Kobayashi Maru Vol. 26

[jblancato]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you recieve a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

You can tell from this communication that they are not entirely sure that you are there at all. If you leave, they may eventually conclude that they really are alone but will be unable to escape (no method of space travel appear from your scans). Alternatively, if you attempt to rescue them (given the time frame, you could evacuate them from the planet) they would likely be very distressed and dependant upon the Federation in a time of war.

What do you do?

[one4chaos]

The prime directive is harsh but clear. You cant render any aid. There is no way to know the repercussions of moving this race.

Even if you could save them without their knowledge of how or who there is no way to predict how this species will evolve. They could become a galactic menace someday or be the origin of a new plague. Although the odds are equally good they might be a great ally someday, the prime directive postulates that the risk is to great and the best course is not to interfere. Whether you agree with it or not it is your duty to follow it.

"If I jumped every time a light went off around here I would wind up talking to myself."
Dr. McCoy, to himself.

[Ravensshadow]

Sorry guys i dont see this one as a no win situation. Of course as Sarfleet we save an entire race if it is within our power.

[pem1968]

Send a message to Starfleet Command explaining the circumstances. If they insist on maintaining the Prime Directive I would recommend using the same tactic as the Enterprise-D in transfering Worf's brother's people in the holosuites. Have stellar cartography locate the nearest similar planet and begin rescue operations.

[herocreator]

I would beam them straight into a holo-suite of their own planet. That way they don't know exactly what happened. I would then contact Star Fleet to inform them of the situation. Upon finding a suitable replacement planet I would use the holo-suite to enact their cities getting completely obliterated either by natural forces or enemies. For them to survive, they would have to get into a cave/equivalent natural formation. Once there I would beam them into a cave (or caves) on the new planet.

If everything worked according to plan, they would believe that the differences were simply due to the attacks/natural disasters and they would never know anything happened (at least nothing they could explain).

[Herxo]

You must follow the Prime Directive . I would Ignore the hail and continue on. It is sad that an entire race will die but the Prime Directive is clear on why there is a non interference.

[darkmasterrich]

First id contact Starfleet command to aprise them of the situation and id await furder orders...

[slingbladez]

Easy answer, let them die.

[IX-]

Hope to high hell that someone aboard makes the same or similar mistake that Nikolai Rozhenko did, giving me the opportunity to save at least part of a species. in other words, as a member of Starfleet, the Prime Directive would supercede any particular emotions I had on the matter. It's there for a reason and I know that.

[Voletek]

Yes the Prime Directive is clear, But in this case here, I would contact Star Fleet , advise them of the problem. ----Awaiting Further orders ---

[Zael]

Why should starfleet know? pick them up, transfer them to a safe inhabitable planet. And you end up with an entire species that owes you their life. Who knows? they could develop a technology very different from the existant ones if allowed to live. Youll never know until you try.

[stargate525]

Not a problem. The radio hail is, naturally, an invitation from the leaders of the planet (or at least their representatives). Such invitation makes the Prime Directive no longer apply, as any assistance you render was invited and requested.

Save 'em, of course.

[maltzenburgerz]

Why should I worry about the Prime Directive, I'm a Klingon! XP I'd "rescue" them, and have them "colonize" Rura Penthe! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!! >:-D

[mwood1387]

Ask Q for a favour :D (unless the Q are at war again in which tell them to stop it before they wipe out this world).

Righty-ho, now that that's out of the way here's what I would do. I wouldn't break the prime directive but I would save the planet. I'd do this by dealing with the star so that I wouldn't need to interact with the inhabitants of the planet thereby leaving them to carry on without outside interferance. I would head to the star and use the deflector array/modified torpedoes to re-energize the star thus stopping it from going nova. I'd then leave whilst the people on the planet silently mouth 'wtf..' to themselves after witnessing their sun go back to its daily business.

[FINALCUT]

on this one,i would break the prime directive,i would lose my career and sacrifice all i have worked for to save this race,after all,the needs of the many outway the needs of the few,or the one.yes,the prime directive is very ,very, very important,but to just pass these beings by and do nothing would not be the human thing to do.i would hope starfleet would take pity on me and at least let me stay in starfleet,hell,they could always use an extra janitor at the academy.:D

[Tadpo]

i wouldn't help them because if they introduce animals into the other planets ecosystem it could reek havoc and if my planet was gana blow and i had to leave i wouldnt want to leave my fluffy kittys and what if they abuse theyre new planet what fule do they use id find that stuff out if they are a resposible intelegent species id help em out because they might need to adapt to a new planet its what captain kirk would do i think not the new kirk the old one thatd punch a ramulin in the face if he came up on him

[Arkenor]

First I would see if there was any way to prevent or delay (more likely) the star from going supernova. I don't *think* doing that would be a breach of the prime directive, given the precedent set by Kirk in "The Paradise Syndrome" where they prevented an asteroid collision for a far less advanced culture.

If the nova can be delayed for a century or so, which is the blink of an eye in the life of a star, then we can then pop the whole business in a folder to worry about then, and with any luck the inhabitants will have become sufficiently advanced for us to help them more directly.

If we can't delay the nova then we have a problem, and may well end up in a whole lot of trouble. I do not believe that Picard, who I consider my gold standard in such matters, would stand by and allow the population of a planet to be wiped out, if he could find any loophole or excuse that would allow him to help. (This is not necessarily the answer you'd want to give in your Star Fleet Academy test.). Even if he could, I couldn't.

So, I'd start looking for loopholes. Technically this world has just made some sort of first contact. I don't have a copy of the First Contact protocols, so I don't know whether answering the radio message would be the legally correct thing to do or not. If it is, then we're probably alright. A world with astronomy developed enough to spot a Federation ship is probably also well aware that their star is not at all well, and once introductions are made may ask for help, which would open up new possibilities.

If we're not allowed to answer the contact, we still have options.

The Prime Directive states: "As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation."

So the Prime Directive does allow for action, if contamination occurs. It might be arguable that because we are being contacted, contamination has already occured. At the least, they are clearly mentally equipped to deal with the concept of beings from space.

While the annihilation of a civilisation might potentially be described as normal, it is hardly healthy. Providing we can evacuate them without imparting any knowledge to them, then I do not think it would be a breach of the Prime Directive. Thus, as mentioned previously in this thread, Picard's holodeck evacuation solution would seem to deal with the matter quite efficiently, provided we can find a suitable new world within practical distance.

I would further add that the possibility they might be dependant upon the Federation during a time of war is irrelevant. Sure, it makes it logistically more difficult for us, but it changes nothing regarding either the legal or moral imperatives.

[Tezzle]

...They saw the ship via TELESCOPE? What Captain is that careless? I gotta say, as cruel as it is, you can't just go saving every planet you come across. The Prime Directive exists for a reason. Things like this done with good intentions often end badly, and the PD was invented, because you can't always think with your heart. Get out of there and don't get so close to the damn planet next time. Telescope. Honestly...

[jhem99]

This scenario is based on fiction like all the other ones. Still the question ****** your conscience as it is only natural for humans to assist weaker ones. Luckily one of the Startrek films gave a clue as to what could be done: provide Holoships to transport the inhabitatnts to another world unbeknownst to them.

[drays917]

Simply put, the Prime Directive forbids any kind of rescue. It's pretty cut-and-dry.

That being said, Directives are made to be broken! I'll argue with Starfleet Command later, right now I'm saving a culture from extinction. Kirk would be proud.

[vestigal]

Uhh its a time of war....

TROI
(resuming her
briefing)
Remember; they have a
significantly less advanced
technology than ours... they only
achieved warp drive last year...

CRUSHER
A year? And the Federation
Coucil decided to make them a
Protectorate already?

PICARD
In view of our losses to the Borg
and the Dominion, the Coucil
feels we need all the allies we
can get these days.


CAN YOU SAY SHOCK TROOPS?

[Ravensshadow]

Ignoring then When you can save them is not different than letting a mass murderer free to commit genocide when you can stop him. We are not Klingons (unless of course you are), to hell with the Prime Directive, save the people.

Also I think people are misinterpreting this one. This is a race, one ship is not going to save them, as a captain I would urge the federation to do what it could and no matter what they decided I would do what I could to help them.

To stand by and let evil happen is the same as commiting the evil yourself.

[gjb007]

I would contact StarFleet and await further orders as to the fait of a planet.
In other words the blood of a planet's people would be on StarFleet's hands not mine.

[Youbetterrunnow]

I would contact starfleet.

[Arkenor]

Also I think people are misinterpreting this one. This is a race, one ship is not going to save them, as a captain I would urge the federation to do what it could and no matter what they decided I would do what I could to help them.


The scenario implies we have time to evacuate them all. Perhaps they never got into rampant population growth. Or they could be teeny tiny!

[Rgoodfel]

Save them so they will be a burden on the Federation.

[Nelson]

they made contact, although they do not have warp drive yet, I would say I would have to help them.

[Eureka]

I'd save them
It's not that I like disobeying laws or anything, but laws are more like guidelines to help us keep morally correct, or good. Laws or directives are never intended to inhibit us from doing what is right; they’re here so that we do right. So in this case I’d save them, if they live then they would have a chance to grow and experience many things, they may eventually proof helpful and supportive to the federation even if they are dependent on us, the federation, for a short while. However, even if they aren’t then at least my conscious would be clear knowing that sentient beings with emotions, families, cultures, and lives would have a future and not meet their end in a candescent firestorm.

[Eclipse1987]

this one is easy, technically first contact was made rendering the P.D null and void, so I would use that loophole to my advantage.

but even if that weren't the case i couldn't live with myself knowing I had the power to save an entire species and didnt so I would completly disregard the P.D and proudly deal with the fall out from my choice later, whatever that may entail.

[Trekkie]

This is definitely a difficult situation given the confines of the Prime Directive, but I agree with the other people who said it would at least be worth contacting someone and letting them know more about the situation before simply moving on and allowing an entire race to die without a second thought. If anything, it would at least be nice to somehow warn the civilization of the imminent danger, although doing so poses some questions unless it was done in a particular tactful manner. Nevertheless, should Starfleet say that such interference is not possible, I would have to respect their wishes and move on -- though I have no doubt that it would be a hard thing to do.

[Anixter]

Like it or not the Prime Directive is there for a reason. We cannot play God and decide who will live or who will die. The normal evolution of a race, colony or planet must take place without any interference. In this evolution process should the distruction of the race, colony or planet take place then it must be. No one wants to see the destruction take place but who is to say that our interference would not cause greater harm in the future. Trying to save even a few by putting them in the Holodeck is making a life and death decision for a race we should not be making. If we were directly contacted and asked to assist in the evactuation of the planet is an entirely different matter and in this case we were not. The race on the planet isn't even sure we're orbiting their planet. The Prime Directive must be followed in this.

[Captain_IPV_Amor]

If the star matches the profile, I'd contact Starfleet command and ask for explicit permission to make some trilithium to rig a single torpedo with. Then use the torpedo to cause the star to shed it's excess gasses without going supernova, thus turning it into a white dwarf. :)

The planet in question may experience climate change (decreasing average temperatures), but if they are technologically advanced to have spotted my ship their civilization should be able to adapt to a the new 'habitat'.

This solution involves no interaction with the species, so the Prime Directive is no longer an issue. As for the production of trilithium, qualified Starfleet engineers can oversee the process, ensuring that it is not miss-used.:cool:

[cometaa]

I would :

1. Recreate a part of one of their cities on the holodeck
2. Beam the people from that area into the holosuite
3. Take them to a planet close to what theirs is like and build a replicated version of their city
4. Make holograms of their people, and make it seem as if a meteor with a space disease hit their planet. Which knocked it off kilter (Explaining why the stars have changed and cities vaporized) and the disease "kills" off the holograms.
5. Leave them to rebuild their civilization.

Then deny everything to the UFP, make your crew take an oath of silence, and wipe the computers.

[Tianar]

I would contact Vulcan as well as Starfleet Command on secure channels, and request data on the "red matter" research Spock and the Vulcan Science Academy had previously been working on. Assuming I could get clearance, I would ask them to either transmit data on how to create a small amount of "red matter" or send some with a courier in a Vulcan warp shuttle. Upon receiving the "red matter" I would order a torpedo loaded with it launched into the system's star just before it exploded, creating a singularity inside the star and absorbing the supernova's effects. Assuming the singularity formed was of the correct size, the system and its inhabitants would be saved without violating the Prime Directive or even needing to relocate the inhabitants of the system.

If the singularity failed, the system's inhabitants would die anyhow and I would have lost nothing.

[Conman]

I would contact Vulcan as well as Starfleet Command on secure channels, and request data on the "red matter" research Spock and the Vulcan Science Academy had previously been working on. Assuming I could get clearance, I would ask them to either transmit data on how to create a small amount of "red matter" or send some with a courier in a Vulcan warp shuttle. Upon receiving the "red matter" I would order a torpedo loaded with it launched into the system's star just before it exploded, creating a singularity inside the star and absorbing the supernova's effects. Assuming the singularity formed was of the correct size, the system and its inhabitants would be saved without violating the Prime Directive or even needing to relocate the inhabitants of the system.

If the singularity failed, the system's inhabitants would die anyhow and I would have lost nothing.


lol ya never mind the singularity would suck the star up in a matter of hours or days being so close to it. and ofcourse before that could happen it might actully go nova anyway with out the core pushing the rest of the star out it would collapse and the force rebounding would be greater then the force of the singularity. Any singularity stong enough to suck an entire super nova would probably also suck the rest of the system in aswell as your ship.

You do nothing or give them a courtesy "your going to die soon" msg just cause they caught you.

[davidarmstrong488]

I move the ship out of range/beyond the horizon of their telescope and begin collecting data about the species. I send camouflaged away teams to the surface to learn about their language, culture, etc.

I put as much effort cataloging this species as I can because I know there will be nothing left of them after the supernova wipes them out. Just because I am restricted by common sense, logic, and all ethical decency from helping them doesn't mean I ought to condemn them to the dustbin of history.

The Federation (I assume I'm a Fed Captain) is as much an exploration agency as it is a military-political entity. Even though I can't, won't, save those people, maybe they have something to contribute to the galactic community that time and chance wouldn't otherwise have allowed for.


Consider, how many Einstein's and Socrates's have lived, but were stricken by diseases, killed in childhood, aborted prior to birth, or otherwise suffered a misfortune and the world was a lesser place as a result of it.

[JGHopkins]

If they have already seen you the prime directive would already have been broken, I would contact Starfleet and request immediate backup.

[capt.wilhelm]

The rede matter idea is a bad one. It would colapses the supernova, and how the increase of mass is low, it won't disturb the system. The problem is, once the black hole is created, it would colapse the entire star, and the sun would simply vanish from their sky, and in a matter of days, the entire planet would be as frozen as the poles, and people would slowly started to die, of could and starving, since plants would be unable fo make fotosithesis (Sorry if it's misspelead. English is not my mother language).

So, I would try to delay the explosion. Search for a gasous planet, and try to eject hidrogen on the core, giving energy to the star. The away team idea giving ahead is explandid. With some luck, in a accident, a contamination could be done, what is the perfect excuse to save the species. But in no moment, the prime directive should be violated intencionally. As I heard once, the prime directive doesn't only preserves the alien culture, preserves or own. A first contact made on the wrong hour, could be catastrophous.

[KlinZha]

Hmm....An interesting scenario, and an interesting moral situation. Unfortunately, for those people the Prime Directive is clear. Let them die. While I understand the reasons for the Prime Directive in such instances as this I find it reprehenisble, yet this is the Law of the Land, so to speak.

