Geordi's Love Life in TrekLit....

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

So, I'm breezing through Christopher Bennett's 'Greater Than the Sum' and a question came up:

Is Geordi LaForge ever going to find someone compatible in TrekLit?

The poor guy seems like he's going through depression mode. (I guess Guinan pointed him out to T'Ryssa, but she's already in a relationship herself.

T'Ryssa that is).

The man has had relationships before (on TNG), and even had a girl interested in him, if I remember correctly, but I believe she wasn't his type.

We can't have our Chief Engineer alone forever...(Scotty won't approve).

 

[Trent Roman]

With the amount of people who seem to be coupling off, I'd actually be happy to keep a few singletons around.

Looking at the TNG crew, Picard and Crusher are married, Kadohata is married, Worf and Choudhury seemed to be moving towards each other, and Chen is dating Konya, which, unless I'm missing anyone, leaves LaForge the odd man out. EDIT: Wait, I forgot the new science officer, Dina Elfiki. And I also forget if she single or not. EDIT 2: Memory Beta says she's single too.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[SicOne]

In one of the Destiny books, wasn't one of the Aventine's engineers flirting with Geordi?

 

[JoeZhang]

What modern trek lacks is any swordsmen - La Forge could decide that there is more to life than warp corp scientific journals and start getting it on with the ladies. Every chapter could make reference to a different coupling and he could use his enchanced vision to see when he picks up the space clap.

"oh that doesn't look so good, I better run a inverted poloron field over it"

"Argggggggggggggggggg! Medical emergency in my quarters!"

 

[SicOne]

Nah, he'd modify nanites to take on the space crabs...

 

[Steve Roby]

With the amount of people who seem to be coupling off, I'd actually be happy to keep a few singletons around.

Nothing wrong with that, but wanting to be in a relationship with a woman is one of the few personality traits that Geordi regularly exhibits. It's an obvious starting point for some character growth.

 

[Kemaiku]

In one of the Destiny books, wasn't one of the Aventine's engineers flirting with Geordi?

Yup, the Chief Engineer of the Aventine. Since both of them are just fine at the end of the trilogy its more than likely Geordi will take her up on her offer of a date so there you go. Assuming he doesn't mess it up that little plot point will probably be followed up in later TNGR books.

 

[Trent Roman]

Nothing wrong with that, but wanting to be in a relationship with a woman is one of the few personality traits that Geordi regularly exhibits. It's an obvious starting point for some character growth.

That's true. On the other hand, having decided he has no interest in moving forwards career-wise, and having given up on making anything of B-4, a worthwhile relationship is pretty much the last goal he has left for himself. Once he fulfills that, what aspirations are left? "Satisfaction is death" -- George Bernard Shaw.

(And because the Internet doesn't convey tone, the above is largely tongue-in-cheek. Largely, because LaForge really does seem short on things to strive for these days...)

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[SicOne]

I thought I had heard that Leah Brahms' husband died at some point during the events of the Genesis Wave miniseries. Assuming that they remained friends, figured at some point he might, after a proper period of respectful grieving, elect to attempt to take the relationship up a notch?

 

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

I thought I had heard that Leah Brahms' husband died at some point during the events of the Genesis Wave miniseries. Assuming that they remained friends, figured at some point he might, after a proper period of respectful grieving, elect to attempt to take the relationship up a notch?

That was hinted that Leah and Geordi may have had something more after that incident, but I'm not sure that was followed up on.

Nothing wrong with that, but wanting to be in a relationship with a woman is one of the few personality traits that Geordi regularly exhibits. It's an obvious starting point for some character growth.

That's true. On the other hand, having decided he has no interest in moving forwards career-wise, and having given up on making anything of B-4, a worthwhile relationship is pretty much the last goal he has left for himself. Once he fulfills that, what aspirations are left? "Satisfaction is death" -- George Bernard Shaw.

(And because the Internet doesn't convey tone, the above is largely tongue-in-cheek. Largely, because LaForge really does seem short on things to strive for these days...)

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

The only thing I think LaForge can attain is command, since pretty much the regular cast (or original cast, I should say) of TNG moved up in TrekLit...i.e. attaining their own command, getting married or finding relationships, etc...

I would like to see LaForge step it up and grow a bit.

 

[Trent Roman]

The only thing I think LaForge can attain is command, since pretty much the regular cast (or original cast, I should say) of TNG moved up in TrekLit...i.e. attaining their own command, getting married or finding relationships, etc...

But as I mentioned, the literature had LaForge close the door, at least for the time being, on that path, and fairly recently at that: he turned down Riker's offer to be the XO aboard Titan, claiming he wanted to remain an engineer.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

The only thing I think LaForge can attain is command, since pretty much the regular cast (or original cast, I should say) of TNG moved up in TrekLit...i.e. attaining their own command, getting married or finding relationships, etc...

But as I mentioned, the literature had LaForge close the door, at least for the time being, on that path, and fairly recently at that: he turned down Riker's offer to be the XO aboard Titan, claiming he wanted to remain an engineer.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

Hence the need for some good character growth...

 

[Christopher]

Personally I'll never get the assumption that starship command is the default endpoint for every single Starfleet officer's career. It doesn't work that way. There aren't enough ships to go around. And captains can't do squat without the rest of their crews. There absolutely should be plenty of characters who have no interest in commanding starships, who just want to be the best chief engineer or science officer or security chief or CMO or whatever they can be. Or just to be a good, reliable junior officer for 10 or 20 years and then retire and start a family. Those are what the overwhelming majority of Starfleet personnel would do. Only a very few get to be captains, and plenty wouldn't want to be. All this fixation on captaincy is way too narrow.

