posted
I've wondered after that episode where Seven created a holographic life for herself and a crew quarters if Voyager and other Federation starships have industrial replicators onboard. Large items such as furniture can't exactly be made with the ones available in the quarters unless you get them in an Ikea put together box.
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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posted
We see in TNG "The Wounded" that there are places where people go to replicate stuff, using table (well, nightstand) sized replicators. For all we know, there's just such a dedicated replication room for larger objects on many starships, with variously-sized replicators for non-biomatter type objects. It may even be a sort of gift shop or PX store, with a dedicated interface for more exotic items like crystal birds or stuffed animals...
posted
I have no idea how Seven's holographic quarters have anything to do with this, but I think "industrial replicator" probably refers to something capable of making things a bit heftier than a couch: my guess would be they can do some pretty large stuff (I picture them zipping backwards and forwards like a flatbed scanner) but more importantly do it in steps, so that some pretty complex things can be made. Considering that a half-dozen or so (can't remember the episode) was enough to help in the reconstruction of an entire planet's infrastructure, they're probably a bit too valuable to be on every scutty little ship in the fleet. Maybe not even a Galaxy.
That said, a "replication centre" was referenced onboard the E-D in both TNG and the TNGTM, and so it's quite likely that couches and the like get zapped into existence in several oversized replicators buried in the bowels of all Federation ships. Fitting them in the turbolifts would be the next problem.
-------------------- "I was surprised by the matter-of-factness of Kafka's narration, and the subtle humor present as a result." (Sizer 2005)
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
"Industrial" replicators may also be able to handle items of a greater complexity, or something along similar lines.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
It's interesting that all the quarters about most of the starships we've seen seem to furnished whether they're being used or not. This seems to be a huge waste of resources as well as unecessary mass added to the ship.
Now, it's entirely possible that only several guest quarters are kept fully furnished and others are simply thrown together by the ship's Interior Decoration Officer (he wears a purple unifrom with a scarf) when they know they will be used.
Either way, I'd say that most every ship has at least one larger scale replicator, but it would likely be limited to simple, non-technical things, at least without higher clearance.
It could be told in the manner of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" with the Decorating Corp. stories taking place in and around several key events from the series.
Every once in a while, they'd bump into Picard or Troi, but mostly they'd be off doing their own thing
posted
Ok, I was also wondering how Voyager was able to replicate so many shuttle parts over the years. Perhaps they recycled the furniture that dead crew members left behind? But in that episode with Seven's holographic quarters, that place was spartan with only a bed and apparently counters for cooking. So perhaps the crew quarters are kept empty til they are filled, at least when it came to Voyager. I do remember hearing several times before on the show someone saying prepare quarters for so and so.
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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