Pedantic Star Trek discussion #134: Riker's Field Commission

[ZapBrannigan]

The requirements of weekly television ("Don't wreck the premise") sometimes force a character to act against his own best interests. A real William Riker would have taken his first chance for command and just promised to keep in touch with his beloved Enterprise shipmates. And gradually distance would fade those affections. But TV is different. If the cameras are on the Enterprise, then that's where fictional Riker wants to stay, at any cost.

 

[Gaith]

I also noticed that, right in the opening scene, the Admiral tells Picard that Shelby is his "old man's fantasy". I think Picard ignores the comment and gets a cup of tea. LOL.

That got a BIG laugh at the screening.

 

[DonIago]

Here too.

 

[R. Star]

...Or whatever he did after losing the Stargazer, as these feats supposedly would have been essential in him getting the Enterprise. The Stargazer career as such doesn't sound like a recommendation: 22 years stuck on the same ship (with some of that spent commanding her), then an embarrassing loss of the vessel. And then the disclosure that the vessel had in fact fallen in the hands of Federation adversaries, or at least competitors, before the offer for Admiral rank came!

Timo Saloniemi

I dunno, 22 years sounds like a pretty impressive resume to me. It's pretty much indicated that the Stargazer was involved not only in general several exploration and scientific missions, but also was part of the Federaton/Cardassian border war. Not to mention Picard's having made first contact personally with 27 species... chances are a good number of them were on the Stargazer. So plenty of chances for him to have been a hero there. Sure the end of the Stargazer's career was less than glorious, but one screw up doesn't undo 22 years of good.

Picard spoke nostalgically of the ship quite often, going as far to call it his "first love" to Scotty. So I could conceivably see him turning down better commands to stay with his old warhorse, finally only taking a new command once he had lost her.

 

[Xerxes1979]

Isn't it obvious that the promotion was never official since the paper work was either never sent or blocked by Borg subspace interference? It was up to Riker to contact the Starfleet HR department, something that he may not have ever done or mentioned in an official log.

Or perhaps like Decker, Riker was a recipient of a "temporary rank reduction" albeit willingly in this case.

 

[R. Star]

Isn't it obvious that the promotion was never official since the paper work was either never sent or blocked by Borg subspace interference? It was up to Riker to contact the Starfleet HR department, something that he may not have ever done or mentioned in an official log.

Or perhaps like Decker, Riker was a recipient of a "temporary rank reduction" albeit willingly in this case.

Ouch, Riker's rank is lost cause the Admiral is killed? Hah, that actually makes a lot of sense given the bureaucratic clusterblehs that happen even today.

 

[garak1]

This is an interesting discussion.

When I first saw 'The Best of Both Worlds', I simply assumed that Riker returned to his position as executive officer of the Enterprise at Commander rank as per procedure after Picard was recovered.

However, the discussion in this thread makes a convincing case for maintaining Riker's field commission as captain and giving him a seperate command after Wolf 359. This would certainly have been in fitting with the reconstruction efforts underway in Starfleet after the invasion.

The one counterpoint I offer is that Riker requested to stay on the Enterprise to support his injured Captain. Given the guidance and support Picard had shown to Riker for the three years preceding that time, then it would seem appropriate that Riker remain onboard afterwards to help the family of the Enterprise recover from such a terrible ordeal.

Given the unprecedented events of the Borg invasion, then I imagine that Starfleet would readily have overlooked any regulations in granting his request for the sake of stability on the fleet flagship and in recognition of the valiant efforts of the crew in recovering Picard and subsequently defeating the Borg.

This is certainly fitting with the motivations of the character of Riker. Loyalty to his ship, his crew and his captain undoubtably played a major role in his remaining onboard.

 

[MacLeod]

Isn't it obvious that the promotion was never official since the paper work was either never sent or blocked by Borg subspace interference? It was up to Riker to contact the Starfleet HR department, something that he may not have ever done or mentioned in an official log.

Or perhaps like Decker, Riker was a recipient of a "temporary rank reduction" albeit willingly in this case.

