Star Trek down time

[Kilmore]

Captain Kirk, Spock, Bones and Scotty all work the same shift. Who runs the ship during the graveyard shift?

[BMalion]

The little known purple shirts

[Alessan]

I don't think it works that way. I mean, you rarely see the Enterprise attacked out of the blue - episodes usually start when they reach a planet, or encounter something in space, or receive a message from somewhere, giving the command staff time to assemble on the bridge. They probably take turns at the helm when they're in warp or in orbit, but their main job is to call the captain when something happens.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Assuming you actually mean who runs the bridge, McCoy is irrelevant to that discussion.

Anyway, they don't actually stand the same watches, at least not in routine flight; there are few episodes in which we see only Kirk or Spock on the bridge at the beginning and having the summon the other. (Okay, I admit it's usually Spock on the bridge first; I'm specifically thinking of the Corbomite manuever.) Speaking only of the TV series, I should think that the conn (control of the bridge) rotates among Kirk, Spock, Scott, Sulu, Uhura, and a few others in four-hour shifts -- again, in routine flight; helm, navigation, communications, science, the other stations would likewise rotate. But when they are nearing a destination that requires the "A" team, the officer at conn summons everyone else.

Someone will point out that we never see Uhura at conn. I reply that I am not responsible for NBC's sexism. ;) Anyway, she took the conn at least once in the animated series.

ETA: also, I'm not sure Kirk would ever actually stand a watch. He's always on duty, and so can take time away from the big chair whenever he feels like it. He has paperwork to do, and he clearly sees his main duty as leading away missions anway, so he may take the big chair largely when they are half an hour or so from a destination that will require a captain's presence.

[DrFidelius]

Spock pulls double shifts, because Vulcans need less sleep than humans. That puts him on deck with Kirk when Kirk has the conn.
Third shift is taken by a no-name extra shavetail lieutenant, who has standing orders to not allow anything interesting to occur on his watch.

[Alessan]

You know what you never saw on the Enterprise? Administrative work. I mean, running any organization involving several hundred people requires hours of meetings and acres of paperwork a week. Just once, I'd like to see Kirk sit in on a Payroll meeting.

[friedo]

You know what you never saw on the Enterprise? Administrative work. I mean, running any organization involving several hundred people requires hours of meetings and acres of paperwork a week. Just once, I'd like to see Kirk sit in on a Payroll meeting.

This is the 23rd century. That's what 22-year-old women with beehives, miniskirts, and go-go-boots are for.

[runner pat]

You know what you never saw on the Enterprise? Administrative work. I mean, running any organization involving several hundred people requires hours of meetings and acres of paperwork a week. Just once, I'd like to see Kirk sit in on a Payroll meeting.

Where would you cash a check?

Besides, I thought it was a no cash economy. ;)

[Kilmore]

Spock pulls double shifts, because Vulcans need less sleep than humans. That puts him on deck with Kirk when Kirk has the conn.
Third shift is taken by a no-name extra shavetail lieutenant, who has standing orders to not allow anything interesting to occur on his watch.

M'ress shaves her tail?

[KittenKat]

You know what you never saw on the Enterprise? Administrative work. I mean, running any organization involving several hundred people requires hours of meetings and acres of paperwork a week. Just once, I'd like to see Kirk sit in on a Payroll meeting.

Isn't it in "The Deadly Years" that Kirk signs some kind of report, and then later in the episode, after he starts to lose his memory, he asks a crewman to give him the report to sign and the crewman says he already signed it?

[silenus]

ST:TNG finally answered that question in their series. Og course, they had Data.

[DrFidelius]

Don't go there, Klimore. But waxing is more traditional.

[The Hamster King]

Just once, I'd like to see Kirk sit in on a Payroll meeting.Isn't that pretty much every episode of Next Generation?

[kunilou]

ST:TNG finally answered that question in their series. Og course, they had Data.

Not only Data, but there was one episode where Crusher had the conn and one where (shudder) Troi was on command duty.

[FordTaurusSHO94]

There was also an episode where Riker was filling out forms for yearly crewman evaluations. Martok also tried to turn down a promotion because he didn't want the extra paperwork that came with it.

[Tom Tildrum]

TNG had those little clipboard-looking thingies for reports and signatures.

[aceplace57]

Kirk signed a lot of clipboards. I don't recall Picard ever touching paperwork. Drank a lot of Earl Gray tea and polished his chrome dome.

[bouv]

ST:TNG finally answered that question in their series. Og course, they had Data.

In Voyager, it was shown a few times that Harry Kim was in command during third shift on occasion.

[Voyager]

TNG had those little clipboard-looking thingies for reports and signatures.