Hmm... there is a loop hole. From what I recall of an episode of one of the Star Trek series, Federation Civilians are not necessarily accountable to the Prime Directive. If that is true, I would resign my commission and do the right thing, and use what personal resources I have to evacuate as many I can. Willful indifference in my view is also a crime. Further, durring my travels I may have made friends with private traders who I may be able to hire to help with an evacuation to an unihabited world they can call home.

This scenaro really has me thinking about the Federation, and I'm not liking what I see atm.

[ShroudedDeath]

Send a message to Starfleet Command explaining the circumstances. If they insist on maintaining the Prime Directive I would recommend using the same tactic as the Enterprise-D in transfering Worf's brother's people in the holosuites. Have stellar cartography locate the nearest similar planet and begin rescue operations.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that thought of that episode. It's probably the best solution available.

[TimEastberg]

I wish that the prime directive could be kinder at times but as stated by many others it is there for a reason and it needs to followed. though I may stop the recored the star and cataloge it i would not help the planet.

[jtarwin]

I would notify Star Fleet right away. I would also have my crew prep for the evacuation of the population while I do this because I cannot see Star Fleet turning its back on a species like this. Certain death is different than disease, resources, or any of the other things the Prime Directive might cover.

[drachenhaut]

while the prime directive is effect, it has been broken from time to time, such as when data contacted the inhabitens on Drema IV when the planet was suffering from seismic activity. while the prime directive does state that even in the event of extinction your not spose to contact pre warp civs and even in instances when non inerference is possible ex. using a holoship it is still against the prime directive. more often than not however the prime directive is broken when the pre warp civ contacts the starfleet ship, as in this case, since theyve seen you technically the prime directive is already broken and as picard would say in for a penny in for a pound, i say respond and move um to an uninhabited planet using the least inerferance possible, ie holoships, if not given time let them as a civ try and work something out, after all if they just riot and freak out then well theyre sun going nova anyhow and if they pull together they get moved. since technically the prime directives already been broken no harm no foul.

[cipher_nemo]

There is no doubt in my mind and no hesitation to help them evacuate.

The Prime Directive is there to ensure that we bring no harm to the natural progression of each species. But the harm is already there: the star for their solar system is going to go supernova, most likely eradicating all life on their planet. In this case, the prime directive doesn't apply because inaction will cause more harm than action. Extinction is not the "natural" progression of a species in this case since the sun is going super nova.

[Spire]

Assuming no holosuite option is available, I'm saving every person on that planet even if I have to convert my ship to an intergalactic ferry. The Prime Directive may be against me, but I'm not going to let an entire sentient race die because some paper says I shouldn't. I mean, the rule is there to stop me from horribly altering any pre-warp civilizations, I'm pretty sure they're planet blowing up is going to be more altering than anything I can do. After re-locating them we can re-engage our no contact policy, and hopefully they will understand (not like it matters, if they want to live they're going to have to agree.)

An I'm a bit disturbed by how many people would let a species die just because of a rule. Surely the benefits outweigh the risks in this situation, right?

[Akito3379]

This is an oppretunity of profound importants. As a competitor to the ferengie, Here is a trade oppretunity that we dream of. They did contact me first. However nothing comes free. While all you starfleet panzies are sitting around waiting for orders and the klingons are laughing at you, I will be earning enough gold plated latnum to purchase a satilite base.

[laladiel]

2 simple answers.
1)contact starfleet and let them know whats going on, if they are not going to let me make contact and save them, then
2)requisition some holoships like they had on insurrection, and transplant the population the same way that starfleet was going to move the people on that show.

[sfp6]

As a starfleet captain you would think of saving them but you must take precaution of you and your crew and very much the influence of your actions on the whole of starfleet and very much humanity and its allies.I would take a small city,then have them all knocked out and have them sent one by one to a hospitable planet for them with minimum supplies,they will probably know that there are people out there when they wake but as a starfleet officer i have done what i could do within my power to give them a colony to rebuild apon,a safe planet where they can grow and have the chance to advance in technology to be recognized later on in time.i will just notify starfleet command of the course of the planet and add in that I found a small group of people to be archived and have potential to advance into warp technolgies.the planet of my chosing would also need to be near their old planet so they think the disaster is over,which they probably wont but then again what should i care?i already broke the Prime Directive enough.

[Mulcebar]

Well in star trek the entire population of the world usually consists of around 12 people with one distinct culture (except for earth which seems to be the only planet with different languages cultures, etc.. ) so it would seem
wholeheartedly cruel to just let them get vaporized when your doctor could quite easily sedate them all
beam them to the ship and relocate them to an uninhabited moon, hell he could probably even store all their genetics in the transporter buffer and re materialize them some time later, or save them all as sentient holograms as a last resort. As for the long term consequences of the action Ive always found the argument that we couldn't know how this civilization would effect the new planet/future etc.. I think the galaxy would adapt fairly well somehow. I think that the argument for not messing with the past (temporal prime directive)is quite logical but saving a species in the present seems like a pretty enlightened act to me.

[godzillajones]

It's a trap! those darn klignons. Blow the planet up for the safety of the whole federation. :P

[Zoberraz]

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you recieve a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

You can tell from this communication that they are not entirely sure that you are there at all. If you leave, they may eventually conclude that they really are alone but will be unable to escape (no method of space travel appear from your scans). Alternatively, if you attempt to rescue them (given the time frame, you could evacuate them from the planet) they would likely be very distressed and dependant upon the Federation in a time of war.

What do you do?

Indeed a tough one. Here's my brainstorm on it.

Contact was made. Observation of a space-faring craft not of their culture has been glimpsed. Contamination, while meager, is existent.

The Prime Directive is a measure meant to protect a more primitive culture, so to preserve its right to progress in its own. In retrospect, the Prime Directive is also made to protect 'us' from some of the negative consequences of intervening (either from the seemingly benign and righteous desire to help, to the desire to play god).

Realistically, there isn't a whole lot my Miranda-class light cruiser would be able to do. The true incentive in initiating contact with the species would be with the aims of saving them, something I - as Captain - do not have the ability to do. My vessel alone has no good means to reverse the supernova, to help shield the pre-warp race or to assist in evacuating them (a planet worth of people - probably millions).

My command decision would be to hold position at a point where the planet's inhabitants are unlikely to observe my vessel further, respond to no hails and survey the situation, gathering data as possible while sending a subspace message to Starfleet Command to appraise them of the situation - including added suggestions of looking into Kaelon related-research (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Kaelon) to see if the supernova can be attended to in some fashion, or sending the appropriate passenger-capable vessel convoy along with diplomats to effect the evacuation proper.

What would then happen would depend largely on Starfleet Command's orders. If they deem the Prime Directive to be bent, I'd expect my vessel to help in either first-contact or escort duty for the evacuation craft convoy. If not, I would order a survey probe to be placed to observe the situation in the system until 'zero hour' and would then - heavy hearted - move on to my vessel's next assignment.

As bitter a pill as it is, my character swore an oath to uphold the Prime Directive. While I could certainly violate it out of idealism, it would seem like I have absolutely no way to follow up on it due to the simple inability to carrying a planet's-worth of refugees or stopping a supernova. Appeal and deference to a higher authority seems like the best and potentially most constructive alternative at my disposal.

[Dafter13]

I believe that humanity wins over against the Prime Directive. The Prime Directive is known to be harsh and unfair. In situations were an entire race is in danger (and I risk losing sleep at night over it), the Prime Directive must bend. After all, Captian James T. Kirk succeeded on several missions that would have clashed with the prime directive, and his actions have no more than half the universe.

[Trowa824]

I will use or try and get a holoship there and just beam them on it when they are asleep and make sure it looks like where they live.

or

I will go against the Prime Directive and plus there is the loop hole, they made first contact with you with the radio hail so they have some tech on there planet that could spot our ship and make contact with us.

so I am gonna go and save them and ask them what they know about space and there sun and see if they know if it is gonna go supernova on them.

[Questos]

Speak to Star Fleet as every one said, Discuss the option of relocation by using the good ole know them out unconscious or teleport them while they are asleep to a holodeck for their transportation and have an alternative planet with an area with almost exact resemblance to their own waiting.

Issue is if the race is very large then multiple ships will be needed.

[jamzgub]

"i would make contact with the species and render aid, as this species has made FIRST CONTACT and its actually a starfleet officers duty to respond, i would issue a request to starfleet for more aid in moving the species as my vessel may not have the room to do so."

this Kobayashi Maru is a bit flawed, they are meant to be no win scenarios! and to teach a captain how to deal with failure and the loss of life. its federation code that you must "MUST" render aid if you recieve a distress signal unless you are not able too,

it would also be pointless is teleporting them into a holo deck because the plant and animal life on a new planet with be nothing like their old one,

the kobayashi maru scenarios are meant to be abandon ship or surrender, and how you cope with the situation that is unfolding, hard to do on the forums heh!

[ETSstarfleetromulan]

As the Prime Directive states that I can't interfere with the race I would at least find a way to keep their accumulated knowledge alive. Since they have spotted us I would scan their planet, beam one of their species aboard, take a genetic sample and scans, and beam their member species back unharmed to the surface of the planet without memory of ever having been transported.

Perhaps finding a way to beam up their books/crystals/computer systems or other sorts of knowledge storing devices they might have in order to not let their death be in vain. Some field research would also be useful to find out how their culture or people operate.

All this accumulated information could be used in the future to make hologram programs that emulate what their people were once like.

During this time I would allow the science division of my starship to find out why the star went supernova and figure out a way to keep such devastating occurrences from happening.

[davidarmstrong488]

"i would make contact with the species and render aid, as this species has made FIRST CONTACT and its actually a starfleet officers duty to respond, i would issue a request to starfleet for more aid in moving the species as my vessel may not have the room to do so."

this Kobayashi Maru is a bit flawed, they are meant to be no win scenarios! and to teach a captain how to deal with failure and the loss of life. its federation code that you must "MUST" render aid if you recieve a distress signal unless you are not able too,

it would also be pointless is teleporting them into a holo deck because the plant and animal life on a new planet with be nothing like their old one,

the kobayashi maru scenarios are meant to be abandon ship or surrender, and how you cope with the situation that is unfolding, hard to do on the forums heh!

The "loss" is a bit esoteric, and certainly indirect. The idea is, this race becomes a resource-sink on the Federation for untold decades. Let's say the Federation had a plan that couldn't fail, it just required 100 operational battleships to pull it off. Unfortunately, because these refugees are starving, sick, and in need of shelter, Starfleet was only able to field 95 battleships.

The plan fails and the Federation is destroyed.

Or consider this alternative analogy: the Federation is like a life raft. It can support a dozen full-size adults. The boat is currently full, and you want to add one more adult to the count.... helping these people will sink the boat. Helping these people will sink the Federation.


I like how most of these posts ignore the exact nature of the question and instead deal with how they'll rescue the people on the planet. The question assumes that if you decide to do it, it'll happen. Trying to evade the matter of disobeying the PD by using holo-ships is silly because the people on the planet know what their sky looks like, they know their star is dying, they'll know something happened and maybe what happened has to do with that shiny metal thing we saw in space. Furthermore, after relocating the people, do you just leave them? So long as such an active hand is being taken regarding their fate, wouldn't it be prudent to leave a detachment or a ship to keep an eye out, make sure they can live on a different world?

So ok, you transplant these people onto a similar planet. They can't adapt to the ecosystem and they begin to die. Will you watch them be eaten alive by this planet's bacteria or will you keep shuffling them around, while the Klingons blow up Earth?

It's this that the last part of the Kobsyashi Maru test asks. It isn't going to be enough to just move them 1 planet over. They're going to need supervision and aid. That's what the questions asks, not how but is it worth it with the situation going on right now?

[Stopher87]

You could try to stop the star from exploding.

[kiminality]

Contact Starfleet to appraise them of the situation, and request assistance.
Enact bold rescue.
The Prime Directive applies more to willy-nilly contact with pre-warp civilisations, because it messes with their cultural development. Supernovae have no Prime Directive, and seriously mess with cultural development.
Besides, if you pass them by, and bad guy du-jour swoops in after you, Starfleet's going to look all manner of bad.

By contacting them and rescuing them, they'll be all "Federation! Federation! Is it Lupus?". But that's better than the alternatives.
Rescuing them will affect their development, but with the UFP being the big benevolent swoopyrescue in the sky, they're more likely to develop in UFP favour.

Plus, I'm pretty sure there's a Starfleet Code or two about rendering aid when a distress call is received.

Alsio, Note to Starfleet - Black paint. That is all.

[Orcus-the-Technomage]

The solution is simple. as a single ship you dont have the resources to mount a planetary rescue. in addition, if ship were able to get to planet before the nova, considering travel time they wont have to time rescue all the people there. they arent even sure what they are seeing, thus no contamination. the federation doesnt have the resoures to save a pre-warp race with war breaking out. let them die.

logic wins again.

[lumfan]

I would..
1) Contact Starfleet inform them of the situation.
2) Seek a solution to delay the star's demise long enough to evacuate the planet with less damage to their culture as can be hekped. (As if moving them from one world to another wouldn't be traumatic enough).

I would be worried if Starfleet didn't save the people or at least try. Frankly, I would rather go Klingon then, at least they think with their feelings.:cool:

[davidarmstrong488]

The solution is simple. as a single ship you dont have the resources to mount a planetary rescue. in addition, if ship were able to get to planet before the nova, considering travel time they wont have to time rescue all the people there. they arent even sure what they are seeing, thus no contamination. the federation doesnt have the resoures to save a pre-warp race with war breaking out. let them die.

logic wins again.

Assume Orcus your solitary ship does have the capability to relocate the people to another planet. You have weeks to do it in.

The issue comes from afterwords - the aliens have difficulty adapting to their new home and require aid. Now that you've saved them, they're depending on you for sustenance. Would you put that burden on the Federation during a time of war?

[kiminality]

The "loss" is a bit esoteric, and certainly indirect. The idea is, this race becomes a resource-sink on the Federation for untold decades. Let's say the Federation had a plan that couldn't fail, it just required 100 operational battleships to pull it off. Unfortunately, because these refugees are starving, sick, and in need of shelter, Starfleet was only able to field 95 battleships.]The resource drain cause by one dependant planet would likely prove to be insignificant, compared to the collective resource drains that already exist in the UFP.
I guess you could add "Have science teams run simulations on the projected impact of supporting this civilisation, and see if it's significant".
But, by the time you've stopped to think, it's that much harder to pass them by.

[davidarmstrong488]

The resource drain cause by one dependant planet would likely prove to be insignificant, compared to the collective resource drains that already exist in the UFP.
I guess you could add "Have science teams run simulations on the projected impact of supporting this civilisation, and see if it's significant".
But, by the time you've stopped to think, it's that much harder to pass them by.

Hey, what if these aliens are big Jabba-the-Hutt types who require a ton of food or what-not. What if some indigenous bacteria infects them - their new home is a biological death trap. You gonna relocate them again? Three times?

For whatever reason, saving them was just the beginning. Would you turn your back on them now, when they need you the most, when they're only alive because of you? Somehow, they're dependent.

[i38warhawk]

What's the population of the planet, the first human space flight was on April 12, 1961 and the poplation of Earth at the time was 3.136 billion. The first radio receiver was invented in 1895 when there were only 1.6 billion humans. It probably isn't even possible for our ship to save enough inhabitants to sustain the species. Even if it was then it puts our ship in the position of deciding who lives and who dies. What right is it for us to decide the fate of an entire race?

P.S. Stars don't just go supernova. It is a wonder that the race evolved at all considering that the stage preceding a supernova is a white dwarf which outputs a very small amount of energy(less than 1% of the Sun).

[Evan_Kross]

They initiated contact, and have observed my ship. There is already contamination, so the prime directive is nullified. At this point, I'd initiate first contact. Once they are comfortable enough with the idea of 'aliens', I'd tell them of the impending supernova, and let them decide their fate. If they choose to evacuate, I'd do my best to help.

