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If they were trying to show their good will to a potential new allies or maybe even future members they'd want to send one of their best ships.

How would getting involved in some race in the middle of nowhere show good will to anyone? And if this race was so important, why send an Akira, instead of a faster ship such as an Intrepid?
Even ignoring that, how's this going to help relations with anyone? Being able to go "we're faster than you" isn't going to do anything.

Besides, it would be good R&R for the crew not involved with the race, letting crew go planetside during off-duty hours and such.

And what about the crew who are involved in the race? They have to stay on duty, which is hardly fair.

How would getting involved in some race in the middle of nowhere show good will to anyone? And if this race was so important, why send an Akira, instead of a faster ship such as an Intrepid?
Even ignoring that, how's this going to help relations with anyone? Being able to go "we're faster than you" isn't going to do anything

Well everyone loves a party. And like I said, I figured a shuttle-sized ship race would work better(like the one in Voyager).

Maybe have it be something like the Olympics where people from all over the Quadrent come to represent their government. It would be pretty insulting for the Federation not to send a ship.

And what about the crew who are involved in the race? They have to stay on duty, which is hardly fair.

Like my mother always said, "Too bad. Life's not fair." Besides, they'll get paid overtime or something.

Besides, they'll get paid overtime or something.

Federation crew dont get paid.

Teaos wrote:

Besides, they'll get paid overtime or something.

Federation crew dont get paid.

Fine, they can get extra holodeck time then

Well everyone loves a party. And like I said, I figured a shuttle-sized ship race would work better(like the one in Voyager).

Oh, so instead of bringing the Akira in, we're just going to send a shuttle and bugger off elsewhere? That makes even less sense, as any sense of "our ships are better than yours" is gone, which is really the only possible reason for such a race in the first place.

Maybe have it be something like the Olympics where people from all over the Quadrent come to represent their government.

There's a rather large difference between something like the Olympics and a glorified joy-ride through space.

It would be pretty insulting for the Federation not to send a ship.

Exactly why would it be insulting to decline on dragging a fully equipped warship away from its duties to partake in some inter-stellar version of a street race? If they were so dead-set on entering in this thing, then why drag an Akira away? Why not something faster like an Intrepid, or a Sovereign, or a Prometheus?

Besides, they'll get paid overtime or something.

The Feds are commies, thus no money.

Fine, they can get extra holodeck time then

For what? Taking a shuttle on a joy-ride against the ships of some other race?

Oh, so instead of bringing the Akira in, we're just going to send a shuttle and bugger off elsewhere? That makes even less sense, as any sense of "our ships are better than yours" is gone, which is really the only possible reason for such a race in the first place.

Um...no. The point of a race is to win, get plublicity, and make new friends. It's an excellent way to advertise. People pay millions upon millions to get their name advertised in a race.

There's a rather large difference between something like the Olympics and a glorified joy-ride through space

Not really.

Exactly why would it be insulting to decline on dragging a fully equipped warship away from its duties to partake in some inter-stellar version of a street race?

It would be insulting if the Federation didn't send a representitive.

If they were so dead-set on entering in this thing, then why drag an Akira away? Why not something faster like an Intrepid, or a Sovereign, or a Prometheus?

Because we were closest or something.

You know what Rochey, I think you're worried about losing the race.

I think you're worried about losing the race.

Burn...

Go on call him chicken, I know you want to...

The point of a race is to win, get plublicity

Publicity for whom, and from whom? The Federation isn't a company, it doesn't need publicity for people to know about it.

and make new friends.

How is beating another nation in a race going to make new friends? If the USA made the worlds fastest car, would every other nation get all friendly with it? Of course not. If anything, such a competition would increase rivalry between the nations, not reduce it.

It's an excellent way to advertise. People pay millions upon millions to get their name advertised in a race.

Companies pay millions to get their names advertised. Not governments. Paying millions for such a race would achieve precisely squat for the UFP.

Not really.

Yes, there is. You see, the Olympics originated as an important sporting and political event in Greece. When they took place, the Greeks would even put wars on hold to attend them.
Nowadays, the Olympics are pretty much just a political event, and they mean precisely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

A joy-ride through space is just that: a joy-ride through space, with no significance at all.

It would be insulting if the Federation didn't send a representitive.

I like how you answered my question by just repeating yourself again.
Exactly why would it be insulting to decline on dragging a fully equipped warship away from its duties to partake in some inter-stellar version of a street race?

Because we were closest or something.

If it was the important political event that you're suggesting it is, then why would they wait 'till the last minute to send a ship out to it?

You know what Rochey, I think you're worried about losing the race.

Why would I be worried about losing?
1) Rochey won't be flying any of the shuttles. Even if they Daystrom did turn up at such an event, he wouldn't want anything to do with such a useless waste of time an resources.
2) He's a Tholian. If anything, having the Federation lose would be a good thing from his point of view.

Publicity for whom, and from whom? The Federation isn't a company, it doesn't need publicity for people to know about it.

No but it needs to keep up it's good guy image. Plus if it helps a local population to like and push their government to join the Federation so much the better.