TOS had them also. In the early shows Kirk was often busy signing things before the big event hit. They went away when the writing got sloppy and they stopped treating the Enterprise like an actual navy ship.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Kirk signed a lot of clipboards. I don't recall Picard ever touching paperwork. Drank a lot of Earl Gray tea and polished his chrome dome.

On the other hand, they actually showed Picard's office, which was clearly separate from his (enormous!) personal quarters. And Picard (particularly as the seasons progressed) tended to spend most of his on-duty time there. We just don't see him poring over PADDs and his desk computer because, well, it's boring.

Sisko also clearly did a lot of paperwork. I think he mentioned to some junior officer (Worf? Nog?) that they'd hate that part of the job when they got to be captain.

[Rigamarole]

Sulu.

[mlees]

DeSalle held the conn for a time in Catspaw.

[cochrane]

Although Scotty was acting captain when both Kirk and Spock were away from the ship, I don't think he ever put in for command training. He'd rather be in the engine room with his "bairns." And in the TNG episode "Relics," I believe he told Geordi, "Whatever you do, don't let them promote you."

[BigT]

In Voyager, it was shown a few times that Harry Kim was in command during third shift on occasion.

This is what leaves me to believe that Chekov probably took command. (Kim was an Ensign for seven years.)

[drastic_quench]

Captain Hefner takes the bridge. So make yourself a cocktail, sit back, and relax - because it's Star Trek After Dark.

[JoelUpchurch]

Someone will point out that we never see Uhura at conn. I reply that I am not responsible for NBC's sexism. ;) Anyway, she took the conn at least once in the animated series.


They couldn't put her at the conn, because the camera would have been looking up her dress. Too bad, it would have done wonders for the ratings.

[GuanoLad]

TNG had those little clipboard-looking thingies for reports and signatures.I believe they were called iPads.

Actually they were called PADDs, or Personal Access Display Device.

[Quasimodem]

Conn? Con. Cahn?

Kaaahhhhhhhnnnnnnn!!!!!!

Sorry, y'all. ;)

Q

[FordTaurusSHO94]

I believe they were called iPads.

Actually they were called PADDs, or Personal Access Display Device.

I believer there's an LCARS app for the iPad...

[Intergalactic Gladiator]

There was a book somewhere that had Chekov on the bridge during the night shift, which explains how Kahn could remember his face a year before he was on the series.

[Skald the Rhymer]

There was a book somewhere that had Chekov on the bridge during the night shift, which explains how Kahn could remember his face a year before he was on the series.

People who complained about that always vex me. None of the characters on 60s!Trek had a specific intro or exit episode, and it was canon that the ship had a complement of 400-some officers and crew. It's easy to imagine that Chekov was serving on the Enterprise before we saw him.

[Skald the Rhymer]

I believer there's an LCARS app for the iPad...

If I were willing to admit having read the Tech Manual, which of course I am not, I would confirm that. I would further add that according to the PM, one could in theory connect the PADD (wirelessly, course) to the helm console and pilot the ship thusly, though the Manual conceded it would be an exceededly stupid idea likely to end in court-martial if you were lucky and death if you were not.

But, alas, I am not willing to admit having even touched the Tech Manual, so I cannot share any of that.

[Lare]

Someone will point out that we never see Uhura at conn.

Actually if my ever-failing memory serves me correctly, there was an episode where she was sitting in the Big Chair. It was just for a short time before something happened that had her turn it over to Kirk. And her rank of lieutenant seems like it would at least make her plausible as a command officer. My memory also helps me recall that I was watching the show "Pioneers of Television" on PBS and they discussed this show and her. The narrator said she was fourth(?) in command and what a step forward it was for racial equality at that time. I realize this isn't cannon, but they must have had some basis for the claim.

[Lare]

Missed the edit window, but looking at the Memory Alpha website, I purloined the following picture caption:

Uhura initially wore the gold command uniform in "The Corbomite Maneuver" and "Mudd's Women."[/URL][URL="http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Mudd%27s_Women_%28episode%29"] (http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/The_Corbomite_Maneuver_%28episode%29)


If I were willing to admit having read the Tech Manual, which I think I will, I would point out that the gold shirts were in command. (Blue in sciences, and red in fodder.)

[Skald the Rhymer]

Actually if my ever-failing memory serves me correctly, there was an episode where she was sitting in the Big Chair. It was just for a short time before something happened that had her turn it over to Kirk. And her rank of lieutenant seems like it would at least make her plausible as a command officer. My memory also helps me recall that I was watching the show "Pioneers of Television" on PBS and they discussed this show and her. The narrator said she was fourth(?) in command and what a step forward it was for racial equality at that time. I realize this isn't cannon, but they must have had some basis for the claim.