In the end, for me, it comes down to the question of whether or not it is more important to me to be in Starfleet, or to save an entire species.

That isn't a hard question for me.

[bugs]

relocate if you don't help they die if you do you give them a chance of surviving and they did ask for help

[Woodysw]

Whats that on the sensors Mr Data... that not a planet now continue at warp 6 please...

Mr Data: But sir...

Me: I SAID WARP FACTOR 6!!!!

[computeraddict]

So, the options here are to rescue them or leave them to die.

As I understand it, the consequences are increased losses of Federation personnel and civilians due to reduced supplies or letting an entire civilization of approximately 1-3 billion die, assuming Earthlike development.

The losses the Federation will initially sustain will be troops and colonists on border worlds, both of whom are very aware of the risks they've taken. This species, however, can do nothing for themselves and did not choose their situation.

The PD can be safely ignored for two reasons. First, they have hailed me, and even though they are not sure if they have seen me, the damage has still been done. No UFO incident in Earth's history was believable enough to warrant sending a hail to the vessel on the types of radios required to reach said vessel. This indicates that there is a strong suspicion that something was seen, enough to get many to believe that something was there. Second, as their star is about to go nova, there is no further natural development of this species to interfere with.

So, my solution. Save some of them. Take as many as possible up to the point where it will pose a dangerous drain on Federation resources. Draw by lots with emphasis on preserving clusters of tight-knit individuals (family groups, or what passes for them). If Federation resources are already dangerously strained, take the minimum that will preserve the most cultural and genetic integrity as possible. Take as many records as can be collected in the available time.

Those who cannot be taken will have to be left. The situation was a tragedy to find, and can only end with tragedy. However, the decision to save even a portion is the only ray of hope that can be had, and must be taken immediately.

[KickBone]

First of all I would scan all the major settlements for anything worth me even bothering to stop at this planet. Then if there is anything that catches my attention I would send few teams down to help them secure those items first and then offer the good people of the planet to move them somewhere safe as long as each family volunteers one member to serve as one of my personal servants because as the 13th rule of acquisition says "Anything worth doing is worth doing for money"

After that I'd lay back and have a feel good moment knowing I helped all those people but I would never ask for any recognition because as the rule 41 says "profit is it's own reward"

[Captain_Bradley]

I would Contact Starfleet, telling them who and what, If they say leave ill leave, if they say help ill help.

If i help, they will mostley ask a alliance or be afraid, and be askign to mutch from the Fedaration.
Or they will join the federation but they are no use cause there not intelegient enough.

So or Q saves them, or they simply Die. Pre-Warp no contact!

[Captain_Bradley]

Im not like Janeway: ''but what about the prime directive?'' Janeway: ''to hell with it''

[DarkBarron]

As a Nausican working with the Klingons I don't have to follow the prime directive. I would raid there planet take all the resources I could and take a few as slaves for the mines. This is a time of War after all. And I would be doing them a favour as they would be come extinct any way in a few weeks.

[Sumdian]

Kill the men enslave the females

[Teejo08]

I'd contact Starfleet command first advising them about being spotted by the inhabitants and contacted. My solution however depends upon what Starfleet decide and what the content of the radio message was.

If the message was a plea for help regarding thier star aswell as a greeting then this complicates the situation even further. It is the duty of every starfleet ship to answer a distress call but does this outweigh the rules set down in the prime directive?

I don't think i would disobey orders from Starfleet to leave them, i'd rather not sacrifice my career and potentially my ship and possibly others if we are caught still evacing the planet when the star explodes.

This ones a real kick in the *ss for your conscience, it screams 'help them' but there are just too many factors working against it.

[robgomm]

Easiest one yet, you have to leave them to their fate. You cannot interfere.

[stavia]

In this situation you have to follow the prime directive. Sucks to be them but the Prime Directive is in place for a reason.

[SuperHeroLass]

I think in this instance the Prime Directive is very clear. In the past the Prime Directive allowed for Starfleet vessels to rescue beings from a planet if that planet and its inhabitants were in peril. However, later the Directive was changed to be stricter. Even if a planet full of people is facing extinction, Starfleet vessels are not to interfere.

Having gone over that, the exact wording may be that Starfleet vessels cannot offer aid, but it says nothing about Federation vessels offering aid. So that is an option if a member of the Federation has a vessel nearby and is willing to aid the people.

There is the possibility that the crew aboard the Starfleet vessel could reverse the supernova, though this may be beyond the time constraints and limits of the crew.

There are other things to also consider. While a ship could rescue the people on the planet, would the rescuers have well researched knowledge of that culture to know what their needs would be medically; would they need something very specific that can only be found on the planet? In rescuing them would an unknown bacteria or virus be unleashed on the unsuspecting rescuers, or the refugees. Are they symbiotic? Are they friendly? It's hard to tell from one radio transmission that simply states they saw the ship via telescope...

I would attempt to solve the issue with the system's sun, and if that failed, there is the hope of a non Starfleet, Federation vessel being near. However, if those two options failed, I would follow the directive. Everything has a cycle it must follow, interference could hinder more than help even when a planet is faced with extinction.

The Prime Directive is not just a set of rules; it is a philosophy... and a very correct one. History has proven again and again that whenever mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous."
- Captain Picard (TNG: "Symbiosis")
(Resource: Memory Alpha)

[Calantyr]

The Prime Directive seems to state, at least in the versions that I have read, that it is there to stop the destruction of a culture's 'healthy development'. The problem with this is that as the planets star is about to explode, their culture will not have any future healthy development and hence the Prime Directive seems null and void from a stict literal perspective. It does not seem to apply.

Further, as a hail has already been sent to the Starfleet vessel first contact has been attempted and the Starfleet Captain is not the instigator. This isn't really important except to aknowledge that the civilisation seems capable of identifying and transmitting messages to alien vehicles. Given both the size of Federation starships and the speed of light hampering this process, the civilisation must be very advanced, on the verge of warp travel.

Why do I say that? Because in First Contact it took a Starfleet officer directing a telescope at the known position of the Enterprise in orbit for the ship to be revealed, and they had a working warp drive (even if untested) suggesting they were ready for outside contact. Somehow this doomed civilisation has done the same without any outside help, and has managed to make contact despite the great range. If anything, this shows that the civilisation is more advanced than humans were at the time of Cochrane's Warp flight.

As such even if the Prime Directive expressly forbids the contact (which as I mentioned at the beginning probably isn't the case), the civilisation would be making their first Warp flights soon anyway so it's more a case of 'bending' the rules rather than breaking them.

If the star can be stabilised or just delayed in exploding slightly, this entire problem is irrelevant as it will solve itself. All that Starfleet has to do is monitor development of the planet with a probe and wait for the swift development of Warp travel. If 'fixing' the star is not an option the minute change in the development of the planet's culture is insignificant next to the alternative, it's utter eradication.

Save the population, relocate them, as long as the resources needed to do this does not result in the collapse of the Federation before the Klingon's onslaught. As the problem outlines the fact that the starship can relocate the entire population by itself, this apparently isn't a problem.

[CmdrRokar]

prime directive > rest... If the denizens can be helped, i'm sure they shouldn't be, since i doubt there is a way to evacuate a planet full of people without attracting suspicion. Saving them would mean infecting everything they are and stand for... Respecting that and letting them live in peace is the best option.

Because saving them this time might mean that on the next planet, you find an undeveloped civilization having something similar to the black death here. Should you innoculate them and save a lot of lives or not ? As soon as a first step is made to breaking the prime directive, other steps now unthinkable come closer. Soon the federation is flying around breaking every rule in the book to save a few lives and derail the historical evolution of many civilizations.

[Vlherg]

The scenario states that we do have the capacity to evacuate the population. That means it is not a choice between saving a few or none. It is all or none

The Prime Directive
"As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation."

Inaction does not allow the species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution or allow normal and healthy development of alien life or culture. Inaction causes the certain death of the species and its culture. The prime directive does not apply.

I reply to the hail with a view to commence evacutaion.

[capnrotbart]

The scenario states that we do have the capacity to evacuate the population. That means it is not a choice between saving a few or none. It is all or none

The Prime Directive
"As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation."

Inaction does not allow the species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution or allow normal and healthy development of alien life or culture. Inaction causes the certain death of the species and its culture. The prime directive does not apply.

I reply to the hail with a view to commence evacutaion.

If that's what The Prime Directive states, then yes, evacuating the whole population is the only sensible thing to do. Inaction would be mass murder.

[Starship01]

I understand the prime directive is clear and i would contact starfleet for futher orders on what to do :cool:

[DarkOrion69]

The Prime Directive forbids interference in the development of pre-warp civilizations. This rule forbids Starfleet personnel from taking any action they cannot later justify in a Court Martial as non detrimental to the development of the species in question. If we are engaged in open war and on the way to battle, we cannot in good conscience stop to offer aid fully. One of the technicalities of the Prime Directive is that it applies only to Starfleet Personnel and not Federation Citizens.

I would (with the unanimous support of the crew) satisfy this condition by having everyone temporarily resign their commission in Starfleet. Then I would declare my ship officially derelict as it is completely lacking in any Starfleet personnel to crew her. As concerned citizens of the Federation we would use this derelict vessel to aid the poor people of the doomed planet.

Clearly my entirely non-Starfleet crew of on my derelict vessel would not be legally suitable/tactically sound as a combat asset. We would return to the nearest Starbase and present the refugees to the Federation Authorities and ask that we be permitted to house these refugees on our derelict ship until a suitable colony world could be located for them. After they were set to rights, I would request that any of my crew wishing to return to Starfleet Service be shown clemency. If necessary to seal the deal for my crew, I would agree to take any blame necessary for violating the Prime Directive and retire to the new colony and live a good life knowing that when push came to shove I did the right thing for everyone involved.

[trekkieunite]

the prime directive is clear we must not interfere with a prewarp alien species however i dont care much for the prime directive anyway and althoug doing this would most certainly get me bumped waaaaay down to crewman (if they found out) i would secretly (without my crew knowing) provide them with a warp 1 shuttle (modified to be unreckognizable as a federation ship) explain the basic principles of warp drive to them then there a warp civilization and can be rescued. or i would sabotage the ship to crash land in an area where they would see the ship crashing and investigate (obviously i would make sure the ship stays intact for the most part) then they would "steal" our shuttles.;)

[Psycofire]

WIthin weeks, I'd get a hold of some red matter, which has been proven to create black holes that have the ability to absorb the energy of the exploding star. I'd simply monitor the situation and then launch it upon the time of supernova.

[ferengY_eater]

hmm ..... yes its true that the prime directive has to be followed like the bible by any starship captain ...its also true that every captain we seen like Picard and Kirk didn't actually read it, breaking numerous times the directive , and as we seen in the show moral decisions beat the crap out the more wise oanes

[VirusJTG]

Not only is the prime directive clear. This is also stipulated by the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few or the needs of the one. Protocol must be followed and this race allowed to die. The best thing to do is to ignore the hail, and leave the area.

[msbglarry]

The Prime Directive is very clear. Pre-warp civilizations are to be left alone, however, given the fact that there was a plea for help, the federation has to respond and offer assistance. I would contact the planet and offer my assistance.

[msbglarry]

WIthin weeks, I'd get a hold of some red matter, which has been proven to create black holes that have the ability to absorb the energy of the exploding star. I'd simply monitor the situation and then launch it upon the time of supernova.

How would the planet survive after its star had been absorbed by the red matter?:confused:

[msbglarry]

I understand the prime directive is clear and i would contact starfleet for futher orders on what to do :cool:

Now that is the best answer I have read yet! WTG! You are truly Starfleet material!:D

[trebort5050]

Well they saw me so the Prime Directive is pretty much gone out the window. I'd rescue them because I'm nice like that.

I don't care if they drain Federation Resources. The Federation is not a war machine and should have resources for humanitarian things like this :D

[Arnaud]

Hi all
Prime Directive is clear, no contact attempt on our own. But, they see us first before contact us. Prime Directive do no apply. So, I send a message to central command and start evacuate the system.
I deal with Starfleet later.

[iainshearer]

Why over complicate this? Isn't this a moral not than ethical trauma? Evacuate the planet! The Prime Directorate is there to protect life - not consign it to the cosmic microwave.

[Joshuamb]

Why over complicate this? Isn't this a moral not than ethical trauma? Evacuate the planet! The Prime Directorate is there to protect life - not consign it to the cosmic microwave.



Wow Someone i actual agree with in this thread.

[swiftomnium]

Contact Starfleet Command, explain this situation. Starfleet won't abandon these people but will need to find a solution to not to scare them.

They could send in a Holoship (a ship as large as a Constitution Class that consists out of an entire holodek). The same tactic was used by Admiral Doughtery to secretly transport the entire 600 Ba'ku inhabitants off the Ba'ku planet without their knowledge. It worked then, so why not now. Use this to transport them to another planet. Of course they would know that something is happened, but you won't have to make first contact.

[billybob442]

I'd ignore the hail from the planet and inform Starfleet of the situation because novas can affect a lot more than just that star system (Hobus anyone?) Then I stop and being surveying the star. With a few weeks to go my science team may be able to cook up some wacky way of stabilizing the star in a reasonable amount of time.

If we can't come up with a workable solution in a couple days, or the brass tries to wave me off from helping out, then I inform Starfleet of my imminent court-martial, wiz all over the Prime Directive, contact the planet, and take on as many aliens as the hull will hold.

[renorin]

Well, according to the Prime Directive you shouldn't help them. You could follow the example Starfleet set in the movie, Insurrection, but they were technically breaking there own laws...

Or, we could chuck rules out the window and evacuate them the fun way! BEAM 'EM UP SCOTTY!!! 8D

P.S. Do not evacuate planets or solar systems without informing the population. Possible reactions include the following:
mental breakdown, severe depression, death from shock, and other similar conditions.

[knight1b]

There was a TOS book called prime directive that covers this. As Spock put it a request for help negates the prime directive well sort of.


The prime directive prevents you from contacting them and giving them warning. However It will not prevent you from responding to the hail and If (This is where it gets messy) they know about the coming disaster and request your aid then you may provide it as long as you take steps to limit there exposure to advanced technology.

[Nemesis24]

I recall a TNG episode where a little girl contacts Data about the impending doom of her planet and i beileve it was established that Data had broken the prime directive by replying.

I believe in this case the Prime Directive has to be obeyed because by transfering these group of people from their home planet to another would directly influence their development over the coming years which the PD forbids. However, in this situation i would send down away teams and observe them from far to learn more about the species so that after they are gone there is a record of the achievements by these people.

[repter]

contact starfleet about the situation and have a crew member search for a planet that was close to their old home while waiting for orders.

[nIcKnIgHt]

I would try to convince Starfleet Command of saving at least some of the inhabitants. Enough to continue their civilization. And yes, now I have to repeat what a lot of suggestions told before, the best thing to do would be to move them into a holosuite so that they never find out (at least until they evolve to a space race with warp drive) what really happened to them.
It's tragic, but the rest of the planet would be going to die.

[grantbenjensen]

Maybe find some way to stop the sun from going supernova that way you dont interfer and they are still unaware of your presence. Because if they have radio signals then there race is big enough made up of at least a couplr million and you cant stick a million peaople in the holodeck And they probably have citites so if you dumped them on another planet they would be a bit confused and then when they did get warp they would think of the Federation as gods and starfleet wouldnt like that.

[Rakkis]

I would knock out the population with my ships phasors set to wide range stun. Then beam as many as I could to a cargo bay where I would keep them sudated, until I find a new world for them. Beam them to the planet and then leave.

[zefalcon]

i would not interfere at first id contact starfleet to see what they say, but if uable to contact them then i would beam them to the holodeck and transport them to another habital planet. then be on my way.

