Hello all, Ric here!
Throughout Star Trek, we have the seen multiple instances where the Federation studies other
cultures before first contact is established, from bronze-age societies to those on the
cusp of developing space travel.
In accordance with the Prime Directive, they take every precaution to remain hidden when
doing so to avoid alerting them to the presence of superior technologies and other lifeforms
from beyond their planet.
To this end, they have developed a number of different methods to covertly pass among
and observe others and in this video, I aim to look at them from their earliest attempts
within Starfleet.
The first and safest method of covert observation that Starfleet will choose is simply observation
from a distance.
We put out a lot of noise into space with our radio waves and these would be detectable
and that is true for Trek.
Throughout the Federation’s history, the organisation’s first alert to another culture
that remains planet-bound is often when they pick up transmissions and the noise generated
by a civilization.
These signals and broadcasts often provide insight into a culture from this alone a large
amount of data can be gathered about a species.
If the cultures in question also possess some form of subspace communications, then their
range may be even further, although in these instances, it is likely that they can also
intercept other alien broadcasts and com.
traffic.
This was the case with the Trill in apocrypha, which developed subspace tech before the warp
engine and therefore learned of alien life through their own eavesdropping.
Alternatively, the Federation may stumble across a planetary culture when they are scouting
M-class worlds, identifying promising systems from a distance and only reading lifeforms
and civilization when they close in.
In either case, Starfleet is gauges their level of technology and the means that planet
has of identifying an interstellar craft before beginning to take numerous scans of the planet.
Federation sensors are incredibly accurate and detailed (except when the plot demands
they are not) and depending on the safe observable distance this is generally enough to build
a detailed look at a planet’s populace.
If a culture has the means of spotting them however, then generally the Federation will
take precautions to stay out of an observable range, or deploy smaller craft.
Sometimes however, it is not enough to simply watch from orbit and Starfleet needs access
to the planet surface to study.
In these cases, automated drones could be deployed, however such constructs are not
as able to adapt or improvise.
On top of this, Starfleet generally attracts those who want to explore and experience for
themselves, so there is going to be added allure of going there in person.
The Vulcans (and many other future UFP members) would travel down to pre warp planets to conduct
studies and try to maintain a distance from civilization to mitigate discovery, however
sometimes they would have to go to a population centre and interact with the locals.
In these instances, disguises were key.
Fortunately, the basic humanoid form is very common in the Trek galaxy thanks to the progenitor
species that seeded that form in primordial DNA, and the preference for oxygen-nitrogen
atmospheres is equally frequent.
Temperature tolerances are more varied however and can sometimes pose an issue.
The first disguises were quite simply makeup.
Cosmetics and prosthetics are often enough to alter an appearance and will stand up to
casual scrutiny.
The advantages are the ease of application and removal (at least in science fiction)
but there is a higher chance of discovery as such false appearances are easily damaged
or removed under inspection.
Despite the development of further technologies, the simple method of literally slapping on
a false skin, forehead or pair of ears remains.
This is coupled with the appropriation of attire to blend in, and you have a simple
way of disguising yourself.
If a planet-side visit was for a longer duration, or continual proximity to the locals was to
be expected, then a more robust disguise was needed.
In this instance, a medical officer capable of cosmetic surgery was required.
Using the far more advanced medicals sciences of Trek, a surgeon could implant new structures,
alter bone shape, change skin pigmentation and patterns and all manner of other modifications
as well as add or remove hair.
The changes were far more likely to pass inspection and were permanent alterations to the away
team in question, but nothing a dermal regenerator could not fix and be undone with no scarring.
This option however was only skin deep as an observer’s internals and anatomy was
not altered in any way which can still lead to complications if an away team member sustains
heavy injury and is unable to return to their ship.
Likewise, a thorough scan, either via surgery, x-ray or some other detector would reveal
the likely anatomical differences.
For most of the time however, this was the go to method of creating disguises from the
22nd to 25th century.
We also see the use of holographic shrouds and masks that cast the image of a different
appearance over the wearer, but these were not often deployed outside of spy craft, probably
for the risk of not only a cursory inspection revealing the hologram, but then the contamination
caused by having that technology discovered.
Still they exist, but I don’t really see a benefit for these over the other options
when it comes to Starfleet style observation protocols.
The 23rd century saw the introduction of short-term gene alteration that would create a mutagenic
compound that when introduced would cause the body to rapidly rewrite itself and take
on the characteristics of another species for a limited time, before the changes wore
off.
This falls into that zone of genetic engineering under the Federation and would therefore be
intensely scrutinized, but as no permanent augmentation was conducted for the benefit
of societal gain, I guess it was authorised.
This is by far, one of the better ways to pass unnoticed among another species, even
one that is capable of invasive scans and that has a high degree of technological advancement.
The downsides to this are pretty steep however.
For starters, everyone is different, so a disguise made in this fashion would need to
be a specialised cocktail for every away team member and the transformations could be painful
without anaesthetics.
Eventually, the alterations would wear off too and the natural genome would reassert
itself, but for the duration, it was a stable and thorough cover.
Sometimes the Federation would need a more permanent way to station people to observe
a civilization and in these cases a Hide was created and hidden.
Such bases were there to provide a base of operations on the planet, a point to which
you could safely beam in, and they could be placed just about anywhere using discrete
transporters and holographic displays.
A ship could target an unassuming rocky mound and beam it out while at the same time beaming
in holographic emitters to recreate the illusion of the feature it just removed.
From that hidden point, a simple observation post could be constructed within the shrouded
area, whether by hand or some form of fabrication technology.
These hides (or duck-blinds) served Starfleet well, but the only times we are made aware
of them are the stories in which something goes wrong, such as it did with the Mintakans
or Ba’ku.
Because a story where everything goes as planned is less interesting, but you know what?
I’d still watch it.
The dangers of this method of covert observation ore obvious, if discovered it is a huge reveal
to an otherwise unsuspecting culture.
With the Ba’ku we see an evolution of this technology to a greater degree with the not
only a holographic hide directly over their main settlement, but emitters angled in such
a way that they could project across the entire village.
This was so that Starfleet observers could don special holographic containment suits
and the projectors of the hide could cast their images over the suits, hiding them from
plain sight too.
This was sort of like a person wearing a green suit against a green-screen and by sheer technicality,
was not cloaking.
So that should have kept the Romulans happy.
This was a very risky setup that yielded greater results and was preferable for a community
where saying you were a visitor from “out of town” wouldn’t cut it.
The disadvantages are numerous, first off, it is all reliant on the Hide’s holographic
projectors, so if they fail, all observers are revealed.
Secondly, if the suit is damaged, then the projectors will not cover the vulnerability
and finally, it does nothing to hide your physical presence, so someone could literally
walk into you.
I guess you would also have to steer clear of gravel, sand, water, snow…
This one actually is not great and would only see use in very specific circumstances I think.
So there we go.
These are the methods Starfleet and the Federation use to observe other civilisations in secret
and I have to wonder how many of these were developed originally for intelligence agencies
and the like.
The general rule seems to be that Starfleet will adopt whatever method is most needed,
with the least amount of hassle.
Cosmetics for a quick visit at a distance, full gene alteration for a more advanced species
that employed thorough scans.
The Federation is not the only organisation that engages in such research, although they
do seem to put more effort and care into not upsetting a local balance than other species
like the Klingons, for example.
Except when they don’t which happened a lot in the 23rd century it seems.
Thanks for watching this video and if you like Trek or science fiction related topics,
feel free to check out what else I have or suggest some more ideas.
I’ve been Ric and I’ll see you later, goodbye!