How is beating another nation in a race going to make new friends? If the USA made the worlds fastest car, would every other nation get all friendly with it? Of course not. If anything, such a competition would increase rivalry between the nations, not reduce it.

That's a poor analogy.

Companies pay millions to get their names advertised. Not governments. Paying millions for such a race would achieve precisely squat for the UFP.

Like I said, gotta keep up that good guy image. Besides, the Federation doesn't use money remember?

I like how you answered my question by just repeating yourself again.
Exactly why would it be insulting to decline on dragging a fully equipped warship away from its duties to partake in some inter-stellar version of a street race?

Well, if you get an invite and decline that could be insulting.

If it was the important political event that you're suggesting it is, then why would they wait 'till the last minute to send a ship out to it?

Because the original ship of choice had engine trouble.

Why would I be worried about losing?
1) Rochey won't be flying any of the shuttles. Even if they Daystrom did turn up at such an event, he wouldn't want anything to do with such a useless waste of time an resources.
2) He's a Tholian. If anything, having the Federation lose would be a good thing from his point of view.

Well, you know if you're too afraid to lose a race you can just say so, it doesn't make you less of a man.

Besides you don't have to participate. Teaos didn't participate at all during the away mission arc. You can make snide comments about how it's a waste of time from the sidelines.

I see Blackstar's point, about having a Pan-Am Games type of vibe, but I can't see diverting an on-mission warship instead of sending ANYTHING else - an old Ambassador, or whatever. We're on duty here, and wouldn't be diverted for a frivolous ambassadorial party.

Mikey wrote:I see Blackstar's point, about having a Pan-Am Games type of vibe, but I can't see diverting an on-mission warship instead of sending ANYTHING else - an old Ambassador, or whatever. We're on duty here, and wouldn't be diverted for a frivolous ambassadorial party.

Well, they could be rotating us off the frontline early for some reason. Besides, I didn't think it should be done immidiatly. Just a thought for when we're finished with this pirate gang thing. Maybe recieve word about it coming up and that Starfleet will be sending us out there.

No but it needs to keep up it's good guy image.

How is winning a race with a military warship keeping up a 'good guy' image?
You just keep throwing out these reasons that are completely unrelated to it, without explaining why they're relevant or why they even matter.

Plus if it helps a local population to like and push their government to join the Federation so much the better.

How?

That's a poor analogy.

How's it a poor analogy? It's the exact same thing, just on the ground except in space.
Fine then, change it to " If the USA beat every other nation in a massive car race, would every other nation get all friendly with it? Of course not. If anything, such a competition would increase rivalry between the nations, not reduce it."
There, same point.

Like I said, gotta keep up that good guy image.

How does winning a race keep up said image?

Well, if you get an invite and decline that could be insulting.

I see no reason why it'd be considered insulting to pass on wasting the time and resources on such a race.

Because the original ship of choice had engine trouble.

For such important political events, backups are generaly prepared in case the first choice couldn't make it. I seriously doubt that every other ship picked for the race suffered catastrophic engine failure all at once, and I seriously doubt they'd bother sending a warship to take place instead. It'd be a smarter move just to pull out, citing the engine failures as a reason, than send a slow moving ship to lose gloriously instead.

Well, you know if you're too afraid to lose a race you can just say so, it doesn't make you less of a man.

I love how you completely ignored the fact that
A) I won't be doing a thing in this race and
B) I wouldn't give a damn who wins in any case.

Besides you don't have to participate. Teaos didn't participate at all during the away mission arc. You can make snide comments about how it's a waste of time from the sidelines.

If the entire ship is being brought to this race, then I'll be participating whether I wish to or not, so it will still involve me and thus I'll still end up with my own time wasted.

Well, they could be rotating us off the frontline early for some reason.

By all means, give me a reason that's important enough to have an entire warship dragged off its mission, but trivial enough to have the ship diverted to take part in this worthless waste of time?

Maybe recieve word about it coming up and that Starfleet will be sending us out there.

And why would Starfleet choose us? A warship is the last ship you'd want to send on such a mission.

OK, after our mission is complete, I could SORT OF see it, but I do have to echo Rochey in wondering why a torpedo boat would be sent instead of something a little more... diplomatic.

Rochey - the impression I get of Blackstar's idea was not "win a race to try and win over a new ally;" rather, "participate in an established friendly competition between cultures which already have diplomatic relations."

How is winning a race with a military warship keeping up a 'good guy' image?
You just keep throwing out these reasons that are completely unrelated to it, without explaining why they're relevant or why they even matter.

You're the one who keeps asking unimportant questions. It's not if you win the race, it's if you raced well.

How?

Wouldn't you want to team up with the best there is?

I see no reason why it'd be considered insulting to pass on wasting the time and resources on such a race.

Let's see if I can put it in a way you understand. I believe the World Cup thing is a pretty big deal over there right? Well, if the best team in the world said "we don't want to play against you weaker teams because it'd be a waste of time". Wouldn't the other countrys find that pretty insulting.