She was only at the conn (i.e., Kirk's default position, the center seat) in the Animated series. I recall her being at the HELM (Sulu's position the pilot's chair) once. And, of course, techically and confusingly, either the pilot's chair or the captain's chair can be called Helm or Conn; in the case of the center's seat, the usage is metaphorical.

Actually it wouldn't surprise me if, by Picard's time, you could pilot from the captain's chair in a pinch, though it would be difficult and under most circumstances pointless. And of course you can do anything from Ops (Data's post).

Missed the edit window, but looking at the Memory Alpha website, I purloined the following picture caption:


[/I]If I were willing to admit having read the Tech Manual, which I think I will, I would point out that the gold shirts were in command. (Blue in sciences, and red in fodder.)

Noen of us are willing to admit reading the Tech Manual, of course. But I can easily see Uhura moving from around from department to department; it's just that she settled early in the series. It's canon that Sulu did likewise; one early episode noted that he was a botanist.

My impression was that the most junior officers, not yet specialized, wore gold as well as the captain (who, of course, is respnsible for everything, and thus no longer specializes). And by TNG, that was clearly true of the first officer as well (except that the color changed from gold to red).

[Arkcon]

Picard was always doing paperwork. Just about every time he's needed, he's in his ready room, looking at his "laptop", which was apparently fused to the desk. Captain Janeway also used this faux laptop. They were always deep in thought, huddled over it, then you get the chime, then they look up, and say "Come" or whatever, then dialog can begin. Like it would have spoiled the theme, if they were resting, or looking out the window or something.

Almost takes me out of the show. Oh look, the epitome of human technology in antimatter physic, massive construction, warp technology but the very best way to enter and review information is the laptop, and the iPod.

At least Sisko's computer was built into his desk surface. But I'm pretty sure I've seen that layout in some movie about Wall Street, or maybe in the original Tron

[DWMarch]

Actually it wouldn't surprise me if, by Picard's time, you could pilot from the captain's chair in a pinch, though it would be difficult and under most circumstances pointless. And of course you can do anything from Ops (Data's post).

This is shown in Generations. Helm control gets knocked out, leaving Troi with nothing to do but sit there. Data takes over the piloting from Ops... and crashes right into the nearest planet. Troi always gets the shit for her "bad driving"!

And of course in Insurrection, Riker steers the ship from the captain's chair with the "manual control column" which was nothing more than a Sidewinder joystick on a post IIRC.

[Intergalactic Gladiator]

Actually it wouldn't surprise me if, by Picard's time, you could pilot from the captain's chair in a pinch, though it would be difficult and under most circumstances pointless. And of course you can do anything from Ops (Data's post).


Don't forget the pop up joystick that they can use if absolutely necessary.

[carnivorousplant]

DeSalle held the conn for a time in Catspaw.

I would think he would be in command on some watch. Uhura is communications, not command, and wouldn't be in command.
The animated series wasn't real, folks, it was a cartoon.4
:)

[Skald the Rhymer]

Picard was always doing paperwork. Just about every time he's needed, he's in his ready room, looking at his "laptop", which was apparently fused to the desk.


I always thought so too, but I recently watched an episode in which they were experiencing some spatial anomaly technobabble bullshit causing random places on the ship to go all immaterial on 'em. Picard walks into his ready room and sees all the crap that should have been on the desk, including the laptop, on the floor. Thus I suspect that laptop was adhered to the desk, but not physically part of it.

Why they didn't get the fuck out of Dodge at the first sign of KittyPryditude is nearly as great a mystery as my sudden use of profanity in every goddamn sentence.

Don't forget the pop up joystick that they can use if absolutely necessary.

See, I'm very torn here. On the one hand, the movie you refer to guest-starred Donna Murphy, whom I adore. On the other hand...

No. No, I can't make myself do it. I am not not going to admit any such movie was ever made.

This is shown in Generations. Helm control gets knocked out, leaving Troi with nothing to do but sit there. Data takes over the piloting from Ops... and crashes right into the nearest planet. Troi always gets the shit for her "bad driving"!


It was ALWAYS clear that Data could control every system from his panel. Well, actually any of the bridge panels could be reconfigured to handle any bridge system but Ops was meant to overlook everything. And clearly it was the most important bridge station.

[JThunder]

There was a book somewhere that had Chekov on the bridge during the night shift, which explains how Kahn could remember his face a year before he was on the series.
That was Final Frontier (which, BTW, was written long before the fifth Star Trek movie was titled).