morrell@hplabsb.UUCP (07/23/85)
I just saw Court-Martial last night and got confused. I would think a distinction could be made between a Red alert situation occurring and the Red alert actually being sounded. The question in the episode should have been "Was the Enterprise in a Red Alert situation when Kirk jettisoned the pod containing Lt. Cmdr. Finney?" and not worry about whether Kirk had the chance to press the Red alert button or not! Anyone have any thoughts on this?
markb@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Mark Biggar) (07/26/85)
In article <3012@hplabsb.UUCP> morrell@hplabsb.UUCP writes: >I just saw Court-Martial last night and got confused. >I would think a distinction could be made between a Red alert situation >occurring and the Red alert actually being sounded. >The question in the episode should have been "Was the Enterprise in a >Red Alert situation when Kirk jettisoned the pod containing Lt. Cmdr. Finney?" >and not worry about whether Kirk had the chance to press the Red alert button >or not! > >Anyone have any thoughts on this? Starfleet like any other military origanization has a "book" which is the standards, policies and procedures by which military personel are expected is to conduct themselves. The "book" probably says that a ship is not in "red alert" unless and until the captain (or maybe the officer with the comm) declares it to be so. In any courtmartial you can always be convicted of not following the "book", even if what you did turns out to have been the best possible outcome. There is a case recorded in the british navy of a third lieutenant who during the course of a battle pulled the captain (who had been shot) below decks, came back up and descovered that all other officers had been killed, took over control of the ship and won the battle. But, because he had not been given permission to help the captain, was tried for "desertion of command while under fire" and hung. Note that even though in all probability going below saved his life which enabled him to save the battle, he was still found guilty because he violated the "book". Mark Biggar {allegra,burdvax,cbosgd,hplabs,ihnp4,akgua,sdcsvax}!sdcrdcf!markb
edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) (07/27/85)
In article <3012@hplabsb.UUCP>, morrell@hplabsb.UUCP writes: > I just saw Court-Martial last night and got confused. > I would think a distinction could be made between a Red alert situation > occurring and the Red alert actually being sounded. > The question in the episode should have been "Was the Enterprise in a > Red Alert situation when Kirk jettisoned the pod containing Lt. Cmdr. Finney?" > and not worry about whether Kirk had the chance to press the Red alert button > or not! > > Anyone have any thoughts on this? It always seemed to me that the emphasis in that scene was the *light* indicating RED ALERT and then the button to jettison the pod. Also, the enterprise is not in red alert until the captain (or senior officer on the bridge) orders said alert. If the conditions have become that serious, the captain MUST order the alert in order to create such a situation. The whole thing is rather silly though. The captain can order you spaced in your underwear red alert or no. As a military commander he has that much authority. T'was an excellent story, but you've got to try and ignore that fact. -edg -- -edg UUCP: {hplabs,dual,ptsfa}!well!micropro!edg USPS: Ed Greenberg MicroPro Int'l Corp 33 San Pablo Avenue; San Rafael, CA 94901 MABELL: 415-499-4096 COMPUSERVE: 76703,1070 MCIMAIL: EDG
hkr4627@acf4.UUCP (Hedley K. J. Rainnie) (07/28/85)
Under the circumstances, I would consider your question to be
splitting hairs and would feel compelled to split a few myself. In
the event of a Red Alert, the Captain has the duty to inform all
operating personnel of the emergency condition so that they may carry
out their duties. Also, note that the ship designers had the fore-
sight to place the jettison switch directly below the Red Alert actuator
on the command console. This provides a clear indication of Starfleet
policy in such matters. Furthermore, Starfleet policy reads that duty
personnel in an ion pod during Red Alert are expendable while those in
said pod during any other condition are not.
Since the Captain's decision to call any alert is based solely on
data he can perceive from his position on the Bridge (most of which is
provided by the Bridge duty personnel), it is inconceivable
that a situation would arise wherein the Captain would have to frantically
jettison the pod without even pressing the Red Alert button first.
The record clearly shows the pod being jettisonned prior to any
declaration of Red Alert, thus violating Starfleet policy and the civil
rights of the ion pod occupant. This service has no choice but to call
to order a High Tribunal of Review to oversee the course and proceedings
of a General Court Martial of James Tiberius Kirk, Captain of the USS
Enterprise.
R