Why wasn't Riker court-marshalled in "The Outcast"?

[T'Girl]

but I think it's an interesting contrast to DS9, where Sisko more or less gives Worf free-reign to kill Gowron--on the station, no less.

But Sisko previously got all bitchy with Worf over the assisted suicide of Kurn.

And though Picard expresses disapproval of Worf killing Duras, & puts a reprimand on his record, that's hardly penal action

Basically a Captain's Mast.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

In real life, Worf would have been court-marshalled for his duel to death with Duras.

That's assuming that the Federation has laws against consensual death duels, but do they?

The Federation has surely laws against it, since the Federation's is closed to Earth liberal democracies which banned this practice who doesn't fit either with the UFP philosophy and the supposed enlightenment of 24th century. So yeah, not any direct proof, but highly implausible according to the general setting.

Duels to the death were legal on Vulcan in TOS.

 

[T'Girl]

It's illogical since Vulcans share a government with "outsiders" and some of them serve with "outsiders" into the structures of this government. So it doesn't need to be known by every citizen of the Federation ...

Can't say I agree with your position on this matter. The Trill apparently kept the existance of the symbiotes from the Federation for some time, their business.

, but at least Starfleet command should have been warned to avoid any incident and to allow its Vulcan personnel to take a shore leave before dying

How would that have helped Spock? He seemingly ignored the early signs of pon farr onset, and he didn't put in for shore leave when it might have been possible for him to have arrange transport to Vulcan

That's assuming that the Federation has laws against consensual death duels, but do they?

The Federation has surely laws against it, since the Federation's is closed to Earth liberal democracies which banned this practice who doesn't fit either with the UFP philosophy and the supposed enlightenment of 24th century.

The Federation is a composite of several dozen alien civilizations, each of which has their own multiple cultures and ways of doing things. Why would the Vulcans and the Andorians (both of whom have death duels) support rules against such? If the majority of the Federation's members traditionally allow death duels, Earth's voice on the matter would be drowned out (after being respectfully listen to of course).

 

[Makarov]

Is it just me or would Riker have some serious women issues after the traumatizing events that happen to him. His mate in this one gets her brain wiped and in that other episode he vaporizes his own girlfriend. And he can't even see the counselor about it because she's his ex girlfriend.

 

[Silvercrest]

It's illogical since Vulcans share a government with "outsiders" and some of them serve with "outsiders" into the structures of this government. So it doesn't need to be known by every citizen of the Federation, but at least Starfleet command should have been warned to avoid any incident and to allow its Vulcan personnel to take a shore leave before dying.

Come to think of it, with any number of Vulcans serving offworld, I wonder how often they have to deal with emergency pon farr runs just like Spock's? I'm sure 95% arrange to serve with/near their partner, or arrange to take leave at the appropriate time. But for the remaining 5% whose leave orders were screwed up, or whose ship (like the Enterprise) couldn't get away, or whose partner was unexpectedly transferred, etc.-- well, assuming 10,000 Vulcans serving offworld, that 5% would be 500 Vulcans. They won't all go through pon farr at the same time, but even spread across 7 years that's over 70 emergency runs in a year. You'd think someone would have noticed.

I think it was pretty easily readable between Picard's lines that he was looking the other way on the Riker matter. If the J'naii saw fit not to press charges, then as far as Starfleet in general was concerned, nothing happened.

Why they wouldn't press charges is another question. But I can see Picard responding to that one with, "Of course, Minister, you have every right to raise this issue with Starfleet and the Federation Council. I agree that this sort of interference is deplorable.
"Of course, it would be a shame if the Federation Ethics Committee heard about a member world which routinely brainwipes its own citizens ... what?
"Yes. Yes, I think it would be prudent to reconsider the charges against Commander Riker. Yes. I absolutely agree. Thank you. Have a nice day!"

 

[T'Girl]

"Of course, it would be a shame if the Federation Ethics Committee heard about a member world which routinely brainwipes its own citizens ...

J'naii representative: "Perhaps we could refer this matter to the Federation Diversity Committee. Surely Captain Picard you embrace diversity ... don't you?

Picard: "Well of course, yes ... but ..."

J'naii representative: "Let's compromise like civilized persons of no particular gender shall we? Commander Riker will receive a reprimand from you in his official record severe enough to prevent him from obtaining his own command for at least a decade. And this whole affair won't have to reflect on you Captain.

Picard: "Agreed."

