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joshuaalbert · 2 years

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ok so this is another thing I’ve never done a lore deep dive on bc I try not to spoil too much for myself so all I know is what I’ve seen onscreen, and other people have definitely talked about this concept way more and whatever, but like. i have to believe after some amount of time of people taking the kobayashi maru it becomes pretty common consensus that it’s a no-win kind of deal. i feel like they kinda try to imply that people go in not knowing but there’s no fucking way everyone keeps their mouth shut about that. and i think to keep trying at that point even knowing this requires a certain amount of...“rip to everyone before me but im different” energy, to the point where the legacy best of the best (kirk) will alter the test to make that possible. like yes I think it’s ultimately a humbling experience for a lot of people to find out that they (who have probably been exemplary their whole lives) cannot win, but the conditions of the test still require you to have the type of confidence that will allow you to go into a scenario you know is supposed to be unbeatable and still think that maybe you’ll be the one to handle it right.

so this energy is, to a degree, encouraged among cadets. if you are going to command, you need to learn to make challenging decisions even in the face of impossible scenarios without losing your crew’s faith in you, so that kind of confidence and belief in oneself is necessary, but then we also see how easy it is for it to tip over that line. surprise surprise im talking about the first duty again but the nova squadron crash is such a front and center examination of that determination turning into hubris. they LITERALLY go “rip to them but we’re different” about the five people who died doing the kolvoord starburst last time, and they pay for that dearly, even if it’s not on the exact same level of catastrophe. and it’s easy to judge them more harshly because this was a demonstration and one of them died because they wanted to show off, but when your organization operates to some degree off your commitment to believing you can be the person to succeed where everyone before you fails, i think you’re inevitably gonna get things like this sometimes. in the grand scheme of things it’s a small example, but I still think it’s a really interesting examination of how one of starfleet’s greatest strengths that’s encouraged in its trainees is also so easily capable of being ruinous the second you step over a line that’s NOT always clearly defined, and in fact is often defined in retrospect by the outcome.

#also ik the academy entrance exam changes every fucking time it’s brought up so it’s useless to have conspiracies about it but #one of my real early on ones was that I wouldn’t be surprised if basically everyone fails it once #so if you keep trying you clearly want it badly enough and have the confidence to think you have something that’s worth their time #idk what any of this is it’s not groundbreaking I just like saying shit #san rant #like I do feel like they try to imply it’s kept secret but do yall know how much shit I knew about like #my university athletics department that I wasn’t supposed to know

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sallytwo · 7 months

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SPOILERSSSSS

THE KOLVOORD STARBURST ON HIS JACKET. ARE YOU. KIDDIN .E ME

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universalimagines · 2 years

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Temporal Hijinks

So I started rewatching Stargate SG-1, specially the episode Window of Opportunity (again) and I got this amazing idea for a Spock x La’an story where the crew gets stuck in a time loop and of course, hijinks ensue. Hope you all like it!

If someone had told Spock he’d eventually get tired of scientific missions he’d have said they were being illogical but now he was certain they’d been right all along.

Some time ago, the Enterprise had picked up a chroniton surge from a planet near Deep Space K-7, subsequent investigation of the ruins on the planet hadn’t revealed much until Erica Ortegas accidently activated the altar at the center of the settlement. They’d failed to disable it and as a result, the two of them had been stuck in a time loop, one that recurred every 12 hours.

Each loop was always the same. They’d attempt to explain the situation to the crew, Doctor M’Benga would be called in to assess if they were both insane or not before Captain Pike eventually acquiesced and allowed them to try and undue the loop through translating the ruins. Unfortunately, the temple’s dialect was complex and even Uhura could only translate a small amount in each loop and most of their time was spent trying to recall what they’d learnt in the previous loops and writing it down.

The constant repetition had broken Erica several loops ago and Spock was close behind. They were now about 2/3rds of the way through what seemed like their thousandth loop. Spock finished adding the last data he recalled and passing off to Ortegas. He took a seat and let out a very audible sigh.

Una gave Spock a surprised look. She’d known Spock since he’d first come aboard the ship and this was the first time she’d seen him exhibit a very obvious display of exasperation. “How many loops have we been though?” She asked.

Spock sighed. “I stopped counting after about the eightieth loop.”

“I can’t imagine how bad that must be.” Una grimaced.

“It is indeed very frustrating.” Spock replied.

“But it might be an interesting opportunity.” Uhura added.

“Elaborate please.” Spock asked half-heartedly.

“Well if you know everything is going to reset every 12 hours, you could do anything for as long as you wanted and never have to be worried about the ramifications of your actions.” Uhura explained.

Suddenly an idea popped in Spock’s head. He turned to face Ortegas whom it seemed shared the same idea. They both quietly put down their PADDs and walked out of the room without a word to anyone as the two officers pondered what they should do first.

