Just rewatched 'Realm of Fear'. So what does Riker do when faced with leading an away team on an unusual transport situation where they can only transport one at time over to a stranded Federation ship? He volunteers Worf to go first! After O'Brien says that he's made it over, then he bravely says "I'll go next..." What a guy!
Well, there's two ways to look at this: If the transport failed the ship would still have a commanding officer. And (proably how Riker looked at it) if there where hostiles on the ship they couldn't detect your Security Chief is the best person to be the first over to handle it.
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor In any given dangerous situation, a military CO often is faced sending a subordinate into it first rather than going himself/herself. A CO is considered valuable for his/her training and the investment placed into him/her; a subordinate is considered more expendable. Riker was the superior officer, and thus his experience and leadership skills were more valuable than Worf's who, as security chief, is responsible for the safety of his CO. That's why he went first. Another example is Yar in "Skin of Evil." She purposely tried to get past Armus first before Riker and Crusher, who as CO and CMO were more valuable to the mission. On a side note, I hate that this was called a senseless death. She died doing her job. As a security officer, she was proud of her position and knew that she could die. It was tragic and sudden, but not senseless (not everyone in goes out in a blaze of glory).
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor No, it was senseless. She was killed by an angry being for no reason at all and what's more she was killed by rushing into a situation head-strong rather than thinking through. Her death WAS senseless.
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor If Kirk had been leading that away team he would have volunteered to go first.
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor Cause Kirk didn't act like a CO really would act in those situations, he acted like a romantc adventurer. For TNG they decided to go for something other than a blatant rip-off.
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor "Sounds like a piss-poor ship's Captain."
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor In skin of evil? Armus would have tried to kill Kirk, but instead only his shirt would have been stained.
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor I think I accidentally proposed the most absurd slash fan fiction ever...
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor Riker had the right idea. In that situation, Worf was the best choice. One I always got a kick out of was in Q-Who. Picard tells Worf to stop the Borg and Worf looks at the guy next to him to do it (and the guy promptly gets thrown halfway across the room). Not that Worf was necessarily wrong to send a subordinate, but it was just so unusual (since Worf is usually the one to go after someone in that situation).
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor I loved that bit too. Worf just looks at him like, "Uhh... You do it."
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor DS9's 'The Search' always smacked of that to me. Starfleet Admiral: "What's that Sisko? Big powerful new adversary? Wiped out one of our Galaxy Class Starships? Doesn't want to negotiate? Here, take this experimental starship that we're not using and see what you can find out.There's a good fellow...." Sisko: "Um...Sir...shouldn't we send, like a diplomat? Or a bigger starship? Or someone a little more experienced? A Captain maybe? I am only a commander after all..." Admiral "No, not at all! We have the upmost confidence in you. Your unfinished and unstable starship is on its way! BYE!" <Click> Sisko: Um Sir?...Sir? It's the penguin theory of threat analysis; the whole group shuffles forward until the first few are pushed in, then everyone looks to see if they get eaten. If they don't the rest of the group know that the water is safe! It's official - Sisko is a penguin! Edited to fix appalling spelling
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor But he would have taken the ship's entire senior staff with him as well as a good looking woman who happens to be one of the Enterprise's absurd number of "specialists".
Re: Haha - Riker leading an away team on an unusual transpor And a couple of red-shirts, that he would have go first, thus being killed.