Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releases)

[Technobuilder]

I was reading Indistinguishable From Magic and noted that Geordi LaForge was a Commander? that was promoted to Captain... I loved the direction of this change, but my first question is When did Geordi take the Commander's Test?

Was he already a Full Commander? I thought at last count he was still a Lt. Commander? Just looking for clarification on this.


Now, as a result of that nugget of information, I started to wonder about the current ranks of many of the crews from in and around the late 24th century in regards to the latest Trek Literary fiction.

Have their been any major developments in this area?

For example...

Is Bashir still a Lt. Commander?

Does 'The Doctor' even have a rank? (He's at least got Command authority in ECH mode, does he still have those subroutines?

I realize it's almost fanwankish to even think about it, but it's one of those little details I've always like to have straight in my head and with the causal way certain characters are generally reffered to as "Commander" when they're only Lt. Commanders, it can be difficult to keep current.

Also, I've noted incidents of many new Starship Captains in Starfleet. Are they almost always of Captain Rank now? or are they letting Lt. Commanders Captain Ships and just getting the courtesy of being called Captains?

Starfleet's always been rather loose in certain military aspects of the organization, but I've also been rereading the Honor Harrington Series by David Weber of late, and it's starting to matter to me to know these things for some reason.

 

[JD]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I don't remember any references to Bashir getting a promotion in any of his recent appearances.

I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of the "Captains" we've seen in Trek Lit have been Captains in rank.

 

[Jeremy S]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Geordi was promoted sometime between Before Dishonor and Greater than the Sum. In reference to the other question, some of the Captains of the Voyager fleet are Commanders. There's a list of those at the end of Children of the Storm.

 

[Csalem]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

On the cover of Zero Sum Game Bashir has full commander pips.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Geordi was promoted sometime between Before Dishonor and Greater than the Sum.

I have no memory of referencing a recent promotion for Geordi in GTTS. I could be forgetting, though.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I get your trying to say, and being a Dept Head is different than being a ship commander. So, when did Geordi go to a commander's course is he what the OP is trying to say.

 

[Paris]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

For some reason I think Geordi got the bump around the same time as Worf, if i'm not mistaken...

 

[Truth]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

gerodi was made commader around the time of BDH, IT WAS A SHORT STATMENT THAT, most prob would not even remember, almost like a after thought,

As for the captain being a commader that is not uheard of and actual common in navies of today, for commaders to command smaller ships like friages and tenders, and still be called capatin since navy tradion says that any person commanding a ship is to be address as captain regardless of actual rank

 

[Lonemagpie]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

gerodi was made commader around the time of BDH, IT WAS A SHORT STATMENT THAT, most prob would not even remember, almost like a after thought,

As for the captain being a commader that is not uheard of and actual common in navies of today, for commaders to command smaller ships like friages and tenders, and still be called capatin since navy tradion says that any person commanding a ship is to be address as captain regardless of actual rank

Picard actually mentions this at the end of IFM, explaining that there's a difference between the *position* of Captain, and the *rank* of Captain.

 

[Csalem]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

For some reason I think Geordi got the bump around the same time as Worf, if i'm not mistaken...

I think Worf was born with the bump...

 

[Technobuilder]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

Alright, so Geordi took the Commander's Test (at some point)...

Bashir has the pips of a Commander on the cover of a Book 5 years since we last saw him...

And The Doctor does or doesn't have an actual Rank (including Command)?

I'm kind of interested in how Starfleet will be treating the concept of holographic crew, and their place in the command structure... (Maybe this is a question for KB, or one she'll take care of in CotS.) Did the line for Holographic/Artificial Intelligences ever get drawn in Starfleet? I know there's a new A.I. on Titan, but he'll probably be just a specialist, unless he applies for Starfleet Academy online...

Again, just thought I'd spitball with the folks who might know these things...

 

[JD]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I don't think there's ever been any mention of The Doctor having a rank. He never really went to Academy, so I don't know if he'd even be considered an officer.
EDIT: I just checked Trekcore and as of Endgame he didn't even have any rank pips. You can see pretty clearly on the first picture on the left fourth row down.

 

[Jeremy S]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Geordi was promoted sometime between Before Dishonor and Greater than the Sum.

I have no memory of referencing a recent promotion for Geordi in GTTS. I could be forgetting, though.

This would be why I should never trust my memory alone at very late hours after long days at work

 

[SicOne]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

One of the authors might wish to pop in here with their more-informed $0.02 worth, but I am of the understanding that the Doctor and similar holograms aren't as far along in their sentience-related right to self-determination as, say, Data. One would have thought that they would have worked all of this out with Data before "The Measure Of A Man", by which time Data had gone through Starfleet Academy, been awarded rank, etc, but then again he was one-of-a-kind (kinda, that is). With holograms being virtually endless as well as Starfleet-created property (Doc Zimmerman was, I believe, a civilian but in the employee of Starfleet and doing his work on a Starfleet station), it's a bit more complicated assigning them names, ranks, hierarchies, etc.

Additionally, I am of the understanding that starship captains can award provisional entry-level ranks (i.e. Picard's award of Acting Engisn to Wesley Crusher), but whether or not that action carries any weight outside of that captain's ship is undetermined. In that regard, Janeway could have likewise awarded The Doctor with something like that...though I am thinking that his acerbic personality may have rankled at being labeled with a rank below Commander...

 

[SicOne]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

Wasn't Geordi a full-fledged Commander in "Nemesis"?

 

[Kertrats47]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

Wasn't Geordi a full-fledged Commander in "Nemesis"?

Nope, he was definitely a Lieutenant Commander.

 

[captcalhoun]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

Geordi was apparently promoted prior to the TNG relaunch. Mem Alpha says nearly all post-NEM novels call him 'commander', while Mem Beta only notes he was promoted prior to Destiny.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

IMO, Geordi didn't need to take the Bridge Officer's Exam since he was already a bridge officer during TNG's first season and had command training at the Academy...

 

[Paris]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

IMO, Geordi didn't need to take the Bridge Officer's Exam since he was already a bridge officer during TNG's first season and had command training at the Academy...

Exactly. I was always under the impression that Troi took that test in TNG because she was a councilor by trade, and not neccesarily prepared to be in command of the ship. I know she had a place on the bridge, but i always assumed that was because of her unique skill set and how it could benefit the captain to have her there in certain situations...

 

[JD]

Re: Rank hath it's privileges... (Possible spoilers from Latest Releas

Didn't it also have something to do with her wanting a promotion? I swear I remember someone saying something about her needing to pass the test to get promoted, but it's been ages since I've seen the episode so I could be mistaken.