At first they’d separated to partake in their hijinks. Ortegas had taken a shuttle out on several loops to practice the Kolvoord Starburst maneuver, a dangerous flight maneuver she’d attempted while at Starfleet Academy. Whilst Spock had decided to use the time to catch up on reading the books on human sex that T’Pring had mentioned.

When the two decided to spend a few loops having fun together was when the real craziness happened. The pair had decided to prank every senior officer on the ship. Ortegas had to admit that she was surprised by how creative Spock’s pranks had actually been, his logical mind evidently just as skilled and finding ways to mess with people as it was with analyzing the mysteries of space.

They’d stolen Dr M’Benga’s tribble and let it multiply to the point that the ship was overwhelmed trying to contain them. Another loop they’d called Red Alert during the night shift, enjoying the sight of the entire command crew fumbling onto the bridge half dressed or in pajamas. Her favorite had been shaving off Captain Pike’s hair in the middle of the night leaving him completely bald. She’d even convinced Spock to wear it as a wig on the bridge just as the loop was about to reset.

However even hijinks got boring and Ortegas was ready to get back to undoing the loop. “You want to loop again?” She asked incredulously.

“There is one final activity I wish to use the loop for.” Spock admitted. “Once it is complete I will return to assisting with the translation.”

Erica shrugged and let him go about his business. Spock turned and headed straight for the nearest turbolift. He was relieved she hadn’t tried to follow. For he was absolutely certain if she knew, she’d never let him live it down.

“Computer time?” He asked.

“The time is currently 0827.” The computer replied.

“Three minutes left.” He whispered.

“Bridge.” He called and the turbolift began its movement upwards.

When it opened a few seconds later, he scanned the bridge for the person he was looking for and within a moment, he found her. La’an.

She was currently pacing around her console as one of the engineers was working on repairing it. Even now Spock couldn’t deny how beautiful she was. She radiated confidence and strength matched with incredible grace. Never since their mind meld following the Gorn attack, he’d been much more aware of how attractive she was and he imagined she wasn’t blind to notice the different way he looked at her.

He in turn had noticed that she too had noticed a change in her since the mind meld. Their relationship was always professional before the attack but now Spock had felt... something. But he couldn't put a finger on what it way. The interactions between them had become softer, with more emotion but neither of them had taken the next step.

He quickly realized his time was running out. Deciding it was now or never, he confidently walked over to La’an, his added presence getting hers, as well as the entire bridge’s attention. “La’an.” He spoke, getting her to turn around.

“Spock...” La’an began but she stopped when she felt his hand behind her head as he pulled her in her in for a kiss. It took her a second to realize that yes, Spock was indeed kissing her, in public and in front of the entire command crew. Her shock quickly gave way as she melted into his arms and decided to kiss him back. In that moment, she didn’t care that the entire command crew could see them. She was just happy the man she was falling for felt the same way about him. They continued to kiss for the few seconds remaining till the loop reset.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took a few more loops but they eventually figured out how to shut down the machine. The answer had actually been remarkably simple and Spock was somewhat annoyed it took so long for them to figure it out.

He was currently sitting at the mess hall reviewing the notes they compiled on the site when he noticed Una, Erica and La’an walk up to his table and sit down.

“So Spock we need you to settle a question for us.” La’an asked.

He put down his PADD. “Go on.”

“How many loops do you think we were in?” Erica asked. “I’m guessing we did at least a few hundred but La’an thinks it couldn't possible have been that many.”

“I cannot say for certain.” Spock admitted. “I myself lost track by the eightieth loop. Though I doubt we were stuck for more than 150 loops.”

La’an smirked at Erica clearly pleased her assessment was the one Spock supported.

Una then chimed in. “150 loops. That’s incredible. In all that time, were either of you ever tempted to do something crazy?”

“Define crazy.” Spock asked hesitantly.

Una shrugged. “Hey no judgement. But you were stuck in a loop where everything reset every 12 hours. You could’ve done anything you wanted and never have had to face consequences.”

Spock took a sip of the water he had been nursing praying that Erica hadn’t said anything. “To use such time for hijinks instead of resolving the loop would’ve been illogical.” He answered, dodging the question.

Erica just smirked and stood up, walking behind Spock. “Yes and we all know Mr Spock is so logical. He would never take advantage of a situation like that. Like say by timing the end of one of the loops to plant a pretty passionate kiss on someone special.”

Spock nearly choked on the glass of water he’d been drinking at the moment. “She saw.” He though as Erica chuckled and walked away leaving Spock alone with two fellow officers staring at him incredulously. He knew that look on their faces. The two of them were not going to let him leave till he’d told them exactly what Erica was talking about.

And if history repeated itself, they’d find out.

