From: ez033589@chip.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: Comments CoC I: Enterprise Crew are Whiners
Date: 23 Dec 92 09:03:15 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

In article <1h5k0oINN5i8@gap.caltech.edu> roder@cco.caltech.edu (Brenda J. Roder) writes:
>>Spoilers may abound, proceed with caution:

>
>Were they actually told that they were probably going into war.  One thing
>he could have done differently would be to have a full meeting with the
>senior officers (ala Picard) and tell them what was coming down.  Then,

Um, almost the first thing Jellico told Will to do (I can get used to Riker
being called that.) was to schedule a meeting of department heads for 1400?
1500?. Anyway, one can assume that Jellico didn't call this meeting to show
off his son's elephant.

>go around and tell everyone what he needs done to have the ship ready.
>Instead, he went to each individually and just gave orders without explanation.

While in the best of all possible worlds, Jellico would have had time to explain
to Riker and Geordi exactly why he was giving the orders, the attitude they
had was inexcusable. To quote Jack Nicholson from _A Few Good Men_, "We follow
orders, or people die." The E was headed for a situation where that was true.

Also remember Data said that the goals were attainable in all
cases - in fact I wouldn't be surprised if Jellico had ordered Data to tell him
if anything he asked *was* unattainable. Certainly it would explain why he had
Data following him around - to second guess him. With Data's ~30yrs experience
in StarFleet and intimate knowledge of the Enterprise, he's certainly the
android for this job.

>At the time I was watching it, most of it seemed unreasonable to me.  Changing
>people's work schedules (and as someone has pointed out, 4 watches means
>fewer people per watch), Riker having to stay up 24 hours (to do all four
>watch drills), messing with engineering (having them work what was it 48 out

Fewer people per watch is not a problem, as Jellico was effectively closing
down whole sections of the ship (ref: the conversation with Geordi) Anyway, I
don't see that fewer people per watch neccesarily follows from shorter shifts.

Under Picard, there were 21 8-hour shifts per week; under Jellico there are 28
6-hour shifts. If Ensign Ro did 9 shifts a week under the old system, she would
change to doing 12. She is still on the bridge for 72 hours each week. If each
officer is on the bridge (or wherever) for the same amount of time per week,
then how can any station possibly be undermanned? Think about it. 

The point that has been made that such a change would affect morale is well
taken, which is why Jellico made implementing the new roster one of his first
priorities. By not implementing the system straight away, Riker is the villian
of the piece, costing the crew half a day's precious time to adjust.

>of 52 hours).  Yes, it may be necessary, but he certainly could have inspired
>more confidence in himself and loyalty by going about it differently.

When Troi points this out to him, Jellico seems regretful and agrees, then goes
on to point out that since he does not have the time to "bond" with the crew,
Troi should do what StarFleet pays her for and work to maintain morale.

>
>-- 
>-- Brenda (roder@cobalt.caltech.edu)
>Thought before action, if there's time.
>    _The Edge_  Dick Francis

Good quote. I'm sure Jellico would agree, especially with the last three words.
8^)

JJ