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When the [[USS Defiant|''Defiant'']] returned from escorting a convoy, [[Worf]] complained that warriors should be doing "great deeds" and not guarding a shipment of self-sealing stem bolts. ({{DS9|Image in the Sand}}) |
When the [[USS Defiant|''Defiant'']] returned from escorting a convoy, [[Worf]] complained that warriors should be doing "great deeds" and not guarding a shipment of self-sealing stem bolts. ({{DS9|Image in the Sand}}) |
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| − | + | Apparently by late 2375, O'Brien ''did'' know what a self-sealing stem bolt was. When explaining his reasons to Dr. [[Julian Bashir|Bashir]] for taking a teaching post at [[Starfleet Academy]], he quipped "''somebody has to teach you officers the difference between a warp matrix [[flux capacitor]] and a self-sealing stem bolt''" ({{DS9|What You Leave Behind}}). |
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===See also=== |
===See also=== |
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Revision as of 01:15, 5 February 2008
A self-sealing stem bolt
Self-sealing stem bolts in their packaging
Self-sealing stem bolts are mysterious devices of unknown use and origin. The field of application of the self-sealing stem bolts is shrouded in mystery; not even Miles O'Brien, who otherwise can fix anything, knew what they were for. (DS9: "Progress")
In 2369, Jake Sisko and Nog traded 5,000 wrappages of Cardassian yamok sauce for 100 gross self-sealing stem bolts, to a Lissepian freighter captain. (DS9: "Progress")
In 2371, an opportunity presented itself to Quark to get rid of the stash of self-sealing stem bolts sitting in Cargo Bay 11. He offered them to a wealthy prospective buyer named Emi for ten bars of gold-pressed latinum. Emi claimed that with the stem bolts, her family would be able to triple production of reverse-ratcheting routing planers. (DS9: "Prophet Motive")
When the Defiant returned from escorting a convoy, Worf complained that warriors should be doing "great deeds" and not guarding a shipment of self-sealing stem bolts. (DS9: "Image in the Sand")
Apparently by late 2375, O'Brien did know what a self-sealing stem bolt was. When explaining his reasons to Dr. Bashir for taking a teaching post at Starfleet Academy, he quipped "somebody has to teach you officers the difference between a warp matrix flux capacitor and a self-sealing stem bolt" (DS9: "What You Leave Behind").
See also
Background information
Whenever something is (seemingly) useless, a metaphor or simile that includes self-sealing stem bolts might be in order. They seem to be a satire of Trek's own technobabble. They are also a sort of MacGuffin device, in that they are something that plays a role in advancing a story, but their nature is a mystery and they bear little to no relevance to the situation they are involved in.
A prop self-sealing stem bolt was sold at the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction. It was Lot #418 and sold for US$2,040, after being estimated to go for only 200 to 300 dollars.