Where were the senior officers during the Vulcan rescue mission?

[David cgc]

...Chekov, who apparently is still a cadet (since we see him in a cadet uniform in the crowd at the medal ceremony at the end of the movie)...

Which is somewhat odd, given that it appeared that Chekov, Sulu, Pike, and probably Spock were the only regulars who were part of the initial intended crew. Sulu seems to know why he was subbed in for the regular helmsman, suggesting he didn't just walk off a shuttle and have someone point him to the bridge and Chekov, amazingly, actually seemed to be supposed to be there, since Pike knows him by reputation and (more or less) name.

It was sort of implied that they were nearing the end of the term, so it may have been that Pike had filled out his roster on the Enterprise with anticipated graduates, since they would've been commissioned by the time the launch date rolled around. That splits the difference between the implications about Sulu and Chekov being regular crew and them being in the cadet line at the end.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Sulu was in a cadet uniform at the end too.

 

[Yevetha]

Maybe the all the seniors were in vacation somewhere and could not be reached.

 

[Timo]

There must have been some reason why those seven ships were not sent to Laurentius. It can go two ways:

1) Starfleet didn't literally send all of its assets to Laurentius, but only those that could be detached. The seven stayed behind because they were supposed to guard Earth.

2) Starfleet sent everything they got, perhaps because they thought they'd be facing the same threat that had just massacred 47 Klingon ships. Only ships incapable of action were left behind.

If the seven ships stayed behind because they were incapable of action, this may have been because of tech problems - but they did launch eventually, so the problems must have been minor. If the reason was crew shortage, though, then Starfleet would have an obvious source for Starfleet officers floating nearby: the Enterprise, preparing for her maiden voyage. She'd be called to donate some personnel so that no single ship would be crewed by an excessively high ratio of cadets vs. commissioned officers. Voilá, the situation we witness in the movie. Not particularly implausible IMHO.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[HaventGotALife]

The Enterprise was new and there was no crew, at least that's what I got out of it. They manned the ship with cadets and officers who were of a lower rank than usual. They did talk about the major fleet being engaged in the Laurantian (sp?) system.

 

[Timo]

We know the Enterprise was scheduled to have her maiden voyage in the near future. We don't know if the ship already had a full crew assigned for conducting that voyage (in which case said crew was probably distributed to the other vessels in need) or if the voyage was so far in the future that most of the people either weren't assigned, or did know of their future assignment but were currently elsewhere.

Similarly, in ST:TMP, the assigned First Officer of the vessel might have been unavailable within the 18 hours that Starfleet gave for the unscheduled launch. For a prestigious new vessel like the Enterprises of these two movies, Starfleet might well choose an active officer who keeps performing heroics in deep space for his or her employer right down to the last week before the launch of the new assignment.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Pauln6]

We know the Enterprise was scheduled to have her maiden voyage in the near future. We don't know if the ship already had a full crew assigned for conducting that voyage (in which case said crew was probably distributed to the other vessels in need) or if the voyage was so far in the future that most of the people either weren't assigned, or did know of their future assignment but were currently elsewhere.

Similarly, in ST:TMP, the assigned First Officer of the vessel might have been unavailable within the 18 hours that Starfleet gave for the unscheduled launch. For a prestigious new vessel like the Enterprises of these two movies, Starfleet might well choose an active officer who keeps performing heroics in deep space for his or her employer right down to the last week before the launch of the new assignment.

Timo Saloniemi

But the ship has a crew of 1,100 people. It's unrealistic to believe that, even if the assigned crew were not available at short notice, that they had insufficient crew with SOME experience spread out from the other ships. They only need what, 10 people to man key posts on the bridge? That doesn't mean it's without precedent, of course, just that it's unrealistic.

The scene where Pike promotes Kirk reminds me of the espisode of the Simpsons where Homer is put in charge of the submarine because the captain likes the cut of his jib. Yes, NuTrek is THAT silly - lol.

 

[Yevetha]

That doesn't mean it's without precedent, of course, just that it's unrealistic.

As i learned in Star Wars almost anything can be retconned.

 

[Timo]

We're not talking about a dilution of total skill here, though - only of the curious absence of the very highest-ranking officers. Most of the 1000-odd people could be there to start with. (Although they probably aren't; "bluecollar" sailors would be assigned on short notice, and without much in the way of specific requirements. Cadets would be as good material as any for filling the slots.)

The ship apparently had plenty of low-ranking, non-cadet officers, and the writers simply conspired to make each cadet hero outperform his or her commissioned counterpart on a crucial issue and within sight of the ship's CO. It's not much of an anomaly that Chekov, Sulu and Uhura gain prominent bridge positions despite their apparent cadet status (although to be sure, only Uhura is ever addressed as cadet, and she might have been much closer to graduation than Kirk to start with). They start out as backups to scheduled players, and gain primary status due to circumstance, but not in a particularly anomalous way.