Although onscreen Trek itself has helped perpetuate that fixation. Spock becomes a captain, Sulu becomes a captain, Chekov becomes a first officer, Riker becomes a captain, alt-future Beverly becomes a captain, alt-future Geordi becomes a captain, etc.

Geordi didn't just "claim" he wanted to remain an engineer. He realized that that was enough for him. It wasn't just an inferior step on a journey toward captaincy. It was a vital and fulfilling position that was more suited and more satisfying for him than a captaincy would've been. Geordi doesn't need to pursue further career advancement, because he's already arrived in his ideal position. He doesn't need a promotion to captain any more than Picard needs a promotion to admiral. Either would take the man away from his ideal role, and would just be an application of the Peter Principle.

 

[SicOne]

Unless, of course, he assumes a captaincy on one of the S.C.E ships. Seems a natural fit for him; he still gets to play with some of the tech and solve engineering problems, and an opportunity to then decide if he wants to later pursue a captaincy on, say, USS Challenger* or something.

* (reference to the Voyager episode "Timeless", which has some of the action taking place in an alternate future in which Geordi is captain of the Galaxy-class USS Challenger, for some of our posters who may not be aware of that episode...)

 

[SicOne]

Has anyone read the Genesis Wave books? Does anyone know if he and Brahms remained friends, or tried to take it up a notch?

Are there "friends with benefits" in Trek?

And where was that concept when I was young and single?

 

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

Personally I'll never get the assumption that starship command is the default endpoint for every single Starfleet officer's career. It doesn't work that way. There aren't enough ships to go around. And captains can't do squat without the rest of their crews. There absolutely should be plenty of characters who have no interest in commanding starships, who just want to be the best chief engineer or science officer or security chief or CMO or whatever they can be. Or just to be a good, reliable junior officer for 10 or 20 years and then retire and start a family. Those are what the overwhelming majority of Starfleet personnel would do. Only a very few get to be captains, and plenty wouldn't want to be. All this fixation on captaincy is way too narrow.

Although onscreen Trek itself has helped perpetuate that fixation. Spock becomes a captain, Sulu becomes a captain, Chekov becomes a first officer, Riker becomes a captain, alt-future Beverly becomes a captain, alt-future Geordi becomes a captain, etc.

Geordi didn't just "claim" he wanted to remain an engineer. He realized that that was enough for him. It wasn't just an inferior step on a journey toward captaincy. It was a vital and fulfilling position that was more suited and more satisfying for him than a captaincy would've been. Geordi doesn't need to pursue further career advancement, because he's already arrived in his ideal position. He doesn't need a promotion to captain any more than Picard needs a promotion to admiral. Either would take the man away from his ideal role, and would just be an application of the Peter Principle.

I can agree with that.

Miles O'Brien was content with staying an Ensign, dabbling in Engineering, and having a family.

I wouldn't mind seeing Geordi finding someone special (and teaching him a thing or two) and allowing his character to change from the Geordi we know in the series to someone who has a different outlook on life.

 

[DarKush]

I want Geordi to have a successful relationship, and not with a hologram. I've never liked the idea of him being a continual loser with women, while every other adult male on the ship was virile, including Data.

I also don't have a problem with Geordi becoming a captain. I loved that part of "Timeless" the best. Geordi's displayed the right temperment and leadership qualities over the years to be a good-to-great captain. The idea of him stagnating doesn't appeal to me.

I would rather he take the path that he did in Star Trek Online/Countdown and leave Starfleet than just remaining in the same place.

What's wrong with developing the character and taking him in different directions? Sure, that doesn't automatically mean a romantic or even a sexual relationship, but I think that would be a good start. Geordi basically is the same as he was in "All Good Things", while every other TNG character has grown a lot since then:

-Picard-married Crusher and now they are expecting a child
-Riker finally took a captaincy, married Troi, and they are expecting a child
-Worf-widowed, former ambassador, new E-E XO
-Data-gained emotions, was poised to become XO, died

So, there's been major life, and for some, death changes for every member of the TNG ensemble except Geordi. Is he still a Lt. Commander? I don't even think he's at a Commander's rank. No promotion in all that time? Come on, this guy is being neglected.

Even LeVar Burton had some concerns about how sexless his character was. I remember reading that in the General Trek forum a couple years back, and I agreed with him.

 

[KRAD]

Miles O'Brien was content with staying an Ensign, dabbling in Engineering, and having a family.

O'Brien wasn't an ensign, he was a chief petty officer. He was noncommissioned personnel, which is a totally different career track than officers.

 

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

Miles O'Brien was content with staying an Ensign, dabbling in Engineering, and having a family.

O'Brien wasn't an ensign, he was a chief petty officer. He was noncommissioned personnel, which is a totally different career track than officers.

I stand corrected.

 

[ShinRa Actual]

Miles O'Brien was content with staying an Ensign, dabbling in Engineering, and having a family.

O'Brien wasn't an ensign, he was a chief petty officer. He was noncommissioned personnel, which is a totally different career track than officers.

...Except his various TNG episodes with Ensign and LT pips...and him being the Tactical Officer on the Rutledge. But that's a whole other topic I'm sure has been beaten to death somewhere around here.