Does the ECH Have a Role in Regular Crew Rotations?

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Having recently re-watched "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy", I find myself wondering if the ECH could be more than just a stop-gap in the event a ship's captain is injured or unavailable. We saw the Doctor function as Voyager's permanent CMO (out of necessity) after the ship's human CMO was killed, a role that he held for the entire series.

Unless a crew were woefully inexperienced, it wouldn't make sense for a vessel to be commanded by an ECH for long periods of time, but could the ECH function as a night-shift commander or a training officer for cadets and junior officers, thereby lightening the workload on the ship's flesh-and-blood captain and first officer?

Discuss.

--Sran

 

[BillJ]

...but could the ECH function as a night-shift commander...

Seems like that is how junior officers begin training for command. So I wouldn't think they'd need it for that particular role.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Seems like that is how junior officers begin training for command. So I wouldn't think they'd need it for that particular role.

That's true. What about a scenario with a junior officer in command of the shift, with the ECH providing feedback and tips--sort of like the TWOK training cruise, with Spock hovering over Saavik's shoulder.

--Sran

 

[BillJ]

Seems like that is how junior officers begin training for command. So I wouldn't think they'd need it for that particular role.

That's true. What about a scenario with a junior officer in command of the shift, with the ECH providing feedback and tips--sort of like the TWOK training cruise, with Spock hovering over Saavik's shoulder.

--Sran

I don't know? Having the captain and first officer just a comm link away would seem to kill the necessity. Plus, they'd have other officers on the bridge with them during the two watches not done by the senior officers.

Kirk and Spock didn't seem to have any issues with leaving Saavik in command of the Enterprise while both were away from the bridge.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I would say a resounding no--the ECH was a hologram too far. There are plenty of experienced officers onboard to take charge before relying on the ship's computer.

Ship's have watch officers to take charge during the times that the CO and XO are off-duty, all valuable experience they need. As for training supervisors, I'd rather have Harry "The Eternal Ensign" Kim than the ECH any day of the week.

 

[Ithekro]

It might be useful for small ships on deep space patrol. Or if Starfleet has a personnel shortage, and needs more ships in service, they could run with less crew than normal and use holograms to fill in during shifts, thereby reducing the size of even a skeleton crew on starships.

Or even for extreme deep space missions that would take decades. Like the planned intercept of USS Voyager before she suddenly returned home. A trip of maybe two decades even at high warp might require a holographic crew if you were not operating the deep space explore with families like a Galaxy-class starship were you might expect the ship to return to Federation space only for major refits every few decades.

A holographic crew could operate without as much supply, though it might still be in the Federation's best interest to have a living crew as well. Perhaps a rotational cryogenics style, or a species that is live lived naturally and not prone to needing to interact with others outside a small enclosed community. Most missions like that would be probes, but the to meet up with Voyager or other displaced starships on long voyages home would call for a living crew and space in case the ship they are heading to intercept is not able to make the trip all the way home.

 

[Autistoid]

The ECH is the dumbest idea ever, likely the worst in voyager and that says alot.

One of the core arguments made by Star Trek is that in the future with the exception of the technological marvel that is data, machines can't replace humans.

ECH has made that so.

 

[hux]

As soon as Voyager returned to Earth and the doctors sentience was confirmed, all holographic technology would have been abandoned due to the inevitability of slavery. Frankly, the moment that Moriarty appeared, Starfleet and the Federation should have put holo-technology on lockdown until the notion of a computer being capable of manufacturing true AI was fully addressed.

If the computer can create sentient life-forms simply by asking it to "create an adversary capable of beating Data" then someone should have looked at the possibility that this might just warrant further exploration. You know, rather than putting it in a glass cage and going about their usual business as though absolutely nothing huge had even happened (such as the computer being able to produce sentient life whenever you ask it to).

OR Voyager got back to Earth and everyone agreed that the doctor was not sentient (don't be so ridiculous) and Janeway was given a telling off for even entertaining such an idiotic idea and the doc was reset.

In which case, yeah let's use holograms for the night shift.

 

[Kilana2]

Considering the latest Borg incursion with a incredible high number of victims accompanied with a lack of personnel, the ECH could easily jump in. Replacing humans wouldn't be the goal.

Moriarty is addressed in the litverse: I haven't read The Light Fantastic yet, but I'm curious.

And Kirsten Beyer integrates holograms in her novels, too.

Young and inexperienced flesh-and-blood people given command - we all know what happened to the Red Squad kids.

In the long run I can at least imagine a ECH taking over for a captain and/or second-in-command in times of crisis (when they are killed or incapacitated.

 

[The Wormhole]

The E in ECH means Emergency. And that's the point, it's a command option in an emergency, a situation which requires immediate action and decision making in which the captain and XO are unavailable. Okay, yes, theoretically an ECH is perfectly qualified to run the bridge during the night shift, though as others have pointed out that would deprive junior officers the chance to learn about command and gain experience. Plus, I imagine the ECH itself wouldn't be too pleased supervising a routine duty watch, Voyager's EMH certainly complained in the early years about being disturbed for everything medically related.

