Officer Exchange Program: Why Not More?

[Red Ranger]

People,

Hey, I was thinking about the officer exchange program concept introduced in A Matter of Honor, then shown once more in Sins of the Father. For the record, we saw three people involved in it: Riker, Mordoc, and Kurn. I wonder how popular it was.

I would have loved to see more Klingons serving on Enterprise in full Klingon battle garb, or even seen, say, a few Starfleet officers being reintegrated on Enterprise after a long tour on a Klingon ship and having difficulty readjusting to life on board a Starfleet vessel.

What would you all like to have seen in terms of the officer exchange program?

Red Ranger

 

[Vic Sixx]

I would have liked to send Troi to a Klingon ship.
Maybe a female Klingon on the Enterprise in place of Worf.
Or replace Riker with Shelby for an episode.
Exchange Picard with Morgan Bateson for a story.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I love the idea of an exchange program. And what about other species besides the Klingons? Who else might be up for it?

 

[Timo]

Since you don't have to be a particularly close UFP buddy to apply (the Klingons were said to have been raiding UFP installations not ten years before the series!), I'm sure a Ferengi would see profit in it...

I wonder what Starfleet would have said if somebody signed him- or herself in as "Maquis"?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[PhoenixIreland]

One with the Romulans during the Dominion war would have been very interesting.
Always why I thought the Romulan from The Search should have stayed.

 

[Thor Damar]

Or how about a tour on the Trager under Gul Macet? Either post DW or during the democratic Union of 2372 (before the Klingons invaded)

 

[WillsBabe]

It would have been a good story launching point to have the officer exchange programme once every couple of seasons or so. There could have been all kinds of interesting scrapes that could have resulted from the idea.

 

[Tomalak]

Always why I thought the Romulan from The Search should have stayed.

She might have been an interesting recurring character, but presumably they dropped her so they didn't have to hire Martha Hackett whenever they wanted to use the Defiant. Presumably she just came along for the maiden voyage to show them how to operate and maintain it.

Soon after she was cast as Seska on Voyager anyway.

 

[Praetor]

One with the Romulans during the Dominion war would have been very interesting.
Always why I thought the Romulan from The Search should have stayed.

Ditto that.

Or how about a tour on the Trager under Gul Macet? Either post DW or during the democratic Union of 2372 (before the Klingons invaded)

And that.

 

[Holdfast]

It was a nice story idea, but they did use it twice after all. I don't know if more would have remained fresh... but I'd certainly have enjoyed watching another attempt.

 

[Thor Damar]

One with the Romulans during the Dominion war would have been very interesting.
Always why I thought the Romulan from The Search should have stayed.

Ditto that.

Or how about a tour on the Trager under Gul Macet? Either post DW or during the democratic Union of 2372 (before the Klingons invaded)

And that.

"These are the voyages of the Union Warship Trager. Its continuing mission, to defend Cardassia againist all enemies, to seek out new territory and resources... and conquer them!"

 

[Praetor]

^

 

[Thor Damar]

^

::Takes a bow::

Tune in next week for the exciting adventures of the CUS Trager in Star Trek: Cardassia.

 

[SomniumRabidum]

I think it would have been great to see more episodes with officer exchanges. Like the OP said, I think reintegrating crew members after long stints on Klingon vessels could've made for some very interesting sub-plots.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Or how about a tour on the Trager under Gul Macet? Either post DW or during the democratic Union of 2372 (before the Klingons invaded)

HELL YES. Sign me up!!!

<shameless mode>

And guys...it's called Star Trek: Sigils and Unions. Go to the Fanfic Forum. Read The Thirteenth Order.

</shameless mode>

 

[Red Ranger]

I think it would have been great to see more episodes with officer exchanges. Like the OP said, I think reintegrating crew members after long stints on Klingon vessels could've made for some very interesting sub-plots.

Indeed. The idea I had would be an ep with either one or two Starfleet officers coming to serve on Enterprise after a long stint on a Klingon vessel. They continue to speak Klingonese, are now used to Klingon food, and Klingon discipline and mores -- one could even challenge Riker's authority over him in standard Klingon fashion, for example.

They're assigned aboard Enterprise both because of Riker's experience and Worf's presence on the ship, figuring they're the best equipped to help these officers come back into the fold, so to speak. I had a visual of them being transported on board, still wearing Klingon armor, and they've let their hair grow long in Klingon fashion.

It also would have been interesting to see what a Benzite ship would look like. I could see Geordi and Wesley being assigned to a Benzite vessel.

As for other races being involved in the exchange program, imagine serving with the Gorns or Tholians.

Red Ranger

 

[WillsBabe]

Indeed. The idea I had would be an ep with either one or two Starfleet officers coming to serve on Enterprise after a long stint on a Klingon vessel. They continue to speak Klingonese, are now used to Klingon food, and Klingon discipline and mores -- one could even challenge Riker's authority over him in standard Klingon fashion, for example.

What a great idea! I have a few visuals as well, if I may...

We get the usual captain's voice over about the annual officer exchange programme, and two very unique officers are coming to the Enterprise (but we aren't told who they are or why they are coming to the Enterprise). We follow Picard, Riker and Worf down the corridor to the transporter room while Picard's v/o is happening, or we just go there to be with O'Brien working the transporter. The figures arrive. They have their backs to the camera or some other device that doesn't reveal them fully. Camera pans over the armour and weapons etc. Audience either thinks: "great! More Klingons!" or "boring! More Klingons" (depending on how long they've been watching TNG and if it shares the love of Klingons). Then the figures turn to the camera and it's revealed they are Humans! Switch to O'Brien's surprised face for a reaction shot (let's forget he'd probably have some transporter giggery pokery that would tell him that there was something not human about his incoming cargo...)

I think that would work well.

 

[SomniumRabidum]

^^ Great ideas guys.

I think the episode ideas you've put forward are excellent. Think about those two (or one, or more, whatever) officers spending some off duty time in Ten Forward days after their arrival on the Enterprise... could make for some interesting confrontations I think. Imagine a couple of SF officers unintentionally offending the returning officers, FUN!

 

[TS-1838-SWATH]

This is one of those times they dropped the ball

 

[Red Ranger]

Yep. I can imagine the human-turned-Klingon yelling something like, "This blood wine is cold! Get me another, patak!" -- RR