If Jellico had stayed captain

[Mojochi]

Jellico's plan wasn't anything that the senior staff couldn't have come up with by themselves anyway.

Maybe so, but it's certainly not what Riker kept advocating for. He kept insisting on doing the very things the Cardassians were hoping they'd do. Try to rescue Picard, admit he'd been ordered to Celtris III, make Starfleet look like aggressors, & put them into a position of going to war, or giving in to the demands. Nechaev was right. Riker was not the man for this mission. He'd have cocked it all up with gullibility.

And then literally goes out of his way to do the opposite of the things that would actually foster respect or trust at every opportunity.

How, by ordering changes, "Major changes in every department" according to Riker's griping? Yeah, that's the deal, buddy. We're all being ordered to make this a very different ship now, & you serve here. My condolences.

No, he met with what he saw as "opposition and wilful descent"

It's what I see as opposition & willful dissent too, as would many other people unfortunate enough to be put in a position of having to overhaul a routinely exploratory & ambassadorial chartered vessel into a front-line wartime one, with a crew who don't understand that entirely, aren't going to want it, nor will they be pleased being order to do so.

If you treat professionals like they're a bunch of rookie amateurs who aren't even allowed to explain why they think something different from you, then you're going to get resentment.

There was resentment before Jellico even came aboard. Riker made it clear to Nechayev, that he resents them bringing anyone else there at all to replace Picard. Frankly, there's a good chance that response was relayed back to Jellico by her. You're already resented over there. Best of luck with that. You can either be an apologetic doormat or just be a bossy pants, but get the job done either way

And that's the only negative thing that he got, because at the end of the day, with the possible exception of the shift change (and foisting the change in over less than twelve hours is no better than two) the crew obeyed his orders completely and carried them out to the best of their ability. It's also worth noting that nothing that was accomplished by Jellico (other than perhaps getting Troi back into uniform) was in any way related to or required his being anything more than the mission commander.

That's your opinion though. Much of Nechayev's plan required a look of authority aboard the flagship of the fleet, as a means to send a message that this was a serious engagement. Honestly, I'd have gone for an even stauncher more militant look, when those Cardassians came aboard, one that looked a lot like Picard's Yesterday's Enterprise bearing.

"Remember the last time some of you were on board, & one of you got caught tampering with our systems? Well, it ain't that Enterprise today." I'd have had guards posted everywhere, the bridge packed with officers in sidearms, hence why Troi needs to be in uniform too. More than just be ready for war, I'd want to make the impression that we expect to be at war that very day, if need be. Jellico goes a little easier than that, probably because they were so rushed, but it's clear from his language, that he's moving them down that direction too.

Hey pal, I hate to be the one to tell you, but right now you don't serve on a ship seeking out 1st contacts, & hosting ambassadors or trade negotiations anymore. Get cozy with that.

 

[Takeru]

Riker would have been gone in short order.
Probably Deanna too, by extension. She wouldn't like Riker being fired.

I'm not so sure about Deanna, she didn't seem to be that much into Riker at that point in the series that she would leave the ship because of him, they were friends with benefits and both had other affairs when they felt like it. If she felt Riker was out of line (which he was) she'd probably wish him good luck and that would be the end of it.

 

[Mojochi]

I'd think Troi might still transfer out though too, mostly because I get the impression the main reason she's there in the 1st place is by Picard's choice. HE wants a counselor, and advisor, particularly a telepathic one. If we're to glean any style of Jellico's from this one mission, he might not feel that need on his bridge, & any counselor is more a therapist, with an office down in sickbay country & nothing more.

 

[Oddish]

And a tired, burned out crew with half-done botched changes, some of them forced into roles that they have little or no experience of (which might have been necessary for the decades-old Cairo but are not proven to have any benefit to the newer, more capable Enterprise) aren't going to help with that.

As I said. DS9 went to a four-shift rotation, and it worked out well, because they did it at the right time. That is to say, during a period of routine operations. And, presumably, all the senior officers and department heads were on board, and they would have told Sisko what they needed (in terms of additional personnel) to make it work. Jellico just said "your concerns are irrelevant, get it done".

