General Trek Questions and Observations

[Daddy Todd]

Yes

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Borg don't need to breathe. It's possible they could have some built-in supertechnolaser that could melt the concrete away from them. Or at the very least, that could prevent the concrete from hardening allowing them to adapt the same way they do to phaser frequencies.

 

[MAGolding]

I have a couple of questions, and I'm hoping this is the right thread for them.

1. How old do you have to be to start at Starfleet, do you have to be from a certain age or is there no age requirement.

2. I know on TNG at least, and I think possibly Voyager, there were families on board but do any other ships have families or allow them on board. Say if a Captain had a child, old enough to look after themselves say early teens, but there's no other living family would they be able to stay with. Could they theoretically bring that child with them for the duration of their command on that ship or would that be frowned upon/not allowed.

I've got some possible ideas brewing for a ST fic, and had some questions. I've probably got more to be honest. If this is the wrong place no worries.

Oops! I was going to answer with evidence about those matters but my writing has disappeared twice. It seems to be cursed.

1. Wesley was allowed to apply at 14. I don't think anyone mentioned that as being a minimum age, though. In fact, I would suspect they would probably just trust that the entrance exam is clearly too difficult for extremely young people, since any sort of hard age limit would be problematic to enforce across different species (Imagine telling an Ocampa they can't join until 14...).

2. Having kids on board seems perfectly normal in the 24th century, though with as little info as we have, it may be the case that extraordinarily small ships or ships on certain types of missions don't allow families. And, just for the record, that's specifically the 24th century. In the 23rd century, they didn't do that sort of thing at all as far as I can recall.

 

[MAGolding]

1. Wesley was allowed to apply at 14. I don't think anyone mentioned that as being a minimum age, though. In fact, I would suspect they would probably just trust that the entrance exam is clearly too difficult for extremely young people, since any sort of hard age limit would be problematic to enforce across different species (Imagine telling an Ocampa they can't join until 14...).

In "Coming of Age" Wesley takes an Academy entrance test. Wesley celebrated his 16th birthday in a deleted scene. In a non deleted scene:

(Other young people enter)
T'SHANIK: Oliana. (to Wesley) T'Shanik of Vulcana Regar.
WESLEY: Wesley Crusher of the Enterprise.
T'SHANIK: You do not look as if you meet the age requirements.
WESLEY: Uh, I'll be sixteen next month.
OLIANA: Happy birthday.

I have long believed that what they were competing for was a slot in a special program for geniuses which might have had a different minimum age than regular Academy enrollment.

Pavel Chekov was an Ensign and an Academy graduate age 17 in the alternate universe of Star Trek (2009). Thus he probably entered the Academy years younger than 17.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Pavel_Chekov_(alternate_reality)

Midshipman First Class Peter Preston, engineers mate

looked very young to be in Starfleet in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Ike Eisenmann was 19 when filming his scenes. But the script and Vonda N. McIntyre's novelization both say Peter Preston was 14. So was Ike Eisenmann portraying a 14-year-old or someone his own age?

Charles Evans was described as 17 several times in "Charlie X". Yeoman Rand tried to fix him up with someone his own age:

RAND: Oh, Charlie. I was looking for you. I'd like you to meet Tina Lawton, Yeoman Third Class. Charlie Evans.
TINA: Hello, Charlie.
RAND: I thought you might enjoy meeting someone your own age.

"Lizard Girl" Lawton was obviously old enough to enlist in Starfleet, and apparently about 17.

Chronological reasons make me imagine that either Amanda married an alien ambassador very young or else Spock entered and graduated the Academy very young by contemporary standards in order to have enough seniority to be third in command at Talos IV.

Kirk said he was 34 in "The Deadly Years" and so should have been about 33 in "Shore Leave".

FINNEGAN: I never answer questions from plebes, Jimmy boy.
KIRK: I'm not a plebe. This is today, fifteen years later. What are you doing here?

So Kirk should have been in his first year at the Academy aged about 18. The Making of Star Trek says Kirk entered the Academy aged 17, the minimum age. Of course it is quite possible that the minimum age was changed every few years and that some persons entered the Academy much younger than Kirk did.

2. Having kids on board seems perfectly normal in the 24th century, though with as little info as we have, it may be the case that extraordinarily small ships or ships on certain types of missions don't allow families. And, just for the record, that's specifically the 24th century. In the 23rd century, they didn't do that sort of thing at all as far as I can recall.

In "Encounter at Farpoint":

PICARD: One further thing. A special favour.
RIKER: Anything, sir.
PICARD: Using the same kind of strength you showed with Captain DeSoto, I would appreciate it if you can keep me from making an ass of myself with children.
RIKER: Sir?
PICARD: I'm not a family man, Riker, and yet, Starfleet has given me a ship with children aboard.
RIKER: Yes, sir.
PICARD: And I don't feel comfortable with children. But, since a captain needs an image of geniality, you're to see that's what I project.
RIKER: Aye, sir.

This implies that either
1) allowing children to live on starships with their families is a brand new policy, or else:
2) that it is restricted to some types of starships and Picard never commanded such a ship before, or else:
3) Picard did command a ship with children aboard before and was uncomfortable with it and relied on someone's help to project a genial image, just as he is doing with Riker.