 

[Silvercrest]

 

[Ithekro]

Come to think of it, with any number of Vulcans serving offworld, I wonder how often they have to deal with emergency pon farr runs just like Spock's?

I get the impression that Vulcans tend to group up on starships and that it is less common to have just a few mixed in with humans and other races in the fleet. Or at least it was that way in Kirk's time. Though one wonders how often USS Intrepid has to go back and forth to Vulcan with its 430 Vulcan crew. Or if they managed to make sure the pairings were on ship so they would rarely have to go back during their five year mission.

 

[T'Girl]

Pon farr for the majority of Vulcans might be like clock work, they would know within a few days when it would kick in. They would make arrangements to be on Vulcan (and probably the necessary city) well in advance. Weeks, even months.

If a particular starship would going to be away from transport to Vulcan when their time was due, they would not go on board for that cruise.

Spock's hybrid nature could have made his "cycle" unpredictable.

Though one wonders how often USS Intrepid has to go back and forth to Vulcan with its 430 Vulcan crew.

Somehow I doubt that the ship would deliver each person to Vulcan (or a colony of) for their pon farr. The person would get off the ship at a starbase or advanced world and take a transport ship to where they needed to be.

Or if they managed to make sure the pairings were on ship so they would rarely have to go back during their five year mission.

This would make sense.

 

[Green Shirt]

Is it just me or would Riker have some serious women issues after the traumatizing events that happen to him. His mate in this one gets her brain wiped and in that other episode he vaporizes his own girlfriend. And he can't even see the counselor about it because she's his ex girlfriend.

A trip to Argelius would solve Riker's women issues. Worked wonders for Scotty.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Not illogical in the least, it simply isn't the business of "outsiders."

It's illogical since Vulcans share a government with "outsiders" and some of them serve with "outsiders" into the structures of this government. So it doesn't need to be known by every citizen of the Federation, but at least Starfleet command should have been warned to avoid any incident and to allow its Vulcan personnel to take a shore leave before dying.

Agreed; when one becomes a sworn member of a branch of government (i.e. the Federeration & Starfleet), Spock was no longer some "individual from a member world." He was a Starfleet officer, so his duty rests there--not Vulcan, or his personal biological issues. It would be irrational--on Vulcan's part--to hide such life-threatening biological issues from the Federeration, when members of their race would be in situations taking them into remote regions as seen on Starfleet vessels.

The "none of the business" notion does not have a solid foundation' either offer full disclosure, or hold on to the personal ...back at home, since we see what kind of trouble it caused in "Amok Time."

 

[IntrepidMan]

Is it just me or would Riker have some serious women issues after the traumatizing events that happen to him. His mate in this one gets her brain wiped and in that other episode he vaporizes his own girlfriend. And he can't even see the counselor about it because she's his ex girlfriend.

I think this episode just shows how lonely Riker must have been on the Enterprise--I guess I would be too if I were stuck on a starship with limited social opportunities. I think this is why he acted so desperately. Not very professional if you ask me.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

when one becomes a sworn member of a branch of government (i.e. the Federeration & Starfleet), Spock was no longer some "individual from a member world." He was a Starfleet officer, so his duty rests there--not Vulcan, or his personal biological issues.

Well, under normal circumstances, pon farr affects only Vulcans, so they can take care of it themselves. Spock was irrational in hiding his condition, but if he had come clean about it and warned Kirk in advance, it'd be none of the Federation's business.

It's like Worf killing Duras. That was a Klingon internal matter, done according to Klingon law, and involved only Klingons, so it's not the Federation's concern at all.

 

[Mojochi]

Is it just me or would Riker have some serious women issues after the traumatizing events that happen to him. His mate in this one gets her brain wiped and in that other episode he vaporizes his own girlfriend. And he can't even see the counselor about it because she's his ex girlfriend.

I think this episode just shows how lonely Riker must have been on the Enterprise--I guess I would be too if I were stuck on a starship with limited social opportunities. I think this is why he acted so desperately. Not very professional if you ask me.

Let's not forget that he's the one who was such a knob, he got duped by a woman and ended up infesting the whole ship with that stupid addictive game.

Riker needed to get married and become a captain, so he could stay his sad ass on a ship, or he was going to end up naked in a bathtub full of ice, missing internal organs. Kirk... he is not

 

[Ithekro]

Riker just needs a ship to marry. Like Kirk with his Enterprise.