Star Trek: Federation Star Defense

Transcript
Panel 1:
Senator Dreyer: It's funny, Benson... I thought you were a big-picture man.

Panel 2:
Admiral Benson: What do you mean, Senator?
Dreyer: Bannister's plan. You hated it.
Benson: What? Of course I did.
   Gung-ho militaristic barbarism.
   Humanity has grown past that. We have evolved out of our infancy.

Panel 3:
Dreyer: I know, I know. But wait here a moment.
   And take a look at this.

Panel 4:
On Dreyer's PADD: FNN Federation News Network
First headline: PRESIDENT TOUTS NEW PLAN TO COMBAT ENERGY CRISIS
   Replicator credit rationing to continue
   President Ovrildash: "We can no longer run the Federation on the backs of the rest of the Galaxy."
Second Headline: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SHOCK:
   Gorph within 8 points in latest poll
   Public concerns mount over foreign policy, energy; economy paramount
   ... Bellenges Gorph: "Bring back money!"...
   President blasts risky scheme
Click Bait: Dark secrets about transporters that engineers don't want you to know
Third Headline: Supreme Court rules on android rights

Panel 5:
Benson: The poll? I've seen it. Gorph is a just a damn loudmouth... we finally achieve utopia and he wants to bring back the scourge of greed.
   The man is practically a Ferengi.

Panel 6:
Dreyer: True. But he's gaining support. The President is concerned.
Benson: Pff. Those are comfortable poll numbers.
Dreyer: If you trust them. The President doesn't.
   He needs a boost.
Benson: What? We're his campaign managers now?

Panel 7:
Dreyer: No, but we all have to lend a hand, right? And Federation Star Defense is the place to start.
Benson: I don't get it.
Dreyer: Gorph has been trying to make the President look weak on defense.
   Give Bannister a ship. Some old, beat-up wreck. Find some expendables for his crew.
   You know... the kind of bad seeds that don't "fit" into utopia.
Benson: All right... I'm following. So it's a publicity stunt.

Panel 8:
Dreyer: We could, say, send him out to look for pirates in the core shipping lanes.
Benson: But there AREN'T any pirates in the--
Dreyer: Exactly. The public sees the name. Sees the ship. He doesn't need to really DO anything.
Benson: But what if he does? Something stupid...
   Like actually tries to fight somebody?

Panel 9:
Dreyer: Then he's a rogue actor, clearly driven mad by power and greed.
   And, conveniently, we also wouldn't have to deal with him anymore.
Benson: This is a little darker than the usual.

Panel 10:
Dreyer: Don't get squeamish on me. We do what we have to do to preserve our way of life.
   I already proposed this plan to the President. He wants it to happen.
   With plausible deniability, of course.
Benson: Well. Then I guess we have some work to do.