#star trek imagine #star trek strange new worlds #star trek strange new world imagine #la'an noonien singh #spock #la'an x spock #la'an noonien singh x spock #time loop #hijinks

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startrekplotnthemes · 6 months

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Season 5 Episode 19 The First Duty

Picard is on his way to give the commencement address at Starfleet Academy’s graduation ceremony when it comes to his attention that Wesley Crusher was injured while attempting to perform a “Yeager Loop” in orbit, with another student, Joshua Albert, colliding with another ship leading to his death. What follows is an inquiry into the event, where fellow member of the Nova Squadron, Nick Locarno remakes that Joshua was nervous about flying and that it was his nerves that caused the accident. He blames himself for not making the call and allowing Joshua to fly despite his hesitance around flying the ship. The board reviewing the case accepts this fact yet also notes that the ships were not in their designated places while performing the said loop, leading to further investigation.

Picard performs a further investigation coming to the conclusion that Wesley and the rest of the squadron were attempting to perform the “Kolvoord Starburst” , a much more dangerous technique that had been banned due to the death of several officers who performed it. He brings his evidence to Westley who prefers not to answer the accusations. Picard informs him that an officer’s first duty is to the truth suggesting Westley come clean at the hearing or that he will be forced to do so himself. Westley is bombarded soon after by Nick who calls Westley selfish for not thinking of the whole squadron, encouraging him to cover up the story and look out for him and the others.

Cooking under the pressure Westley provides his recordings, feigning ignorance and incompetence. Faced with no further evidence beyond the smaller failures of the Nova Squadron members the admiral is prepared to drop the case when Westley speaks out. Unable to take the guilt, Westley cracks under the pressure and admits to having attempted the Kolvoord Starburst. Nick takes the blame insisting it was his pressuring that encouraged the members of the squadron to perform the loop. Nick is subsequently expelled while the rest of the members lose flight privileges and a year's worth of credits. Picard informs Westley that his future will be difficult as he pays for concealing the truth but commends him for coming out with it when he did.

This episode actually presents a moral dilemma many people face, though Nick Locarno does employ some heinous tactics in his manipulation of Westley. It is about following rules as written versus supporting people in your age group. People who ride and die with you and Nick who has gathered everyone together and sought to protect the squadron from dishonor. Knowing the writing and morals of the show and Starfleet it is obvious that Westley came out with the information, especially with Picard coming out with evidence against him but it has the very real counterargument of snitches get stitches. It can be difficult siding against your peers in favor of the rules yet Westley is a good member of Starfleet and reveals the truth in the end.

#star trek #star trek the next generation #star trek tng #westley crusher #jean luc picard #star trek the first duty

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torley · 7 months

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The logo on Nick's jacket, and painted on the Bird of Prey appears to be the Kolvoord Starburst. Props to TrekCulture on youtube for pointing that out...

#pinterest #Consumer Culture

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jimintomystery · 4 years

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TNG: “The First Duty”

The Enterprise returns to Earth so Captain Picard can deliver the commencement address at Starfleet Academy. The graduation ceremonies are to include a flight demonstration by Nova Squadron, but an accident during practice leaves one cadet dead, prompting a formal inquiry. Cadet Wesley Crusher and the rest of Nova Squadron close ranks to avoid taking the blame for the accident, but the Enterprise crew is determined to exonerate their former shipmate.

For all that Starfleet officers are depicted as being above status and vanity, we’re inundated with stories about those same officers, as Starfleet cadets, getting away with all sorts of impressive misadventures that made them who they are. Here, we confront the consequences of that trope. Nova Squadron wanted to do the Kolvoord Starburst maneuver, because it was banned, because they knew it would make them the stuff of legend, because Starfleet never reprimands anyone for these stunts when they’re successful.

So what happens when something goes wrong, and a cadet is killed? Well, it turns out if you build an institution around recruiting future Captain Kirks, you get students that would rather game the system than admit that they didn’t plan for failure. No one in this story really addresses Starfleet’s complicity in this problem, by creating a culture of “no harm, no foul” regulations, and officers who brag about exploiting that culture. Small wonder, then, that the civilian groundskeeper is the moral center of the whole organization.

This episode is probably best remembered for Picard’s stirring monologue about “the first duty of every Starfleet officer.” A lot of this went over my head in 1992, but over time it’s stuck with me. It’s easy to think Starfleet is just a bunch of cool dudes flying at warp speed and meeting interesting aliens and playing Sherlock Holmes on the holodeck. It’s easy to think it’s just about being a good officer, or explorer, or scientist. But none of that stuff means a damn without honesty and integrity. Picard’s not just talking about the truth Wesley is withholding from the inquiry; he’s talking about Wesley being honest with himself, because he knows it’s wrong.

