Indistinguishable from Magic??

[ProwlAlpha]

Starfleet may not be the US military, but it is a military in function and form, so to have officers who stay in the same grade and position for a long period of time really doesn't help anyone but themselves. That is the wrong type of attitude when you are in uniform. Besides all that experience and knowledge that La Forge has accumulated should not be wasted on a select few serving in the engineering section of one starship, he should be using that wealth to help his fellow engineering officers grow and make starships even more efficient and and safer.

 

[Christopher]

^Which suggests that, rather than just going the cliche route of becoming a starship captain, he should take a job like, say, head designer at Utopia Planitia or something.

 

[Mysterion]

It's utterly ridiculous to say that someone is a failiure if he doesn't become a starship captain. There are a lot of ways to succeed besides that.

Especially, if for no other reason, because there are a lot more officers in Starfleet than there are starships waiting for commanding officers.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

I, myself, am not arguing for Captain Geordi and the adventures of the Chair, but would like to see him do something else. I thought it was great in Countdown that La Forge was the designer of the Jellyfish.

 

[Christopher]

Except that the movie gave the strong impression that the Jellyfish was a Vulcan design, and it definitely didn't look like Starfleet technology.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

Maybe he pull an M'benga and studied on Vulcan or Leah's job took her to Vulcan and Geordi went along for the ride.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Except that the movie gave the strong impression that the Jellyfish was a Vulcan design, and it definitely didn't look like Starfleet technology.

It was built on Vulcan, but that doesn't mean it wasn't designed by La Forge with Vulcan design aesthetics in mind, and who knows what kind of technological breakthroughs might occur in the next 4 years.

Perhaps Droplet joined the Federation and the Vulcans and Geordi modified one of their designs.

 

[Truth]

I,m not saying i want him to become a captain . But it does not matter if people live longer, starfleet is a active program, meaning at any given time thousands are joining and thousands are leaving every year. That leaves postions that need to be filled, for someone to be in the same place 20yrs later regardless of how long they live is a sign of a stalled career, lack of motivation etc, command look at that and say why is he still there, when we need senior people to lead or at least teach the new gen? The writer love to point out that starfleet has sufferd major losses and its man power is at a all time low, then right about someone talking about how they are fine were they are. So starfleet is bsed on what you want and not what it needs? Like i said , alot of trek writer are good at thier job , but too many think like cilvilians

 

[Thrawn]

^ Picard has been a starship captain for like 40 years at this point. Is that stagnant?

 

[ProwlAlpha]

That's the definition of stagnant.

 

[Truth]

^ Picard has been a starship captain for like 40 years at this point. Is that stagnant?

yes.. most captains would never have a command that long, hell even riker called it quites and decided to take another command becasue he had past up so many chances waiting for picard to step aside, he knew that yonger , hungier offficers were jumping at the chances he was pasting up waiting for someone to move up who did,nt want to..like they told he , thier s a new generation of officers with thier eyes on the big seat, time and starfleet would,nt wait for you much longer(something like that ). This is the danger of the old guard hanging around too long, they limit the options of those beneth them.

 

[Thrawn]

^ So you'd rather read TNG books without Picard as captain? It's a legitimate view to have, I'm just curious.

 

[Truth]

^ So you'd rather read TNG books without Picard as captain? It's a legitimate view to have, I'm just curious.

dont be glib , its fiction you can always find away to insert him for the sake of a story, hell they always found away to have worf around in the movies

 

[Thrawn]

I'm not trying to be glib, I'm honestly curious. There are a lot of people complaining that LaForge is stagnant, and almost no one complaining that Picard is. I don't think that has anything to do with their jobs.

 

[Truth]

I'm not trying to be glib, I'm honestly curious. There are a lot of people complaining that LaForge is stagnant, and almost no one complaining that Picard is. I don't think that has anything to do with their jobs.

I meant the dont be glib as a joke, yes he too has become stagant , i found myself more intringed by the new cast , than I did with many of the old guards,however i did enjoy the scenes with how he interacted with his kid amsuing since it show cased a diffrent side of him. But i would not oppose shaking up the status que, by having worf as captian , since he would bring a command stlye, completely diffrent than picard or riker, more warrior based. and beeing a adminal would not be a streach since his style has always been more dipomatic than most, plus as a flag he can take command of any ship under his flag.. that along would generate a interresting dymanic.. worf who is the captain , having to walk a fine line between his respect for picard and reminding him that he is the captain now so when it comes to how the mission are carried out that is up too worf, the admiral may assign the missions, but they captain gets to choice the best way to carry it out. It would be intresting to see them have to strike a balnce with there new roles

 

[ProwlAlpha]

Just because Picard isn't a captain nor LaForge doesn't mean the stories would be drab and boring. If we can get used a whiny Dax as a captain, why not a Ambassador Picard or a Professor La Forge? Or why not a new captain of the Enterprise? Like I said before, having an officer stay in position for years is of no use in a service. He or She ties up a position and they keep the majority of the experience and knowledge to select group, when it could be better advising a larger group in order for said organization to become better and gain insight from an experienced officer.

 

[BillJ]

^ So you'd rather read TNG books without Picard as captain? It's a legitimate view to have, I'm just curious.

Yes.

 

[Lonemagpie]

It's funny how we don't mind novelists, painters, sculptors etc having the same profession for decades... Maybe Starfleet Captains see themselves as artists...

 

[Janos]

Like I said before, having an officer stay in position for years is of no use in a service. He or She ties up a position and they keep the majority of the experience and knowledge to select group, when it could be better advising a larger group in order for said organization to become better and gain insight from an experienced officer.

That's not wholly true. You can't teach experience. Also, if an organization has a good records management or what of sharing information, then there is not an issue when that Captain or whomever leaves, retires, whatever. Also, as a seasoned Captain / position, you can also get special assignments, etc. If ALL Captains chose to forgo promotions, that's different and that would be a problem. If only some do, I don't see it as an issue. Picard and Calhoun seem to be two that have stayed as Captain for quite some time. Every other ST lit in TNGnovelverse lit shows promotions (even PAD's NF if you look at Shelby). Picard just represents a demographic in the real workforce - content where he is, and still provides value on assignments as well as mentoring staff / the next generation of Fed leaders.

 

[BillJ]

^ So you'd rather read TNG books without Picard as captain? It's a legitimate view to have, I'm just curious.

Yes.

It's funny how we don't mind novelists, painters, sculptors etc having the same profession for decades... Maybe Starfleet Captains see themselves as artists...

I guess I should clarify a bit...

The situation right now reminds me a bit of the one Riker was in post-Best of Both Worlds. Starfleet obviously needs leadership at its highest levels in the post-Destiny world, yet probably the most qualified officer has decided he'd rather continue to do his own thing. It 'feels' wrong that Picard continues to serve in his current capacity... just like it did when Riker decided to stay aboard the Enterprise post-Best of Both Worlds

I know it's tough to sell The Next Generation novels with little to no characters from TNG left... but I do think that that is a reality Pocket is eventually going to have to face as they continue to advance beyond the TV series. And I don't think Captain Worf is the answer... we've been beaten upside the head with Klingons for twenty-five years now in Modern Trek.