Geordi DID get a little character development in "Insurrection" - he got his vision back and decided the price for it was too high.
Geordi in future TNG novels
- Thread starter Mr. Laser Beam
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It wasn't based on nostalgia, it was based on hard experience doing exactly what La Forge is doing -- and also based on being in command of an entire ship, something Scotty's done a lot more than La Forge has, what with the former serving under a captain who kept leaving the ship and taking his first officer with him.
Have you actually read ATFW,ATFP, or are you just assuming it was a nostalgic argument because it came from Scotty? And if you have read it, what exactly about Scotty's argument didn't work for you?
I'd say he got a bit in A Time to..., and he played a good-sized supporting role in Q & A, dealing with losing Data and having to work with a new second officer.
Although at the end of TNG's "The Arsenal of Freedom", Geordi seemed fairly happy with how he did on his first command.
--Ted
Because, Dave, he's Keith, and it's in his contract to tease us so! 
Old men drinking and reminiscing about how much better they had it back in the days sounds like nostalgia to me. But yes, I did read the awkwardly anagrammed book in question, and just checked it again to make sure I wasn't misrecalling the conversation, or LaForge's later explanation to Riker. Essentially, the salient points are threefold: (1) LaForge likes what he's doing now; (2) He's really in charge of the ship; and (3) He might not take to command, just as Scotty came to regret his decision to leave the engine room.
(1) is probably the best argument. Professionally, LaForge is happy where he is now. The downside of this is that LaForge has been in the same position for going on fifteen years now, and at what point does happiness become contentment and stagnation? I've suggested above, and have yet to see any refutation, that LaForge's character has been stagnant, and for quite a while. This, though, is obviously an outside-the-box perspective and not applicable from LaForge's POV. Still, there is something to be said, and LaForge raises it himself, for not allowing oneself to become overly content that all ambition and potential is stifled (which I'll get back to).
(2) is kind of silly, and LaForge seems to call Scott out on this, even though he later repeats it to Riker. Obviously, LaForge does not run the ship, and Scott then undermines his own argument by suggesting he was nervous every time he actually was in charge of making decisions and not simply maintaining the proper functioning of the vessel.
(3) is quite problematic, to me. I get that Scott didn't like his time in command (although I don't actually recall him getting a permanent command post... seems to me he was always the engineer), but not only are LaForge and Scott, obviously, different people, Scott is usign out of date frames of references for his comparisons. But what particularly gets my goat is this worry that, while he's a good engineer, he doesn't know if he'd be as good at command, or if he'd enjoy it as much as he does running engineering. Well, he won't know unless he tries, will he? He's flirted with command a few times, but that's not the same as doing it professionally (and it should be noted that someone who has done it professionally thinks he would be well-suited to the role; Riker didn't just ask because Geordi is his buddy). A person with a cynical turn of mind might even see fear motivating this decision: fear of change (being happy now and not knowing if he will be in this path), and fear of a challenge (aware that he's a good engineer and not knowing if he'd be a good XO). This is where my previous concern about contentment factors in; LaForge is not growing as a person, not exploring his potential, because he's been in what could be described as a personal and professional rut, his circumstances by and large unchanged since the second season of TNG. Q is always on Picard's case to broaden his horizons... perhaps Picard's underlings could stand to learn that lesson as well.
And, ultimately, what does he have to lose? LaForge and Scott seem to be treating this as irrevocable decisions, but that can't be the case. If a whiny bitch like Tucker can play the starship shell-game because he had a tiff with his girlfriend, then surely a solid officer like LaForge would be granted a request to return to his previous duties as a chief engineer if he does, indeed, find that command is not to his liking and/or suitable to his skills.
He did? Now, that I don't recall. I remember flitting about asteroids and trying not to get blown up, but what was the character arc?
Hey, mind your tenses. At least that'll be something to look forward too.
Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
He set up a supply-line utilizing a Ferengi merchant vessel.
Unless there is a significant chnage in personality, I do not see him leaving Enginnering for a Command position.
Sisko said that, yes, but that wasn't authoritative, and in the years since Sisko did say that, Worf has been a hero in a war (among other things, alerting the Federation to Damar's resistance, which was a major turning point in the war) and served with distinction in the Diplomatic Corps for four years. That can cover a multitude of reprimands....
Let's face it ... they just needed a captain for TIMELESS and didn't want it to be an unknown character.
I don't see Geordi as first/second officer. He's been an engineer for so long and that's where he's good at.
I'll probably always be an art director/creative director and will never ever be the CEO of a media agency. That's not my expertise and doesn't hold my interest. It's too far off from what I do right and from what I want to develop myself to be stronger/better in.
I feel it's the same way with Geordi. He'll always be an engineer, not a captain. Geordi just needs more screen/page time and more character development, he doesn't have to be promoted to become more interesting.
I don't see Geordi as first/second officer. He's been an engineer for so long and that's where he's good at.
I'll probably always be an art director/creative director and will never ever be the CEO of a media agency. That's not my expertise and doesn't hold my interest. It's too far off from what I do right and from what I want to develop myself to be stronger/better in.
I feel it's the same way with Geordi. He'll always be an engineer, not a captain. Geordi just needs more screen/page time and more character development, he doesn't have to be promoted to become more interesting.
I honestly don't think 11 years is that long, but I do agree that it is a significant number of years in which a person can go from Ensign to Commander. No Question there. I've actually liked that in the SCE stories from the first book that I've read so far.
I just meant that if Gomez goes from Ensign to Commander in 11 years and Geordi has been a Lt. Commander for the past 14 years, I feel like Geordi's getting overlooked. (Which has always been a problem in the Trek Movies because if you're not Picard or Data or in a scene with them, you're not doing much the whole movie.)
It doesn't really have anything to do with him taking a command position on the ship (which would of made sense given the lack of command staff after Nemesis and Picard wanting to keep his people around, but it's gone in another direction and I can respect that) or transferring either. I like Geordi as the Chief Engineer of the Enterprise, but even if he is happy in his job, that doesn't mean he can't take on more responsibilities and still do that job.
Beverly is a Commander, Troi is a Commander, Heck Vale is a Commander. They were wanting something more or naturally progressing, and if your idea is that Geordi doesn't want to advance or take on new challenges then I guess I could see the idea of him staying in place making sense to me, but that's not the character I know.
I'm just saying that it's not out of the realm of possibility for Geordi to step-up to the plate considering his past and his status as the Chief Engineer of the Flagship of the Federation. If anything it makes people like Gomez uncomfortable (at least initially-Just started the 3rd SCE story) interacting with LaForge, her first C.O. and one of, if not the best engineer in Starfleet.
But again I may be just hoping for Geordi to take on more in his life so that the character can get some much deserved book time in the future. I've always felt him underutilized (Onscreen) so that's probably just my personal opinions showing.
I mean no disrespect by any of these comments, I just tend to feel strongly about this particular subject.
I agree with the idea that Geordi will probably not ever become a Captain, but I still don't think that being a Commander takes him away from Engineering more than anything else would. Just gives him some more tools to use in his arsenal.
I don't think Geordi will be leaving engineering anytime soon, he seems pretty happy, and if he is he doesn't really doesn't need to leave. Now I do agree with Technobuilder that just because he doesn't want to leave engineering doesn't mean he can't get a promotion. Because like he said, we've seen Commanders in numerous different positions other than command.
I think the only time Geordi might leave the Enterprise engine room is if he gets a promotion to the CO of a Corps of Engineers ship. He does have command experience so it's not out of the realms of possibility.
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