which the Kazon tried to "steal" transporter technology by removing a block of circuitry that fits in the hand from the transporter room. One could no more pull the faucet off a sink, put in their car and claim they had installed indoor plumbing in the car. Like plumbing, the transporter is a system integrated into the structure of the ship, with pattern buffers and all the tech in the transporter pads linked to transporter emitters on the hull with the transporter control computers integrating the whole system. It is reminiscent of the asinine interpretation of warp coils by the Enterprise writers.

Absolutely. Indeed, the sheer laziness of the writers, more so than the stupidity often displayed in both episode concepts and by the characters, was IMHO the main reason Voyager was such a bad series.

In fairness to Enterprise though, the idea of warp coils that could be transported by a single person was identical to Voyager's interpretation of Borg transwarp coils in "Dark Frontier".

You may not be able to learn how to make your own transporting system from just one piece of technology but you sure can learn a lot. Knowing you need a pipe to carry the water can sure bring you a lot closer to giving you that indoor plumbing.

That is true; however, it's ridiculous to think tech like a transporter is portable by simply transplanting one small component - especially by a group heretofore unfamiliar with it.

It goes beyond that: the Kazon simply plugged this box into their ship and started transporting things! It should require a complete refit of the ship to install a transporter.

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:This was a constant theme in early Voyager, particularly as it came to the interaction with the Kazon. The idea isn't the problem so much as the manner in which it was done - an overly simplified method to the point that it strains credibility to the limit. It was more lazy writing with little apparent thought put into it.

The worst offender was the one instance in which the Kazon tried to "steal" transporter technology by removing a block of circuitry that fits in the hand from the transporter room. One could no more pull the faucet off a sink, put in their car and claim they had installed indoor plumbing in the car. Like plumbing, the transporter is a system integrated into the structure of the ship, with pattern buffers and all the tech in the transporter pads linked to transporter emitters on the hull with the transporter control computers integrating the whole system. It is reminiscent of the asinine interpretation of warp coils by the Enterprise writers.

Maybe the circuits were criticle components that they could use to reverse engineer the technology. That would be the best in-universe explination I can think of off hand. Like you wouldn't need an entire nuclear missle to figure out how it works. A few critical pieces, pluged into pre-existing and similar components. It might, emphasis on might, work.

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:It goes beyond that: the Kazon simply plugged this box into their ship and started transporting things! It should require a complete refit of the ship to install a transporter.

Or, at the very least, plugging in an entire transporter. It's not as if stealing a working unit would have been difficult - they boarded the ship and were running around without any inteferrence from the crew. Just grab a shuttlecraft and they'd have not only a working transporter, but examples of Starfleet warp drive, shields and phasers into the bargain.

ChakatBlackstar wrote:Maybe the circuits were criticle components that they could use to reverse engineer the technology. That would be the best in-universe explination I can think of off hand. Like you wouldn't need an entire nuclear missle to figure out how it works. A few critical pieces, pluged into pre-existing and similar components. It might, emphasis on might, work.

You're giving the idiots too much credit Blackstar - they simply plugged the module into their ship and had a working transporter. Despite the complete lack of pattern buffer, scanners, or anything else even remotely transporter related. Neelix's reaction in "Caretaker" shows plainly that he had no understanding of even the concept of transporter technology, let alone experience with even vaguely related technology.

Ooh man, I didn't remember this one. The kazon were such a badly-done villain species anyway.

I'm not sure I really want to know, but where did we see this incredible bit of stupidity?

Rochey wrote:I'm not sure I really want to know, but where did we see this incredible bit of stupidity?

Voyager season two episode "Maneuvers". The Kazon mount a raid on Voyager, stealing a transporter control module. The ship must get the technology back before it tips the balance of power in the Quadrant. Chakotay steals a shuttlecraft (don't these things have locks?) to try and retrieve the device on his own.

You know, Seska was involved, and she was an engineer before she left Voyager for the Kazon. She may have added the intigrated compontents, but wasn't able to duplicate the transporter control module with the Kazon's technology.

Thanks, I know a place where I can look that episode up. I'll take a look at the stupidity firsthand in a while.

Rochey wrote:Thanks, I know a place where I can look that episode up. I'll take a look at the stupidity firsthand in a while.

OVEG? That's always good for a laugh.

Congratulations on the promotion.

Thanks Seafort, and yes, I'm just back from OVEG.