Back in Kirk's era children did travel interstellar space, sometimes on starships, but didn't seem to live with their parents on starships.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

3) Picard did command a ship with children aboard before and was uncomfortable with it and relied on someone's help to project a genial image, just as he is doing with Riker.

Or 4) Same as 3, except he didn't ask for help and failed badly (in his own eyes if not in reality) Children may have been aboard his other ships only occasionally - being taken from one location to another (meaning he'd have little reason for regular interaction with them, beyond addressing the entire group of passengers at once, kids included) or being evacuated/rescued, meaning medical would mainly interact with them. He might visit politely, like the president going to hospitals where tragedy victims are recovering, but come off mean, scary, standoffish, etc.

 

[starbuck]

should discovery be wiped from the forums and never said of again

 

[NovaStar]

So how does a Vulcan neck pinch actually work? I read that it pinches a pressure point in the neck that causes the person to collapse but is it really that simple?

 

[1001001]

should discovery be wiped from the forums and never said of again

No

 

[NovaStar]

should discovery be wiped from the forums and never said of again

I don't think so. I tried Discovery but I couldn't get into it but that doesn't mean it should be off the forum

 

[trekshark]

So how does a Vulcan neck pinch actually work? I read that it pinches a pressure point in the neck that causes the person to collapse but is it really that simple?

I used to think it was a combination of pressure point and vulcan telepathy, but then Data did it.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

I used to think it was a combination of pressure point and vulcan telepathy, but then Data did it.

I'd say it's a combination of a pressure point which is extremely difficult to isolate (IE, requires extreme precision) and Vulcan physical strength (which Data can equal). There are probably lots of other aliens who could learn to do it if they really, really tried, but most strong aliens are perfectly happy to just knock you out normally.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

most strong aliens are perfectly happy to just knock you out normally.

Quicker and easier, anyone can do it (with an uppercut or a blunt object) without knowing nervous system/anatomy of said victim.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Quicker and easier, anyone can do it (with an uppercut or a blunt object) without knowing nervous system/anatomy of said victim.

Yup. And anyone who's weaker can just shoot you with a phaser/disruptor, anyway.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

I just noticed that in "The Most Toys", the shuttle Data uses is named Pike. This episode puts Data in a cage for display.

Hmm. Subtle.

 

[UnknownSample]

I don't think so. I tried Discovery but I couldn't get into it but that doesn't mean it should be off the forum

I know smart people who like it. I think all problems would be solved if they acknowledged it as a reboot, another timeline, whatever. Everybody's happy then. They can do whatever they like. I would love to see into Pike's time, but this isn't it.

 

[Veronica Hobbes]

In "Coming of Age" Wesley takes an Academy entrance test. Wesley celebrated his 16th birthday in a deleted scene. In a none deleted scene:



I have long believed that what they were competing for was a slot in a special program for geniuses which might have had a different minimum age than regular Academy enrollment.

Pavel Chekov was an Ensign and an Academy graduate age 17 in the alternate universe of Star Trek (2009). Thus he probably entered the Academy years younger than 17.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Pavel_Chekov_(alternate_reality)



looked very young to be in Starfleet in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Ike Eisenmann was 19 when filming his scenes. But the script and Vonda N. McIntyre's novelization both say Peter Preston was 14. So was Ike Eisenmann portraying a 14-year-old or someone his own age?

Charles Evans was described as 17 several times in "Charlie X". Yeoman Rand tried to fix him up with someone his own age:



"Lizard Girl" Lawton was obviously old enough to enlist in Starfleet, and apparently about 17.

Chronological reasons make me imagine that either Amanda married an alien ambassador very young or else Spock entered and graduated the Academy very young by contemporary standards in order to have enough seniority to be third in command at Talos IV.

Kirk said he was 34 in "The Deadly Years" and so should have been about 33 in "Shore Leave".



So Kirk should have been in his first year at the Academy aged about 18. The Making of Star Trek says Kirk entered the Academy aged 17, the minimum age. Of course it is quite possible that the minimum age was changed every few years and that some persons entered the Academy much younger than Kirk did.



In "Encounter at Farpoint":



This implies that either
1) allowing children to live on starships with their families is a brand new policy, or else:
2) that it is restricted to some types of starships and Picard never commanded such a ship before, or else:
3) Picard did command a ship with children aboard before and was uncomfortable with it and relied on someone's help to project a genial image, just as he is doing with Riker.

Back in Kirk's era children did travel interstellar space, sometimes on starships, but didn't seem to live with their parents on starships.

Wow, thank you for all that. It's very helpful.

Does anyone know what the time gap between Discovery and The Next Generation is. Is it about 100 years, or is it more.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Wow, thank you for all that. It's very helpful.

Does anyone know what the time gap between Discovery and The Next Generation. Is it about 100 years, or is it more.

TNG is 2360s. DSC is 2250s.

 

[The Butter Phantom]

Does Starfleet have its own equivalents to JAG and NCIS?

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Does Starfleet have its own equivalents to JAG and NCIS?

Yes and maybe?

 

[The Butter Phantom]

Yes and maybe?

And there's your next CBS All Access spinoff:

Star Trek: SCIS

And I guarantee even that won't be episodic...