History Recap / StarTrekLowerDecksS3E09TrustedSources

--->'''T'Ana:''' [[OhCrap Oh [bleep]]], she's serious!

* InternalDeconstruction: The Cerritos visits Onara after the Enterprise saw them way back in TNG's first season episode "Symbiosis," in universe about 17 years ago. In that episode Picard saw the toxic relationship between the Onarans who had become highly addicted to a drug made by the Brekkians, and he made the choice to not assist in repairing Brekkian transport ships with the knowledge their supply line would crumble apart and force the two species to change their ways. When Freeman arrives with her senior staff to see how the Onarans are doing, they have progressed to a pleasant society where all the people are friendly and even tempered. But as they explained what happened since Picard left, it appears they were in manic chaos for over a decade as they detoxed and had only gotten themselves straightened out a few years ago. [[HardTruthAesop Picard's rationale was correct, but perhaps didn't anticipate the severity of going cold turkey]]. The Onarans are respectful to the landing party, but seem uninterested in further communication with the Federation.
* IResembleThatRemark: When the Starbase 80 officer says that he can't contact Mariner, Freeman complains that they don't even have working comms. He defensively states that their comms work fine... most of the time.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodSandwich: The ''Cerritos'' was planning a pie-eating contest on the same day as the reporter came by, which Freeman canceled to keep up appearances. The Lower Deckers are deeply disappointed to watch all those replicated pies be thrown away.

* ShoutOut: The Cerritos having a blueberry pie eating contest is a clear nod to the Star Trek 'script' created by Badger in the [[Series/BreakingBad Breaking Bad]] episode [[Recap/BreakingBadS5E9BloodMoney Blood Money.]]

** Mariner herself is shocked at Freeman's anger. He attitude quickly goes from irreverence to astonishment.

* ManipulativeEditing: The exposé is made to show that the ''Cerritos'' suffers from InterserviceRivalry (Barnes mocks Engineering for their breakdown, Kayshon claims that they didn’t hold it against him over being turned into a puppet, and Shaxs mocks Quark’s manhandling), while Captain Freeman is portrayed as a BadBoss when Mariner’s segment is shown and it’s revealed that she was kicked off for being interviewed without permission. Victoria intentionally left out the positive things said by the crew members like Kayshon calling the Cerritos his home.

* ManipulativeEditing: The exposé is made to show that the ''Cerritos'' suffers from InterserviceRivalry (Barnes mocks Engineering for their breakdown, Kayshon claims that they didn’t hold it against him over being turned into a puppet, and Shaxs mocks Quark’s manhandling), while Captain Freeman is portrayed as a BadBoss when Mariner’s segment is shown and it’s revealed that she was kicked off for being interviewed without permission.

** Then there's the irony that Freeman is trying to use Project Swing By to make the ''Cerritos'' and herself look good, only to be upstaged by Admiral Buenamigo introducing the new ''Texas''-class ship after it saves the ''Cerritos'' from a Breen attack. Given the timing, it's implied that Buenamigo knew in advance about the Breen and the rescue was a bit of EngineeredHeroics.

* AllForNothing: Freeman goes to extremes to make the ''Cerritos'' look good for Victoria, including reassigning her own daughter and Beta Shift to head off the possibility of the group embarrassing the ''Cerritos'' through their usual antics. When it seems Mariner revealed embarrassing secrets, she has her reassigned and tries to assure Victoria that the stories she heard aren't what the ''Cerritos'' normally does. By the end, not only is the ''Cerritos'' upstaged by the 'Texas''-class, but it is revealed that Mariner praised the crew while all the "good" officers innocently revealed the other incidents. Freeman's hasty reaction and punishment only served to damage her reputation even further.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Throughout the first part of the episode, Mariner is upbeat and positive, doesn't think Freeman has anything to worry about with Nuzé's visit, and doesn't take exception to Freeman's nerves until Freeman starts trying to shut down normal activities. Combined with Mariner's overall better behavior this season, it hints that her interview with Nuzé wasn't the torpedo everyone else assumes.

