posted
Hard to tell which forum would be the right one for this, but at least I know I won't banish myself from S&T for putting it here.
Bernd has once again done an excellent update on one of his articles, this time the good old Klingon forehead problem. Vain as usual, I'd like to contribute and perhaps get my name in bold yellow print at the bottom of the page...
Two primary questions remain after the ENT "Affliction" storyline. Why were there no ridgeheads in evidence ANYWHERE in TOS? And why were Odo, O'Brien and Bashir ignorant of what had transpired in "Trials and Tribble-ations"?
What about this: the airborne virus that spread the flatheadedness was not quite eradicated until well into the 23rd century. The cure devised by Phlox only alleviates the symptoms of those already afflicted, removing the lethality thing along with the superpowers thing. Thus, strict "racial" segregation had to be effected, lest a "cured" smoothhead contaminate his ridged buddies and subject them to the still potentially deadly danger. Not all smoothies would be carriers of the active form of the disease, at least not towards the end of the epidemic - but why take the risk, if you can enlist in an all-ridged crew instead?
Also, with the virus still active, it would be simple to explain why TOS Klingons hadn't all undergone cosmetic surgery already. Those who had would have wasted their money, since the ridge transplants would be eaten away by the virus as soon as the warriors got infected again. The entire society would have to wait until the virus really died down - probably a matter of lots and lots of medical research, and certainly not something they could solve simply by killing all the disease victims.
As for Odo, O'Brien and Bashir, only the middle one is a real problem. Odo is an ignoramus from outside the Federation anyway. And Bashir would certainly act evasive when the subject of genetic alteration was brought up!
Perhaps we ought to think that enlisted folks don't get the broad education given to officers. So if O'Brien had never studied Klingon history before the Academy, he'd have little incentive to study it later on, either. Remember that prior to "Heart of Glory" or "Matter of Honor", the average Fed or even the average Starfleeter knew little about the Klingons, and falsely believed a lot.
Once posted on the E-D, O'Brien would trust Worf as an authority on all matters Klingon - and we know how willing HE was to speak of this subject!
posted
I made the update in a hurry, and a couple of aspects still need to be fleshed out.
About the issue of the total lack of ridgeheads in TOS, it may be worth mentioning that the flatheaded Klingons 1) may have a special interest in dealing with humans in one way or another, so it wouldn't be surprising to meet them on ships near the Federation border. On the other hand, the leadership of the Defense Force may be rather concerned about possible fraternization. 2) could have segregated mostly voluntarily. If there are different castes and houses already with their own ships and troops, they would even more likely do just the same. Moreover, we can assume that important Klingon houses are affected by the plague, so flat-headed Klingons would hold some power in their hands in the 23rd century. Provided that the trait is not recessive and there are no mixed families.
Concerning forehead surgeries, this would be definitely possible in the 22nd century already. Timo may be right that any authentic reconstruction of the ridges may be futile once the virus or antivirus strikes again. The problem is that I imagine it would be easier to use some artificial prosthetics. The only reason not to get them might be that Klingons are not fond of fake things (they would be like silicon boobs).
I like the suggestion that Bashir was scared when the topic of genetic engineering was brought up. Not really a rational reaction, but understandable.
-------------------- Bernd Schneider
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Who's to say that the virus remained unchanged for nearly a hundred years after Phlox mucked with it? Does everything important have to happen while the camera is watching our intrepid adventures aboard a ship named Enterprise? (Slight against Voyager fully intended.)
Perhaps a few decades later, a carrier of the benign version of the disease is infected with Rigellian Measles. (It's always Rigellian something, isn't it?) Like good little viruses they swap DNA. This turns dramatically increases the likelyhood of infection, but delays the onset of symptoms. Klingons have lousy medicine, and since no-one is dying ("Klingons do *not* get the sniffles!"), practically the entire empire is infected with Plhox-B before anyone succumbs, and overnight head-ridges have vanished.
While what appears to be changes in bone beneath the surface of the skin can be explained via cartilage, collagen-esque tissue, or some weird elephant-man-esque genetically-induced bone deposition (hope you had your milk today!), the one thing that they tried to hide was the issue of teeth. You'll note that John Schuck still had his Klingon teeth at the end of the two-parter, whereas {the prisoner-son dude} had pearly Terran whites, just like all the TOS Klingons.
Unlike what we can try to imagine with bone, there's no real way to change teeth on site. The only way I can see for the teeth to be the way they are is that the Klingon teeth fall out some unspecified amount of time after the initial viral change. Presumably when the cure is found in the 2270's, this process is reversed.
Or is it? IIRC, Kor and Kang both had the actors' own teeth, though I seem to recall Koloth having an appliance of some sort. Perhaps a tooth-check of other old Klingons is in order . . . the traitor from "The Mind's Eye"[TNG], anyone from Carraya camp, Martok's aide from DS9, and so on. Perhaps the process is only partially reversed.
