First Contact/Defiant

[phrog]

Quick question with an easy-ish answer, I think.

So I remember or recall there being a reference on here to a short story or novella that explained why in First Contact, the Defiant is commanded by Worf and a staff of nobodies. What's that, then?

 

[Elias Vaughn]

When the Borg launched their second invasion of the Federation, Admiral Jeremiah Hayes ordered the Defiant to join the fleet and specifically ordered Captain Sisko to remain on Deep Space 9 and give command to Worf, due to Sisko's previous experience with the Borg. (TNG - Slings and Arrows eBook: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment)
The Defiant was one of the first ships to arrive in the Typhon sector to combat the Borg cube that was on course for Earth. Under Worf's command, the Defiant fought a running battle with the Borg, scoring a number of impressive hits on the cube's surface. (TNG novelization: Star Trek: First Contact)



http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Defiant_(NX-74205)_(I)

 

[phrog]

Easy enough, thanks

 

[KRAD]

In the novella in question, Admiral Hayes orders the Defiant to the battle with Worf in charge, and a crew of personnel who'd only served on the station for less than a year.

His explanation is as follows:

"This is an order, Captain, and I'm under no obligation to explain myself to you," Hayes snapped. Then his face softened. "But, you deserve an explanation, so I'll take time away from defending the Earth to give you one. You have history with the Borg. You also have one of the greatest weapons in the Federation at your disposal, and I'd rather not have the finger of a man who lost his wife to the Borg on the firing button. The rest of your senior staff will also stay put—they've proven in the past that they'll disobey orders out of loyalty to you, and I can't afford that right now. The only exception is Worf—and that only because of his past experiences with the Borg. Now if you're done questioning orders, Captain, I've got an invasion to fight. Hayes out."

 

[JoeZhang]

There is also the scene they cut from the film

Worf: I am surprised to see you Captain Picard, I thought that Admiral Haynes had ordered you to remain in the Neutral Zone.

Picard: Yes but...

Worf: But you and your senior staff disobeyed a direct order because that's the sort of bad-ass mutherfucker you are.

Picard: Yes, <looks around> is Captain Sisko not with you?

Worf: He has... a dose of the taxalian clap.

 

[Paris]

^QUICKLY! Get the man a shot of penicillin

 

[ares93]

^QUICKLY! Get the man a shot of penicillin

there you go my friend. as ordered.
http://www.impactednurse.com/pics4/Needle.jpg

 

[Paris]

^QUICKLY! Get the man a shot of penicillin

there you go my friend. as ordered.
http://www.impactednurse.com/pics4/Needle.jpg

 

[LightningStorm]

^QUICKLY! Get the man a shot of penicillin

there you go my friend. as ordered.
http://www.impactednurse.com/pics4/Needle.jpg

Hotlinking... tsk tsk

also, what's with the torture device at the bottom of that needle?

 

[ares93]

^QUICKLY! Get the man a shot of penicillin

there you go my friend. as ordered.
http://www.impactednurse.com/pics4/Needle.jpg

Hotlinking... tsk tsk

also, what's with the torture device at the bottom of that needle?

aye, aye! i plea temporary lapse of judgment.
and i have no bloody clue but it looks painful.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Must be a Klingon booster shot.

 

[Thestral]

In the novella in question, Admiral Hayes orders the Defiant to the battle with Worf in charge, and a crew of personnel who'd only served on the station for less than a year.

His explanation is as follows:

"This is an order, Captain, and I'm under no obligation to explain myself to you," Hayes snapped. Then his face softened. "But, you deserve an explanation, so I'll take time away from defending the Earth to give you one. You have history with the Borg. You also have one of the greatest weapons in the Federation at your disposal, and I'd rather not have the finger of a man who lost his wife to the Borg on the firing button. The rest of your senior staff will also stay put—they've proven in the past that they'll disobey orders out of loyalty to you, and I can't afford that right now. The only exception is Worf—and that only because of his past experiences with the Borg. Now if you're done questioning orders, Captain, I've got an invasion to fight. Hayes out."

I don't really get that explanation. Why would Worf's past experience with the Borg be okay? And more importantly, how is his situation really that much different than the rest of DS9's senior staff?

After all, Worf's previous commander was assimilated and Worf's always been shown to be a very loyal fellow. So why would he necessarily be more trustworthy in that situation than, say, Dax?

 

[KRAD]

Worf has considerably more direct experience with the Borg than anyone on DS9, and to Hayes's mind, that trumps the baggage.

And Worf's loyalty to Picard shouldn't have been an issue for Hayes, since he also ordered Picard away from the fight.

 

[Thestral]

Worf has considerably more direct experience with the Borg than anyone on DS9, and to Hayes's mind, that trumps the baggage.

And Worf's loyalty to Picard shouldn't have been an issue for Hayes, since he also ordered Picard away from the fight.

Ah. That makes sense!

(Still wish Dax or O'Brien had cameo'd in FC... oh well)

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Anybody else think the guys working on First Contact originally wanting to destroy the Defiant might have made the guys working on DS9 not want to put any other DS9 characters in the film for fear of what would happen to them?

 

[DarthPipes]

If Picard was being kept out due to his past experience with the Borg, then it makes total sense for Sisko to be kept out of the fight. Though keeping out his senior crew makes no sense.

The Defiant was built to fight the Borg and had to be there, along with Worf. N doubt.