[MerryGentry]

The Prime Directive is clear. I would inform Starfleet of the situation and continue on my way, unless I am ordered otherwise.

[BazzaAlpine]

Oh wow choices choices :cool:

Klingon: Excelerate the stars demise (lets face it everyone and thier grandmother seems to be able to do that now) and put the wretches out of thier misery of waiting.

Ferengi: Sell them the plans to a warp drive. Then hang around to see if they can work them out and build ships in time.

But prob my main one, Federation: First contact has been made (hell would prob offer assistance even if it hadn't) so assist to the best of the federation abilities. There is a kind of pressedent for this. In Generations Picard went down to stop the shockwave from destroying a pre warp civilisation. Ok that was because of a man made event and lets gloss over the payback part of it :D but who is to say that civilisation wasn't meant to be wiped out either?

[billhouston1]

Return their hail, while being extremely vague as to your whereabouts, and who you are. See if they want assistance. The Prime directive is clear, but you would be commiting genocide by allowing an entire world to die in a supernova. The inhabitants may be primitive, but they obviously have some scientific knowledge to be able to send a hail in the first place. The people could have a lot to offer the Federation, especially in a time of war. Save an entire civilization, and gain an ally with a lot of potential. Win win for the Federation.

[Fawke]

Let's really think about this...

A planet that has no idea of extraterrestial life is most likely not going to do exactly what these Aliens say because of skepticism. To evacuate an entire planet of people williingly in a situation like this is probably not likely.

The first thing I would do is examine alternatives to stopping the star from exploding.

Meanwhile, while scientists are workign on a possible way to stop it, I would contact the person that contacted us. Beam down, explain the situation, and offer to evacuate that person and any immediate friends/family to an M class planet without advanced life.

If they refuse, then we continue to determine if we can stop the star from dying.
If they accept, then we evacuate those people with their belongings and continue to determine if we can stop the star from dying.

If we are unable to determine a method to stop the star from dying, we leave...

[JMRIII]

Well seeing as how this takes place after then new movie the ability to create a black hole exisits so I would load a torpedo with some of the substance to make a black hole, then just before the supernova launch the substance into the sun if timed correctly the implosion from the black hole should cancle out the explotion from the supernova and vis-a-versa meaning mater stays intact posibly even leaving the sun intact as well. A little trick I picked up from watching Dr. Who. It is also the same trick Spock was going to use to save Romulas, only he was a little late. So I don't think this would be a true Violation of the directive because the people on the planet have already seen the ship however they probibly don't have the technalogy to know the sun is about to explode. Plus if it was alright to interfer with the Romulan's natural course of history why wouldn't it be alright to do the same with this planet just because they don't have space flight and we aren't trying to make them an ally.

[relisys]

well guys if you think about this look

assuming you have an holodeck in stalled on the ship! well make the holodeck simulate the planet! and then turn to be an ark beam 2 opposite sex of the different nation (if any on the planet) to the holodeck! or save as much as possible, give them the stun gas! so they don't realise any different!

find a same class planet in the solar system! and leave them a nice message!! explaining what happen and so on ;)

[ShahnTzu]

The Prime Directive is intended to allow the natural evolution of intelligenct life to progress. This is meant to allow life to proliferate in a unique way - diversity being the strength of the Federation. In those moments where nature and proliferation conflict, we must always side with life. After all, existence in a more burdensome or unorthodox manner should always supercede non-existence. Our very existence in space is counter to nature itself and the Prime Directive is not created to protect nature's processes, but rather to protect life. My course of action would be to argue their case to Starfleet vehemently and accept their judgement on the matter.

In a bout of contemplation, consider this: What would the proper course of action be if, instead of a supernova, a space-faring people waged war on a pre-warp world?

Further, the Prime Directive is built upon the presumption of a "correct" moment for first contact. Is that ever reviewed? On what basis does that certainty stand?

[BigDaddyMustang]

The worst yet. They spotted you with their telescope as you fly by at warp. The Ham radio signal that would take a century to reach you. Jeez I mean really.

"What do you do?" Keanu Reeves-Speed

Kevin

[Acyl]

The "loss" is a bit esoteric, and certainly indirect. The idea is, this race becomes a resource-sink on the Federation for untold decades. Let's say the Federation had a plan that couldn't fail, it just required 100 operational battleships to pull it off. Unfortunately, because these refugees are starving, sick, and in need of shelter, Starfleet was only able to field 95 battleships.

The plan fails and the Federation is destroyed.

Or consider this alternative analogy: the Federation is like a life raft. It can support a dozen full-size adults. The boat is currently full, and you want to add one more adult to the count.... helping these people will sink the boat. Helping these people will sink the Federation

The resource drain cause by one dependant planet would likely prove to be insignificant, compared to the collective resource drains that already exist in the UFP.
I guess you could add "Have science teams run simulations on the projected impact of supporting this civilisation, and see if it's significant".
But, by the time you've stopped to think, it's that much harder to pass them by.

We don't play arithmetic with people's lives. That's not what we do.

If a child gets lost in a mountain range during a blizzard, we don't call off the search because it's dangerous to rescuers. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people will continue working through the night. Maybe some of those rescuers will get injured or die during the search - but they'll still go.

It doesn't make sense mathematically, but it's what we do.

Yes, the Federation's on the brink of war, and resources are tight. No, it doesn't make economic sense to send a huge fleet of ships to rescue these people, and then set them up in a refugee camp for many years to come. But it's the humane thing to do.

[lobon]

The Prime Directive is designed to protect a planet from contamination so they may develop in their own way. A captain is given a bit of leeway in extreme situations.

This is one of those situations. As there is no known way to prevent the sun from going nova the civilization will soon cease to exist. As they have already spotted the ship and initiated communication we can take the opportunity to explain the situation and offer assistance.

While the PD would normally prevent this the situation would demand we follow the moral and ethical principles behind the PD. In this case we can with limited effort help to save an entire civilization. While this puts a small additional burden on the Federation it is the right thing to do.

Additionally it is hard to say what contributions the society might make to the Federation once resettled on another planet. One should not judge a peoples value simply on their technological expertise.

[Nman]

Transport down to the planet and see if they have any idea of what to do. If not which is probley the case then transport them aboard your ship and save them but keep them on a holodeck that looks like there planat and see if you can find them a new home on another planet, and wate for them to warp level at which you can contact them without problems.

[WWJDROJC]

Good question. I will attempt to answer the Esteemed Counsel, Your Honor, in this way....Lets see. According to the Mission where Kirk and the Enterprise ran into the race called the Gorn, attacking a Federation colony, where it culminated into a meeting of the Ancient Race who had seeded the Milky Way Galaxy with their genetic code. Granted they did think that the Federation had matured enough to grant them a meeting.

As well as the Mission where Captain Piard, who led the Federation; the Klingons; the Romulans; and the Cardassians raced each other to a specific planet after finding a Genetic Code puzzle, following it to it's conclusion, found that an Ancient Civilization had seeded their home worlds with their own genetic code to raise "Children". Each of these Civilization would never had come to be if the "Ancients" , to borrow a term from Stargate, had not interfered with the natural order of Earth, the Klingon, Romlan, Cardassian homeworlds...

So using this as the basis for my arguement, we all are descended from the Ancients and therefore owe that Civilization the honor of saving as many of their children as we can... since we are all brothers and sisters. While the Prime Directive is very clear about FIRST CONTACT, it was not the Federation who made First contact, it was this civilization. And since this is the case, it would appear that they are mature enough to make up their own minds, on whether or not they would wish the Federation to give aid in rescuing their world.

The Ancents, as i am calling them, seemed to understand that each race previously mentioned, had to make a choice, and as was very astutely spelled out in Captain Picards Mission Logs...each race came about the same conclusion in their own particular, and i must say...Unique, way of doing it. Therefore you must understand that the Ancients realized that their descendants would be able to rationalize each decision in their life to come up with their own unique way of doing things...all to come to the same conslusion and find them.

My argument, your Honor, is simply this...the Prime Directive was not violated in the saving of this race, or this planet if it turns out to actually be saved. My Defendant did not do anything wrong by explaining the situation to the leaders of that world, and was in fact surprised by their knowledge of their own star. It would apear that they had been studying the breakdown of their sun for many years and had already been formulating hypothesis on how to cancel the effects that were happening on their sun. You will recall, Your Honor, that Earth, long before First Contact was made by the Vulcans, we had been studying our own sun and had been hypothesising our own solutions in case our sun began to go super-nova...History records that many of our civilization believed that there were Alien races living on other planets, and many times attempted to contact them.

Had our sun gone super nova we would have had many many theories of how to put a stop to it...and had they not worked because we could not reach our sun in time...would those who believed they had seen an alien race not step forward, as did those on this planet in question, and make First Contact with them, in the hopes that they might not help them out of their delima? How would we, on Earth, have felt to simply see that ship turn around and leave us to our demise? When we had the very solution here, but simply could not deliver it in time?

No, your Honor, it is not the question of whether the Prime Directive was violated or not, the question is do we not have the Moral Right to help those in need, regardless of the consequences, when they ask us, out of desperation, for help? I will note, sir, that these people did not petition Starfleet for admittance to the Federation, they did not ask for protection from the Klingon Empire, they did not ask us for Technology many years ahead of their time because they want power or wealth, or knowledge they cannot handle. No, Your Honor, they petitioned us for help in fixing their problem by simiply being a delivery system... they asked us to use their own "bomb" , for lack of a better word, deliver it to their own sun and fix their own problem. You must note, your Honor, that their idea did work, though no one knows the extent that the problem was fixed, but in the meantime they have asked Starfleet Council to let them live their own life alone, and to let them develope their own technology. You must note here as well, Your Honor, that they specifically said that they would contact us if they ever decide to enter the Federation, not the other way around. In other words, "Dont' call us, we'll call you"

While you may say that my Defendant was extremely lucky, in that these people did not become Dependants of the Federation, you must also state that we as a People have a Moral obligation to those who ask for help. We cannot turn our backs on the very priciples which this Great Federation were founded on.

And THAT, sir, is my closing Arguement.

[Panruka]

I would plot a course for some other systems and walk away. I can't just transport an entire civilization. That would take too many resources and increases the risk of contamination.Even if I could transport them to another suitable world. How do I know they would be immune to the native micro-organisms. Trying to give them an immunity would also contaminate the culture as well. So the best course of action would be to walk away.

[dahakahacker2000]

I'd have to say that I'd save the inhabitants of the planet, I mean, they don't have space travel, but they were able to spot the ship, and communicate with it. It could just be me, but they could make a major contribution to the federation.

[joshua060995]

i guess would seem harsh i have to pass them by with the prime directive in place. it seems harsh but if fate has decreed that the star will explode destroying there whole race then i cant not interfere with the time space continuum

[erriku]

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you recieve a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

You can tell from this communication that they are not entirely sure that you are there at all. If you leave, they may eventually conclude that they really are alone but will be unable to escape (no method of space travel appear from your scans). Alternatively, if you attempt to rescue them (given the time frame, you could evacuate them from the planet) they would likely be very distressed and dependant upon the Federation in a time of war.

What do you do?

First I would try to see if we had some way of prolonging the destruction of the star for a few centuries, which would be possible because I have a TOS level crew who can solve virtually any problem. Especially in a 25th century ship.

If that fails, I can tell that they are not entirely sure that I am even there at all but that is subjective information. I can use that to my advantage when saving the planets inhabitants. No one in Starfleet will be able to prove without a doubt that first contact wasn't already made since the radio transmission clearly states that they do see my ship. I win and I get a commendation for being a super cool captain.

[SenatorPardek]

To heck with the Prime Directive! I would order the evacuation and resettlement of the population. I will not be saddled with the death of an entire culture.

[Galv]

I'd rescue them, a call for help/aid out ways the prime directive every time.

[AncientLegacy]

If the race is too stupid to realize that their sun is going to kick it soon, then they deserve whats coming.

hahaha, just kidding. really appraise starfleet of the situation. Tell starfleet that you were spotted and the race seems very advanced (a lie) and hope that starfleet gives the ok.

OR you could use the star as scientific testing (fire a torpedo into it) and see what happens.

[Vexxille13]

hmmmm this my answer


Plan A: I would try with the Fed. Council to talk to convince them that it was important to protect live everything.
Plan B: if A should fail in the time I would try to still find some of Captin in order for them to settling even if I order from the Supreme directive contrary, I just trying to help make

[AncientLegacy]

beam some red matter to the star's center, thereby creating a black hole instead of a supernova... problem solved - at least they're not going to blow up. quite the opposite.

[Myrodin]

I would contact starfleet and inform them of the situation. Then I would attempt to find a way to prevent the supernova. If i was unable to do so, perhaps make first contact and IF the people accept our offer to save their race, evacuate them. Otherwise, simply leave orbit. But atleast we'd let them know they're all about to die.

[capt.em]

I would save them, even if im pulled of rank. Who knows? They may be a powerful ally some day.:D

[kosydar]

The prime directive states that you are not to interfear with any race except for when asked to do so by that race. These people have sent out a distress call and it is our duty to help them in any way that we can. Reguardless of the reprucussians that might follow, I would help them.

[tstupfel]

From Memory Alpha (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Prime_Directive):

"The Prime Directive is not enforced upon citizens of the Federation. Under the rules as defined in the Directive, a Starfleet crew is forbidden from removing citizens who have interfered with the culture of a world. Violating the directive can result in a court-martial for the offending Starfleet officer or crew."

That being said, coupled with the fact that, as Jean Luke would put it, "the first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth...," I would see it as my obligation to break the story of the planet's imminent destruction to the Federation News Service and any other mass media outlets willing to listen in the hopes that a civilian organization or group would be able to either mount a rescue effort of their own or put enough pressure on the UFP itself for Starfleet to intervene.

Failing that, I'm sure that the Ferangi (under Grand Negas Rom) would at least be able to see some sort of profit in saving an entire planet's populace from destruction...

And failing that, to hell with the Prime Directive- it was created to PROTECT life, not allow us to sit idly by while an entire civilization goes the way of the dinosaur.

[ratdogs1]

The federation cannot support this race in a time of war, leave.

[Myrdinn]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

More information is required. Are there other Star Fleet ships in the area?
How crutial are my ship's activities for the next few weeks?
Prime Directive? Since when do the best captains follow that, when immediate genocide (not caused by the inhabitants) is upon a race?

In short, move 'em. Explain very carefully to the leaders that you cannot interfere, so the majority will be in the holodecks (if not all), and the reasons why the Prime Directive must hold.

Then petition Star Fleet command to separate cultural maturity from technilogical maturity in how they evaluate Prime Directive situations. That, and a review of the whole "let's not let third party genocides occur" as a policy matter, when in contridiction of the Prime Directive. I mean, come on, people! You'd evacuate even an enemy's colony, if it was a matter of a supernova (see Spock trying to help the Romulans)... why not a bunch of poor schmoes who have the misfortune of being on a planet that hasn't gotten around to making their own warp drives?! Not to do so, is simply keeping an exclusive club an exclusive club for the sake of being an exclusive and fairly snotty club!

Edit: post-movement, though... don't interfere. Even to help rebuild their civilization. All we've done, is mitigate total death to simply "a massive destruction to a society." Still up to them to handle the disruption according to their cultural norms.

[teemuh101275]

Prime directive should be considered hardly in situations like this. We have not interfered in their develoment in any way and we should not interfere. In case of emergency they may invent space travel to save themselves or not. In any case helping them may be wrong or right you do not know so you have to think it yourself. Prime directive is more like philosophy than just a rule. If you feel you will make good for them by saving them by all means do but it is your responsibility to live with consequences. You also may contact Starfleet for advice but in the end decision is yours. With so litle information given in this scenario i will not make any decision until we have made theral study.

