The second Five-Year Mission

[Ralphis]

I realize there has never been anything canonical mentioned about the second Five-Year mission, but I'm trying to paint a picture in my head of what it would look like.

I have a few questions...

1: What would Kirk's rank be?

I'm assuming the second Five-Year mission would be after TMP. We all know that Kirk took a reduction in rank to Captain in order to take over the Enterprise in TMP. Would he just keep the rank of Captain until his first retirement sometime before TWOK as mentioned in Generations, and then take a position with the rank of Admiral after he returned? Or would he be reinstated as an Admiral right after the events of TMP, and just transfer his flag to the Enterprise?

I realize that there is a difference between having the rank of Captain, and being the 'captain' of a ship. So one doesn't need the rank of Captain to be 'the captain', but I just think it works better for him to be "Captain Kirk".

2: What uniforms would they wear?

I know that they should be wearing the TWOK uniforms by 2278 (TNG: Cause and Effect), but would Starfleet have adopted them so soon after TMP?

Maybe they would wear both the TWOK uniforms and the TMP uniforms? I've always thought with just a little retouching, TMP uniforms would actually look ok (i.e. Admiral Pike's uniform in ST '09 & STID), so I think it wouldn't be out of the question to have uniforms close to TMP, but with TWOK insignia, and not quite as pj'ish.

Or maybe take the stylistic approach of the TMP, but have them be red like TWOK.

Or even something new? Something in between the style TMP and TWOK? They seem so different, but they were designed by the same guy.

I just think this era would be fun to visit - that's all.

 

[Pauln6]

Kirk would only need to take a 'reduction in rank' so that the other characters could call him by the more iconic title 'Captain Kirk'. There is no actual reason why an admiral could not function as a captain of a starship for a particular mission and he could still be called 'captain' but it might confuse the issue.

The TMP uniforms needed a bit of work but Spock wore a version with an undershirt so it's possible to envisage a version that is half way between TMP and TWoK. I think something with shoulder pads like the season 3 TNG uniforms would look better. A two piece with undershirt, shoulder pads, darker trousers and maybe two-tone like Admiral Kirk's uniform could have been better. And maybe the away team jackets could be more like the red tops from TWoK.

I did an internet comic featuring the second 5-year mission using images from TMP, which was fun but I shamelessly ripped off every other sci fi franchise I could think of just for fun. Which reminds me, I need to do a third story featuring elements of Farscape!

 

[BillJ]

Everything would be exactly the same except Kirk would need a couple of ibuprofen before and after battling lizard men and gods.

 

[Pauln6]

Everything would be exactly the same except Kirk would need a couple of ibuprofen before and after battling lizard men and gods.

LOL. Plus a yeoman twenty years his junior to straighten his hairpiece.

 

[Enterprise1701]

You should check out Christopher's novels Ex Machina and Forgotten History. Though they don't describe a second five-year mission right after The Motion Picture, Christopher's high attention to detail gives readers a lot of ideas on how the world of Star Trek works in the 2270s, such as Starfleet procedures. In the novelverse anyway.

Christopher's Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again and Scott Pearson's The More Things Change are also set very soon after The Motion Picture.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think a second five-year mission would have been set up exactly as it was towards the end of TMP (minus Decker and Ilia, of course). But half-way through, we might have seen the introduction of the TWOK uniforms, IMO.

 

[Ralphis]

Everything would be exactly the same except Kirk would need a couple of ibuprofen before and after battling lizard men and gods.

LOL!

 

[Ralphis]

Kirk would only need to take a 'reduction in rank' so that the other characters could call him by the more iconic title 'Captain Kirk'. There is no actual reason why an admiral could not function as a captain of a starship for a particular mission and he could still be called 'captain' but it might confuse the

Yep. Like I wrote in the original post, there is a difference between being 'the captain', and having the rank of Captain. Indeed an Admiral, or even a Commander could captain a ship. But 'Captain Kirk' just feels right.

 

[Ralphis]

You're probably right. Or at same point both styles were regulation for a time. EDIT: This was a reply to CE Evans.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Kirk would only need to take a 'reduction in rank' so that the other characters could call him by the more iconic title 'Captain Kirk'. There is no actual reason why an admiral could not function as a captain of a starship for a particular mission and he could still be called 'captain' but it might confuse the issue.

The TMP uniforms needed a bit of work but Spock wore a version with an undershirt so it's possible to envisage a version that is half way between TMP and TWoK. I think something with shoulder pads like the season 3 TNG uniforms would look better. A two piece with undershirt, shoulder pads, darker trousers and maybe two-tone like Admiral Kirk's uniform could have been better. And maybe the away team jackets could be more like the red tops from TWoK.

I did an internet comic featuring the second 5-year mission using images from TMP, which was fun but I shamelessly ripped off every other sci fi franchise I could think of just for fun. Which reminds me, I need to do a third story featuring elements of Farscape!

Fans on the Art board came up with these thoughts on the TM era uniforms..

 

[Pauln6]

Yeah I've been keeping an eye on those and they do look cooler, although I think the yellow needs to be a bit more muted. What amazed me was the difference the red door makes. It immediately evoked a more TOS feel.

 

[varek]

The second Five-Year Mission should obviously build upon the first, expanding upon all the discoveries and contacts made. They would also incorporate any upgrades to equipment that had been developed since their first mission had departed. And, as you say, Dr. McCoy might need to stock up, or replicate, plenty of aspirin for his hyposprays ahead of time!

 

[Ralphis]

You should check out Christopher's novels Ex Machina and Forgotten History. Though they don't describe a second five-year mission right after The Motion Picture, Christopher's high attention to detail gives readers a lot of ideas on how the world of Star Trek works in the 2270s, such as Starfleet procedures. In the novelverse anyway.

Christopher's Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again and Scott Pearson's The More Things Change are also set very soon after The Motion Picture.

Thanks - I actually did read Ex Machina awhile back. I should maybe revisit it, as well as read the ones you've suggested.

 

[Push The Button]

Yeah I've been keeping an eye on those and they do look cooler, although I think the yellow needs to be a bit more muted. What amazed me was the difference the red door makes. It immediately evoked a more TOS feel.

Reliant's bridge in TWOK reminds me of the TOS Enterprise bridge, from the color scheme and brighter lighting.

 

[Last Redshirt]

Yeah I've been keeping an eye on those and they do look cooler, although I think the yellow needs to be a bit more muted. What amazed me was the difference the red door makes. It immediately evoked a more TOS feel.

Reliant's bridge in TWOK reminds me of the TOS Enterprise bridge, from the color scheme and brighter lighting.

I always thought the movie-era Enterprise bridge always felt a bit disconnected from the TOS bridge.

 

[EnriqueH]

I always liked the sound of "Admiral" Kirk to be honest.

But yeah, "Captain" Kirk is classic.