Data.

Originally posted by Highlander II
well - i guess my question was b/c Riker made a big deal about Troi not being able to stand watch on the bridge until she passed the Commander's test -- but Data is given the responsibility and he's only Lt. Cmdr. ---

i understand he might never choose to take the test, i just didn't understand why he was able to stand watch on the bridge having not made Commander ---

He did have a lot of experience though. Anyway, Trek is very inconsistent about what is a bridge officer, watches etc. Read the "Is Starfleet Military" thread for more discussion.

I also wondered why Data never took the command test when Troi and Crusher did. However, he did have the taste of command in 'Redemption II' TNG (when he wins over the skeptical and blatantly anti-android rascist crewmembers with his apparent disobedience to Picard), and also when he evacuated Tau Cygne V in 'Ensigns of Command' TNG (when the colonists refuse his requests for them to leave their threatened planet.)

The disobedience plot in 'Redemption II' is simply a contrivance to add tension, because instead of arguing with his first officer about the interpretation of Picard's orders, he could have just asked Picard if he could try a different method to detect the Romulans. But Data seems so comsumed with guilt about not following full compliance with Picard's direct orders, that maybe he decided that command was not for him.
 
yes - he has plenty of experience --

okay - another question -- does promotion to the rank of Commander *require* the test? or, is it based on other things? based on Data's lack of rank advancement, i would assume one would have to take the test -- it just seems really odd -- (thinking in terms of JAG here - b/c Rabb was promoted, at least, twice, recently to Commander -- however, there still is a guy who's been a petty officer forever - how long does one remain a petty officer anyway??) ---

haven't seen (at least, not in a long time) the eps you referenced, Dave - however, when they air again, i'll be paying close attn to detail and make sure i pick up stuff (love watching stuff for the 2nd, 3rd time) so - i can't comment ---

but - i'll be on the lookout --

and it is unfortunate that writers have this knack for *ignoring* previously established canon facts -- or even inferrences --
 
I believe that they do have to sit the command test. You said about Deanna Troi sitting it, and that episode proves it.

Troi undertakes the Starfleet training programme for field promotion to Commander in 'Thine Own Self'. She must keep on sitting this 'Kobayashi Maru' like holodeck test, in which she must order a subordinate to die in an appropriate situation. She passes and is promoted.

Then they get her to crash the Enterprise-D in 'Generations' which was blatant sexism!

I'm sure that Beverley sat the test as well, I remember an episode when she said she liked working the night watch (how you have a quiet watch in space I give up on though -- they would have three watches with three sets of officers rotating)

The used to leave Beverley in charge earlier than that though, in 'Descent II' they all go down to the planet while she has to repel a Borg attack.
 
Isn't strange how the writers minds worked? One way for one person, another way for someone else?


annette :)
 
(saw the military discussion part - )


and - as for 'a quite watch in space' --

good question --- and, aside from watching a clock - how do they know it's night?? and wouldn't they rotate the watches? ie: the captain and his 'main' crew work a night watch one day, then a few shift to a morning, then and evening -- kinda of a rotating thing? or does every species in the galaxy work on the same clock schedule as the Federation? somehow, i just don't see this as being the case --

aren't 'night attacks' good for 'surprising' the 'enemy'??


and what's the federation day? it's not 24hrs, it's a little different - like 27hrs or something like that???
 
well on DS9 its 26 hours, they were running on Bayoran time...

There have been some instances of things happening while the main crew were not on duty,ie Picard being woken up with an improtant msg, or things happening during their off time, eg the holodeck stuff..
In hte event of a big disaster the main crew often seem to pull extended shifts, eg "we will arrive at such-a-planet in 7 hours, sir" and 7 hours later they're still all on the bridge...
 
It's another big inconsistency, but required to make a good story I guess. It is fiction not a documentary. I just think it would be better if they weren't all on duty at the same time, (and when the aliens of the week attack no one is off duty.)
 
oh - and since this is the Data thread -- does the android ever get any 'down time'?? he seems to always be 'available' --
i mean, i understand that he doesn't need to sleep - but, if he is 'endeavouring to be more human' wouldn't he want something of a social life??

i was watching 'Data's Day' yesterday (i do have some stuff on tape) and he wasn't on the bridge for most of the day - he had the night watch - b/c he was preparing for the wedding (and this is about the only time we see the bridge watch NOT have all the 'major' ppl on it - Riker comes to relieve Data, but Picard isn't there - he's hardly in the ep at all, really - and Data takes over from Worf for the night watch again) --

i like this ep for a number of reasons - it's one of the only ones where there isn't some 'major' alien conflict - yes, there is the Romulan thing, but that's minor - and it probably represents a more 'typical' day in the life of a Starfleet officer on board a starship -- b/c ya gotta figure, there's no way they could ALWAYS have conflicts --- the crew would suffer massive psychological problems -- and - it focused on Data - my fave character from TNG --

question tho -- does Brent Spiner actually know how to tap dance, or did they use a double? if they used a double -the editing crew did an amazing job of meshing the scenes together --
 
Data does sleep sometimes I don't know how offen tho and there are ep were he's just hanging with his friends
 
Data does not need to sleep... he does calculations....
 
Data doesn't NEED to sleep he likes to sleep so he can dream
 
okay -- new question --

what about Spot --

what happened to the cat after ST:Generations??

Data was so concerned about the cat, but after that, we don't see it again. (And, it's been a while since i've seen Generations, so, forgive me if i've forgotten something)

poor Spot --- esp after all those odd transformations he/she went through ---- what an odd cat ---
 
In the early episodes of TNG Spot the Cat was a somali but then changed to a ginger cat of some sorts.

I have a Somali cat who is the spitting image of Spot. She's such a sweet heart.


annette :D
 
Spot was also called 'He' until it had kittens!! and after was then referred to as a 'She'. I think that either Geordi or Worf (who both looked after it on occasions) accidently killed the original, by replicating the wrong dietary supplements, and they replaced it with something similar, Data wouldn't realise, as he's not programmed about Cats in detail yet.

After Generations Spot decided that space travel was unsafe, and it opted to stay on Veridian III, that's the reason he was hiding from Data and Troi.
 
:lol: lol!! that's funny --

you're right - space travel is probably not very safe for a cat -- or other animals for that matter --

do you suppose something tragic might happen to Porthos which will prevent further toting of pets onto starships?? until Data gets his cat?? tho, Picard has a fish -- Q likes the lionfish --
 
I have been saying this in another thread... In the new Enterprise series Captain Archer takes his dog into space and on away missions ????

Crazy
 
yes - he probably is crazy -- but, i kinda understand taking the dog w/ him -

if you were gonna go on a long trip - wouldn't you take your pet?? (remember, you don't yet live in the 24th century) --

people take their pets on vacation now -- so, why not into space?
tho the away mission thing is really weird ---- Spot never got to go on an away mission --- crazy cat probably could have saved a couple of those red shirts from biting the dust ---
 
awwww why does every one pick on the cute little pets?
 

Similar threads


Back
Top