Who Commanded Starbase 11?

[Captain Clark Terrell]

"Court Martial" and "The Menagerie" were filmed back-to-back, which was convenient because many of the same sets were used. Even so, the starbase managed to have two different commanding officers, Commodores Jose Mendez and (Aaron) Stone. But why?

The simplest explanation is that Mendez replaced Stone following the events of "Court Martial." Perhaps Stone was relieved of command because of the Finney debacle.

OTOH, it's also possible that either Stone or Mendez was merely an interim commander while the other was absent--perhaps commanding a nearby patrol vessel. Stone's dialogue in "Court Martial" suggested that starship command was something he was no longer involved in, but it's not clear if Mendez felt the same way; if we're to believe that the illusion of Mendez behaved like the real Mendez, it's certainly possible he would have had more hands-on duties than running the starbase.

Malachi Throne was needed for the "The Menagerie" because he was supposed to voice The Keeper's lines, but then why not have Mendez commanding the starbase during "Court Martial?"

--Sran

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Perhaps Stone was simply on leave when Mendez was in command?

 

[Ssosmcin]

They were different positions. Commodore Stone was "port master" and former starship Captain. He also wore a red tunic. Mendez wore the "gold" uniform and seemed to be an administrator, maybe of the medical wing. Either way, it could be argued that they were two guys in charge of two different departments on Starbase 11.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

From the opening Captain's log of "Court Martial":

A full report of damages was made to the commanding officer of Starbase Eleven, Commodore Stone.

 

[GNDN18]

"Captain's Log, Stardate 2947.3 … A full report of damages was made to the commanding officer of Starbase Eleven, Commodore Stone."

I don't believe that Mendez was ever referred to as the commanding officer. He did state that he was certifying that he ordered Kirk to read an "Eyes of Starfleet Command Only" document; perhaps he was attached directly to Starfleet Command without any operational command duties to the base.

ETA: CorporalCaptain buzzed in first.

 

[Stevil2001]

Though in general I favor production order when it comes to TOS chronology, I actually don't believe that "Court Martial" precedes "The Menagerie." There is no realistic way that Kirk would have failed to know that Pike had had an accident months earlier if he had just been at the base where he was being held! Either "The Menagerie" takes place months after "Court Martial" or (more likely, in my estimation), "The Menagerie" precedes "Court Martial," in which case the question is why did Stone replace Mendez!

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I don't believe that Mendez was ever referred to as the commanding officer.

I don't recall anything direct about Mendez's status either, but I believe it is implied that Mendez is the commanding officer of Starbase 11.

From part 1:

PIPER: Welcome to Starbase Eleven, Captain. The Commodore's waiting to see you. He's curious why you suddenly changed course and came here.

From part 2:

UHURA [OC]: Message from Starbase Eleven, sir. Received images from Talos Four. In view of historic importance of Captain Pike in space exploration, General Order Seven prohibiting contact Talos Four is suspended this occasion. No action contemplated against Spock. Proceed as you think best. Signed, Mendez, J.I., Commodore, Starbase Eleven.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Though in general I favor production order when it comes to TOS chronology, I actually don't believe that "Court Martial" precedes "The Menagerie."

What about the stardates of the episodes? "Court Martial" takes place on stardate 2947.3, whereas "The Menagerie" takes place on stardate 3012.4.

--Sran

 

[Stevil2001]

In TOS, stardates are fundamentally useless except as very general indicators.

 

[GNDN18]

I don't recall anything direct about Mendez's status either, but I believe it is implied that Mendez is the commanding officer of Starbase 11.

Oh, I agree completely. I wanted only to contribute to untangling the inconsistencies in such a way as to preserve the honor of two strong flag officers. They each had the virtue of being neither insane nor criminal.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Agreed. Both were reasonable men who did their jobs but didn't overstep their bounds; it's a shame so many subsequent flag officers didn't follow their example. Then again, one gets the impression that both Mendez and Stone spent considerable portions of their careers serving aboard starships and therefore understood the difficulties faced by officers working in those environments better than many of their paper-pushing colleagues.