Nor is there anything strange about Pike having Commander Spock as his (replacement?) XO. Even if Spock wasn't scheduled to receive that job, it's one of those where distribution of the ship's officers to other vessels would manifest rather naturally - the high-ranking officer could become the skipper of USS Armstrong, say.

And Kirk's position is secured by the plot logic wherein he's Pike's champion for the new and improved breed of Starfleet officers. It's the one impossible thing before breakfast that we're expected to swallow if we're to enjoy the movie the way it was supposed to be enjoyed.

The other issues mentioned don't appear to be issues to me. Leaving Chekov or Uhura in charge of the bridge is standard naval practice: it's a menial job for junior officers. All our hero COs have left junior rather than senior officers in charge in corresponding situations. Pike might have no reason to prefer Uhura's predecessor to Uhura, not having known either for particularly long or having seen either in action before. But Spock apparently values Uhura's, uh, aural skills, and Pike trusts Spock's judgement.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Pauln6]

And Kirk's position is secured by the plot logic wherein he's Pike's champion for the new and improved breed of Starfleet officers. It's the one impossible thing before breakfast that we're expected to swallow if we're to enjoy the movie the way it was supposed to be enjoyed.

The other issues mentioned don't appear to be issues to me. Leaving Chekov or Uhura in charge of the bridge is standard naval practice: it's a menial job for junior officers. All our hero COs have left junior rather than senior officers in charge in corresponding situations. Pike might have no reason to prefer Uhura's predecessor to Uhura, not having known either for particularly long or having seen either in action before. But Spock apparently values Uhura's, uh, aural skills, and Pike trusts Spock's judgement.

I have no problem with Spock, although I would have preferred it if he had been second officer after Number One to increase the female presence in the movie. As I said, Kirk's promotion is as sensible as Homer's promotion due to a 'delusional' commanding officer except that the plot requires Homer to be awful and Kirk to be awesome.

I think the issue for me is leaving the cadets in charge once they are in a crisis situation. Leaving them in charge when not a lot is going on would be fine since they need to accumulate experience and an alert will bring senior crew to their posts. Leaving them there while a more senior officer is summoned (Chief DiFalco to the bridge) would also be fine. Simply leaving Chekov in charge for an indefinite period DURING a crisis is just silly - it's unfair on the cadet and dangerous since, no matter how intelligent, their experience is severely limited.

Admittedly, Kirk's nervousness while Saavik piloted the ship out of spacedock when Sulu was driving anyway goes too far in the other direction. It would have been more realistic if Sulu had given up his post to another cadet.

 

[Timo]

although I would have preferred it if he had been second officer after Number One to increase the female presence in the movie.

A preference we share. Using the "superior got killed/hurt" card twice would not have been any more objectionable than using it once (on McCoy).

I'm not sure the bridge would be such a hot potato during this particular crisis. Pike left the experienced Spock in command of the ship during a tense standoff, and Spock then briefly left Chekov with "the conn" (not ship command, but bridge command) during a less intense moment where the enemy appeared to be in retreat and the ship wasn't in direct danger.

Also, Spock and the ship didn't need an experienced commander as much as they needed experienced and capable communications officers without any concerns other than coordinating the evacuation. Chekov might have been chosen because he was the most expendable, not because of his experience or lack thereof.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Pauln6]

Also, Spock and the ship didn't need an experienced commander as much as they needed experienced and capable communications officers without any concerns other than coordinating the evacuation. Chekov might have been chosen because he was the most expendable, not because of his experience or lack thereof.

Yeah baby - some stone cold logic. That's what we likes.

 

[G2309]

although I would have preferred it if he had been second officer after Number One to increase the female presence in the movie.

A preference we share. Using the "superior got killed/hurt" card twice would not have been any more objectionable than using it once (on McCoy).

I'm not sure the bridge would be such a hot potato during this particular crisis. Pike left the experienced Spock in command of the ship during a tense standoff, and Spock then briefly left Chekov with "the conn" (not ship command, but bridge command) during a less intense moment where the enemy appeared to be in retreat and the ship wasn't in direct danger.

Also, Spock and the ship didn't need an experienced commander as much as they needed experienced and capable communications officers without any concerns other than coordinating the evacuation. Chekov might have been chosen because he was the most expendable, not because of his experience or lack thereof.

Timo Saloniemi

I thought it was funny seeing Uhura's face after first Pike, then Spock, then Checkov left the bridge.