Rigil's New Endeavour thread...

[CX]

I know T'Pol doesn't want her own command, and Trip doesn't want her to leave -- but as Trip realized in A5S4, and Archer mentioned perviously, Starfleet may want her to have a command since they need experienced officers. And how many times have characters gotten what they want in Rigils fics?

But as Commander Riker proved, just because they offer you a ship doesn't mean you have to accept.

[Rigil Kent]

I'm not sure that the comparison is really accurate though. Starfleet in Riker's time was huge. I figure that there was a really long waiting list for an officer to get his or her own command. In this era, Starfleet is much smaller and they are already struggling with manpower issues.

It's still an interesting idea, though.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Nice finish, but we still haven't learned what happened to Anna Hess?

So Hsiao got promoted for heroism? I know Trek has done this before, but my understanding is that in the real world, heroism gives you a medal. Promotion is for time in grade/time in service and the availability of command slots.

Speaking of which, a lowly Lt Cmdr as C.O. of a Daedaulus? Wouldn't that at least be a post for a full Commander?

Nice touch about making the auxiliary bridge the primary one, and then that line about the bridge getting back in use after the war as a nod to Trek continuity.

About Henry Archer's different deaths, I've rationalized it has he did die when Jon was young, and after Jon had just entered some "Boy Scout" flight school.

Ozh-esta, huh? I've never seen the finger kiss getting a Vulcan name before.

What happened to Porthos? I can't recall if you ever mentioned that. Did the dog perish at New Elysium?

But, summing up, a great ending to a great story. One of your best, but then all of them are excellent!

[Rigil Kent]

Nice finish, but we still haven't learned what happened to Anna Hess?

Noticed that, didja?

So Hsiao got promoted for heroism? I know Trek has done this before, but my understanding is that in the real world, heroism gives you a medal. Promotion is for time in grade/time in service and the availability of command slots.

Promotion is also dictated by the needs of the service. He received the equivalent of a "medal" (a commendation, if you will) and, due to the needs of the service, was given a battlefield promotion on top of that.

Speaking of which, a lowly Lt Cmdr as C.O. of a Daedaulus? Wouldn't that at least be a post for a full Commander?

Says something about Starfleet's manpower shortages, doesn't it?

What happened to Porthos? I can't recall if you ever mentioned that. Did the dog perish at New Elysium?

Yeah. I established that at the end of Ragnarok. This dog's presence is particularly bittersweet since Erika purchased him for Jon during Archer's recovery from the Elysium injuries...

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Nice finish, but we still haven't learned what happened to Anna Hess?

Noticed that, didja?

Oh yeah! I really like her (and I think Hilary Swank is hot ) so I was keeping my eyes out for her. Don't tell me she's been captured by the Rommies?

Promotion is also dictated by the needs of the service. He received the equivalent of a "medal" (a commendation, if you will) and, due to the needs of the service, was given a battlefield promotion on top of that.

I kind of thought that that was what happened. Perhaps that should be made clearer in the fic?

[Rigil Kent]

Nah. I have respect for the intelligence of my readers so I presume they can figure out what happened.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Nah. I have respect for the intelligence of my readers so I presume they can figure out what happened.

The problem is that you wrote:

Following Hsiao's battlefield performance and coupled with the glowing reports from the officers and crewmembers of Hyperion who credited him with saving their lives, Starfleet had promoted the young helmsman and offered him the job as commanding officer of the Daedalus-class.

Which says that he got his promotion due to his heroism.

[Rigil Kent]

Which is pretty much accurate. As has been pointed out to me time and time and time again when I complain about how Starfleet doesn't work like it should, they aren't the modern military. In a modern situation like this, we'd give him a medal like a silver star or distinguished service cross. If there was a slot available (as there very obviously was in this case), he might also get promoted. If there wasn't a slot available, he'd at least be put on the fast track for promotion. If he was enlisted and stepped up in the way he did, it's entirely possible he'd receive a battlefield commission. Audie Murphy was jumped to 2nd Lieutenant 'cause he had balls of solid adamantium and excreted ice cream...

Does the Starfleet of this era even have medals and ribbons? I figure that the MACO influence might make them likely, but since they went out of their way to establish that Archer's Starfleet wasn't the military, I doubt they even had medals.

Is Hsiao's promotion due to valor really bothering you that much?

[CX]

I guess it made sense to me given the display of command ability that he put on during the heat of battle, and given that the crew had bonded with him. My only nit is the LTCOMM being in command of a Daedulus. A Neptune or an Iceland maybe, but a Daedalus seems like it'd be between those.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Is Hsiao's promotion due to valor really bothering you that much?

Nah, not really! But given how you view the issue of Starfleet/military I kind of thought you would make it more realistic. *shrugs*

[Rigil Kent]

My only nit is the LTCOMM being in command of a Daedulus. A Neptune or an Iceland maybe, but a Daedalus seems like it'd be between those.

In World War 2, there are examples of 1st Lieutenants commanding Battalions (a bird colonel job.) It's also intended to be a subtle way of pointing out the manpower shortages that Starfleet is experiencing.

Plus, a D-Class (right now) doesn't have the firepower that a Neptune has and Icelands are pretty much limited to planetary/system defense due to how slow they are...

[TSara]

If there was a slot available (as there very obviously was in this case), he might also get promoted. If there wasn't a slot available, he'd at least be put on the fast track for promotion. If he was enlisted and stepped up in the way he did, it's entirely possible he'd receive a battlefield commission.


I actually have a friend who got pinned his Sergeant Strips well before going to his leadership course BECAUSE of military needs in Iraq. It's actually a pretty common thing to happen on a deployment now-a-days apparently.


It was weird having him come back (when only a few months before we were both Specialists) and having to address him as Sergeant . He was pretty cool about it....and as long as were weren't in an official setting we still continued a first name basis.

[hth2k]

I have no problem with either the promotion or the assignment.

Starfleet in in a huge pickle right about this time. They have lost a large fraction of their fleet and personnel. They despirately need people that can command. Unfortunately time in grade and graduation from some institution do not gurantee that. Having someone that has demonstrated this quality under fire is a commodity in short supply. He saved the ship and most of the crew. They trust him. He has proven he can do the job. Who else you gonna put in that slot? They can cross the T's and dot the I's later. Ther's a war on.

Maybe it is beacuse that is the ship in question. Had it been destroyed there would likely not be an issue. If it was not salvagible then a lesser vessle may make sense. Point is he has demonstrated he can work with that crew and ship and they need a CO that can command.

HtH

[CX]

My only nit is the LTCOMM being in command of a Daedulus. A Neptune or an Iceland maybe, but a Daedalus seems like it'd be between those.

In World War 2, there are examples of 1st Lieutenants commanding Battalions (a bird colonel job.) It's also intended to be a subtle way of pointing out the manpower shortages that Starfleet is experiencing.

Plus, a D-Class (right now) doesn't have the firepower that a Neptune has and Icelands are pretty much limited to planetary/system defense due to how slow they are...

I was trying to draw more of a naval parallel. The first thing that comes to mind for a LTCOMM is a sub, and I mean the old S-class subs. Other than that, maybe a frigate or a destroyer for a surface ship command, probably a COMM for a destroyer or a light cruiser, and a CAPT for a heavy ship.

[hth2k]

in WW II a destroyer Fletcher class ran 2500 tons loaded and a modern Arleigh-Burke class runs about 9000 tons loaded.

HtH