** Like with the Season 3 premiere, TheUnfavorite gets this treatment. Amongst the ''Cerritos'' crew, most everyone has very little tolerance for Mariner given how much of a maverick she is (outside of the core three ensigns on the series). That lack of tolerance causes them to blame her for throwing the entire ship under the bus when Victoria's opinion of the crew changes from respect to distrust, and refuse to do anything but shun her. Then the hard truth hits: ''everyone else was responsible'', as it was they, not Mariner, who painted the ''Cerritos'' in a bad light, and Mariner actually stood up for them. If anything, it made Freeman seem like a MeanBoss who kicked out her own daughter for trying to defend everyone, and completely destroys Mariner's trust in Starfleet to the point that she resigns and joins the exoarchaeologists.
** ItsAllAboutMe and DudeWheresMyRespect are equally deconstructed here. One of Captain Freeman’s biggest quirks has been her supposed lack of respect from both Starfleet and her crew. Once more, Freeman has a chance to raise her standing with Starfleet, and she uses superfluous means to make herself look better. She even flips out and transfers Mariner to Starbase 80 when she thinks that she made her and the ship look bad. However, her big day is overshadowed by the Breen attack and the arrival of the ''Texas''-class, and it turns out that her punishment to Mariner was completely unfounded and caused Mariner to resign from Starfleet in disgust.
** The MilitaryMaverick is deconstructed as well. Mariner had unequivocally good intentions by wanting to interview with Victoria Nuzé and showered the ''Cerritos'' and its crew with praise. However, she still violated Freeman's direct orders in doing so, so when Freeman blames her for revealing various embarrassing anecdotes regarding the ''Cerritos'', her long history of disrespect and recalcitrance robs her of any credibility when she tries to argue her case.

* AllForNothing: Freeman goes to extremes to make the ''Cerritos'' look good with her interview with Victoria, including reassigning her own daughter when it seems Mariner revealed embarrassing secrets. Not only is the ''Cerritos'' upstaged by the 'Texas''-class, but when it is revealed that Mariner did no such thing, Freeman's hasty reaction and punishment damages her reputation far worse than anything else.

** The MilitaryMaverick is deconstructed as well. Mariner had unequivocally good intentions by wanting to interview with Victoria Nuzé and showered the ''Cerritos'' and its crew with praise. However, she still violated Freeman's direct orders in doing so, when Freeman blames her for revealing various embarrassing anecdotes regarding the ''Cerritos'', her long history of disrespect and recalcitrance robs her of any credibility when she tries to argue her case.

* MilitaryMaverick: Mariner insists on conducting a one-on-one interview with Victoria Nuzé to tell the "Real story about the ''Cerritos'', in blatant defiance of her mothers others. Even though she was the only interviewee who nothing but nice things to say, Freeman and Ransom take it for granted that she was the one who revealed the mishaps of the ''Cerritos'' to Nuzé and punish her.

** The MilitaryMaverick is deconstructed as well. Mariner, for once, had unequivocally good intentions by wanting to interview with Victoria Nuzé and showered the ''Cerritos'' and its crew with praise. However, she still violated Freeman's direct orders in doing so, when Freeman blames her for revealing various embarrassing anecdotes regarding the ''Cerritos'', her long history of disrespect and recalcitrance robs her of any credibility when she tries to argue her case.

** The MilitaryMaverick is deconstructed as well. Mariner, for once, had unequivocally good intentions by wanting to interview with Victoria Nuz&eacute and showered the ''Cerritos'' and its crew with praise. However, she still violated Freeman's direct orders in doing so, when Freeman blames her for revealing various embarrassing anecdotes regarding the ''Cerritos'', her long history of disrespect and recalcitrance robs her of any credibility when she tries to argue her case.

* MilitaryMaverick: Mariner insists on conducting a one-on-one interview with Victoria Nuzé to tell the "Real story about the ''Cerritos'', in blatant defiance of her mothers others. Even though she was the only interviewee who nothing but nice things to say, Freeman and Ransom take it for granted that she was the one who revealed the mishaps of the ''Cerritos'' to Nuz&eacute and punish her.