From: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: Replacement for Picard
Date: 7 Jan 93 19:18:03 GMT
Reply-To: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Dept., Madison, WI

In <ewright.726269624@convex.convex.com> ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright) writes:
>In <rawdon.726259157@cs.wisc.edu> rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon) writes:
>>But when Picard DID come back, he assumed command of the Enterprise, and
>>Riker's rank reverted to that of Commander.  If it were really a PERMANENT
>>assignment, his rank would not have been reduced.

>Okay, I won't quibble over words.  The Admiral intended it to be 
>permanent at the time, but it turned out not to be because he
>hadn't read the end of the script.

>Satisfied? :-) 

No. :-)  I think that the position was intended to be temporary from the word
go - to be terminated when a more qualified captain could be brought to the
ship.  (Of course, if it had turned out to be impossible to do that, then no
doubt the assignment would have been permanent - for about two months. :-)

>>Riker was given the rank of Captain and command of the Enterprise only
>>because there was no one better qualified who was available to take command
>>on the spot.  Had Picard not returned, in all likelihood Riker would not
>>have retained command of the ship.

>Do you believe that, if Riker defeated the Borg, Star Fleet would 
>doubt his ability to handle lesser threats.  (And if he didn't,
>the point would be moot)

Sure, there's plenty of room for doubt.  For one thing, not all missions
involve combat.  (Indeed, as we've seen on TNG, the majority of them DON'T
involve combat!)

>			   As far as "more experienced officers"
>go, a lot of them were killed at Wolf 359.

How many is "a lot"?  50% of all those in the fleet?  80%?  20%?  3%?  Just
how large IS Starfleet anyway, hm?  Clearly the Borg didn't wipe out ALL of
them.  Jellico was not killed, for instance.

Funny, though, that Riker is (by your assessment, it seems) such a qualified
officer, and there was this shortage of captains after the Wolf battle
(depending on how you define "a lot"), and yet Riker was never offered the
captaincy of any of the vessels built in the following year (according to
Shelby's estimates).  Maybe Starfleet isn't too enamored of Riker after
all...?

>>Because it was thought necessary that the commander of the Federation
>>flagship at that time should be a Captain, since it seemed likely that the
>>Enterprise would have to interact with other ships.

>Which would have been under the command of an Admiral.

Really?  EVERY SHIP IN STARFLEET is under command of an admiral?  I don't
think so.  I'm not saying that Riker would just be interacting with those
ships at Wolf 359.  If the Borg had taken Earth and the Enterprise survived,
he probably would have had to dealt with other ships in the fleet.

>What's your point?

Interacting with other captains is made easier if you is yourself a captain,
rather than a commander who happens to be in command of a ship.  Since you are
of equal rank, they HAVE to listen to you, whereas if you aren't, they can
simply overrule you without listening.  Chain of command, you know.

>>>I didn't say I expected the writers to do that.  I said it would
>>>be interesting if they did.

>>It would, but my point is that since they've ignored it for two years, it
>>seems unlikely (and a bit implausible) that they'll do it now.

>Oh, but they haven't.  At least, not entirely.  Recall Riker's 
>reaction when he heard the Enterprise was being given to Captain 
>Jellico.  He fully expected to take command.

Though he seems to have been unjustified in his expectations.  Again, it seems
Starfleet doesn't have that stellar an opinion of him after all, since he's
refused three commands now...

-- 
Michael Rawdon				  rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Department,  Madison, WI
( Now in the Boston, Massachusetts area! )

"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the
contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one
person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
                                                      -John Stuart Mill
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current