Re: Some thoughts on Losing the Peace (spoilers for the book obviously
He'll follow orders as long as they fit within his own moral code, but as soon as they don't, he disregards them and does what he thinks is right...
Which order did Picard disregard in
LtP because it didn't fit within his moral code?
Taking the Centauri Governor and Risian President to Earth, instead going to Pacifica to help his wife, thereby kidnapping two world leaders.
Picard was never ordered to take Barrile to Earth. Nor was he ordered to take
Denevan President Tiernan to Earth, since a civilian leader of a planet doesn't have that authority over a Starfleet officer. And in neither case was Picard's "moral code" a factor.
Here's what Picard was ordered to do:
*search and rescue: an order he did carry out, with his patrols, with the use of the Elfiki-Rosado search protocols, and the rescue of the
Libra. Never did he refuse to carry out this order, and he publicly scolded Worf for suggesting the order was unimportant. Never did he suggest that aiding Borg survivors was contrary to his "moral code".
*go to Alpha Centauri to help deal with their violence: again, an order Picard made every effort to obey, only the crisis had already been dealt with, and the local civilian leadship refused Starfleet's assistance. By the time Crusher's call came in, there was nothing for Picard to do. Once more, I'm at a loss to understand where "moral codes" play into this -- unless one argues that he had a moral obligation, after hearing Barrile's threat of secession, to not simply dismiss it.
You will not convince me this time that there was no closer starship than the Enterprise to the Taurus Reach. Crusher called him because she knew he would be her white knight, regardless of orders...She played him, whether consciously or not.
What a disturbingly misogynistic statement. Crusher "played" Picard to preserve the lives and well-being of 80,000 homeless refugees? The brazen hussy!!
Seriously, what do you think Will Riker would have done different if he were still Picard's XO, and heading the Pacifica mission? We know Crusher already contacted Barash, and was told by him another ship couldn't be sent for two weeks. (Yes, there well could have been other ships closer to Pacifica, but none Barash -- or Crusher -- had the authority to pull off their assignments.) Exactly who else is Commander Crusher going to contact, if not her commanding officer?