What disrespect and abuse? I seem to recall Riker exploding at his captain in front of another officer, whereas the only time Jellico spoke poorly of Riker was in a private conversation with another captain.

Riker was out of line by yelling, yes. I think that if he had expressed his concern, and Jellico had responded that revealing the truth about Picard wasn't his call or Riker's, the ugliness could have been avoided. But then we wouldn't have seen Data ROCKING IT as first officer.

Hey, good name for an episode or two!)

"Relieved of Duty"? Actually, yes, it could work.

You don't suddenly become a free agent when relieved of duty.

True. That would require dismissal from Starfleet. Not sure Jellico could do that at all, and there certainly would have to be a court martial first.

If they are that easily burnout and tired they aren't professionals and the best crew of the fleet

Professionals are still human. As Riker reminded an overzealous Shelby once, humans require rest. A crew fighting both the enemy and their own fatigue are probably not going to accomplish much.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

True. That would require dismissal from Starfleet. Not sure Jellico could do that at all, and there certainly would have to be a court martial first.

IDK, maybe not by himself, but if he told Necheyev that Riker had to go (which IMO he believed) would Riker have had enough support from Pressman or Kyle Riker to block it... I doubt it.

 

[Takeru]

I'd think Troi might still transfer out though too, mostly because I get the impression the main reason she's there in the 1st place is by Picard's choice. HE wants a counselor, and advisor, particularly a telepathic one. If we're to glean any style of Jellico's from this one mission, he might not feel that need on his bridge, & any counselor is more a therapist, with an office down in sickbay country & nothing more.

One of the first things he did was put Deanna in a uniform and put her right next to himself when meeting the cardassians, he seemed to value her a lot, he could have banished her to her office if he didn't.

 

[Mojochi]

One of the first things he did was put Deanna in a uniform and put her right next to himself when meeting the cardassians, he seemed to value her a lot, he could have banished her to her office if he didn't.

She is in fact one of the more experienced negotiators currently aboard, & it goes without saying her empathic thing is handy. I'm just not sure if it'd be a right fit from her perspective. She might still want out. I can't say with any certainty what kind of relationship Jellico would have with her under normal circumstances & not this rushed patchwork job of Nechayev's, but there definitely is a possibility that she doesn't prefer the dynamic with him

 

[Snowdrop82]

I am under the impression that Jellico would have softened up a bit and the crew would gradually get used to him as Captain. More of a firm handed command, by the book, etc. I would be curious to see how he would have been in the movies, and how the crew would deal with Picard being gone forever.

 

[Farscape One]

Regarding Geordi... I have seen it mentioned here that Geordi was a whiner when he was talking to Riker about the changes.

A key thing that is forgotten... Geordi himself said he doesn't mind changes or hard work but he isn't being given the time to do the work. And this is quite likely because 1/3 of the engineering staff was transferred to security. If those people were moved over after the changes, Geordi might likely have said nothing.

But to expect major changes to ship's systems and doing it with 1/3 less of the normal staff in a matter of only of a day and a half? That is not a reasonable expectation. Geordi was right to point out that concern.

I can't call Jellico a bad captain because we don't have any other times to compare his decisions. I think he falls under the category of Nechayev... just really formal and a bit of a hard ass. (Though regarding his formalness, it's interesting to note that Jellico immediately started calling everyone by their first name, but Picard would almost always refer to everyone as Mr. or their rank.)

 

[Qonundrum]

If Jellico had stated, then "The Quality of Life" and "Ship in the Bottle" would be very different, if at all. Data wouldn't save Jellico, probably... hard to say... Jellico would ask where Pulaski was, something even Picard couldn't remember and Picard was there!

Especially Data's insubordination and outcome. Even Worf's in "Let He Who Is Without Sin" isn't as cringey, and his was cringey.

"Timescape" wouldn't have the half-baked camaraderie at the start.

Jellico would pick up on Lore's controlling of Data far faster in "Descent".

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What a lovely smile Lore has! Also, wasn't it even more fun when Lister broke Kryten free?