[nicktohunt]

I have to agree with Ravensshadow, save the spiecies. Maby keep close monitor on them, but they would most likly become a good alie to starfleet even if they are even more primitave than humans.

[AnjinKyotsu]

Interesting moral delema. Not really a Kobyashi Maru, bu a good moral application.

Prime Derective states no interfearence.

Ok, I would take up position on the dark side of their moon, contact Star Fleet comman, apprise them of the situation. As we have a couple weeks, I should get a responce if it is decided to mount an evacuation using holo-ships as done with the Sona, or however that race is spelled, can't remember.

[Remulean]

the prime directive may be clear, but in particular cases it should be broken,but only if allowed by the council for humanitarian reasons. the holosuite path won't work though if you ask me. the holosuite may appear infinitely big but it can't be big enough to carry an entire civilization, no matter how many ships you use to do it. the sheer logistics make that impossible. what may be possibe though is a site to site transport between planets.

[power123]

it's a hard choice but i prefer a contaminted evolution over no evolution at all. the odd are that when they know that warp drive is nessisery developing it will be their primary goal. because the non know they are welcome in te ferdereation as soon as they do. gainig the federation new allies over hunderds of years....

yes it a long time to look ahead but right now we wonder are we alone ant those peaple are blessed to know the awnser. they know they are wached over and welcome when they are ready. is that really so bad?

under normal conditions i would have followed the prime directive contact only when they are ready. but i am simply not gonna sit back and and let them go extinct. the prime directive is verry clear but you cant be human if you lose perspective of whats makes us human. expetional secomstances requre an exption.

[AaronH]

Nuke the planet from orbit, its the only way to be sure.

How far from another empires borders a I? Would it be feesible to call another empire and let them handle it? I can think of a number of empires that might want a whole population to add to their production capacity.

Find a way to stabalize the systems star. (Obvious, the question is why is the star going nova and can something be done about it?)

How prewarp are they? I am geussing no spaceships, so dropping the warpdrive plans on them wouldn't do much good at this point. Could fabricate evidence that makes it look like they achieved warp flight, then use that excuse to instigate an evacuation. Ultimately this doesn't solve the burdens on the state problem.

[jazco]

The Prime Directive was designed for use in non-catastrophic situations. It's not a blanket to hide behind, but a code of conduct to prevent the contamination of a culture's or species' natural development.

In the event that an entire world's population is threatened by stellar destruction, it is not only the Federation's ability but their responsibility to intervene. That said, there are conditions.

Even though the scenario states there is time enough to relocate the entire population, there must be a new home available to them. The realistic probability of finding another world of similar class that isn't already home to a native civilization is extremely remote.

Also, all the ideas of copying the events of the episode "Homeward" are fanciful and irrelevant because the civilization is stated as having radio technology, so they won't be duped so easily.

[smoqy1]

Easy one.

They have attempted to make first contact. Report the incident to Starfleet. Do not break the Prime Directive and make contact. Gather as much information about the supernova and transmit it to Starfleet. Admirals and Poliiticians have the duty to decide how such situations are handled. Your duties are to follow the rules and keep your crew safe.

[kn1t3ster]

Isn't the Prime Directive void because they contacted you??

[MasterThome]

Voyager sent the doctor down to a planet with the ability to change his cosmetic form. I would suggest doing something similar. Collect as much information as possible before the planet is fried. I would also suggest contacting Starfleet immediately to request clearance to take physical samples. Being able to take anything containing genetic information of the species could save the essence of the species. Just making sure that none of your samples are contaminated.

[Tharanicus]

"Some day, my People are going to come up with some sort of a doctrine, something that says what we can and can't do out here, should and shouldn't do. But until someone tells me that they've drafted that... directive, I'm going to have to remind myself every day, that we didn't come out here to play God." - Jonathan Archer

I double check and triple check the planet for any signs of advanced technology, any signs of contamination or outside influence from any other people/organisation. If none found I would investigate the sun to confirm that it is actually naturally occurring. If everything is 'natural' then I would advise Starfleet of the situation and leave.

[KirksOtherSon]

As has been said, the Prime Directive rules here, especially since they've only seen your starship as a "UFO", and aren't even sure of your presence.

Voletek makes the good point above that it's perfectly acceptable to radio Starfleet and suggest a special dispensation, since your starship does have the capacity to evacuate the people in jeopardy ...

... but, yeah, this is a classic Prime Directive thing. To save the endangered civilization without special Starfleet permission would be a clear violation.

My take, anyway,


KOS

[Gold-Eagle]

I would advise Star Fleet of the situation, then look into other ways to save the people on the planet. If possible I would try to recreat the "red matter" technology from Star Trek 11. If that isn't possible I would create a holodeck simulation of their world and beam them to safty. While the planet's inhabiats are in the holodeck I would have my crew recreat their homes on a similar planet. If neither of these options would work I would rescue the planet's inhabits. They called for help so I don't think the Prime Directive would apply in this case. It would be immoral to let the people die when I could easily save them.

[Delta122]

As a Favor of the Klingon Empire i would destroy the Federation ship in orbit of this planet and leave the planet to its natrual fate.

[Mythril]

The Prime Directive is in place to not interfere with the development of a culture, but does that really still apply when said development is in actuality total annihilation? The purpose of the Prime Directive is to protect prewarp civilizations. I don't envy the captain who has to make this choice though. Saving the people could lead to court martial and demotion, but history won't remember positively the captain who through inaction let however many people die.

I got this from the wikipedia article on the Prime Directive:

"As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation."

A keyword in this is "healthy." I wouldn't consider obliteration by supernova particularly healthy.

Personally, at the very least I would contact Starfleet Command and inform them of the situation. I would also include the recommendation that the Prime Directive be lifted for this situation, especially if the star was being destabilized by artificial means.

[SFR-MAKO]

In this situation (YES) the prime directive is in afect, but i would contact starfleet give them a heads up of the situation. while i wait i would look for possiblities that would help those people without breaking the prime directive, i would also keep starfleet up to date with the solutions my team and i have come up with. but if the order comes through, no interference. I would have to comply.

[Xendoshi]

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you receive a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

You can tell from this communication that they are not entirely sure that you are there at all. If you leave, they may eventually conclude that they really are alone but will be unable to escape (no method of space travel appear from your scans). Alternatively, if you attempt to rescue them (given the time frame, you could evacuate them from the planet) they would likely be very distressed and dependent upon the Federation in a time of war.

What do you do?!

Having been spotted in a telescope, it is unclear how long they have been tracking my ship. It is clear they may not believe what they have seen in their telescope, but, since they have put faith that I am here and have also tried to contact me via old radio band transmissions. the Prime Directive has been broken. It is now my duty to minimize the harm of first contact since they are a pre-warp civilization.

I would gather up the leaders of the planet and inform them of the threat. Offer to move them to a new planet, with exceptions. the only thing we (the UFP) will leave them with is tools we have transported off the surface of the planet. If they accept everyone from the surface shall be sedated before being beamed up from the surface and shall remain sedated until they wake up on the new planet. Also Explain to the leaders of the Prime Directive and that we will not interfere with them after we leave them on the new planet. If the leaders of the civilization agree/disagree, they shall not be permitted to return to the planets surface due to having seen things that could change the natural evolution of their civilization.

The leaders immediate family, if any, shall be moved with them to earth.

[Replica]

Rescue the best that the planet has to offer, then sell them for Gold Pressed Latinum. What else would you do with a pre-warp civilization?

[Donjustice]

well they have spotted us but are unsure of what they have saw. so the prime directive is still intact but it is clear that we may have to break protocol in order to save these people.
firstly i would contact the leaders of the world tell them of the threat and our moral code namely the prime directive and explain to them why we broke it on this instance. then begin evacuating the planet per the peoples instruction. then relocate them to a similar planet. then leave them in peace with what they are used to the basics.

[CapnBludd]

They SEE you and they say HEY we SEE you. If they have scopes powerful enough to do that AND directional communications, then you don't ignore them you go help them.

[Drysdan]

The prime directive is clear, we are not gods in space we must let nature take it's course. We have no idea the repercussions of saving them. "Ensign lay course to our next destination. Engage."

[ChrisTheMad]

A single ship would not be able to handle a rescue of an entire planet if Starfleet decides to intervene, the holo-deck can only support so much. Realistically a rescue of that size (just judging off the population of the earth today) would take weeks, if not months to accomplish, so hundreds of ships would be required. Lets say you gathered 150 ships, all roughly able to support 5,000 passengers each, thats 750,000 people in one load, then it would take at least 5 hours, maybe more, to transport these passengers to safety, and 5 hours back, so 10 hours round trip (not counting unloading or loading.) Thats 7,500,000 in ten hours, roughly 18,000,000 in one day, 126,000,000 in one week, 540,000,000 in one month, 1 billion in two months, 2 billion in 4 months, and so on and so on. Don't forget the need to sustain that population on the new planet, because you can't just dump that amount of people onto a planet that has no agricultural development whatsoever and expect them to survive. The ships needed to move that amount of supplys would probably be double that of the ships needed to ferry the population, and the Federation would have to continue to support this population for at least a year, and thats optomistic. Starfleet, in the process of saving a society, would either kill billions of people through starvation, or it would completely consume the Federation resources, that are already stretched thin due to the events of the Cardassians, Romulans, Klingon and various other groups. I believe the Prime Directive would have to stand, just because of the sheer amount of time, energy, resources, manpower and ships needed to rescue this population is just not possible to gather together with the current situation in the Federation and in the amount of time before the Supernova. Where are those ships going to come from? Starfleet is already pulling back science and discovery vessels to help bulster the thin lines that pirate raids and the like are creating.
Sorry to whoever this society is, but we cannot help you at this present time, please call again when we aren't so busy.

[johnar]

the prime directive is hogwash.

Study the species and other - non intelligent species on the planet and if they are not a "menace" then save em. Life and intelligence are too precious to let die because of some silly rule.

Or play the klingon and ensalve them or if they are worthy recruit them into the marines.

[SupremeLegate]

Since I saw Knowing I know exactly what I would do; I would save them.

Get as many ships as I can and save as many as I can.

[Suricata]

This is actually a great situation, since its really on the edge.

The Prime Directive clearly states the none interferance with a race (not just pre-warp) unless they are a member of the Federation. This applies to races who may become extinct as well.

That been said, the race has sent a communication to the ship. So, I'd assemble an away team and send it down to the planet to investigate just how advanced teh civilisation is and whether or not they know of thier impending doom. If they are merely attempting to communicate with us without knowing about thier star going supernova, then I'd say the Prime Directive applies, however, if they are aware of thier situation and are sending a request for assistance, then I'd immediatly apprise Starfleet of the situation. Since there seems to be enough time to assemble a fleet of ships to evacuate the race, then theres time for the Brass of Starfleet to make the decision without putting myself in a messy situation.

If Starfleet insists they are left to thier impending doom, then I'll look at if there is anything to be done regarding the Star going supernova, but realistically, the race may become extinct. Its a sad conclusion, but where do you draw the line on evacuating sentiant species from planets and where do we place them? The Prime Directive is there to set in stone when we can and can't help because there is just to many situations where morality would get us into trouble.

[BaakCha]

Rescue as many people as is possible. We aren't interfering with their culture's natural progression or stopping them from choosing this fate. As far as having a sudden influx of people who will be dependent on the Federation during time of war, we can always use more spear chuckers. Just because they don't have an understanding of the advanced technology of the Federation doesn't mean that they can't still be useful in some capacity. You'll have an entire planet full of people so grateful for pulling their fat out of the fire they'd be willing to do just about anything to thank you.

[Sergeant-Stupid]

I would try to aid the star in any way possible, if that fails, then I would evacuate all I could.

[ChrisTheMad]

OH! I forgot to mention, you can't save a star from going supernova, a supernova is caused when nuclear fusion is no longer possible in the star. Its not a matter of "Re-energizing" a dying star, you need to give it fuel to continue fusion. Stars are made up of 98% Hydrogen and Helium, so naturally, that is their fuel, and in order to prevent a supernova you would have to pump HUGE amounts of these elements into the sun to keep it alive. using our sun as a reference, its mass makes up over 90% of the mass of our solar system, that means everything in our solar system combined could not equal or even make up 10% of the material in our sun, and just by using estimates I'd say 1 or 2 % of that material in our solar system is Hydrogen and Helium (I could be wrong, 1 or 2% was just a guess.) so we would have to gather together the total amount of resources we'd find in at least 45 different star systems. And gathering that straight from another star is completely impossible, nuclear fusion, in a star, isn't possible until about 15,000,000° C, so to aproach a star burning at such a temperature would melt the ship, and if a solar flare went off the crew of the ship would be dead from the radiation before the ship was even close enough to melt.
The ethics of stopping a supernova, I believe, goes agaisnt the prime directive. When a star is alive it converts its fuel into various different elements through the process of fusion, and when it dies explodes and throws all these new elements back into space, which eventually form new stars, and new planets, and new life! Our universe recycles material from dead stars to make the new, our Earth is made up of material that was once in another star that died and went supernova billions of years ago. so if we begin to stop every supernova we find, later down the road, our galaxy will have nothing left to make new life, thus effecting the advance of lesser civilizations.

[Sergeant-Stupid]

They saw you, and hailed you, so the prime directive has been thrown out already. Anyways, I'd try to help their star as best as possible, and if that fails, get starfleet and begin evacuating. If starfleet does not agree, under the grounds that we can talk to them as they have talked to us, I would inform them of the situation, and do anything I could to give them technology to evacuate their own. If the star can be repaired then I would get going to try and keep the contact situation with them at a minimum.

[Neligahn]

Ah heart tugging as it is, the Prime Directive is as clear as its ever been. In our own history we have seen UFOs and through SETI attempted to contact extraterrestrials. Their non-contact of us could be for one of many reasons. But as far as whether or not we should attempt to move them, as I said, the Prime Directive is clear:

"Originally the Directive was a shield for primitive worlds. If such a world was in danger, Starfleet had been known to order ships to save that world, provided it could be done without violating the Directive...The Directive was later amended, prohibiting Starfleet officers from intervening even if non-intervention would result in the extinction of an entire species or the end of all life on a planet or star system. By the 24th century the Federation had begun applying the Prime Directive to warp-capable species, refusing to interfere in internal matters such as the Klingon Civil War."
-http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Prime_Directive

Therefore, there is nothing left to do but mark the system for later follow up and make a personal log entry.

Edit: And for anyone who believes that it is in our place to make change where and when we see fit, I give you a quote from William Riker:

"If there is a cosmic plan, is it not the height of hubris to think we can or should interfere?"

[SnuffleKitty]

This all seems rather clear to me.

In this instance, and others like it, the Prime Directive is quite simply inapplicable.

It's ridiculous.

Those with the power to act must act. Inaction is unacceptable. They would want to be saved. We don't want to save them because it would make a mess. Saving a doomed culture is an acceptable exception.

We shouldn't play god. Picking and choosing who lives or dies based on their technological prowess? How do you think that their scientiests would feel? "Well darn, I guess we should have spent more time working on faster-than-light theory, and less time developing drugs that make our sex organs bigger. *COUGH* *COUGH*

Will our actions change the course of their culture's development?

Most definitely, what with it's continued existence and all.

Picard ignored the Prime Directive in situations like this at least twice.

So yes. I would save them.

-Snuffles

[dennai78]

As the population is threatened by a disaster the population could acctualy be moved, (unlike if there was a resource to be found...), definatly contact Starfleet, and request for a large holoship for the transportation of the people. :o

[CptMcDonald79]

Indeed the Prime Directive states no interference with pre warp cultures. In fact I would change course and rescue the colonists before it was to late, We would then relocate them to a suitable planet. To prevent cultural contamination I would have the medical staff complete a memory wipe that Dr. Pulaski used before.

