In TNG, Picard says that the Federation has evolved past a need for money. Indeed, we never see any.

In DS9 though, Quark talks a lot about bar tabs and costs. Surely Oā€™Brien and Bashir donā€™t get free drinks, so how do they pay? Iā€™d assume that any Ferengi worth his lobes wonā€™t accept anything that can be replicated, so do Federation officers get a stipend of tradeable ā€œvalueā€ when interacting with cultures that still expect payment?

I think thereā€™s also a reference to Quark paying rent to Sisko for running the bar. Presumably thatā€™s denominated in latinum. I wonder where it goes? Maybe the secret ā€œGarak black opsā€ fund.

  • Ep1cFac3pa1m@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I always assumed the rent went to the Bajorans. After all, itā€™s their station, Sisko just runs it for them.

    As for the bar tabs, I donā€™t think they ever really explained how starfleet officers paid for stuff on DS9. I always just assumed they had some kind of credit account through Starfleet or something when they were posted there.

    • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Iā€™m 99% certain quark wasnā€™t paying rent after the federation took over? Wasnā€™t there some point where he started getting pissy about something and Sisko threatened to start charging rent?

      • williams_482@startrek.websiteM
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        1 year ago

        That happened at least once, when Quarkā€™s employees formed a union and went on strike. I believe Sisko went to that well a number of times when Quark crossed a line or refused to do something important.

        Really, it makes sense. Quark is profiting hugely from the Federationā€™s willingness to not only give him a bunch of business but also not collect on some key expenses. Thatā€™s a great business arrangement, but also gives the Federation leverage over someone they wouldnā€™t otherwise have any trust in.

        • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Yes! Thats it! Sisko put is foot down over that strike and said he could start demanded rent if he wanted too.

    • T156@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      As for the bar tabs, I donā€™t think they ever really explained how starfleet officers paid for stuff on DS9. I always just assumed they had some kind of credit account through Starfleet or something when they were posted there.

      They probably do, since the Federation deals with civilisations that use money on the regular. They likely have an allowance/stipend specifically for that.

      ā€œFarpoint Stationā€ has Dr Crusher ask for some cloth to be put on her tab on the Enterprise, so DS9 isnā€™t the only station using a similar system, which might be the same system, itā€™s just that Quarkā€™s is a Ferengi business on a Bajoran station, so the issue comes up more often compared to someone who might be living on a starship, or on Earth Spacedock.