Cardasssian intelligence

Thanas · Post by **Thanas** » 2004-11-28 03:09pm

I've just watched DS9 again and I've got a question regarding Cardassian intelligence agencies.

In "Tribunal", a cardassian agent is identified because he misses a molar, which all Cardassians do.

However, in "Second Skin", Kira is not missing a molar.
(This is never said during the episode, but she doesn't comment on it. Either they haven't taken one from her, or she has always missed one. However, there is nothing that supports the latter, and I doubt the resistance would have left something like that pass.)

Since it is pretty incompetent to let your agents get ID'ed so simple, I am wondering.

1.) Is there a less competent Intelligence agency than the Obsidian Order?

2.) Or is the Obsidian Order really that incompetent?

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-11-28 03:20pm

Thanas wrote:

2.) Or is the Obsidian Order really that incompetent?

looking at the examples some of the races in trek set forth (the klingons), is that question really necessary?

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-11-28 03:33pm

Could you elaborate on the context, Thanas?
Was he identified as Cardassian because of that, or as a member of the obsidion order?
If the former, is he missing a molar from a proper set pf Cardassian teeth, or compared to other species? Adding in an additional tooth where there is no room for it might be tricky. As there are tons of ways for Treknology to determine the species of a person it might simply not be worth the effort.
If ALL Cardassian miss a molar they ought to have one wonders why that is so.
If the missing molar identifies the OO, I can only presume they've been taking lessons from the Klingons.

Thanas · Post by **Thanas** » 2004-11-28 05:13pm

In The Tribunal, a cardassian agent frames O'Brien for arms smuggling.
He is identified as a Cardassian by Dr. Bashir, since one of his molars is missing. He was a cardassian who posed off as a former human POW.

According to that episode, every Cardassian has to give one molar at a certain age to the security service for identification.
The Question is: Why do'nt they use camouflages to cover this up? Especially in the case of undercover agents like the one in question.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » 2004-11-28 05:19pm

That's one of the most idiotic identification procedures I've seen so far.
In that case, I refer you to the last sentence of my above post.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-11-28 09:36pm

The Obsidian Order has a tremendous bark, but it's worse than their bite.

Considering Odo's little terror spiel about the OO - "OMG they're so fucking good they could probably read the barcode off of my underwear!" - I can't help but feel that a lot of the OO's perceived capabilities come not from any real talent at the job, but from having really good PR.

And the Klingon intelligence agency is unfairly victimised here. Remember how they snuck a fleet of warships right to DS9, without ANYONE being aware of it? Dukat needs to be told by Garack that the Klingons are poised to attacked. If Dukat couldn't have figured it out he was even dumber than usual, or his intelligence service was masturbating to Orion slave girl porn instead of analysing intel from potential adversaries.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2004-11-28 09:52pm

I chalk it up to the will of the Wrry-Ti'ers, the Gods of the Trekverse.

Thanas · Post by **Thanas** » 2004-11-29 04:54am

Still, Kira didn't miss a molar. And in "Second Skin", the OO is trying to portray her as a cardassian undercover agent. And she didn't miss a molar.

Does anyone understand the contradiction?

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-11-29 05:10am

Yes, it is a contradiction and this is Trek so this is hardly the worst.

Explained away by someone fucking up or someone being thourough and providing "Kira" with fake teeth so she could pass as a Bajoran.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2004-11-29 06:43am

The Obsidian Order are primarily the loyalty police, and from the way they've functioned in the series seem far more adept at spying on and intimidating the Cardassian populace than conducting effective military intelligence.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2004-11-29 07:38am

Taking a tooth is likely not simply to give them a sample, but to make a statement about how much we own you.

I would be unsurprised if it is a relatively common prodedure on Cardassia to have a new molar regrown (easy with treknology) after having it removed. While the abscence of a molar would indicate a likelyhood of a Cardie. its prescence in a Cardassian is hardly a matter to be worried about. For all they know, it could be a tooth implant (tech that exists today) simply because Cardassian-Kira was vain.

Jesus, I know there's some stupid bits in Trek but this isn't one of them. This is nitpicking to the absurd.

Rihannsu Science Officer · Post by **Rihannsu Science Officer** » 2004-12-13 05:07am

I always thought the whole molar thing was stupid. They should have given the fake Boone a fake tooth, or even better, stop taking molars out of Cardies' mouths when they turn 10.

Hell, we take DNA samples TODAY from sex offenders for identification, and that doesn't leave a physically verifiable identifier like removing a molar. Are the Cardies REALLY 400 years behind us in identification technology?

FTeik · Post by **FTeik** » 2004-12-13 09:17am

Stofsk wrote:The Obsidian Order has a tremendous bark, but it's worse than their bite.

Considering Odo's little terror spiel about the OO - "OMG they're so fucking good they could probably read the barcode off of my underwear!" - I can't help but feel that a lot of the OO's perceived capabilities come not from any real talent at the job, but from having really good PR.

And the Klingon intelligence agency is unfairly victimised here. Remember how they snuck a fleet of warships right to DS9, without ANYONE being aware of it? Dukat needs to be told by Garack that the Klingons are poised to attacked. If Dukat couldn't have figured it out he was even dumber than usual, or his intelligence service was masturbating to Orion slave girl porn instead of analysing intel from potential adversaries.

To be fair, that was after the ObsidianOrder and Thal´Shiar got bitch-slapped by the Founders. Add a small insurrection on CardassiaPrime and the ObsidianOrder has suddenly other concerns, than the Klingons.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2004-12-13 01:54pm

Rihannsu Science Officer wrote:I always thought the whole molar thing was stupid. They should have given the fake Boone a fake tooth, or even better, stop taking molars out of Cardies' mouths when they turn 10.

Hell, we take DNA samples TODAY from sex offenders for identification, and that doesn't leave a physically verifiable identifier like removing a molar. Are the Cardies REALLY 400 years behind us in identification technology?

The idea is to make the statement "The State Owns You." The missing tooth will remind them of that.

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Cardasssian intelligence

Cardasssian intelligence

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Why a molar?

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