TUC Question

[maryh]

At the end of TUC McCoy says "And the best part is they're not going to prosecute". After which Uhura says "They might as well have prosecuted me - I felt the same way as Lt Valeris" etc.

Who are they refering to as "not going to prosecute"? Is it Valeris Cartwright and the other conspirators? Or was it Kirk, Sulu etc for the liberties they took and regulations they must have broken during this mission? Any insights?

 

[cardinal biggles]

It could be a reference to how Starfleet was all set to prosecute Kirk & Co. in TVH for their actions in TSFS.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Perhaps...

 

[hmbnimbus]

At the end of TUC McCoy says "And the best part is they're not going to prosecute". After which Uhura says "They might as well have prosecuted me - I felt the same way as Lt Valeris" etc.

Who are they refering to as "not going to prosecute"? Is it Valeris Cartwright and the other conspirators? Or was it Kirk, Sulu etc for the liberties they took and regulations they must have broken during this mission? Any insights?

Possibly the Klingons, as Kirk and McCoy did escape from Rurapenthe. And the Enterprise disobeyed orders from Starfleet to stay away from the conference on Khitomer. So you have two potential 'authorities' that might be upset with the actions of the ship and her crew.

I think Uhura's remark was one of possibly sympathy in that she felt the same way about peace talks with the Klingons - i.e. if you could prosecute for feelings, then she would be as guilty.

 

[netinfgoo]

 

[Timo]

Re: Now I have to think again what

Who are they refering to as "not going to prosecute"?

Oh, it seems clear that Starfleet would once again have a case against our heroes, as they lied to their superiors, refused to follow orders, invaded Klingon space, invaded the no doubt restricted territory around Khitomer, and drank Romulan ale.

And it's also natural to assume that McCoy is referring back to their experiences from ST3/4.

In addition, the Klingons might wish to prosecute, but that's too big a psychological leap for McCoy to make, really. He couldn't plausibly wrap his brain around the idea that Klingon demands for putting Starfleeters on trial could be taken seriously now.

But Uhura's comment indeed seems like a non sequitur - in her tired postadventural state, she probably misinterpreted McCoy and thought he was speaking about prosecuting the conspirators. Or then she's simply saying that, while Starfleet had plenty of reason to prosecute our heroes, she could have added to that list by confessing to sympathies with the conspirators.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Christopher]

Re: Now I have to think again what

What McCoy no doubt means is that Starfleet isn't going to prosecute Kirk's crew for (again) disobeying direct Starfleet orders. Uhura is saying that since they are prosecuting Valeris and Cartwright for their acts, they might as well have prosecuted her as well (rather than letting her off the hook, as they are) because she felt the same way. I assume she's speaking figuratively rather than expressing an actual legal position.

 

[guardian]

Re: Now I have to think again what

What McCoy no doubt means is that Starfleet isn't going to prosecute Kirk's crew for (again) disobeying direct Starfleet orders. Uhura is saying that since they are prosecuting Valeris and Cartwright for their acts, they might as well have prosecuted her as well (rather than letting her off the hook, as they are) because she felt the same way. I assume she's speaking figuratively rather than expressing an actual legal position.

This, to me, is clearly what his remark meant. No doubt about it. I always get amazed when folks take a line that seems very clear to me and interpret it as some totally different. I know folks think differently, but some lines it seems to me the writers wrote as very straightforward.....

Once again they are being let off from punishment because the good they did so outweighed the rules they broke AND that Uhura feels guilty because she felt some of Valeris' bigotry only she didn't act on it.

 

[Ethros]

It could be a reference to how Starfleet was all set to prosecute Kirk & Co. in TVH for their actions in TSFS.

That was all sorted out and forgiven at the end of The Voyage Home

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Still...you probably wouldn't forget the feeling of being in the court.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

It was clearly not going to press charges against the Ent-A crew...they just fired them earlier instead and decomissioned their ship 3 months early.

 

[Trekfan21]

I always thought it was a clear reference to STIV. Kirk's line is "once again we've saved civilization as we know it." As they did in IV.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I always thought it was a clear reference to STIV. Kirk's line is "once again we've saved civilization as we know it." As they did in IV.

Yes, but this time (ST VI), there won't be any charges.