Pretty much what the question asks. Has anyone ever hidden something inside a Replicator, and possibly left clues on which keywords to use to get it out?
asked Mar 28, 2017 at 15:35
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3Not the replicator, that I know of, but the transporter has been used as a storage device on at least two occasions.– XantecCommented Mar 28, 2017 at 15:48
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1Can a replicator even be used that way?– DisturbedNeoCommented Mar 28, 2017 at 16:24
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1If I'm not mistaken, we have seen the replicator "scan" an unknown item in order to add it to the database of replicable things, and obviously it can replicate anything in its database (sort of the point.) We've also seen people "recycle" things like dirty plates. So, barring restrictions on what can be put into the database, this should be possible. I can't think of any instance where it was done, though.– Steve-OCommented Mar 28, 2017 at 17:00
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1I can't think of a specific case of a replicator being used to hide something, but I do remember that in the DS9 episode "Visionary", a replicator gets modified into a transporter and a surveillance device/booby trap are transported near Romulan quarters. So, since you can hide stuff in a transporter and you can turn a replicator into a transporter, you can therefore hide stuff in a replicator... albeit probably not the way you're thinking.– TheIronCheekCommented Mar 28, 2017 at 18:31
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1Oh god, don't give my wife any ideas or instead of just moving things into the garage to declutter the house (garage clutter doesn't count), she will just vaporize everything and store it in the cloud.– ThePopMachineCommented Mar 28, 2017 at 18:47
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2 Answers
Yes
In the DS9 episode "Civil Defense" Gul Dukat has hidden an automated phasor turret in the replicators. This is activated by Sisko and O'Brien accidentally triggering an old Cardassian security measure while cleaning one of the mining areas. Eventually the protocols decide that the bridge had been taken over by rebels and the turret appears, targeting all non-Cardassians.
That is something that was hidden in the replicator and was revealed by a specific set of circumstances.
answered Mar 29, 2017 at 14:19
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1@SonOfSam yes, it was a hidden protocol, at least to the Bajorans. Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 15:59
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1@SonOfSam If memory serves, it was a security measure to try to assist in putting down any potential revolts in that area of the station.– hBy2PyCommented Mar 29, 2017 at 16:00
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1The other guy also hid a protocol from Dukat, that if he should try to flee the station, the security parameters would change and the auto turret would fire at HIM. This modified the turret in the replicator, and was a protocol unknown to Dukat. Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 16:03
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2I discounted this because there's no indication that there was an original item hidden in the replicator. It appears to be a programmed item that the replicator has made out of raw stock. It's no different from any of the other things you see being replicated.– ValorumCommented Mar 29, 2017 at 16:08
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1@SonOfSam You can read the synopsis or watch it on Netflix. memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Civil_Defense_(episode) The short answer is, they were attempting to clean up the computer in the ore processing area, this tripped the security measure, which locked down Ops, Kira attempted to break out of ops with her phasor, which triggered the automated security turret to appear out of the replicator. Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 16:10
Theoretically such a thing is possible since you can add items to the database by scanning them and use the replicator to reclaim suitable materials back into the bulk storage.
That being said, the replicator doesn't seem to have been used for this purpose in any Star Trek episode.
For what it's worth, the "Transporter Buffer" has been used to store produce and even people on several occasions. The engineering principles are similar (replicators contains a small transporter) so I wouldn't expect it to be more than trivially difficult to accomplish.
answered Mar 28, 2017 at 18:11
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1The major difference between replicators and transporters, as I understand it, is the scanning resolution. The replicator really only needs to be able to scan/create on the molecular level, to be able to reproduce food and simple items. Whereas the transporter scans/creates on the quantum level, so that it can accurately recreate complex objects such as people.– XantecCommented Mar 29, 2017 at 14:44
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@Xantec - Yes. But for most items the difference would be indistinguishable.– ValorumCommented Mar 29, 2017 at 16:09