Non-Starfleet people onboard Voyager

[at Quark's]

So, for Starfleet personnel, there's presumably a clear hierarchy, like in the real world militaries. But how is this for non-members of Starfleet ?

Can Janeway, for example, give Seven of Nine or Neelix an order, and impose Starfleet style discipline in case the order is disobeyed? Or does that depend upon the exact position of the person involved (Neelix, coming aboard willingly and agreeing to work with the crew being a different case than Seven, who had no choice in the matter at first after being separated from the Collective)?

For that matter, could a Maquis-turned-Starfleet crewman charged with misconduct defend himself or herself on the grounds that they were involuntarily drafted into the organisation in the first place and never were given a choice in the matter?

 

[Timo]

Yes, she can, and no, he couldn't. After all, we see what happens: he gets to scrub the toilets with a toothbrush.

Coming aboard, willingly or not, seems to involve signing up on Starfleet discipline in practice, even if there might be theory to be debated when Janeway isn't around to hear it. Whippings simply will continue until morale improves.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Markonian]

While not everyone is a member of Starfleet, everyone is a member of Voyager's crew. And because it's a military ship, everyone has to follow particular protocols.

In "Nightingale", Janeway specifically assigns Seven to an away team with Ensign Harry Kim so that he remains in command of the overall mission.

When Neelix oversteps his bounds in "Fair Trade", he receives reprimands and punishment from Captain Janeway.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Can Janeway, for example, give Seven of Nine or Neelix an order, and impose Starfleet style discipline in case the order is disobeyed?

I would think that she could do exactly that. At worst, if either of them openly disobeyed an order, or otherwise acted against the best interests of the ship and crew, Janeway could throw them in the brig.

could a Maquis-turned-Starfleet crewman charged with misconduct defend himself or herself on the grounds that they were involuntarily drafted into the organisation in the first place and never were given a choice in the matter?

What other choice could they possibly HAVE? Obviously they're not going to sit around in their quarters all day doing nothing. Joining the crew was the only realistic option.

Besides, the ex-Maquis would all follow Chakotay's lead. He says join the crew, so they did. They've really got no cause to complain.

 

[Oddish]

The Maquis presumably agreed to serve as a Starfleet crew under Janeway's command. They were assigned ranks and expected to wear uniforms.

Neelix, Kes, and Seven were civilians. Presumably, they reported directly to Janeway, but could be given instructions by Chakotay (who generally speaks with the captain's voice) and Tuvok (who's in charge of ship's security). Presumably, Janeway personally handles discipline if they get out of line (Neelix did as mentioned, and Seven did in "Prey"), where a low ranking crewman could be dealt with by their superior (B'Elanna for an engineering tech). In a few alternate timelines, Neelix becomes a security officer, and wears a uniform. Under those conditions, he would be under Tuvok's authority as well.

The Doctor was a hologram, governed primarily by a computer program. His adherence to the strictures of that program (such as "do no harm") was absolute. But, he was probably programmed to obey the ship's captain unless an instruction violated his program. Even if Janeway had ordered him to split Tuvix, he could not have done so.

I expect that at the end of "Fair Trade", Neelix could have jumped ship by choice if he wanted. But he wanted to stay with his family, even if that meant a couple weeks on punishment detail.

 

[at Quark's]

What other choice could they possibly HAVE? Obviously they're not going to sit around in their quarters all day doing nothing. Joining the crew was the only realistic option.

Besides, the ex-Maquis would all follow Chakotay's lead. He says join the crew, so they did. They've really got no cause to complain.

I wonder what would have happened to a Maquis that really, really, really didn't want to have anything to do with Starfleet. Would they simply have been confined to their quarters for the duration of the journey, a bit like Lon Suder? Could they have opted to leave ship at the first opportunity?

 

[Oddish]

"The 37's" provided a convenient answer. I think it would have been more realistic is a few ex-Maquis HAD left the ship at the end. Maybe a Starfleet or two, like Carey (passed over for an academy dropout).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

In "Caretaker", Neelix and Kes state that they're not there as passengers but colleagues, by doing that it means they're signing on to follow the rules laid out by Starfleet.

 

[Oddish]

It's never quite explained why the Maquis were all more or less expected to join Starfleet but Kes and Neelix remained civilians. Possibly, it was that as Delta Quadrant denizens, they were able to leave at will, but Voyager was the Maquis bunch's only ride home.

 

[Athena28]

Neelix and/or Seven of Nine would probably be considered civilian contractors under the authority of the Captain.

 

[Oddish]

Neelix's position was a little like that of Guinan, when you think about it. She and Neelix were both essentially an excuse for the show's costumers to have some fun. Guinan with her "you could land a Class 2 shuttle on that hat" and Neelix with his "and I thought the 70's had loud suits".
Given that Guinan, Ben, Neelix, and the nameless chef on Enterprise all wore civvies, maybe it's a food service thing.

 

[arch101]

I would think that a ship's crew ALWAYS has say over non-crew while aboard ship. When I'm on Holland America, I always do what the crew asks- they run the ship, I don't. :-)