Ouch, Riker's rank is lost cause the Admiral is killed? Hah, that actually makes a lot of sense given the bureaucratic clusterblehs that happen even today.

Maybe, it all depends on whether or not ships rooutinely recorded subspace messages. So whilst the Adm. was killed the Enterprises computers held a record of the Adm. transmission promoting Riker.

 

[R. Star]

Isn't it obvious that the promotion was never official since the paper work was either never sent or blocked by Borg subspace interference? It was up to Riker to contact the Starfleet HR department, something that he may not have ever done or mentioned in an official log.

Or perhaps like Decker, Riker was a recipient of a "temporary rank reduction" albeit willingly in this case.

Ouch, Riker's rank is lost cause the Admiral is killed? Hah, that actually makes a lot of sense given the bureaucratic clusterblehs that happen even today.

Maybe, it all depends on whether or not ships rooutinely recorded subspace messages. So whilst the Adm. was killed the Enterprises computers held a record of the Adm. transmission promoting Riker.

Necheyev: Commander... you expect me to believe a dead man promoted you and only -you- have the only surviving record.... right....

 

[Tiberius]

Will: But Beverly was there too!

Bev: Aw, don't bring me into this, Will...

 

[DonIago]

Actually, especially given the opening of FC, now I'm wondering whether Riker was left on the E in order to keep an eye on Picard after his experiences and be ready to take command if necessary.

 

[GameOn]

I'm beginning to think that Riker stayed on the Enterprise because he was a creepy stalker who spent 15 years being stuck in the "friend zone" with Troi.

 

[Mysterion]

After BoBW, Picard should have been put on the beach for awhile. The episode Family reinforces this opinion for me. The guy had some issues and needed to sit out the game and get his head back together. At least, Starfleet shoud have put him in an administrative post somewhere - commandant of the Academy, perhaps.

With that out of the way, you promote Riker to Captain, and Enterprise continues along it's merry way.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well, if we're being pedantic. Wouldn't it be a field promotion since Riker is already a commissioned officer? A field commission refers to enlisted personnel being temporarily promoted to an officers rank. Riker might have been made a Brevet Captain. Brevet being a term for a temporary promotion. For example, George Custer was made a Brevet Maj. General in the Civil War, but reverted to being a Captain after the war and died Lt Colonel at Little Bighorn.

 

[Marcus Porcius Cato]

I think after BOBW, Picard really couldn't go anywhere, he can't be promoted without (rationality aside) enraging friends and families of Wolf 359, just look at how Ben Sisko acted toward him in DS9. Yer he cannot be removed due to his ability and achievement to the date. Nor can he be held responsible for the Borg's actions.

Maybe it was around this time Riker decided that he was happy where he was, or that running out on Picard at this time would offend a lot of Picard supporters in the Fleet.

 

[Lee Enfield]

I'm beginning to think that Riker stayed on the Enterprise because he was a creepy stalker who spent 15 years being stuck in the "friend zone" with Troi.

...ohh, and then he got his happy end. Still, funny interpretation.

 

[Tiberius]

Actually, especially given the opening of FC, now I'm wondering whether Riker was left on the E in order to keep an eye on Picard after his experiences and be ready to take command if necessary.

Beat you to it! Post 20. :P

 

[Dale Sams]

I think after BOBW, Picard really couldn't go anywhere, he can't be promoted without (rationality aside) enraging friends and families of Wolf 359, just look at how Ben Sisko acted toward him in DS9. Yer he cannot be removed due to his ability and achievement to the date. Nor can he be held responsible for the Borg's actions.

Maybe it was around this time Riker decided that he was happy where he was, or that running out on Picard at this time would offend a lot of Picard supporters in the Fleet.

So much for the 'enlightened sensibilities of the future.'

 

[R. Star]

I never bought the whole "enlightened sensibilities" aspect. Look at Roman politics 2000 years ago. They were every bit as corrupt as they are today. I just don't see humanity fundamentally changing on a base level in a mere 200 years.

 

[Tiberius]

I think the loss of money has a lot to do with it. How much corruption today and in the past is caused by the desire for money?