Besides, special cases like Voyager and the Equinox aside (ships stranded in the Delta Quadrant, cut off from Starfleet) none of the ships in the Alpha Quadrant equipped with EMHs seem to activate their EMH for standard duty shifts in sickbay. Presumably they only use the EMH in a medical emergency or when the Borg are about to bust into sickbay. Therefore, I can't imagine an ECH getting regular duty shifts either.

 

[Hando]

I fear that a permanent ECH could have quite the unexpected unintended negative impact.

How many starfleet captains came to their role as a captain, or showed promise during an emergency?
Now imagine there is an emergency a junior officer can "show off", but no, there is the ECH, who steals the spotlight.

 

[Karzak]

The only time I could see it being the case would be if there's some mission and the crew decides to use the ECH as part of some plan... think of Chekov in Star Trek V an the ruse to make Sybok think he was the ship's captain. Something like that, where the parameters of the mission or objective (say, taking back the ship from a hostile force, or if the crew faces off with someone who knows everyone on the crew) ... that would make sense. They'd want to apprise the ECH of all the particulars before enacting any engagement or plan.

Still, if anything, the ECH did prove itself quite useful. Even Janeway would have to agree with that.

 

[Jedi_Master]

The E in ECH means Emergency. And that's the point, it's a command option in an emergency, a situation which requires immediate action and decision making in which the captain and XO are unavailable.

Besides, special cases like Voyager and the Equinox aside (ships stranded in the Delta Quadrant, cut off from Starfleet) none of the ships in the Alpha Quadrant equipped with EMHs seem to activate their EMH for standard duty shifts in sickbay. Presumably they only use the EMH in a medical emergency or when the Borg are about to bust into sickbay. Therefore, I can't imagine an ECH getting regular duty shifts either.

I agree with this summation. Every officer on board the bridge, no matter what the shift would have completed the needed training to handle their set assignment. The benefits of third - watch leadership would be gaining knowledge of how to handle things that cannot be anticipated or included in training, and there would be no computer program - sentient or otherwise - capable of providing that kind of training.

 

[Karzak]

I fear that a permanent ECH could have quite the unexpected unintended negative impact.

How many starfleet captains came to their role as a captain, or showed promise during an emergency?
Now imagine there is an emergency a junior officer can "show off", but no, there is the ECH, who steals the spotlight.

Also worth considering would be the issue of hologram rights, which became a major subplot toward the end of Voyager's run for the Doctor. Yes, they're holograms but as lifeforms they are largely no different than Data.

Assuming the Doctor's mobile emitter was able to be reverse engineered and holograms be given true autonomy, what is to stop them from eventually going through the Academy and becoming members of Starfleet outside the purview of whatever hardware exists on a starship or starbase?

Does Starfleet own all the holograms in the Federation (ie the way they tried to say Data was Starfleet property in "Measure of a Man" ?) or are they new lifeforms now that have evolved beyond their programming, the way the Doctor did thoughout Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant?

Does the Doctor have a soul? Does Data?

Apart from Hobson (who later redacted his douchebaggery) and Pulaski (who took some convincing but eventually came around and even Maddox (who Data seems to have a perfectly pleasant working relationship with now) has anyone ever resented or objected to Data moving his way up the ranks? Why couldn't a hologram do the same?

 

[Hando]

^I would actually approve of this.
If a hologram wants to command a starship let it (him/her/it/?) do it as everybody else. By fulfilling the requirements.

It may be different for all the EMHs, they may join Starfleet by enlisting like O'Brien, but serving in the medical field.

 

[Forbin]

ECH? I thought it was EMH. What's the C for?

 

[Hando]

ECH? I thought it was EMH. What's the C for?

It is Emergency Command Hologram.
Remember episodes "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy", "Workforce", and "Renaissance Man".

 

[Kilana2]

ECH? I thought it was EMH. What's the C for?

It is Emergency Command Hologram.
Remember episodes "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy", "Workforce", and "Renaissance Man".

I have to get used to this abbreviation. In German it is KNH

Kommando Notfall Hologramm

The Doctor may have his use. He could even change his outward appearance. Still, his primary job is being Chief Medical Officer.

 

[T'Girl]

The EMH is essentually just a computer program, as a doctor it's important that it possess the ability to malnipulate objects and physically interact with patients.

But in the role of bridge commander why would the computer need a "body?" just have the computer program be in charge of the bridge without the hologram.

 

[Ithekro]

It may require a face to negotiate with alien species and interact with them if they come onboard. Also the holograms have a wide range of emotions they can simulate and that can be useful over the computer's normal methods. Especially with Starfleet's usual talk first policy.