Chekov in ST V & VI - Vat Vas His Job?

[Jose Tyler]

What the heck was Chekov's position on the Enterprise-A? I'm a big fan of that time period and have ready just about every novel set around that time. I have read that he was, in no particular order; Second Officer, Navigator, Security Chief, all of the above. Is there any "official" source to what his role was? Or was it more of a case of "Walter Koenig needs a place to sit and we took away his alcove from the TMP, so put him at the navigator's spot" and nobody really gave him a rational reason for being there?

 

[Trekker4747]

I always assumed he was the veapons officer.

 

[sonak]

weapons/security I think

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Navigator, just like in TOS.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Vatever you vant him to be

 

[BillJ]

He sits in the navigators chair when on the bridge and not in command. So I'm going to say navigator...

 

[sonak]

Wasn't valeris the navigator in TUC? Or was she helmwoman?

 

[Harvey]

She was at the helm, since Sulu was off commanding the Excelsior.

 

[BillJ]

Console say 'NAV'.

I'm going with navigator...

 

[Captaindemotion]

He sits in the navigators chair when on the bridge and not in command. So I'm going to say navigator...

The man himself would say nawigator.

 

[sonak]

so what was all the stuff with him in the post-TMP books about being a security chief? I know the books aren't canon, but that was a repeated theme.

 

[BillJ]

so what was all the stuff with him in the post-TMP books about being a security chief? I know the books aren't canon, but that was a repeated theme.

He was security chief in 'The Motion Picture' and Reliant XO in 'The Wrath of Khan'. But in 'The Search for Spock' he is back at the navigator station and never leaves for the rest of the Original Series films.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ He seemed to have some sort of security duties in TUC also, investigating the conspiracy on the ENT-A. But then again, so did Spock and Valeris.

 

[doubleohfive]

The movies after TMP are an unusual situation. There's no specific "mission" in III or IV as far as Starfleet is concerned, so Chekov's role in each is obviously hinging more on Kirk's faith in his abilities, just as with the rest of the crew.

In V, Chekov, carrying the rank of Commander (and thus whose superiors are limited to Kirk, Spock, and possibly Scotty) is seen taking command (even when Scotty is still aboard) when not assuming the navigator position.

Being that Chekov was part of starship security/tactical/weapons control/whatever during the series and in TMP as well as part of TWOK, it makes sense the novels would include this as part of his duties. But Chekov was also a backup science officer and (I'd always assumed) Terrell's XO on Reliant as well, so he really fits the description of "jack of all trades."

At least, this is how I've always interpreted it.
In VI he's back to his position as navigator, likely because its the last tour of duty before they all retire and is Spock's de facto XO (again, superseding Scott not by rank but by position, aiding Spock and Valeris in their investigation.

 

[sonak]

so what was all the stuff with him in the post-TMP books about being a security chief? I know the books aren't canon, but that was a repeated theme.

He was security chief in 'The Motion Picture' and Reliant XO in 'The Wrath of Khan'. But in 'The Search for Spock' he is back at the navigator station and never leaves for the rest of the Original Series films.

Boy, Chekov really bounced around a lot in the movies.

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

so what was all the stuff with him in the post-TMP books about being a security chief? I know the books aren't canon, but that was a repeated theme.

He was security chief in 'The Motion Picture' and Reliant XO in 'The Wrath of Khan'. But in 'The Search for Spock' he is back at the navigator station and never leaves for the rest of the Original Series films.

In "The Search for Spock" Chekov was manning the Navigator Console briefly at the beginning of the film, then he was manning the Science Console and an unknown Starfleet Cadet was manning the Navigator Console as the Enterprise approached Spacedock, and then Chekov was manning the Communications Console when they stole the Enterprise from Spacedock. In "The Voyage Home" Chekov is at the Navigator Console for the rest of the Original Series films.



Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[Lieut. Arex]

He's wearing a gray shirt and the strap and stripe on his jacket are gray. That's security. Since the dedicated weapons station is gone from the E-A bridges, I'd guess those functions are handled (or can be) from navigation. Or perhaps Chekov prefers doing so. It's not like navigating's hard. I can do it with one hand tied behind my back.

 

[Tom]

In generations he was a Doctor.

 

[shivkala]

If I remember correctly, in The Search for Spock wasn't it Chekov who handled the intruder alert? I seem to remember him giving orders to the security detail outside Spock's quarters.

In The Undiscovered Country, he seemed to head up the investigation into the attack on Chancellor Gorkon's ship. He is seen analyzing the blood from the attackers in the screencaps on this page. So, maybe CSI?

 

[Trekker4747]

He's wearing a gray shirt and the strap and stripe on his jacket are gray. That's security. Since the dedicated weapons station is gone from the E-A bridges, I'd guess those functions are handled (or can be) from navigation. Or perhaps Chekov prefers doing so. It's not like navigating's hard. I can do it with one hand tied behind my back.

It sort of seemed to me that the navigation station more-or-less doubled as the weapons station. Didn't Chekov do a lot of the weapons firing in TOS?