i always figured that the transporter was ultimately just a scanner and the beaming in process is the same as being replicated, but the replication has to be done while the scanner is running because there's simply too much data to actually store long-term unless you're willing to use the whole ship/station/whatever as a buffer, like that one DS9 episode. and i guess the scan requires a level of detail it can only get from the source destructively which is why it isn't a clone unless the beam gets reflected? or something? this is one of those things that makes less sense the more you try and figure it, and suddenly a literal matter stream somehow seems more feasible

maybe ships have Einstein Compensators or some shit allowing 1:1 matter energy conversion but it only works on transporters so you can't make a perpetual energy machine? i need to lie down