[Gladkathie]

Ah heart tugging as it is, the Prime Directive is as clear as its ever been. In our own history we have seen UFOs and through SETI attempted to contact extraterrestrials. Their non-contact of us could be for one of many reasons. But as far as whether or not we should attempt to move them, as I said, the Prime Directive is clear:

"Originally the Directive was a shield for primitive worlds. If such a world was in danger, Starfleet had been known to order ships to save that world, provided it could be done without violating the Directive...The Directive was later amended, prohibiting Starfleet officers from intervening even if non-intervention would result in the extinction of an entire species or the end of all life on a planet or star system. By the 24th century the Federation had begun applying the Prime Directive to warp-capable species, refusing to interfere in internal matters such as the Klingon Civil War."
-http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Prime_Directive

Therefore, there is nothing left to do but mark the system for later follow up and make a personal log entry.

I completely agree with you. In most cases the Prime Directive needs to be used. In most but not in all. How many times weren't it taken seriously by great captains, just to help on others... Helping and caring about others is what makes us human. And what would we do if the complete federation would be overrun by someone, e.g. the 8472? Or even worse, and a new great power would appear next to us, but they'd say, sorry, we MUST let you die, you know, it's our Prime Directive, we adore.... And when the vulcan decided to shake hands with Cochrane? What if they would know that this will be the rule in a "few" years? They would never take off their bottom on our planet?

And I'd like to add, that the main course of the Objective is to save other cultures from harm, and let them evolve without our influence, and don't let us think we can act gods, in a case of a conflict of 2 races. (just think of Chakotay's case when he was brainwashed to think that the enemy race is narcistic(sorry if I spelled it wrong, I haven't used english for a while))... But in this case, there are no other races involved, and you would harshly "destroy their" culture if you save it from extinction. Yes i know, that the Prime Directive states this exactly: "Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture." BUT. As I said we are humans, and a human cannot let other die in vain. Personally, I always thought this closure is a piece of... khmmm cake :D With this exact line the directive loses it's sense. And we lose our humanity.

In this case there are two options. To be "loyal" to the rules, the Admirals, to the Fleet, etc. To be cruel, but act as others wait from us. To let our rules, and society come over us and let an other one collapse. Be strong and cruel and maybe wise(?).
Or you may save them from death, be like a member of humankind. And then take responsibility for the consequences, if there will be any (next time be a bad girl/boy cpt. or maybe you'll lose your seat). But in this case, we have to let them know we exist. And they would be eager to contact us, if we would leave them alone. It would make their evolution faster. But that's not necesarrily bad. Mainly that else they wouldn't evolve at all. Nor fast nor slow. They would DIE. People always say they don't believe in God cause there are so many bad things happening. And what if we could be gods for 1 single moment. Just for that time while we save an entire civilization? Yes, no one knows what will they be like. The Vulcan didn't know what we will be like. The only thing we know, that if we don't act, they won't be anything. They wouldn't have a chance to prove.
The other case is if we would stay in contact, which I would never do. But if we would, well, then they would feel like we felt when the Vulcan didn't want to help us with the warp drive >.<

So in conclusion, I understand all those who wanna stay in their uniform, and accept every command, but I understand those a bit more who would help.

Anyway I just started a very crazy novel (just for myself, and for my friends) which plays in the near future. The main character is a captain, who wants to reform the Prime Directive, exactly beacuse she saw too many unnecessary deaths, whom life she could save if her hands haven't been tied up by the directive so harshly. Then a small "rebell" starts, and from that point is where the story begins to be crazy and maybe a bit unimaginable in the current star trek universe.

*EDIT*

So I don't say we should use the rules everytime we want and throw away when we want. No I say we should use the directive almost as it was originally. If I were a Star Fleet captain I'd definetly fight for reforming it. Make it a bit longer, but I'd erase the last line, and replace with a nice long text containig, in which circumstances we must'n save them. (e.g. if they'd kill themselves with war, weapons, scientific researches, or maybe if they'd have any connection with other space travelling races, etc.)

[jugernot]

There was an episode of star trek the next generation where worfs half brother contacted him from a dying pre warp planet and begged him to save the inhabitants by using the enterprises holo deck to simulate their world while the enterprise found them a new home world the same thing could be used in this situation

[ChrisTheMad]

I have posted several times but I don't mention what I would do.
Even with my pessimistic out comes from my posts, I would attempt to help the people of the planet in whatever ways possible. If Starfleet decides they cannot afford to send the ships that could save the people, then I would save who I could. I would use all my energy, all the resources of my ship, to save as much of the population as I could.
I could not stand by and watch a planet be wiped off from the face of the universe, to think I could let them die and continue on with my life with no psycological damage to myself and crew! I would give it my all because that is what I would want someone else to do for me.

If Starfleet did give aid, and the necessary amounts of ships and supplys was gathered and sent in time, then Starfleet would be in a tough position. They would now have a new group of people they would have to support, seriously taxing the already thin Federation fleets. All of the Federation's aid projects would suffer, as we can see from the Nausicaan pirate raids, and the stance of the Federation Transport Union, because of the need for more protection for the Union, the Federation protection of the Romulan border with the Klingons had to suffer. If we support this new group of people, what is going to suffer? Cardassia? The border with the increasingly more hostile Klingons? Other core Federation planets? Something must suffer, and the security of the Federation must weaken, to a dangerous point.
Aid must be given, by me or the Federation.

"He who defends everything defends nothing." Sun-Tzu.

[dragoniv1]

I would beam them straight into a holo-suite of their own planet. That way they don't know exactly what happened. I would then contact Star Fleet to inform them of the situation. Upon finding a suitable replacement planet I would use the holo-suite to enact their cities getting completely obliterated either by natural forces or enemies. For them to survive, they would have to get into a cave/equivalent natural formation. Once there I would beam them into a cave (or caves) on the new planet.

If everything worked according to plan, they would believe that the differences were simply due to the attacks/natural disasters and they would never know anything happened (at least nothing they could explain).

That was a good episode your refering to from TNG, it worked then dont see why it couldent work in this situation as well. 8)

[fatboyrollin79]

I think after conferring with my senior staff, we should try to use the holodecks and the Cargo bays retrofitted with Holo emitters to create an environment to safely and quietly transfer the worlds populations to a similar class M planet. Diverting all available power to the project only after we have found a suitable location. As far as the information about the hail from the surface, I would immediately move the ship into a geosynchronous orbit with the systems main star behind the ship so even if we were spotted by a telescope it would be near impossible to see us with the star as a background. As far as the prime directive is concerned these maneuvers would be a bit of a bend but to save an entire civilization I would risk the Court-Martial.

[justinl1000]

I agree with Ravensshadow. If they were to call on starfleet in a war, starfleet would deal with that when/and if the time comes. For right now, to save an entire race is the smart move

[Gaellenn]

If I simply ignore these people, they could easily fall prey to the kilngons or other potentially brutal race even in such a short time frame. At this point, there is only a hail from the planet and not a request for aid. The Baku serve as a prime example of misleading appearances. As captain it would be my job to make first contact with these people who have contacted me. If they do not know their plight, then they will not request aid. But without contact, the potential for contamination cannot be assesed. I respond to the hail and advise Starfleet as necessary, but I do not divulge information unnecessarily to the natives. At the very least I can learn as much as possible about these people.

--USS Goblinhater, Captain Gaellenn "Gobby" Greyblade commanding

[togruta4]

break the prime directive. all the famous captains did it and didnt get in big trouble :)

[Shadownine]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

Honestly, even though the prime directive states that you should leave them alone, there are many benefits that could be gained from saving this primitive race. imagine a planet unencountered by previous scouts. I would save the people and anything that could prove useful in the scientefic furtherment of the federation. The planet could have useful resources that could be replicated for science, and medicine, and many other fields of study. Every little bit helps. Plus, if you save them, they will not only be in debt to the federation, but you will be in their history books as a hero. Everyone Wins! :D

=Shadow IX>

[Doitsujin]

Well I have 2 solutions:

1 - If they are advance enough to have electricity and maybe nuclear power, I would send a secret team to their leaders wich tought them how to build a simple warpdrive ship of their own. Given the circumstances they know they are about to die in weeks, they surely put all the monetary and willpower together to build some of those ships. At least some of them could be saved this way, and we could pretend they invented it just in time themselves :)

2 - Go find another friendly non-federation species with some warpvessels in the near surrounding which can be begged or paid for rescuing them.

[R_reaper]

I have issue with the opening statement

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you recieve a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

A pre warp civilisation may well have advanced enough technology to have built orbiting space telescopes hubble for instance can see a long way off. But to have actively picked up a starship even by accident would require that ship to be pretty close to that planet. Too close.

No self respecting captain/ship/crew would ever knowingly venture in to an unknown star system without having already done extensive long range scans, Which would pick up satelite and radio traffic being emitted from an orbiting body. If there are no satelites and this civilisation only has very basic radio and electronic technology and standard terestrial telescopes then yet again the problem that a ships sensors would have detected a civilisation long beffore venturing in to visual range is introduced.

As such the only way i could find myself in this situation is either through seriouse fault of many ship systems and or crew conduct. Or because this civilisation is actualy useing advanced tech and has the ability to conceal it exceptionaly well.

assuming that the ship/crew is at fault. then no reply should or would be sent. harsh as it is we cannot act on our own impulses because its human to save life. because at the end of the day these people are not human. we have no right to impose laws rules or ideals of any kind that are alien to their culture. We must sadly leave them to their own fate. Obviously starfleet would be informed and all reserch and ideas would be explored to possible ways to avert a disaster without violation or contamination of the species. but no action could be taken without authorisation.

Assuming that no ship fault or crew misconduct has occurd. Then more extencie reserch would be carried out to ascertain exactly how a suposive primative culture could detect and contact a federation ship so easily. Starfleet would be advised and all precautions would be taken to insure no further observation occurd, Then make sure that this is in no way a nefariouse ruse of some kind to get us to :1 let our guard down. :2 leave the system thinking its pre warp culture to be a reason to mark it off limits when infact it could be the site of hidden or ilegal activities.

The closing statment "Federation in a time of war." is the key in my argument. in a time of war precautions and procedures are double and redoubled. mistakes are something that get people kild in war time so no chances can or would be taken by a profeshonal crew. The prime directive is not something that can be debated lazily. The chances that an enemy known or new could employ many ways to damage or mislead the federation is always there at the forefront. What better way to divert the federations attention than to make them cordon off the system from all outside influence. If the star wasnt going to go nova then it might be monitord for a while by science vessels. But because of the danger that anyone straying too close could be harmed by premature star collaps or tempted to violate the directive to help these people would certainly earn it a big shiney offlimits. The federation does not hide its rules from other cultures. most of the prime directive is open knowledge.

so....in closing. Once all avenues had been exhausted to ensure that there is or is not any form of danger or insurection and once final orders were recieved from starfleet concerning the civilisations plight. Likely they would be left to their fate.

[merlinsorca]

I know what to do! Tell them that their sun is going nova and tell them they must figure out a way to escape. Say we can't lend them help.
They will develop warp drive very quickly, trust me. After all, necessity is the mother of invention :p

[slvrfang]

If the star is going supernova there is no natural progression to preserve by letting the species die.

But if there is still time till the disaster, then it would not be within my right of command to interpret the Prime Directive, and I would need more than just my ship to evacuate the entire planet. I would contact Starfleet and advise them to let the rescue efforts begin.

[PappyB]

"You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. "

A tad ironic in this instance, methinks...

[MJBrown747]

Ignore it and let them die

[reddragon1226]

The Prime Directive is indefinitely very clear. Transporting them to a new planet can undoubtedly affect their culture and think they were saved by a divine force, whether they know about it or not. I would contact Starfleet Command and contact the planet's leaders and try to evacuate the people and send them to a nearby planet, giving them provisions, etc. and leave.

[Sunleaper]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

Starfleet's General Order number One is paramount. Even if the Fleet could mount a rescue operation in so small a time, the mass introduction of so many ships to a pre-warp culture would be devestating to their culture. Even if they survive their society would become completely dependent on Federation resources.

Note and record the events in the ships logs, report it to Fleet Command. If possible, monitor the stellar event at a safe distance and continue with my mission.

[Raibart]

Ah yes the 'Prime Directive'... Because we of the Federation are the Enlightened chosen ones of the Galaxcy. lol ,If one of my officers mouthed those words I throw him out an Airlock. The Prime Directive was to protect cultures from out side influence. The key words being PROTECT. This is a classic excample of letting the letter of the law violate the spirit of the law.
What do I do? I evacuate the people and resetle them on a uninhabited class m planet. If My Government disagrees with me Then I evacuate them anyway and after join the Marquee and fight Star Fleet.

[CheeseAndCrackers]

It's good to see that most people have some sort of moral obligations. However, the Prime Directive is very clear and forbids interference in any pre-warp civilization. In cases such as these, I however, think that it is pretty clear to see what you have to do. The best choice may not always be the right choice or the one you agree with. But sometimes orders are orders, that's why they're called orders, not suggestions. Anyway, just my opinion.

[Mad_Peuro]

we all know starfleet would say "its regrettable but do not break the prime detective" i wouldn't contact them. i would make the holodeck look as close to their surroundings as possible and move them to a similar planet. i would then leave them supplys to get by and make my report to starfleet taking full responsibility in that i could not let an entire species die so needlessly.

[Unseenlight]

Moving a whole panet in never the call for one captian to make. I would send word to star fleet and wait for orders. Odds are Star Fleet already knows of the problem, stars dont just go super nova over night. ;)

[exeter276]

I would contact Starfleet Command and follow their directives!

[Tylor_Liles]

what about collapsing it into a black hole? might work

[Cheeso]

The Prime Directive is all. They burn. It is regrettable, but we cannot imagine the impact it would have if we interceded on their behalf, as has been already proposed.

[MJBrown747]

For those not bound by the Prime Directive...

Target Practice!

Scan for life forms (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0EwqJ-9kNs).
Fire at them from space and laugh as they flee :D
Repeat until it's no longer any fun.

[knight4her]

Regardless to law there is an underlying question every captain must ask him/her self; "Do I want to live?"
I suspect the answer for any would be yes. The question then becomes; "Would any sentient race want any less?" Again, I reason that the answer would indeed be yes.

Disregarding the fact that they may be unaware of the danger they face, let us for the sake of argument ask ourselves "What if they did know?" What if they knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the end was indeed coming with no hope of salvation? (Due in no small part to their inability to run from the danger.) I put it to each of you then, what is to become of someone planet side hoping for an answer to show up on their doorstep, hoping that the reality will become the dream, and the dream the reality, where they as a race survive, what becomes of that?

I tell you now there is not one among us who would willfully resign themselves to such a fate without the promise of life hope harbors in the form of a miracle. For if any among us were to be standing on the street corner we had always crossed in our daily retinue, standing there now staring up into the sky knowing the end was near, and there was nothing you could do about it, there is not one among us who would not be hoping for a miracle.

That being said I will answer the question as to my course of action in such a situation. Being a Starfleet captain protocol would be my first measure towards this dilemma.
1. Contact command after having gathered evidence that would show beyond shadow of a doubt the severity of the situation and the need to act.
2. Await orders from command pending their ruling over the beings fate.
At which point command will more than likely take one of 2 routes, A: Enforce the Prime Directive, B: Mount a rescue mission. If command were to agree that we should save the race, being first on the scene it would be my responsibility to start the e-vac procedures by getting the people ready for e-vac.

However should Command chose to enforce the Prime Directive and not e-vac the population, I would then, for reasons of good conscious, mount what feeble rescue operation I could, and sunder to command afterward for dereliction of duty and any other rules broken in the process, even if it means being stripped of my command and imprisonment.

