Questions on "Chain of Command"

[LJones41]

I have a few questions regarding the two-part Season Six episode called "Chain of Command".

1. Why did Starfleet select Picard for this mission to Celtris III? Surely it could not consider someone with experience in intelligence?

2. Why did the Cardassians assume that Starfleet would send Picard to Celtris III?

3. Why did the Cardassians needed Picard, in particular, for information to annex Minos Korva?

 

[GNDN18]

I have a few questions regarding the two-part Season Six episode called "Chain of Command".

1. Why did Starfleet select Picard for this mission to Celtris III? Surely it could not consider someone with experience in intelligence?

2. Why did the Cardassians assume that Starfleet would send Picard to Celtris III?

3. Why did the Cardassians needed Picard, in particular, for information to annex Minos Korva?

I remember thinking at the end of part 1 that either Jellico or Nechayev (or both), were in league with the Cardassians.

Whether that was an intentional feint by the writers or conspiracy theorizing on my part, I don’t know. The point is a little backstory involving a mole or some other counterintelligence operation would fill in those holes.

 

[cgervasi]

I have a few questions regarding the two-part Season Six episode called "Chain of Command".

1. Why did Starfleet select Picard for this mission to Celtris III? Surely it could not consider someone with experience in intelligence?

2. Why did the Cardassians assume that Starfleet would send Picard to Celtris III?

3. Why did the Cardassians needed Picard, in particular, for information to annex Minos Korva?

I haven't seen it in a while. I wonder if they were after any Star Fleet officer. Maybe they faked the signs of metagenic weapons because that was the the best fake they had that looked authentic and was serious enough to goad the Federation into a special ops incursion. Once they captured Picard, maybe they said it was there grand plan to get him in particular to give the impression they had masterminded everything. It's possible they had no idea who their trap would catch.

 

[Marynator]

I think I remember there's some sort of rare technology Jean-Luc's very familiar with, so he's chosen because of his expertise. And the Cardassians faked that because they knew he'd have to be sent.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

PICARD:... Starfleet believes that the Cardassians may have a secret research lab located somewhere below the planet surface. Our orders are to penetrate this Celtris Three installation and determine if the Cardassians are actually building a metagenic weapon.
CRUSHER: And if they are?
PICARD: Destroy it. At any cost. When I was on the Stargazer, we conducted extensive tests using theta band carrier waves. One of the reasons I was selected for this mission is my familiarity with the methods used for generating them. Mister Worf, your presence here is obvious. Doctor, your job will be to locate and destroy any biotoxins we may find.
WORF: Celtris Three is in Cardassian space. How will we get there undetected?
PICARD: I know a way of acquiring some discreet transport. Mister Worf, set a course for Torman Five.

 

[GNDN18]

Yeah, well, you two with your reliance on the text.

I still think a conspiracy to 86 Picard would have been … would have been … different than what we saw.

 

[Tenacity]

would have been … different than what we saw

Meaning ... more interesting?

 

[GNDN18]

Meaning ... more interesting?

 

[JesterFace]

I find it kind of silly that couldn't they find someone else than the captain of the flagship for this operation... who happens to be starring in a TV show. Forced somehow?

Also, all the other members of the infiltration team happened be starring in the same TV series.

 

[Groppler Zorn]

I have a few questions regarding the two-part Season Six episode called "Chain of Command".

1. Why did Starfleet select Picard for this mission to Celtris III? Surely it could not consider someone with experience in intelligence?

2. Why did the Cardassians assume that Starfleet would send Picard to Celtris III?

3. Why did the Cardassians needed Picard, in particular, for information to annex Minos Korva?

1. Because he was one of only three officers with knowledge and experience of the emissions that were coming from Celtris III. The other two were no longer in starfleet.

2. Because the cardassians somehow became aware of 1.

3. Minos Korva was a key planet along the cardassian border and had strategic importance. The cardassians assumed Picard would have knowledge of the federation’s defence plans since the enterprise would be assigned as the command ship of the sector encompassing Minoan Korva.

Source of this information: the season 6 two part episode “chain of command”.

 

[Tenacity]

Hopefuly avoiding the whole starfleet is/isn't a military, but given the size of the organization they don't have the equivelent of us navy seals?

Hyper intelligent and capable people for just this sort of mission.

 

[LJones41]

I find it kind of silly that couldn't they find someone else than the captain of the flagship for this operation... who happens to be starring in a TV show. Forced somehow?

Also, all the other members of the infiltration team happened be starring in the same TV series.

I have to agree with you.