2. l33t Klingon h4x0rZ
It's possible that a lot of information about the change was lost to the Federation. That, plus the alliance, plus the Klingon loathing of the topic might've led to the information being somewhat hush-hush, a topic of discussion only in certain echelons.
So how was it lost? Well, in the TMP movie era we see evidence of very good Klingon computer capability, especially in regards to communications. In ST5 they were able to effortlessly listen in on Starfleet communications, even spoofing a proper Starfleet reply to the Federation flagship. In ST6, a KBoP had the ability to break in on the flagship's comm frequencies.
To be sure, Starfleet wasn't just sitting around during this time. Klingon communications were intercepted a decade prior in TMP, and Uhura was able to listen in to intraship channels on a Klingon vessel in ST6. However, the ability to break in seems to indicate a Klingon edge.
Thus, if the Klingons were so embarrassed about the issue, then either during the TMP era or even sometime thereafter, they could have sent a worm into various Federation computers, virtually eliminating all information about the transformation and excising it from Federation records. And, thanks to the detente and later alliance, the Federation might not have had much desire to replace the info.
There are many potential pitfalls with the idea, but a coherent story can be made. It's a little far-fetched, perhaps, but it's better than assuming everyone in the Federation is stupid in the 24th Century.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
It might also simply be that Klingons "fall out of fashion" after TUC, as they become worthless drunkards who couldn't frighten a Bolian baby or conquer the Mizarians. Nobody in the UFP bothers to listen on their endless reiterations of stories of supposedly glorious past.
So having O'Brien be ignorant of them is no less plausible than having CIA be unable to interrogate terrorists because there is nobody in their payroll sufficiently interested in Arabic languages or culture. And the Chief was a Cardie guy anyway; spending a lifetime fighting the Spoonheads would in all likelihood be the best way to shield oneself from contact with Klingon culture.
What still remains unknown is whether Kirk knew what Archer knew. Did Kirk think all Klingons were flatheads? He did seem to think Kahless was. Kirk OUGHT to have been well informed on the Klingons, as they were a topical enemy at the time.
posted
Guardian: I seem to recall that the original Klingon, Kor from "Errand of Mercy" (TOS), had pointy teeth. There was this one scene where he meets with Kirk in his office and he sits back and smiles sinisterly, revealing sharp teeth akin to those seen in "modern" Klingons. If I get a chance, I'll check it out later and maybe do a screencap.
quote:Originally posted by Timo: What still remains unknown is whether Kirk knew what Archer knew. Did Kirk think all Klingons were flatheads? He did seem to think Kahless was. Kirk OUGHT to have been well informed on the Klingons, as they were a topical enemy at the time.
Timo Saloniemi
Or Kirk was a racist that thought all Klingons look alike
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Quite possible, I guess. Not that he'd have been racist in general, or even prejudiced against all his enemies - just extremely anti-Klingon, since those were the major baddies of the era. He didn't seem to credit his fictional Kahless with major warrior skills or anything; his Kahless majored in deceit and cruelty.
posted
Perhaps the infected Klingons tended to join some sect of Kahless worship that spoke to their unique concerns and also happened to emphasize those aspects of his personality? So Kirk's opinions about Kahless might not be major distortions of mainstream Klingon thought, but minor distortions of a more radical theology.
(Worf's reluctance to talk about them might make more sense if they didn't just look weird but were also genuine heretics. And, of course, Worf always had a more-hardcore-than-thou attitude when it came to Klingon culture anyway.)
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
No doubt Kahlessianism comes in many varieties. I'd think the most opportunistic and Machiavellian versions would be popular when the Empire is victorious and expanding - such as in TOS. When the Empire is in a rut, though, a more bushido-like honor code is propagated in order to moderate the disquiet of the idled and restless warriors - such as in post-Khitomer, pre-Gowronite times. And when the military again gets a triumph or two, bushido flies out of the window, replaced by "Nothing is more honorable than victory!".
All this could happen independent of the flathead/ridgehead issue. It would also be a cyclic thing, justifying the similarities of ENT and TNG Klingon cultures while allowing for the different TOS culture in between. Perhaps the Klingons had another Khitomer Peace or similar humiliating defeat forced down their throats just before ENT? Perhaps the Vulcans gave them a licking?
Note that it is only in two episodes, "Friday's Child" and "The Trouble With Tribbles," that the heavy/dark makeup used for the Klingons during their debut was forgone. In all other cases, they were given this treatment. Clearly, they were not supposed or intended to look just like humans. It has been suggested by some posters on the TrekBBS when this subject has come up in the past that, because of the inability at the time to re-view episodes without a lot of hassle, the makeup people may have just forgotten about what they'd done with the Klingons originally, and then later been reminded. (Either that or Tigge Andrews and William Campbell didn't want to wear the makeup, and they figured no one would notice or give a crap. I'm sure they didn't expect that today, the current series would be devoting entire episodes to it.)
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
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