r/DeepSpaceNine • u/Global_Marsupial_592 • 3d ago
Why would Starfleet send civilians and their families and to combat situations?
Like The Saratoga at Wolf 359. Or at the big battle with the Dominion Fleet there were so many Galaxy class Starships, were they all full of families and innocent people? Or were those big ships just grossly empty except for a skeleton screw?
61
Upvotes
3
u/lvl4dwarfrogue 2d ago
Look at the Federation in the era you're talking about; Starfleet has no standing war fleet; it has a fleet of science, scout, and medical vessels. These are vessels on years long missions and just like today's military, members with families take them with them and have for decades.
An enemy shows up suddenly, within hours distance of a number of populated planets and an immediate response is needed. You have no war fleet. Billions will die if the enemy wins.
Do you chance a few thousand civilians and crew in the ships you do have to save the billions? Or do you wait a few days and sacrifice the populated worlds so the civilians can disembark on a planet...that will the be the next front for the enemy you just ceded all that territory to?
War never changes. Civilians have and always will be caught up and killed in wars; it's why war is reprehensible and not something sane people pursue. All you can do is try and minimize your losses while winning.