Five Year Mission

[Henoch]

Why was Jamie on Starbase 11? Because she just met her father to celebrate her sweet 16 birthday together, and Ben just finished shore leave at Starbase 11. Mrs. Finnery was not around, so, I assume either they are divorced or she is dead. In either case, Jamie is alone probably just visiting the Starbase to be near Dad's assigned patrol area.

• Captain's Log, Stardate 2947.3. We have been through a severe ion storm. One crewman is dead. Ship's damage is considerable. I have ordered a non-scheduled layover on Starbase Eleven for repairs. A full report of damages was made to the commanding officer of Starbase Eleven, Commodore Stone.

The layover for repairs was unplanned; this doesn't rule out the ship didn't just visit Starbase 11 to give leave to some of the crew. Maybe in Ben's mind this was his last goodbye to his daughter before he enacts his plan to get Kirk. Ion storms may have been reported in the region and the Enterprise was ordered out to study them, so, Ben had plenty of time to hatch his plan to frame Kirk before they encountered the ion storm. I like it.

To expound on wherever the Enterprise previously visited Starbase 11, the previous episode (per Production Order and Stardate) was The Galileo Seven.

• Captain's Log, stardate 2821.5. On route to Makus Three with a cargo of medical supplies. Our course leads us past Murasaki 312, a quasar-like formation, vague, undefined. A priceless opportunity for scientific investigation. On board is Galactic High Commissioner Ferris, overseeing the deliver of the medicines to Makus Three.

In that episode, two crew died. If Kirk needed to present official statements in person and ship records for Finney's death at Starbase, then I assume Kirk did the same for those dead crew, too. After Kirk delivered his cargo and Ferris, then once Kirk puts into the next Starbase, he would need to report on their deaths. Kirk's patrol area must be around Starbase 11. The next episode (per Production Order and Stardate) is The Menagerie which also took place at Starbase 11. If you go by airdate (blah), then The Menagerie is before both episodes but still puts Kirk patrolling around Starbase 11. This also explains why Starbase 11 didn't send another starship after the hijacked Enterprise, because the starship assigned for Starbase 11 support was the Enterprise. Later in Season 2, the Constellation was assigned for Starbase 11 support during the Doomsday Machine. Matt Decker may have been in fleet operations command for Starbase 11, too, with the older Constellation stationed there for his use.

 

[johnnybear]

When Kirk made his first planetary survey of the planet Neural, was he a member of the USS Farragut? I liked the fact that when the BBC screened A Private Little War in the late seventies they followed it with Obsession somehow giving Kirk two episodes close together with reminders of his youth and successes and failures!
JB

 

[MAGolding]

Why was Jamie on Starbase 11? Because she just met her father to celebrate her sweet 16 birthday together, and Ben just finished shore leave at Starbase 11. Mrs. Finnery was not around, so, I assume either they are divorced or she is dead. In either case, Jamie is alone probably just visiting the Starbase to be near Dad's assigned patrol area.

• Captain's Log, Stardate 2947.3. We have been through a severe ion storm. One crewman is dead. Ship's damage is considerable. I have ordered a non-scheduled layover on Starbase Eleven for repairs. A full report of damages was made to the commanding officer of Starbase Eleven, Commodore Stone.

The layover for repairs was unplanned; this doesn't rule out the ship didn't just visit Starbase 11 to give leave to some of the crew. Maybe in Ben's mind this was his last goodbye to his daughter before he enacts his plan to get Kirk. Ion storms may have been reported in the region and the Enterprise was ordered out to study them, so, Ben had plenty of time to hatch his plan to frame Kirk before they encountered the ion storm. I like it.

To expound on wherever the Enterprise previously visited Starbase 11, the previous episode (per Production Order and Stardate) was The Galileo Seven.

• Captain's Log, stardate 2821.5. On route to Makus Three with a cargo of medical supplies. Our course leads us past Murasaki 312, a quasar-like formation, vague, undefined. A priceless opportunity for scientific investigation. On board is Galactic High Commissioner Ferris, overseeing the deliver of the medicines to Makus Three.

In that episode, two crew died. If Kirk needed to present official statements in person and ship records for Finney's death at Starbase, then I assume Kirk did the same for those dead crew, too. After Kirk delivered his cargo and Ferris, then once Kirk puts into the next Starbase, he would need to report on their deaths. Kirk's patrol area must be around Starbase 11. The next episode (per Production Order and Stardate) is The Menagerie which also took place at Starbase 11. If you go by airdate (blah), then The Menagerie is before both episodes but still puts Kirk patrolling around Starbase 11. This also explains why Starbase 11 didn't send another starship after the hijacked Enterprise, because the starship assigned for Starbase 11 support was the Enterprise. Later in Season 2, the Constellation was assigned for Starbase 11 support during the Doomsday Machine. Matt Decker may have been in fleet operations command for Starbase 11, too, with the older Constellation stationed there for his use.

It would be more likely for the Finneys to be celebrating Jamie's quinceamera even though they have no known Hispanic ancestry (of course Ben and Jamie are the only two known members of the family), making Jamie 15 instead of 16.

Or maybe the Finneys are Jewish.

According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys become 13 years old, they become accountable for their actions and become a bar mitzvah. A girl becomes a bat mitzvah at the age of 12 according to Orthodox and Conservative Jews, and at the age of 13 according to Reform Jews.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_and_Bat_Mitzvah

My previous post on the subject shows it is extremely unlikely that Jamie was over 15 in "Court Martial". See Post number 88 on page 5 of this thread.

 

[Henoch]

My previous post on the subject shows it is extremely unlikely that Jamie was over 15 in "Court Martial". See Post number 88 on page 5 of this thread.

I agree, it would be closer to her 15th birthday, but 16th birthday sounded extra special such that Ben and Jamie would cross light years to celebrate it together. In any event, they may use every birthday as a reason to get together to see each other at least once a year. Teenage years are where Ben's fatherly guidance and protection are no longer needed/wanted, thus, he realized that he is not needed by his daughter anymore which further outraged him. It may have finally broke him into action to finally get his revenge on Kirk plus getting away from Starfleet. Poor Finney; no one loves you.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

When Kirk made his first planetary survey of the planet Neural, was he a member of the USS Farragut?

In my timeline, he was. I have him as a Lieutenant J.G. on the Farragut in 2255, leading his first planetary survey on Neural, 13 years before "A Private Little War." This is supposition on my part, but I figure it's not uncommon for an Ensign to go on a planetary survey, as we saw Chekov on them many times in TOS.