"Sneak in someone" (?)

[Mach5]

From Observer Effect:

ARCHER [on monitor]: I take it you've been watching.
T'POL: I have.
ARCHER [on monitor]: Then you know you're in command?
T'POL: Yes, Captain.
ARCHER [on monitor]: I would like to think you'll stay in command. Don't let Admiral Gardner sneak in someone over your head.
T'POL: I'll do my best.

Okay, why would T'Pol have any say in this matter? How exactly was T'Pol supposed to oppose Gardner?

"Admiral, I demand to be named Captain of NX-01, or else!"

And why the hell would Starfleet give command of its flagship (Earth's No1 ship) to a Vulcan (no matter who he/she were)?

 

[JiNX-01]

I suspect she would go to Soval and persuade him to side with her ... he certainly carried weight with SFC...

She would want to carry on the work Archer began. The crew was used to her by this time, and would have supported her bid for The Big Chair.

 

[Mach5]

I suspect she would go to Soval and persuade him to side with her ... he certainly carried weight with SFC...

But an experienced diplomat like Soval would certainly realize how controversial it would be to assign a Vulcan to command the Earth's flagship.

I mean, this is the era in which humanity is supposed to achieve affirmation in interplanetary society, rid itself of Vulcan patronage and explore universe on it's own.

The political pressure against such move would surely be huge, considering that these were sensitive times for humans, whose trust in extra-terrestrials hit all-time low.

Imagine a Brit commanding the Nimitz...

 

[JiNX-01]

Imagine a Brit commanding the Nimitz...

T'Pol joined Starfleet after the Xindi mission. So why shouldn't she pursue an appointment as captain of the NX-01?

And foreigners have joined our military and earned promotions that put them in commend of U.S. soldiers and sailors. So I would argue a Briton commanding the Nimitz is actually not so far-fetched.

 

[SFRabid]

My first thought was "no way they will put a Vulcan in charge of their best ship." Then I thought about two possibilities.

1. That was Archer's way of telling her how much he and grown to trust and respect her.

2. Precurser to Federation mixed species ships.

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

1. That was Archer's way of telling her how much he and grown to trust and respect her.

Yes. It is quite credible to me that Archer would consider T'Pol the best choice to command Enterprise. And I agree with JiNX -- the crew would have backed her up. They had long accepted her as one of them.

2. Precurser to Federation mixed species ships.

My thought as well. (We seem to be thinking alike these days. ) With Starfleet preparing to form the Coalition of Planets, it would make sense, and be a clear demonstration of their goal of inter-species cooperation, to follow Archer's wish and give T'Pol command of Enterprise.

 

[Mach5]

1. That was Archer's way of telling her how much he and grown to trust and respect her.

Yes. It is quite credible to me that Archer would consider T'Pol the best choice to command Enterprise. And I agree with JiNX -- the crew would have backed her up. They had long accepted her as one of them.

2. Precurser to Federation mixed species ships.

My thought as well. (We seem to be thinking alike these days. ) With Starfleet preparing to form the Coalition of Planets, it would make sense, and be a clear demonstration of their goal of inter-species cooperation, to follow Archer's wish and give T'Pol command of Enterprise.

All this sounds great in theory. In *reality,* handing the "Earth's pride" (NX-01) to a Vulcan would only give more fuel to people like J.F. Paxton (Terra Prime).

 

[Hopeful Romantic]

Should Starfleet's policy be dictated by a wack-job terrorist?

If they were that scared of Paxton and the other xenophobes, it's unlikely that they would ever consider forming the Coalition of Planets.

 

[caisson2delta]

Vulcans, as much as they would like to claim are devoid of human emotions and feelings, did tend to show a great deal of, for lack of a better term, stubborn pride. I would think that Soval, or whomever else in the High Command, would jump at the opportunity to have one of their own in charge of the Enterprise. I would think they would relish this notion and use it to their advantage whenever possible.

 

[Mach5]

Should Starfleet's policy be dictated by a wack-job terrorist?

But was he indeed known as a "wack-job terrorist" before the verteron array attack? He even had followers in Starfleet. Heck, even Nathan Samuels was his sympathizer in his youth.

"Home" already showed that aliens (Vulcan's especially) weren't popular on Earth after the Xindi crisis.

Looking at the big picture, having a Vulcan as Archer's successor as the CO of Earth's flagship might make it appear as if Earth doesn't have that many competent commanders.

 

[ellenbetty]

ARCHER [on monitor]: I would like to think you'll stay in command. Don't let Admiral Gardner sneak in someone over your head.
T'POL: I'll do my best.

It sounded to me that Archer felt that T'Pol was better able to handle what ever problems "deep" space would throw at the crew of the NX-01 than some captain without "deep" space experence. Captain Archer could have been concerned that the next Captain assigned to command the NX-01 would be as closed mined about having a Vulcan second in command as Archer was closed minded when T'Pol was first assigned as advisor to Captain Archer.

 

[commodore64]

I think Archer meant it a little tongue in cheek - not wanting T'Pol to be in command, but "not letting them sneak someone" above her. I think he's acknowledging she's not only capable and worthy of a promotion, but she's a bonafide member of Starfleet and possibly the most qualified (albeit new) captain at Starfleet once Archer passes on.

 

[Mach5]

Thinking about it, I'm not sure T'Pol would have fought to stay in command if Archer had died. Because dead Archer would mean that Organians refused to help, so Trip and Hoshi would have died too. There wouldn't be much left for her on that ship, I guess.

 

[commodore64]

You know, I think she would choose to be captain for a while to get Enterprise (and the remaining crew) home safely.

 

[Timo]

Regarding Starfleet's sentiments towards Vulcans, wouldn't T'Pol actually be the perfect anti-Vulcan?

She had denounced key aspects of her old culture and farted in the general direction of Vulcan High Command. She had quit Vulcan military and joined Earth's equivalent force. She'd be a perfect propaganda piece for Starfleet to flaunt - perhaps up to and including giving her an important ship to command.

Timo Saloniemi