Destroy it. At any cost. When I was on the Stargazer, we conducted extensive tests using theta band carrier waves. One of the reasons I was selected for this mission is my familiarity with the methods used for generating them.

Starfleet could have easily find someone in Intelligence and familiarize that person in conducting theta band carrier waves . . . or find someone in Intelligence who was familiar with this.

 

[at Quark's]

PICARD:... Starfleet believes that the Cardassians may have a secret research lab located somewhere below the planet surface. Our orders are to penetrate this Celtris Three installation and determine if the Cardassians are actually building a metagenic weapon.
CRUSHER: And if they are?
PICARD: Destroy it. At any cost. When I was on the Stargazer, we conducted extensive tests using theta band carrier waves. One of the reasons I was selected for this mission is my familiarity with the methods used for generating them. Mister Worf, your presence here is obvious. Doctor, your job will be to locate and destroy any biotoxins we may find.
WORF: Celtris Three is in Cardassian space. How will we get there undetected?
PICARD: I know a way of acquiring some discreet transport. Mister Worf, set a course for Torman Five.

It's interesting he says one of the reasons. So, another reason still could have been some backstabbing Admiral who wanted to get rid of Jean-Luc

 

[JesterFace]

It's interesting he says one of the reasons. So, another reason still could have been some backstabbing Admiral who wanted to get rid of Jean-Luc

One more reason could be that at the time Picard was one of two commanding officers starring their own show. Sisko being the other.

They didn't want to send, for example, captain Seymour Jockstrap for the mission because that captain didn't have a show and it wouldn't have made into television.

 

[USS Firefly]

One more reason could be that at the time Picard was one of two commanding officers starring their own show. Sisko being the other.

They didn't want to send, for example, captain Seymour Jockstrap for the mission because that captain didn't have a show and it wouldn't have made into television.

Indeed and a new captain is cheaper than Picard

 

[Tenacity]

Starfleet could have easily find someone in Intelligence and familiarize that person in conducting theta band carrier waves . . .

In the 1960, when NASA was planing on sending people to the moon, they had the choice between getting scientists and training them to be pilots, or getting pilots and training them to be scientists. Only one astronaut was a scientist who receive pilot training.

Select a fully trained commando(s) and getting them up to speed on the specific science involved would make a bit more sense.

One thing that might have made Picard a better choice is if it took months or years to move people around the Federation, and Picard was simply closer to the problem. But the show depicts travel through the Federation to be a matter of hours or days.

 

[Mojochi]

Starfleet could have easily find someone in Intelligence and familiarize that person in conducting theta band carrier waves . . . or find someone in Intelligence who was familiar with this.

In the limited time frame to prevent an operational bioweapon being deployed? Maybe not. Jellico keeps saying the mission is time sensitive, & that's likely why. They've only been detecting the theta band waves for some weeks. Had they actually been in use, it might've taken someone with "Extensive experience", to deal with it, that a few short weeks training might not offer. (Granted, we never find out what expertise he has)

Basically, the whole theta band delivery system was a ploy, specifically fabricated to draw out Picard personally, by Cardassians who'd learned of Picard's invasion assignments. It makes sense they could dig up something, he's solely outfitted to troubleshoot, if they looked hard enough, & acted on, such to leave Starfleet no option but to turn to Picard in a rush. That was their specific goal

The only fishy issue is how Command is so gullible as to overlook the obvious trap, where only one guy is suspiciously capable, or did they in fact expect it might be, but because it was so potentially dangerous, if true, they decided it was worth the risk/loss?

Also, all the other members of the infiltration team happened be starring in the same TV series.

Admittedly, that's a harder bit to swallow, but there's nothing to refute Picard possibly choosing his own crew, of only 2 people, & wouldn't it make sense, from his view, to use 2 he has experience with?

It's illegal, so maybe they demand the team be as small as possible, a tactical & medical operative (Bioweapon)
Worf's a solid choice on any op, & Crusher maybe not so much, but she is likely qualified, & what might matter most to him is he knows & trusts their instincts.

It's interesting he says one of the reasons. So, another reason still could have been some backstabbing Admiral who wanted to get rid of Jean-Luc

Maybe just another reference to Picard somehow being already assigned to handle this area of potential Cardassian infiltration, just like Minos Korva, both being near the border on opposite sides

 

[Timo]

It's a chicken-and-egg question... But choosing one over the other makes things easier for us.

1) Was Picard the target? If so, tailoring the trap for him makes sense, and the Cardassians have an infinite range of traps they can prepare, and a superb intelligence agency to help in doing so (although I gather it may have been the doing of the clumsy Central Command instead, in retrospect). They might have done a lot more, too, so that the bits we see are just the sharp tip of the iceberg, and Starfleet indeed has been suckered into thinking it has good reasons not to send somebody else, or not to send nobody. But that involves effort.