As previously established, all life is equal, weather it is one of us in need or one of them matters not, because sometimes, you have to do something that’s wrong, to do something that’s right.

[dkzm]

You are passing a planet with pre-warp inhabitants protected by the Prime Directive. You realize that the system's star will go supernova in a matter of weeks. Upon further inspection, you recieve a primitive radio "hail" from the planet, saying that they have spotted you using a telescope.

You can tell from this communication that they are not entirely sure that you are there at all. If you leave, they may eventually conclude that they really are alone but will be unable to escape (no method of space travel appear from your scans). Alternatively, if you attempt to rescue them (given the time frame, you could evacuate them from the planet) they would likely be very distressed and dependant upon the Federation in a time of war.

1.) Ignore the hails. Drop the ship into the planets upper atmosphere with full shields. This should cause the ship to take on the appearance of a fiery meteor. Release a photon torpedo from rear of the ship set to detonate in 1 min. Command the helm man to warp out of the system. The explosion will cover your exit and make the inhabitants think the meteor exploded in the atmosphere. This deals with the inhabitants seeing your ship.

2.) Send an immediate message to Starfleet apprising them of the situation. You can't move a whole planet's inhabitants with one ship as so may have stated and the Prime directive is clear about First Contact situations. Based on the scenario you have a few weeks and it give Starfleet more time to analyze the situation.

3.) Warp back into the system, in an orbit close to the star and perform additional scans. Supply that info the Starfleet and await further instructions. I would only make additional decisions if the situation changes for the worst.

[boogieturtle]

You save the people. It's been said before, since when is what's "right" as simple as a set of rules. You do the most amount of good with the least amount of damage. Humanity defines the Federation. If we ignore it because the Prime Directive says to then we fail not just the people in need, but also the Federation. If you have a good doctor and a decent engineer it wouldn't be impossible to use the holodeck and sleepinging medication to transport the people to a new home with little disruption. The hardest part would be creating an explanation that fit within the species understanding. That could be gleened by watching them interact in the holodeck.

[Kenny]

if time permits, contact Starfleet and follow orders. I have only watched VOY, DS9, and ENT, but from what i gather the prime directive is to not aid technology-wise (whether it is handouts or exposing them to future technology), thus the pre-warp clause. However, the statement is clear to not help them out and only Starfleet command has the right to make the choice to break the directing in a special circumstance. ELSE... (see below)

If time doesn't permit, just move along and recognize that it was their fate since before my ship got there. While breaking the rules this instant would be for a great cause, it is still breaking the rules and as time passes, it will just get worse. Rules are there for a reason, and if i a m in a position where I am the Captain, then I must obey the rules.

[Mallaien]

A single starship could not possibly evacuate an entire planet.
The time it would take to investigate the needs of the population, its society, its conflicts, and political state would take too long.

Just modify the deflector array and stabilize the star...

[Ossiren]

To hell with the prime directive! Save them. Who knows what type of incredible race these people will evolve into. Or even what type of menace! Hehehehehe!

[Pentaralpha]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

Since they're going to die anyway, I carpet bomb the planet with torpedoes as a training exercise for orbital bombardments. Harvest and mine as much useful mineral and material as possible from the planet and then warp to safe distance to take some pictures as the star novas.

[lunarj]

OK, whoever wrote this really doesn't understand the prime directive.
What's more, they haven't seen the episode of next-gen with Worf's human brother, or the episode of Enterprise where they find the pre-warp culture with a deadly plague, but there's a race of primitives on their world and maybe it's their turn.
The point is, the simplest and most direct implication of the Prime Directive is you cannot save a pre-warp from destruction unless you caused it. It's that simple. No debate, no ifs, buts, or maybes. It's one of the fundamental differences between Federation philosophy, and earth western philosophy. They have to evolve on their own, even if it kills all of them.

[Wardog00]

I would rescue them. Then enslave them as forced labor in the Dilithium mines. I am Klingon and have NO prime Directive.

[Camoron]

I would first wonder how this could even happen. If the star was very massive, any planets that might have fully formed around it would definitely not be hosting life, especially intelligent life, as massive stars only live for a few million years at the most, not nearly enough time for a planet to form, cool, and become habitable, not to mention for intelligent life to evolve. If it was a less massive star, it could very well host intelligent life, but the fluxuations in mass due to the fact that a star of this type that is about to go supernova would be burning through every layer of element it is composed of, causing a significant loss of mass in a relatively short period of time, (and, I might add, the idea that any life could survive such radical and violent fluxuations in climate, let alone that intelligent beings would evolve and be forming civilizations, is absurd). If the supernova was an extremely rare white dwarf going supernova due to being part of a binary star system, the other star in the system would have had to become a red giant in order for accretion to take place so as to result in a supernova, and such a system would almost certainly not support life anyways (meaning, if there had been life on the planet, it would have been destroyed by the gradual expansion of the Red Giant star, such as will happen to the Sun and the Earth).

Bottom line is, the system's star "going supernova in a matter of weeks" would mean that everyone that might have ever inhabited the system would have died a very long time ago, when the star ran out of hydrogen and began burning its other elements.

Honestly, what is it with Star Trek and supernovas? They occur far too often in the show. The fact of the matter is, we haven't observed a supernova in our own galaxy in over four hundred years! And it isn't because we haven't been looking, especially lately, given our own technology. That doesn't mean they aren't happening, of course, but consider the fact that we're able to see supernovas occurring in other galaxies, much farther away than any star in our own galaxy, yet for four hundred years we have not detected a single one in our own galaxy, and it definitely tells you something about the rarity of a supernova.

Even given all of these circumstances, the "imminent supernova" plot is one best used when the supernova is not occurring in an inhabited system. It simply doesn't make sense. However, an imminent supernova from a star within one hundred light years could very well threaten the lives of the system's inhabitants, a phenomenon known as a gamma ray burst, which some scientists believe may have been a cause of at least one mass extinction in Earth history. Even then, a gamma ray burst is an extremely rare event, requiring very specific circumstances, such as the star going supernova's axes (that is, its poles) must be directed at the planet in question in order for a gamma ray burst to have an effect on a system. Still a more plausible "imminent death" scenario than an in-system supernova.

[Primeordeus]

Engage cloak and check long range sensors for any sign of other vessels, Federation or otherwise. Send word to the High Council of the planet's situation and details of it's military signifigance to the quadrant, and resources present on the surface.

After evaluation of the the planet's potential value to the empire, I would continue to avoid further detection by the inhabitants and attempt to find a way to repair the star to natural stability.

[Spiro12]

I'm for abducting a few of them to learn as much about their culture as possible, then return them as is. This wouldn't, ultimately, interfere with their cultural evolution, and it would allow the Federation to know a bit about a species that may not exist for much longer.

Possibly inform a friendly species that is not yet part of the Federation, and preferably that doesn't really want to be, but wouldn't harm them, of the plight and allow them, outside of the mandates of the Prime Directive to handle this species. Then monitor their work. If they seem to be taking advantage of, or abusing them in anyway, step in. Once they were interfered with the Prime Directive is out the window anyway, so the Federation can come in and make good.

[Camoron]

OK, whoever wrote this really doesn't understand the prime directive.
What's more, they haven't seen the episode of next-gen with Worf's human brother, or the episode of Enterprise where they find the pre-warp culture with a deadly plague, but there's a race of primitives on their world and maybe it's their turn.
The point is, the simplest and most direct implication of the Prime Directive is you cannot save a pre-warp from destruction unless you caused it. It's that simple. No debate, no ifs, buts, or maybes. It's one of the fundamental differences between Federation philosophy, and earth western philosophy. They have to evolve on their own, even if it kills all of them.

That episode of Enterprise was complete BS with the most ridiculous and morally offensive implications I could conceive of. They don't have our technology, therefore we will simply let their entire species die despite the fact that we could cure them in a matter of days? I suppose the UFP has no need for veterinarians then; since animals do not have warp drive capability, they are not ready to receive our medical attention. Yet, Dr. Phlox would treat Archer's beagle but refused to cure an entire species despite having the cure? Repulsive.

And why is it considered okay, for instance, for Julian Bashir to cure a plague on some backward colony planet? Just because they had warp technology at some point, I guess, though you certainly wouldn't know it judging by the amount of wooden wheel barrows and wagons being used on the planet to cart around the dead, it makes it okay for him to cure them? The Prime Directive doesn't apply to them? They were far more primitive than the people that BEGGED for a cure in that episode of Enterprise. They didn't even WANT a cure! They were superstitious and satisfied with their meager existence. They were the true primitive culture when compared to the people from Enterprise, or to the people in this hypothetical situation. They still lacked the medical technology to cure the plague themselves, so in what way is it even relevant if they have warp drive or not? The prime directive is stupid when it's applied to concepts such as helping those that need it. There's a big difference between providing emergency aid to some primitive culture versus providing a primitive culture with technology they are not yet ready to handle. A very big difference.

In short, F the prime directive. I would do whatever I could to save the colonists or stop whatever stupid impending disaster is threatening their lives.

Honestly, what about all the people in the third world dying of AIDS and hunger and disease? If Starfleet were in charge we wouldn't supply them with aid, I suppose, since they are not as technologically advanced as the first world. The Prime Directive has a place, and if it was requested of me from one of these inferior cultures to intervene in a war or something like that, I would abide by it. But in a situation in which an entire species is threatened by mass extinction, I would most certainly violate it. I might be stripped of my command, but I'd have dignity and self respect, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I gave an order that sentenced an entire species to extinction.

[mnandzik]

Travelling and exploring, that's the FUP way. There is no solution here.

Because you have some days left before solar explosion, some crew members have to disguise, and TP on the planet in order to gather some technical and cultural informations in order to store them into fed database. If such civilisation is a pre warp culture, you have to back TP on the ship and continue your way. Remember to NOT interract, otherwise you will have severe trouble with prime directive. Its memories have to be backed up.

My 2 cents.

[Taloth]

The pre-warp society contacting my starship is strictly not 'first contact', they aren't even sure that we're some aliens. Remember Voyager, Tom Paris arguing that first contact was already made? Janeway pushed that the prime directive still applied and ordered to leave the planet (which failed due to the anomaly). The prime directive allows for actions to be taken to 'right' previous (accidental) incursions, not to take further steps.
So the fact that they are trying to contact me is of no importance, even more so, it should hasten my departure to prevent further 'contamination'.

Responding to their 'hail' will cause panic unless the response is contained by some kind of agency.
Just beaming them off is even worse.
The holodeck trick is nice but it won't work, Some artistic license here: there is a relatively small chance I'm in such a powerful starship as the Galaxy-class. So it will take several 'runs' to do so, which, with a fair chance, contaminates their culture. Starfleet will never authorize big enough holoships capable of transporting the inhabitants without contamination.
There is no way of saving these people without seriously contaminating their culture. And that is what the prime directive is about.

So I'll have to live with the fact that I've let all those people die. I rather have their culture survive a few more weeks than be obliterated by my attempts to save their lives. If I save them, their culture will die a slow and agonizing death, a trauma those people will not recover from. If I don't save them, they will live for a short while in peace and die in peace.

On a footnote, not taken into consideration, how do we know that they aren't religious and believe in an afterlife, would they've been happy with our intervention of their ascension?

[Tarrin01]

the prime directive is there for a reason, time to obey starfleet.

[Joehaz1995]

Yes the Prime Directive is clear, But in this case here, I would contact Star Fleet , advise them of the problem. ----Awaiting Further orders ---

Computer activate the self destruct :D :D

[President_Shinzon]

Wow, first time I been on here in a loooong time, but I figure I should get on more with the eventual release date sneaking up fast.

Anyways on to business. I would firstly send a communication to Star Fleet and then wait on the response as long as possible before my window of opportunity for evacuating people closed on me. If I did not receive a response before the latest I could possibly wait I would then make contact with the people on the planet.

Time and time again the TV series (and Insurrection, though that was slightly different) shows that in cases like this that certain exceptions can be made to the golden rule of Star Fleet, as a Captain I would likely know my history and make a decision based on my own judgment and that of the many before me and attempt to intervene. War time or not, life is life and any life deserves to be saved if it is within one's power to do so.

The only challenge then would be how to handle a mass exodus of an entire population of people, with colonies it's easy, what with limited population but an entire planet's populace that evolved naturally and one that has no real concept of exactly what is going on would require a fleet of friendly vessels, negotiators and ambassadors. If I had no aid I would make contact and offer as many as I could carry an escape and make as many trips as humanly possible, (or Romulanly possible) but yeah.

[Woutergvl]

the Prime Directive is clear, but i've sent a message to Starfleet about this.

While i´m doing this, i see Quark heading for my office. he says that he would help them because he can smell the profit "They would be in your deb", he says. "...And the 111th Rule of Acquisition says: Treat people in your debt like family...exploit them".

well, i'd rather wait for a response from Starfleet then that i would listen to Ferengi wisdom :P

[R_reaper]

Remember what the Kobayashi Maru is:

Kirk explains that the test is meant to reveal how the subject deals with a no-win scenario, as how one deals with death is as important as how one deals with life. This test isnt the same one we traditionaly know but it is still in esscence the "no-win scenario," because there is no correct resolution; it's a test of character.

[saxplayer67]

I'd risk a slap on the wrist from Starfleet and rescue them.

[bjwalle1]

Star Fleet in the past has allowed people to be moved from one planet to another with out that people even knowing..

Star Fleet has in TNG allowed the Enterprise D to set up a similar environment on a hollow deck for safe transport to another very similar world.

But in this case there are a lot of people to transport. If they can not be transported I would use the circumstance in my favor. I would claim that the Race had already discovered my ship accidentally so I was forced to introduce the culture to the federation. I would explain our presence was due to the supernova.

I would then give the civilization all knowledge of the Supernova and the decision to leave of die. It would be thier choice and I would simply be helping a planet in distress.

[Thirdrail]

No win? Millions of hot alien chicks desperate for rescue from their angry sun? That's win-win-win plus breakfast.

Beam them up in the sexiest way we have available!

[tk7223]

I would try to record as much information about the race with out letting them confirm my presence. Meanwhile, I would allow time for Starfleet to consider a evacuation/first contact scenario. This way if Star Fleet denies the request, at least some of this races achievements may survive in the archives.

[Hammershock6]

I think I'd transport all thier alcaholic substances up to my ship and get the hell out of there! :D

[Mateiasu]

No win? Millions of hot alien chicks desperate for rescue from their angry sun? That's win-win-win plus breakfast.

Beam them up in the sexiest way we have available!

OOOh man Thirdrail I love your answer :-D Veery good Idea.. so you jut beam up the babes? LOL


But to get serious... well I think this situation is not that complicated. If the disaster is coming in weeks, we got enough time to contact starfleet getting advice what to do...
Even if you espect those federation-office-guys to qutoe the directive word for word like a computer, not thinking on the specific situation and the feelings... you can report the situation a bit more from your point of view...

Maybe you could say that they spottet you with theyr satellites (I bet they got if they pre-warp .. in a similar evolution like we are now) and they located you and sent you a direct sos.
So the choice of the federation will be manipulated, but whatever you do, its official and you are safe...
You got even eough time to get a big holo-ship to get them from the planet without them knowing.

[Jonathan_Kent]

The prime directive is not the prime directive because its *always* right, its the prime directive because its *mostly* right.

In this case however, with an astronomical amount of lives on the line; as Captain Janeway once said of the temporal prime directive "The he-- with it."

I would rescue every last member of that species using any means available, then take the consequences as they fell out. But that kind of loss of life is utterly inexcusable if I have the means to prevent it, rules and regulations be darned.

