From: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon)
Subject: Re: Replacement for Picard
Reply-To: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Dept., Madison, WI
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 18:29:19 GMT

In <1993Jan4.141727.570@rivers> ph9991_manfr@rivers.acc.uwrf.edu writes:
>>>rank of Captain and give command (not "temporary command") of the Enterprise.

>> Gee, it sure looked like "temporary command" to me.  When Picard came back,
>> Riker was no longer in command.  Or are you using a different definition of
>> "temporary" than I am?

>> It seemed to me that Riker was put in command because there was no time (or
>> resources) to get someone more qualified out to the ship, given the threat
>> of the Borg.

>That's not how it seemed to me.  Here is the conversation in "Best of Both
>Worlds Part II" regarding his promotion:
>Admiral: Commander Riker, I hereby promote you to the field commission of
>	Captain.  The Enterprise is your ship now.  Congratulations.
>	I only wish the circumstances were happier.

>This was a full promotion to full Captain,

Gee, it looks to me like the admiral said, "FIELD commission".  Moreover, if
it were really a "full promotion" to captain, wouldn't Riker still be a
captain today by rank?

It sure looks to me like it was temporary in intent, as well as temporary in
reality!

>					    and we know it was going to stick
>because at the end of the episode Shelby still holds the promotion she'd
>been given by Captain Riker.  

What promotion is that?  She was already a commander, and she certainly wasn't
the Enterprise's first officer at the end of the episode.  Riker had returned
to his original position.

>Riker voluntarily stepped down when Picard was brought back to them,

Really?  What evidence do you have of this?  It looks to me like his TEMPORARY
position as captain of the Enterprise ended once a permanent captain (Picard)
was found.

>and had Picard not been freed from the Borg or killed and the Borg ship 
>still somehow destroyed, Riker would have kept the command with Shelby as
>his First Officer.  Everything seen in BOBWII suggests this.

No, NOTHING in BOBW part 2 suggests this!  Riker was given a FIELD promotion,
and his position as captain ended as soon as Picard returned.  There is
ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE that Riker stepped down on his own initiative.  Rather,
it very much appears that Riker's position as Enterprise commanding officer
ended as soon as Picard arrived to assume command and, therefore, his official
rank reverted to that of commander.

>Riker deliberately chose not to take any of those commands so that he could
>stay on the Enterprise, which is the best ship in the fleet.  

Hmm... so you admit that the Enterprise is "the best ship in the fleet"
(regardless of whether or not its designation as the "flagship" has any
meaning).  Why in the world, then, would Starfleet assign a captain with only
minimal experiences AS a starship captain command of the best ship in the
fleet, when there are doubtless people around with years of experience in the
center seat?  It makes absolutely no sense!

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

No optimistic outlook survives contact with the human race.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current