2) Was the idea merely to have Starfleet do something stupid on the eve of war? If so, every type of trap would be fine, and it wouldn't matter whether Starfleet sent James T. Bond or Jean-Luc Picard, the outcome would be the same. And it doesn't involve much effort.

If we pick #2, then we don't have to assume conspiracies within Starfleet; at worst, we may assume minor internal politics issues, some people hating Picard's guts, that sort of thing. Anything goes - if Starfleet doesn't take this specific bait, Cardassia has lost nothing and can try something else to goad the Feds into igniting a war Cardassia is ready for.

In the end, neither eliminating Picard nor getting information out of him appears explicitly crucial for the Cardassian plan of attack. Picard may well be but a hobby project for the self-important Madred, taking the front and center of the episode but not of the in-universe events. What matters to the Cardassians is having the apparently important kingpin ship E-D right where they want her, stuck with negotiations at the very wrong place. And multiple outcomes of multiple entrapment schemes could place her there.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mojochi]

Was Picard the target?

Yes. The idea being that, in the event of Cardassian aggression, Picard is assigned to Minos Korva, which has been contested since the armistice. So, they want 2 things here, the guy who (Supposedly) has the defense plans for it, & to bait the UFP into a covert illegal op, that gives them the diplomatic upper hand. They're basically positioning themselves to be capable of both attacking the area with Picard's extracted info (Who is also now not in the fight) AND/OR having Picard caught in the act, which might sway the negotiations & leverage the territory away, without a fight

They have a mole or network, that gets info on Picard to use in designing the Theta Band Metagenic Weapon lure, & clued them into his mission going active. Once they know the bait is going to be taken by Starfleet HQ, they mobilize ships to the border, to make it look like they are intending an attack on the contested area. (shrewdly hiding some in the McAllister Nebula) This way, they can be sure to have a Federation presence negotiating at the border, once they can drop the bomb of having caught Picard's spy team

If they can't negotiate the territory away, then they are planning to fight for it, with the hidden armada, & when they do so, they still have the diplomatic high ground, in that Starfleet provoked 1st with a spy mission. So, they DO want Picard's information about the defensive plans (Which he's wisely not in possession of), in case it comes to blows, but it's secondary to the real point, of luring Starfleet into an illegal op, giving them the political high ground

Having someone get caught spying was the gambit. Having it be Picard was the icing on top, as he might hold useful info about prize. In the end, it's still kind of ugly diplomatically for the UFP. They still got caught with a spy team in Cardassian territory, & the solution for them was to send another team into the area, to mine the hidden armada, which is pretty much the only thing that turned them back, but NOW, if the Cardies want to protest the incursion, they got no muscle to shove with, & Starfleet can just say, "Hey we heard you was making bioweapons, asshole. Sue us" lol

 

[cgervasi]

Picard may well be but a hobby project for the self-important Madred, taking the front and center of the episode but not of the in-universe events.

They didn't seem that worried about getting actionable information out of Picard. Maybe their plan was to torture first to break his spirit.

 

[Mojochi]

They didn't seem that worried about getting actionable information out of Picard. Maybe their plan was to torture first to break his spirit.

Well, to be fair, they'd already scored a win, just by getting a Starfleet officer engaged in spy infiltration. That's worth so much more than some battle data, but the battle Data would be worth something big too. However, it's entirely possible they are savvy enough to know that he doesn't have it, or he'd have given up something by now, with their drug treatments & such. So they just figure it's a dead end, & leave Madred to play his games with the guy, while they move on to using the illegal infraction to bully the negotiations, & count on their hidden nebula armada to pull off the rest without the battle data

 

[Timo]

But that means they didn't really need Picard in the first place. If they don't need the defense plans for Minos Korva, then they only need the casus belli, and any random Cassus or Billy can be trapped for that.

That is, they certainly did not win anything by removing Picard from the E-D; Starfleet readily sent the next fellah, who proved tough enough a nut. I seriously doubt Picard had better specific skills for defending Minos Korva specifically than Jellico or some other random skipper did.

The remaining question here is, how important was Minos Korva in the end? That is, is there a real connection in that the trap was tailored to capture the man currently tasked to defend Minos Korva? Or would it simply be natural for the trap to be tailored to lure in somebody from a ship operating in the general Cardassian front, which wholly incidentally includes the intended breaching point Minos Korva? I suspect Picard and the audience here jump to conclusions about the importance of the Picard/Minos Korva connection...

Timo Saloniemi