Lorca and Cornwall - spoilers for 'Lethe'

You know when I first saw last week's episode "Choose Your Pain" that she and Lorca seem to have a past okay im thinking okay maybe they went through the academy together or something, and then through out "Lethe" I'm thinking "okay there's something more to this, are they former paramours or what". turns out i was right but What's everyone take on their relationship?

 

When her name was was announced I wondered if it was meant to be a play on the Lear character, especially given Lorca's eyes.

Now I'm not so sure.

 

I figured out they had been lovers during the very first scene she appeared in. As for what I think about their relationship? It's just another example of Trek--a more militaristic one, no less--disregarding the real-world issue of fraternization. It makes for easy drama, but still annoys me to no end.

 

Her last name is Cornwell.

 

Also, fraternization is the opposite of alienation. Never mind sexual liaisons, if you aren't allowed to care for your buddy, your unit loses cohesion. And if you are allowed to care for your buddy, all the arguments against fraternization collapse.

Timo Saloniemi

 

You know what would annoy me to no end? Not having sex on a long-term deep space assignment.

 

I got the impression they were close friends and ex-lovers back when they weren't in the same chain of command.

Him having her as a patron explains why he was able to get away with as much crap as he did.

I imagine it's against regulations for you to have a lover under your command but Starfleet has a history of turning a blind eye but this episode shows why that is a TERRIBLE idea.

 

What I don't get about Cornwell is it's implied her career was as a psychologist, and now that she's an Admiral she has authority over how to deploy starships in time of war and the authority to represent the Federation at negotiations with the Klingons? Shouldn't she only have authority over Starfleet's psychology division and leave all the rest to Line Admirals?

 

...The one thing I can think of is that she's the designated egghead, a generic sciences gal, and for that reason the one charged with overseeing the Discovery project - which is basically the only one she does demonstrate authority over. That is, no, her academic training isn't particularly appropriate, but it does set her apart from the usual bunch of professional murderers who dump all this science stuff to that scientist person because it's miles over their heads.

Her being sent to negotiate an illegal deal isn't particularly revealing of her formal authority. Had things gone slightly differently, it might have been Burnham flying there to negotiate. Or Mudd.

Timo Saloniemi

 

Well, Troi thought she could switch to the command track. I assume in this reality, Cornwell had no problem sending Geordi to die and ended up getting promoted to First Officer then Captain like everyone else.

Mind, you trained psychologists are not unknown in the CIA or other intelligence services either.

 

Her career was still ship's counselor, she just had authorization to command a bridge watch, and even then in the even of anything serious, she'd turn command over to Picard or Riker. Were she ever to advance up to Admiral, she would not be in a position where she'd ordering Sisko how to deploy the fleet or where to take the Defiant during the Dominion War.

 

What I'm saying is it's entirely possible she moved from ship's counselor to captain of her own starship.

Spock, Scotty, and Doctor Crusher all did it.

 

Spock presumably had command training, and indeed wore a command uniform in WNMHGB despite his post being science officer, Scotty never had his own ship, and Crusher basically commanded a flying hospital.

 

Troi, god help us, attended Starfleet Academy with the rest of the crew. Everyone took the Kobayashi Maru. Even her and thus she's someone who can work her way up the ranks.

It's officer's training school.

If you want to just work the transporter or stick in one job, you take the O'Brian path and serve as an enlisted man.

But it's only my opinion.

 

Not everyone at the Academy takes the Kobayashi Maru. Spock didn't. Attending the Academy does not automatically qualify you for command, otherwise she wouldn't have had to take that test in Thine Own Self.

 

Command does seem to be a separate track at the Academy as the latest episode has Burnham giving Tilly advice on how to be to be accepted to the Command Training Program.

 

...Which will probably mean her following in Saavik's footsteps, taking a post-graduation no-win scenario test and all.

No reason why a shrink couldn't change tracks and become a high-ranking basic killer or schemer; Sisko dropped the engineer act in time for that, too. It's just that Cornwell appears to have been practicing her profession on Lorca until fairly recently.

Timo Saloniemi

 

One thing I certainly appreciated was that BOTH characters were in the later stages of middle age, with the ensuing wrinkles. How often have we seen the older Captain (Man) with a sweet young woman. As a late middle age man myself, it's nice to see an appropriately aged woman in bed.

 

Why would that bother you? I would imagine that being on a long-term deep space assignment would have all sorts of very cool things to do. Enough to occupy more time than you possibly have. Sex drive? I would wager that given Star Trek level medical technology if you so desire there are medications to suppress your sex drive for as long as you wish.