--Sran

 

[Avro Arrow]

I'd probably tend to agree with GNDN18. Perhaps Mendez is the commanding officer for all Starfleet units in that sector of space, or something along those lines, but his posting is physically located at SB 11. I think that would still be consistent with the excerpts CorporalCaptain posted.

Both Stone and Stocker were identified as starbase commanders, and both wore red. Mendez wore gold, just like all the other flag officers Kirk reported in to during the series.

 

[J.T.B.]

I have speculated before that they both might be assigned to SB11, under a more "air force" type arrangement. In the US Air Force, the facilities and support units of the air base are under the "base wing" commander, while the flying units are under their own wing commander, because when needed they can pick up and deploy elsewhere. If Stone was the "facilities" commander and Mendez was the "ships" commander, it might explain why they wore different colors and how Stocker could be a SB commander without shipboard command experience. Stone may have been the convening authority for the court martial because he was senior to Mendez, or Mendez was on a ship somewhere, or because the base has the facilities needed to conduct the court martial.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

In TOS, stardates are fundamentally useless except as very general indicators.

Good point.

And, at least in this instance, I'm wondering if the same can't be said about starbase numbers. I'm guessing the creators never had any intention of these two episodes taking place at the same starbase (they even used different matte paintings to depict them, IIRC) and simply got sloppy with their numbering.

Maybe we should put this in the same file folder as the "R" in "James R. Kirk."

 

[Mysterion]

Maybe there just happened to be a change of command that took place in the time between those two episodes. One officer's tour of duty at SB11 was done, and the new guy took over. Happens all the time in the real world, no reason for it not to in ST as well.

 

[J.T.B.]

Maybe there just happened to be a change of command that took place in the time between those two episodes. One officer's tour of duty at SB11 was done, and the new guy took over. Happens all the time in the real world, no reason for it not to in ST as well.

Indeed, that's the simplest explanation.

 

[mb22]

Earlier drafts of "The Menagerie' script called the place "Planet M-11" not Starbase 11 (not sure why they didn't keep the name distinct from the base in "Court Martial").

http://www.orionpressfanzines.com/articles/menagerie.htm

 

[GNDN18]

I'm guessing the creators never had any intention of these two episodes taking place at the same starbase (they even used different matte paintings to depict them, IIRC) and simply got sloppy with their numbering.

There were two different paintings, but they show the same physical plant from different perspectives.

Earlier drafts of "The Menagerie' script called the place "Planet M-11" not Starbase 11 (not sure why they didn't keep the name distinct from the base in "Court Martial").

http://www.orionpressfanzines.com/articles/menagerie.htm

True enough, but the bar in "Court Martial" was called the M-11 Starbase Club.

 

[Timo]

That two people of the same high rank appear in the same starbase could be taken in many ways. That the two wear different colors of shirt makes me prefer explanations that establish them as holding completely different roles, though.

We have seen dialogue-explicit starbase commanders of Commodore rank twice, and both wore red (Stone and Stocker). We have seen Commodores in gold three times (plus April, retired from that rank, in command green in TAS), and twice they explicitly commanded starships or formations thereof (Decker and Wesley). No other, starship-unrelated role was ever explicated for the goldshirts. The split isn't really contested, then.

Mendez signs off from SB11, but that's just the address (and necessary from the dramatic point of view, as the audience is still thinking in terms of him having been aboard the starship). Mendez has use of some of the starbase resources, but so does Kirk; Mendez is informed of developments, such as the Enterprise leaving, but the cuts don't allow us to see him respond with commands appropriate for the man in overall charge.

With every opportunity available to distinguish between the redshirt and the goldshirt of SB11, I'm keen on declaring Mendez either a resident fleet ops commander or even a mere visitor, one with a personal attachment to the case (he's on first-name basis with Jim Kirk, but more significantly, Kirk is on first-name basis with Jose - unlike was the case with Commodore Stone).

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Ithekro]

Perhaps Mendez is filling in for the crippled Fleet Captain Pike in whatever position Pike was assigned prior to his accident.