[Aq3nt]

Hmmm, Have I seen this type of story before on Star Trek? Take pictures and upload them in the Holodeck. Then beam them aboard when they are sleeping... They'll never know they left their world and drop them off at the nearest class M planet^^:D

[Itsomi]

i would contact starfleet command about the situation and request the following.
that an adequate number of Holoships are sent to the planet to facilitate the evacuation. with their permission i would contact the world leaders of the planet discretly and explain to them the situation. Hopefully we would be able to come up with a fake scenario that would fool the inhabitants, or we would contact the inhabitants directly. we would search for a sustainable planet. depending on whether or not we had to fool the inhabitants, we would construct settlements on the planet. i would then evacuate and transplant the population, and as much of their culture and technology.

if starfleet command disagreed i would force the issue with them personally, whilst my ship stayed behind to oversee the preperations. if all else failed to convince them, i would atleast try and 'keep the planet company' before it died. again, with their permission, i would tell the inhabitants of the story of the universe they will never seen. even if they didnt listen, even if they panicked and ran terrified of their impending doom, i would stay with them, even if i had to grab a shuttlecraft and leave my ship and orbit the planet.

when the nova comes, i would leave, knowing i did all i could.

[kbird200425]

Prime Directive is nothing more than a statement of policy. Is guide captains so they don't inteferring with the natural course of a species even if it is destruction. This is to save both us and them from ourself. With that said if someone is asking for help and represent the community or the mass, then I would respond. A plea for help should not go unanswered and a captains shouldn't hide behind the Prime Directive to get out of making the big decision.

[JTtaylor]

The prime directive states that you are not allowed to interfere with the natural evolvement of a race or species. Total anihillation of a race is not a evolvement. It is better to rescue them. Prefferably using the holodeck to your advantage. As long as you keep them out of sight of your technology then they should be fine.

Hailing starfleet will waste time and will take to long. You need to act fast. Rescue as many as you can and ask starfleet to help relocate them to a suitable planet. They might not survive and such but at least they have a second chance.

[sol_ring]

You can't forget that the the Federation is at war with the Klignon Empire and that any drains on their resources could severely hinder their preparations for conflict in the event that this race becomes dependant on them.
However if your scans show that they are self-suficient enougth and have certain skills that could prove useful in times of war, they could just as easily be intergrated into the Federation.
Makes for a good excuse to starfleet for rescuing them!!:D

[Akuma646]

If I remember correctly federation computers don't actively scan for ancient radio signals, but if it did take place. I would transmit info to starfleet and wait for their answer. When they replied back to say no. I would help the planet anyway. Who ever of my crew wants off my ship gets dropped off at the nearest safe planet. Anyone of my crew who wants to stay will follow me in joining the Maqui.

[he3r0]

As a Starfleet officer i cant ignore any cry for help, first thing first, i`ll have contact starfleet with outline of the situation and recommendation to relocate inhabitants to the different planet, either in holosuites, or in deep stasis, (there would be a lot of peoples), and since there isa few weeks i would also request, based upon recommendation, some more of transport vessels. what in the time of war may not be possible. Even if Starfleet`s answer would be negative, i would attempt the rescue, As for dependency and distress of entire civilization of said planet, that can be solved in different time, once the evacuation would be finished.

[Magelord]

Why should I worry about the Prime Directive, I'm a Klingon! XP I'd "rescue" them, and have them "colonize" Rura Penthe! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!! >:-D

Gonna have to agree with my fellow Klingon brethren. :p

[Vlherg]

For all those people saying it's right to let the world die,

Imagine the doomed planet is Earth today. An alien vessel is spotted and asked for help but answers
"Sorry, we could save you but it's against the rules. You're going to die. Could we have a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare first though?"

Do you still think it's the right answer?

[scripp]

Yes the Prime Directive is clear, But in this case here, I would contact Star Fleet , advise them of the problem. ----Awaiting Further orders ---

If I were in Starfleet: That's the only option available to a conscious captain. Interfering without orders from starfleet could result in a court martial, loss of command and/or imprisonment for breaking the prime directive when your crew or ship were not in imminent danger.

As a Klingon at war: I would continue on my journey without a second thought about this planet, unless there was information that the inhabitants had Klingon blood then I would do all possible to save them and gain the honor of saving forgotten or lost descendants of the Klingon empire.

[ebeyer]

Yes the Prime Directive is clear, But in this case here, I would contact Star Fleet , advise them of the problem. ----Awaiting Further orders ---

Star Fleet sends you back to the Academy to take a refresher course in the Prime Directive 101. What part of non-interference directive do you not understand, Captain?

[CheeseAndCrackers]

Thank you. I've seen a whole lot of people say that they would break the Prime Directive to save these people. Sometimes you have to pick your battles since you can't win yhem all.

[zane5546]

This edition of the Kobayashi Maru is brought to you by Cataclysmic.Alluvium. Good luck!

Tough break for those poor schmucks on the planet. If you rescue them, you'll be court-martialed within an inch of your life.

This assumes you are playing Fed. If you're a Klingon, asses their worth as a servitor race. They'll be grateful and you can use that to your advantage.

[kbird200425]

If I were in Starfleet: That's the only option available to a conscious captain. Interfering without orders from starfleet could result in a court martial, loss of command and/or imprisonment for breaking the prime directive when your crew or ship were not in imminent danger.

In drumhead we found out that Picard had violated the Prime Directive 9 times since assuming command of the enterprise, In another ep. captain Picard violates the prime directive in order to save a girl (thanks to Data interference first) and Janeway violates the Prime Directive for the Omega Directive. These captain understund that Starfleet couldn't think of every instance and had to make decision right there. A captain has to be able to think on his feet and not always ask permission.

Star Fleet sends you back to the Academy to take a refresher course in the Prime Directive 101. What part of non-interference directive do you not understand, Captain?
A policy or Directive can't be abosolute in it's resolve. "When has justice/rules every been a simple as a rulebook" Riker stated something like this.

[redart]

meh, they all gona die anyway so use them for target practice :D

[Aq3nt]

meh, they all gona die anyway so use them for target practice :D

lol :D thats funny, I take it you're Klingon then or maybe a Dalek :D

[JTtaylor]

IInterfering without orders from starfleet could result in a court martial, loss of command and/or imprisonment for breaking the prime directive when your crew or ship were not in imminent danger.
.


as a great captain once said. If you sit in that chair you are going to have to take risks. And I agree with that. If I have to lose my command to save innocent people then so be it. But I won't have their blood on my hands.

[Rockitttt]

trying a new experiment to save the sun from going supernova. That way ur not breaking the prime directive (and you try to save the inhabitants, by accident). Besides the prime directive spells somthing about the prime directive beeing beeing subjective to the laws that are on the planet itself. would just tell them to change their law if they want.

if i where klingon i would trade/steal them for somthing if they have, ofcourse im the beneficial in it. Otherwise if i dont find nothing to gain from them i would let them rot away. there is no honour to be gained.

[gary279]

The Prime Directive is there for a reason, if they were sure that our ship was in orbit then maybe it would be different but they are not. It would be very sad but we cannot get invloved and would have to leave them.

[aliensatemydog]

1. Contact Starfleet Command for permission to begin transfer of the species to a nearby system.
2. Use any time available before the deadline for movement of the species to attempt to postpone the stars destruction.

During this time I would also launch a antropological investigation of their civilization. Learning all we could so their ways of life are not totally lost.

If neither of these bear fruit I would contact the species to at least make their leaders aware of the situation (after all they contacted me first). Start negotiations to move a small part of their population, children, teachers, historians, artists (ones that my anthropological research has deemed could continue their society) onto my ship.

Even if my orders prevented me from saving their culture I would at least try to save enough of it to rebuild.

[mentalrectangle]

The Prime Directive is meant to protect a species's development from external factors and give them a sense of identity. Their technological progress is their own, and no one else can claim credit for it, or hold them in debt for it. It allows them to set their own course.

An intelligent race that faces certain extinction is better off having its history coopted by a more advanced group. The prime directive no longer applies since they have no self-determined future for us to protect. We determine their future either way, through our inaction or our action.

I would begin an evacuation of the planet.

[Matrim]

Well I think Worf's brother may have set a new interpretation of the prime directive and if it was at all possible I would as already explained in great detail lol move the population in holosuites BUT I suspect that moving an entire population would require the use of several ships and as the federation is at war(or nearly at war) the ships may not be available for this humanitarian mission as its resources are stretched to the absolute limit Therefore advising Starfleet of the situation would I suspect only result in orders instructing us to leave a drone to record the event and proceed with our mission.

Seems harsh but the federations security must come first in my opinion.

Mat

[Gollum74]

Capt. Joan Luke Picard violated the Prime directive over nine times but to save thousands of lives. I would completely help them after all they are only pre-warp.

[Malcontentjb]

Prime Directive be damned. To sit back and watch a sentient species being wiped out, when you can save them, is immoral. I would relocate them and suffer the consequences.

[Teleri]

My impression of the Prime Directive is that it exists to protect the natural evolution of a society. This is done by isolating them from contact, and above all not allowing them to discover warp drive unless they have developed some form of it themselves. If the Prime Directive is broken, a species not intelligent enough to handle warp technology would suddenly have access to it. The ramifications are right to be avoided, and Starfleet isn't in any position to be responsible for an entire planet of rescued lives.

In this case, however, the natural evolution of this species is about to end. Therefor the priority option should be to prevent the supernova or otherwise rescue the planet without making contact. I wouldn't suggest a warp of the inhabitants to another planet, as a sudden change in their environment would greatly effect their evolution aswell (not to mention, they would attempt to make sense of the all-too-sudden sudden scenery change).

Even considering these options, it might still be the best idea to simply let the planet die. Chances are with such sophisticated telescopes and radios, they know of this supernova. They're most likely expecting their inevitable demise, and a sudden rescue would not go unnoticed.

[Olbap]

It is said that the spirit of the law will dye long before the ink fades away if we just live by the letter. Federation directives were written in order to sustain certain principles, following them by the letter would eventualy kill the Federation spirit. I would do as Pickard did I would save as many as I could and then turn my self in., and let the federation decide about me

[bitgolem]

Not a problem. The radio hail is, naturally, an invitation from the leaders of the planet (or at least their representatives). Such invitation makes the Prime Directive no longer apply, as any assistance you render was invited and requested.

Save 'em, of course.

Not so, contact with pre-warp cultures is strictly prohibited. You should ignore their hails and leave them to their fate.

[Khaylin]

In the Articles of Federation, the Prime Directive states the following:

Nothing within these articles of Federation shall authorize the United Federation of Planets to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; But this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

To be further compounded with:

As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation.

Let us look at the part stating "...with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture."

The Prime Directive does not apply.

It does not apply, because the external factor of the supernova is not an action or lack of action of the culture.

The Prime Directive concerns itself with a culture's ability to handle advanced technology. It does not concern itself regarding a culture's survival against external forces out of their control. It states that Starfleet personnel may not interfere with the normal evolution of a culture. There will be no evolution within a matter of weeks if action is not taken.

The self-discovery of superior technology is not a precept to wise handling of said technology. The Prime Directive fails to include the greater amounts of technology that civilizations will be exposed to upon achieving warp capability that Starfleet already possesses. Matter transportation devices, for example.

The normal rising and falling of civilization, genocide due to wars and the political breakdown of leadership and society as well as technological advancement are what the Prime Directive deals with directly.

As the Prime Directive does not cover the extinction of a culture from outside influence beyond their control and only the evolution of that culture, it would be my judgment to log my decision in taking action by replying to the hail and apprising the planet's population of their star's current situation.

I would then make further decisions based off of response from the planet's civilization.

I would further my reasons to my staff that this civilization may be pre-warp in design, but that does not mean that they do not have other greater technologies equal to or better than the capability of traveling beyond velocities of light speed. The culture's predominant philsophy may very well center around another set of values than the Federation's - exploration and discovery of space.

The hail stated that the civilization does not know if we are truly there or not. That does not mean that they do not have some idea of vast technologies. And, besides, the Prime Directive was unintentionally and involuntarily breached by our mere presence and the detection thereof. We do not have cloaking devices. Our inaction, alone, has done more than enough to constitute further conscious and sober decisions to be made.

When studying a planet's civilization, particularly during a planetary survey, the Prime Directive makes it clear that there is to be "No identification of self or mission. No interference with the social development of said planet. No references to space, other worlds, or advanced civilizations." That is why I would return hail, sans identification, and inform the inhabitants of the impending supernova and make decisions based on immediate correspondence.

From: http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Prime_Directive
"The Starfleet also had no qualms about dealing openly with civilizations that, while possessing the requisite knowledge of advanced technology, choose not to make use of it. An example of such a culture would be the Ba'ku. Though the Ba'ku were initially treated as "protected" by the Prime Directive (Admiral Dougherty's and the Son'a's machinations aside) due to the appearance that they were a pre-warp culture, it later became known that they in fact were not."

One cannot judge a book by its cover. Return the hail. Apprise the planet of the situation of their star without identifying yourself. And make decisions based on correspondence. Inform Starfleet Command. This is not an emergency. The supernova will occur in a matter of weeks, not minutes. No need for irrational actions.

[y2k9]

Stop me if i sound like noob. But shall we examine what every one would do in this situation?

Federation-
"Contact Starfleet Command for further orders we cannot break the Primedirective."

Klingon-
"Worthless creatures lets see how many we can put in our hold before their star blows. We need more workers in the mines."

Romulan-
"Hmm another race about to lose their home world to? What to do... Lets see how usefull they can be capture a few and study if they prove useless kill them."

Borg-
"We are the Borg lower your shields and surrender your ships. We shall add your Biological and Technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us resistance is futile."

BORG FTW!:D

please note I am propably incorrect with most of the reactions from everyone else but hey Borg generaly rule if not for the enterprise "all your bases belong to us"

[navyjames]

For me the answer is easy. I save them, Prime Directive be damned. It is utterly immoral to leave a group of sentient beings to die when you have the power to save them. I also wouldn't bother faffing around with contacting Starfleet and waiting for orders. I'd assess the risks to my ship and crew, and then proceed at best speed with minimum risk to my crew's safety.

To me, the real issue would be "how many of their people can I fit in my ship" not "should I contact them or not". I admit my career as a Starfleet officer would probably be over, but in my opinion, saving life is worth far more than one man's career. Like Garak said in In the Pale Moonlight, thats a "bargain".

Prime Directive be damned. To sit back and watch a sentient species being wiped out, when you can save them, is immoral. I would relocate them and suffer the consequences.

Totally agreed. If you and me work together we can rescue them in half the time.

[k.mac]

This is indeed a tough choice,save them, lend them a warpdrive.....and lastly check for disease and treat as possible. make it so!!!...but the prime directive is clear ,sir! commmander data,Shut up you emotionless droid !!take them to the borg with a modified nanovirus, they will all get it but hopefully i...the locutuss of borg,will be able to spare you ...my crew.


at least im obeying the prime directive. BUT SIR!!! crrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuunnnch!!!!that borg cube was eliminated captain!! warf ......tell me the klingon word for run,ok just RUUUUUUUUUNNNNNN!!!!

[Camoron]

Capt. Joan Luke Picard violated the Prime directive over nine times but to save thousands of lives. I would completely help them after all they are only pre-warp.

And Joan was right to do so. Who is she, anyways?

[literalage]

i think it would be wise to scout the race out see what kind of culture they are. Should they show no signs of war mongering, arrange meetings with the leaders of the planet.once the limits of the aid being offered (no weapons or tech, only transplant to new planet) have been established use the holodeck method to transplant entire race.

the only reason i say meet with the leaders is because i think the leaders could probably get the populous to be more manageable for transport. imagine convincing everybody to enter cryostasis or hide in vaults, much easier to more people that way :P