Why Didn't Harry Get Promoted?

[Oddish]

How about this for a barometer...

Even LOWER DECKS had each of them go from Ensign to Lt. j.g. in about 3 years. And NONE of them were department heads.

And honestly, that's what Harry should have been, too: a lower deck special who grew in rank and responsibility. Just like B'Elanna should have been an assistant engineer who had to learn to control her temper, and Kes should have been a character who lived life in all its beauty and horror, while the Maquis began as renegade who had little use for Starfleet and slowly learned to work with the crew.

Harry was a single symptom of a serious issue.

 

[Ragitsu]

The real reason: everything on a starship has to come from (fairly) limited supplies...supplies often converted into replicator energy. New pips may constitute just enough salt to spruce up some chicken thighs.

 

[Oddish]

Then Janeway would simply talk to Neelix, and he uses some random scrap from his cargo hold to manufacture enough pips to promote everyone to fleet captain.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Lieutenant Commander Cavit died and left only one hollow pip on the ship to be raffled off.

 

[fireproof78]

Other pips were used on bingo nights.

 

[Guy Gardener]

How about this for a barometer...

Even LOWER DECKS had each of them go from Ensign to Lt. j.g. in about 3 years. And NONE of them were department heads.

There's a Buck Rogers from 79... Called "Shgoratchx" where the wierdies of the week was a crew with 6 generals bossing around one very disgruntled Private.

Oh.

Tony Cox.

Still kicking.

 

[Oddish]

That explanation is right up there with "Janeway hates clarinet music" or "Janeway was dumped in high school by a guy named Harry". It's amusing, but there's no evidence backing it up.

 

[DonIago]

...now I'm imagining TNG poker nights involving the officers putting in their pips for their wagers...