It’s my belief that Starfleet still pays their officers, but that since they spend so much time on missions, they have fewer opportunities to spend the money. And by the time they become captains, they’ve probably saved up quite the nest egg.
How do you think Sisko afforded that land on Bajor? Though, being Emissary might have afforded him free or deeply discounted land.
DS9 is probably the closest we got to really investigating federation economics. At some point Sisko warns Quark that if he stops being on the Federation’s good side, hell make him start paying for rent and utilities again. So they have some concept of converting “time and effort” into “credit”. The star fleet officers all have latinum to spend at Quarks, and Quark complains on several occasions that business gets slow when Starfleet stops visiting his bar, so he’s definitely getting paid.
My assumption is that officers are given an allowance or extended credit for interactions with other cultures, and that allowance/credit is either a higher number or simply “more lax” the higher rank you are. Want to “expense” a holosuite visit at Quarks with Starfleet, you’ll have to explain yourself less the higher rank you are. Kind of like “unlimited PTO” at big tech companies.
Like, an ensign might request a cabin in the woods from the cabin logistics department, but they’ll be in line behind all the captains, whereas an admiral would be able to jump the line.
The general headcanon is that rent, access to the stations grid and crew for maintenance is credited at fair market value for officers to use at Quarks. Plus having a steady stream of Starfleet or Bajoran officers there would deter general crime and ruckus, much like why gas stations tend to offer free coffee for cops.
It’s my belief that Starfleet still pays their officers, but that since they spend so much time on missions, they have fewer opportunities to spend the money. And by the time they become captains, they’ve probably saved up quite the nest egg.
How do you think Sisko afforded that land on Bajor? Though, being Emissary might have afforded him free or deeply discounted land.
Bargain, for sure. I wonder what Kasidy’s doing with that plot these days. Let’s check in…
DS9 is probably the closest we got to really investigating federation economics. At some point Sisko warns Quark that if he stops being on the Federation’s good side, hell make him start paying for rent and utilities again. So they have some concept of converting “time and effort” into “credit”. The star fleet officers all have latinum to spend at Quarks, and Quark complains on several occasions that business gets slow when Starfleet stops visiting his bar, so he’s definitely getting paid.
My assumption is that officers are given an allowance or extended credit for interactions with other cultures, and that allowance/credit is either a higher number or simply “more lax” the higher rank you are. Want to “expense” a holosuite visit at Quarks with Starfleet, you’ll have to explain yourself less the higher rank you are. Kind of like “unlimited PTO” at big tech companies.
Like, an ensign might request a cabin in the woods from the cabin logistics department, but they’ll be in line behind all the captains, whereas an admiral would be able to jump the line.
This question came up a lot in DaystromInstitute.
The general headcanon is that rent, access to the stations grid and crew for maintenance is credited at fair market value for officers to use at Quarks. Plus having a steady stream of Starfleet or Bajoran officers there would deter general crime and ruckus, much like why gas stations tend to offer free coffee for cops.