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Yep!! But so is watching this:

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Aww, they're so cute! And fruitful! Amazing how patterns can be found recurring from the smallest to largest organisms... never mind a few dozen tangents that just popped into my poptart-dispensing brain... and hjow many hadn't. since dust mites haven't invented those seamless trifocals yet that require three-inch diameter lenses and should make 1970s eyewear designs fashionable again, but I digress again...

 

[Takeru]

Regarding Geordi... I have seen it mentioned here that Geordi was a whiner when he was talking to Riker about the changes.

A key thing that is forgotten... Geordi himself said he doesn't mind changes or hard work but he isn't being given the time to do the work. And this is quite likely because 1/3 of the engineering staff was transferred to security. If those people were moved over after the changes, Geordi might likely have said nothing.

But to expect major changes to ship's systems and doing it with 1/3 less of the normal staff in a matter of only of a day and a half? That is not a reasonable expectation. Geordi was right to point out that concern.

But apparently Geordi then implemented the changes and did get it done in the time Jellico wanted. That's why I call him a whiner, he complained about not having the time to do it but he did so it looks like it was a reasonable expectation.
But it's not really a big deal, he whined for 5 minutes and then got the job done unlike Riker who bitched and moaned and undermined his captain until he was rightfully removed as XO. Picard should have never taken him back, Riker embarrassed not only himself but also Picard who spoke highly of him.

 

[Farscape One]

If Jellico had stated, then "The Quality of Life" and "Ship in the Bottle" would be very different, if at all. Data wouldn't save Jellico, probably... hard to say... Jellico would ask where Pulaski was, something even Picard couldn't remember and Picard was there!

Especially Data's insubordination and outcome. Even Worf's in "Let He Who Is Without Sin" isn't as cringey, and his was cringey.

"Timescape" wouldn't have the half-baked camaraderie at the start.

Jellico would pick up on Lore's controlling of Data far faster in "Descent".

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What a lovely smile Lore has! Also, wasn't it even more fun when Lister broke Kryten free?

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Yep!! But so is watching this:

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Aww, they're so cute! And fruitful! Amazing how patterns can be found recurring from the smallest to largest organisms... never mind a few dozen tangents that just popped into my poptart-dispensing brain... and hjow many hadn't. since dust mites haven't invented those seamless trifocals yet that require three-inch diameter lenses and should make 1970s eyewear designs fashionable again, but I digress again...

"The Quality of Life" was before Jellico came aboard.

 

[Qonundrum]

"The Quality of Life" was before Jellico came aboard.

Drat.

Good catch.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

But apparently Geordi then implemented the changes and did get it done in the time Jellico wanted.

We don't know that.

In fact, the narrative includes at least one clue that he literally couldn't have.

Data made it clear that Jellico's initial orders would require "the entire engineering department working around the clock" to accomplish.

Then Jellico cut the engineering department by a third and pilled on several additional tasks on top of the original orders.

I don't see how that could result in the work not getting completed, certainly not to specs, thus leaving the ship in worse shape than it was already with a more stressed, tired and demoralised crew.

Picard should have never taken him back, Riker embarrassed not only himself but also Picard who spoke highly of him.

Picard took him back because Riker was the co-operative, almost co-captain XO that Picard wanted.

Jellico didn't want that, Jellico wanted a "yes man" who would robotically follow his orders into destruction.

But that's just my take. YMMV.

 

[Farscape One]

Another possibility... knowing how backed up Geordi was, Data (being the awesome best friend that he is) would certainly have spent virtually every off duty minute helping Geordi out in Engineering with all those tasks. (I would say this is quite likely, given the department was cut by 1/3. Data alone can make up that difference if push comes to shove.)

Since this was about 5 episodes before Data got his dream program activated, he definitely would have felt he had time to spare to help out.

 

[Oddish]

I didn't want to add this link while the contest was running, because it seemed like bucking for votes. But with it over, here's my thoughts on how a Jellico-run Enterprise might have turned out...

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/contest-entry-jellicos-warship.316238/

 

[Quantum21]

I would've stopped watching the show.

 

[Oddish]

I would've stopped watching the show.

Simple and honest.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

I would've stopped watching the show.

I never would have skipped again.

 

[Oddish]

I never would have skipped again.

Equally simple and honest.