Major spoilers from upcoming Fall novels.

[JD]

In the other thread on this topic somebody did bring up the fact that we are getting the Titan e-book Absent Enemies after The Fall ends. I can't remember if it anyone has said if it takes place before or after The Fall, but it does mean that the series most likely won't be ending with The Poisoned Chalice.

Absent Enemies does indeed take place after the events of The Poisoned Chalice and The Fall.

Do you know if we'll ever get any kind of an official description for this one? They never did one for The Stuff of Dreams.

 

[Relayer1]

It could possibly be to wrap up the Titan series - at least in it's current format.

 

[LutherSloan]

Doesn't Riker's promotion mean the end of Star Trek: Titan?

Not necessarily. DS9 didn't end when Sisko or Kira left the station (though Sisko's around quite a bit anyway), so why would Titan end because Riker's moved up in rank? I agree with those who see Riker taking the vessel as his flagship (much as Kirk did during TWOK and Riker himself did during "All Good Things...") and remaining in command of the vessel until a permanent replacement can be found. OTOH, why not have Vale move up and take the center seat? Or maybe this is finally the opportunity for Worf to have a command of his own?

--Sran

I'm kind of expecting Worf to get Enterprise when Picard quits to become a Federation Ambassador.

If we lose Will to the Admiralty, can we have Tom back ?

I'm wondering if they are going to adhere to the Countdown comics and have Data as Captain.

 

[The Wormhole]

Not necessarily. DS9 didn't end when Sisko or Kira left the station (though Sisko's around quite a bit anyway), so why would Titan end because Riker's moved up in rank? I agree with those who see Riker taking the vessel as his flagship (much as Kirk did during TWOK and Riker himself did during "All Good Things...") and remaining in command of the vessel until a permanent replacement can be found. OTOH, why not have Vale move up and take the center seat? Or maybe this is finally the opportunity for Worf to have a command of his own?

--Sran

I'm kind of expecting Worf to get Enterprise when Picard quits to become a Federation Ambassador.

If we lose Will to the Admiralty, can we have Tom back ?

I'm wondering if they are going to adhere to the Countdown comics and have Data as Captain.

I doubt it.

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

You mean aside from Picard reporting to an Admiral who is also his BFF? I doubt there will be many ramifications.

Doesn't Riker's promotion mean the end of Star Trek: Titan?

I must say this worries me. Titan is my favorite 24th century series, and I wouldn't be interested in it without Riker and Troi aboard.

It's my favorite too, and while I'd miss Riker without it, I'd give it a chance *if* it continues its "Strange New Worlds" format.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm wondering if they are going to adhere to the Countdown comics and have Data as Captain.

The Data in the novels is different from the STO/Countdown Data (one is B-4, the other is a much more advanced and human-looking android with priorities outside of SF)

There are also innumerable other differences between the novelverse and Countdown. I did enjoy Countdown, but I'd like to see the novels tell a different version of the supernova events.

 

[Relayer1]

I don't have a problem with Data 2.0 returning to Starfleet eventually, but I doubt they would give him a command straight off, let alone Enterprise. If they did want to give a nod towards Countdown he could become Worf's first officer and act up to captain while Worf is on secondment. Data seems to have his own path for now though.

I'm more interested in Spock getting a LOT more attention in the near future - he's not going to be around for that long...

 

[F. King Daniel]

There's always Giant Spock Clone from TAS: "The Infinite Vulcan"!

 

[Relayer1]

Well, I suppose that would be one way to keep him around !

I can't see the powers that be going to 'extraordinary lengths' to keep Spock in the novelverse though. After all, apart from in the Shatnerverse, Kirk is still dead...

 

[Relayer1]

Is it just me that thinks it's odd that a relatively recent captain with his first proper command would be promoted over his former commanding officer and long standing captain of the flagship ?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Picard had turned down promotions on several occasions. And, IIRC after the events of Before Dishonor he's actually a Commodore?

 

[Sci]

Picard had turned down promotions on several occasions. And, IIRC after the events of Before Dishonor he's actually a Commodore?

Well, I think that was Captain Calhoun being cutsey, not a legit promotion.

But, yeah, Picard turned down a promotion to admiral in Losing the Peace, set in 2381.

Meanwhile, Riker has been commanding officer of the U.S.S. Titan for six years at this point. His actions during the Borg Invasion directly led to the discovery of the Caeliar and thus the resolution of the Borg crisis, and he has of course saved the Federation and expanded UFP knowledge of the galaxy a great deal numerous times over the course of his career. Riker is eminently qualified for promotion to the admiralty (if it sticks).

Spoiler: A Ceremony of Losses

Of course, A Ceremony of Losses makes it clear that Akaar has an ulterior motive for bringing Riker back to Earth that's unrelated to his accomplishments per se.

 

[Christopher]

Is it just me that thinks it's odd that a relatively recent captain with his first proper command would be promoted over his former commanding officer and long standing captain of the flagship ?

Not at all. Different people have different career goals. Some seek higher status while others are content where they are. It's not like everybody rises through the ranks at a consistent rate. There are fewer openings at higher ranks, so the vast majority of people who start out as ensigns will never get to be captains, and most captains will never get to be admirals. So it seems inevitable that there will be cases where person A starts out below person B in rank but ends up above them.

