My interpretation of Rom’s portrayal was that he was playing up the simple earnestness of the character, as a ploy to lull Admiral Vassery into accepting the terms of deal as part of a test to see if the Federation had the lobes to be viable allies to the Ferengi Alliance.

I’m curious about what your issue with Rom’s portrayal was.

Hardly!

Nope, as mentioned in the post, I didn’t make this one.

I think you may be referring to “Extreme Risk”, where Paris builds the Flyer.

“Drive” is the episode where Paris’ ongoing midlife crisis prompts him to convince Janeway that allowing him to enter the Flyer in a politically charged race between former enemy states is a good idea.

NuTrek apparently began in 1973.

”I guess you guys weren’t ready for that, but your clone offspring are are going to love it.”

Only if they can’t help it.