I have a very vague idea for a story, and I'd like some help brainstorming it. I'd like to write a TOS Star Trek story based on a flawed Starship captain (we'll give him the working name of Captain Kemp); though he's a near contemporary of captains such as Christopher Pike, Ronald Tracy, Matt Decker, and (probably) Garth of Izar, and had some military successes at battles like Donatu V and Axanar (twenty+ years or so before TOS), he felt that his promising career never really materialized. When the Constitution-class ships came out, he was stuck captaining something from the previous generation, and never really much career-wise. He's never made any errors of judgement severe enough to be removed from command, but he knows he is running out of time to establish a legacy; when his ship is decommissioned a year or two from now, he can't hope for a new command. He is also resentful that younger captains like James T Kirk have received better starships than he ever did, and at a younger age.
I had in mind that Captain Kemp, desperate to seize an opportunity to save his career, or at least to go out with a bang -- maybe literally. Kemp might be one of those captains like Will Decker or Ron Tracy, that finally buckles under in the face of catastrophe, and fails to save his crew.
I have the idea that officers of his ship who had any promise or ambition generally transferred off as soon as they could; maybe he unconsciously resented their potential for success, or thought they might be a threat to him. He was stuck with officers who were competent but not miracle workers (very unlike the crews of any Enterprise we've seen); ironically, he is responsible for his own lack of accomplishment because he drives off those who could help him achieve recognition. Thus, most of his crew are either young, inexperienced crew, or older ones who have been there awhile and tend to play it safe. Kemp accomplishes his assigned missions, but rarely shows more initiative than required to. He has used up virtually any influence that he ever had; at best, he is regarded as a has-been, and at worst, a potential liability in a crisis.
I think that Kemp was originally promoted to captain when he was quite young, though not as young as Kirk. I think he achieved command by hard work and diligence instead of heroism under fire, he must have shown that he was capable in a crisis as well. I wonder if he had some kind of near-catastrophe during his first command that made him less willing to take a risk. Possibly, that's been bugging him all these years.... so he's looking for one final risk to take, that will earn him recognition, no matter what the cost.
I'm not sure what happens to set up this story's crisis, or what the crisis will be. Any thoughts are comments are appreciated.
Guy
I had in mind that Captain Kemp, desperate to seize an opportunity to save his career, or at least to go out with a bang -- maybe literally. Kemp might be one of those captains like Will Decker or Ron Tracy, that finally buckles under in the face of catastrophe, and fails to save his crew.
I have the idea that officers of his ship who had any promise or ambition generally transferred off as soon as they could; maybe he unconsciously resented their potential for success, or thought they might be a threat to him. He was stuck with officers who were competent but not miracle workers (very unlike the crews of any Enterprise we've seen); ironically, he is responsible for his own lack of accomplishment because he drives off those who could help him achieve recognition. Thus, most of his crew are either young, inexperienced crew, or older ones who have been there awhile and tend to play it safe. Kemp accomplishes his assigned missions, but rarely shows more initiative than required to. He has used up virtually any influence that he ever had; at best, he is regarded as a has-been, and at worst, a potential liability in a crisis.
I think that Kemp was originally promoted to captain when he was quite young, though not as young as Kirk. I think he achieved command by hard work and diligence instead of heroism under fire, he must have shown that he was capable in a crisis as well. I wonder if he had some kind of near-catastrophe during his first command that made him less willing to take a risk. Possibly, that's been bugging him all these years.... so he's looking for one final risk to take, that will earn him recognition, no matter what the cost.
I'm not sure what happens to set up this story's crisis, or what the crisis will be. Any thoughts are comments are appreciated.
Guy