 

[Masiral]

Is it just me that thinks it's odd that a relatively recent captain with his first proper command would be promoted over his former commanding officer and long standing captain of the flagship ?

Spoiler: Ceremony of Losses

I think Riker is being promoted because he's not connected to the current situation at all - Picard's already in too deep and Akaar needs someone from the outside. And I'm not sure the promotion will stick - I think it might be a temporary one, just until the current situation is resolved.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Not at all. Different people have different career goals. Some seek higher status while others are content where they are. It's not like everybody rises through the ranks at a consistent rate. There are fewer openings at higher ranks, so the vast majority of people who start out as ensigns will never get to be captains, and most captains will never get to be admirals. So it seems inevitable that there will be cases where person A starts out below person B in rank but ends up above them.

And the people making the decisions about the promotions likely know this, as well. Akaar's probably well aware of Picard's desire to stay aboard the Enterprise, whereas he also likely sees Riker's ambition and knows that he'll be able to take on more responsibility if it's offered to him.

--Sran

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Is it just me that thinks it's odd that a relatively recent captain with his first proper command would be promoted over his former commanding officer and long standing captain of the flagship ?

Spoiler: Ceremony of Losses

I think Riker is being promoted because he's not connected to the current situation at all - Picard's already in too deep and Akaar needs someone from the outside. And I'm not sure the promotion will stick - I think it might be a temporary one, just until the current situation is resolved.

That's a good point. But it doesn't explain the bump in rank. People can be promoted to positions of greater power and authority without changing rank. Sisko was given command of battle squadrons and special missions during the Dominion War and also served several months as Admiral Ross' adjutant without changing rank. Riker could conceivably take on greater responsibility without the aforementioned change in his status, so I wonder if there's something else afoot.

--Sran

 

[Masiral]

Is it just me that thinks it's odd that a relatively recent captain with his first proper command would be promoted over his former commanding officer and long standing captain of the flagship ?

Spoiler: Ceremony of Losses

I think Riker is being promoted because he's not connected to the current situation at all - Picard's already in too deep and Akaar needs someone from the outside. And I'm not sure the promotion will stick - I think it might be a temporary one, just until the current situation is resolved.

That's a good point. But it doesn't explain the bump in rank. People can be promoted to positions of greater power and authority without changing rank. Sisko was given command of battle squadrons and special missions during the Dominion War and also served several months as Admiral Ross' adjutant without changing rank. Riker could conceivably take on greater responsibility without the aforementioned change in his status, so I wonder if there's something else afoot.

--Sran

I would think he would need a promotion to have legitimacy with President Ishan.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

I would think he would need a promotion to have legitimacy with President Ishan.

Why? Does Ishan think he's too good to speak with someone holding the rank of captain? Does he need to be reminded that a Starfleet captain was largely responsible for keeping his world free of the Cardassians (and everyone else) following the Occupation?

I haven't finished A Ceremony of Losses yet, so I'll have to get back to you once I've more information. In any case, Ishan doesn't seem interested in giving anyone legitimate consideration unless they support him and his agenda. If his nose weren't already broken, I'd start a poll asking who readers would like to see turn it into a shattered mess.

--Sran

 

[Sci]

I would think he would need a promotion to have legitimacy with President Ishan.

Why? Does Ishan think he's too good to speak with someone holding the rank of captain?

It probably has more to do with simple chain of command authorities. Akaar needs an ally in Starfleet Headquarters whom he knows is not tied to the Ishan administration, and he needs this ally to have the same authority to issue operational orders to starships and starbases that any admiral has. The only way to give such authority over the whole of the Federation fleet is to, well, promote this ally to admiral.

In any case, Ishan doesn't seem interested in giving anyone legitimate consideration unless they support him and his agenda. If his nose weren't already broken, I'd start a poll asking who readers would like to see turn it into a shattered mess.

Whew. If Bajorans were real, I'd call that a racial slur.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

It probably has more to do with simple chain of command authorities. Akaar needs an ally in Starfleet Headquarters whom he knows is not tied to the Ishan administration, and he needs this ally to have the same authority to issue operational orders to starships and starbases that any admiral has. The only way to give such authority over the whole of the Federation fleet is to, well, promote this ally to admiral.

That makes sense. But why Riker (beyond the obvious plot issues)? Was Akaar looking to promote someone who's popular throughout Starfleet? Or was Riker's name the one at the top of the promotion list when the time came to make a move?

Whew. If Bajorans were real, I'd call that a racial slur.

Fortunate for me that they aren't. I don't have anything against Bajorans, but I have a huge problem with Ishar. He's petty, and petty doesn't mix well with powerful. As bad as he is for the Federation now, I'm glad that he wasn't around when Admiral Leyton was in Akaar's shoes. He'd likely have supported the police-state Leyton wanted to build in order to keep the Dominion away from Earth, and he probably would have sanctioned the genocide of the Founders if it meant gaining a tactical or political advantage over the Dominion and its allies.

--Sran