Cadet Locarno is of course, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, who all but reprised the role in the form of Lieutenant Tom Paris on Star Trek: Voyager. The Star Trek wiki Memory Alpha is filled with competing theories about why the showrunners didn’t simply have McNeill play Locarno on Voyager, since Paris’s checkered past certainly resembles the controversies that bring down Locarno in this episode. Locarno seems more corrupt than Paris, and perhaps harder to mold into a “con man with a heart of gold” type of guy. Then again, early Voyager episodes struggle to justify the air of distrust surrounding Paris, so maybe making him seem more corrupt wouldn’t have been such a bad thing.

Some more trivia about Picard’s age: Picard refers to himself as “class of ’27,” presumably based on his 2305 birthdate in “Cause and Effect.” Boothby says he was the same age when Picard was a cadet as Picard is now, in 2368. This would make Picard 63 and Boothby over 100, whereas Partrick Stewart was 51 and Ray Walston was 77.

#star trek #tng #star trek: the next generation #welcome to the 24th century #tng season 5

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jadzia-suggestions · 5 years

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What are some Torias's favorite memories from Starfleet Academy?

Ah, the Academy! Those were the days. Where do I even start? I loved San Francisco, and the food was fantastic! I was a master of practical jokes, and I made some incredible friendships.

I also got into my share of trouble, but that was often the best part! In my second year, I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge -- by climbing the cables. Understandably, the municipal peace officers and the Academy Superintendent were less than impressed. I was brought up before a disciplinary panel and given a formal reprimand, but only after spending three days in the Academy Infirmary being assessed by psychiatrists. Once they figured out I was in it for the thrill, they calmed down a little: transitioned from anxious to irritated. Fine, fine people!

I did the Alcatraz swim in September of my third year and set the Trill time record, which I believe endures to this day. It was a very rewarding experience. I sort of wish I’d done it alone on a windy night, in the spirit of the legendary escape... but after the fuss about the bridge, I decided it might be better to stick to a sanctioned Academy outing. I’m a daredevil, but I never was reckless with my career!

But far and away my most treasured memories of the Academy come from my time as first a pilot, and then captain of the elite show flight squadron. We were a tightly-knit team, and some of the finest -- and most fearless! -- young pilots in the service. When Bolarus was inducted into the Federation, I led my team through a flawless Kolvoord Starburst at the signing gala. FLAWLESS!

The maneuver was banned from the Academy two years later when, tragically, a team trying to emulate our feat collided during the inversion phase and lost all hands. I mourn the loss of five fine young cadets, but it can’t quite taint the memory of skimming past my friends’ wingtips with less than ten metres to spare, igniting our plasma trails as we went! The trust, the skill, the thrill. WHAT A RUSH!

- Torias “Entropy” Dax

#Past Asks #Torias Dax

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pixiedane · 7 years

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Could you do Sito Jaxa / Wesley Crusher? I always thought that something happened between them,and that Jaxa's death was a contributing factor to Wesley leaving Starfleet.

I like it. I definitely wish we saw something of Wesley in between “The First Duty” and “Journey’s End” because the transformation is significant. Which does make sense, Wes goes through a lot in TFD, of course he’d be depressed about it. But because it plays (to me) as depression, I really dislike how he leaves. And especially how everyone just goes along with it. Because it’s his destiny to live on a higher plane of being or some nonsense.

I’d never considered that Starfleet, and specifically Picard/the Enterprise, getting Jaxa killed could have an impact on Wesley but even if they are just friends/former teammates it absolutely should! So thank you for making his disillusionment more painful and therefore better! Because not only does Starfleet send Sito to her doom, they give up on her. Missing, presumed dead. Plus I bet it feels like Nova Squadron is cursed (now I want to write a story from the pov of Jean Hajar, the last member standing – in the universe where Nick Locarno gets lost in the DQ).

So Nova Squadron spend all their time together. Especially before and after the accident. The Kolvoord Starburst operation took a lot of planning and training and I’m sure there were a lot of late late nights, some stressed out and exhausted, some celebratory and giddy, and that would lead to hook ups. I could ship Wes with all of them. Wes/Nick I’m like 90% certain happened. Wes/Jean makes my above pov story even sadder. Wes/Josh is a TRAGEDY that really needs to be written down. Wes/Jaxa is maybe actually the most happy option? Because what if, as I certainly prefer to believe, she’s not dead, and Traveling!Wes can go get her.

So Happy AU: Wes leaves Starfleet to hang out with the Traveler and through deep meditation on his broken heart realizes he can’t move on because her presence remains. He can sense her in the space time continuum. Traveler tells him to let it go Yoda style, but Wesley completely ignores him Skywalker style. He delves deeper and discovers where she is. Traveler is like, fine, tell Starfleet. Wes rolls his eyes because Starfleet is why she’s in this mess but contacts Picard. Picard believes Wesley, but he has to bring the intel to Command and Command says Hmmm, too dangerous for one lost ensign we’ve already decided is dead. Wesley says he’s never going to listen to Picard preach about Starfleet ever again and plots his own rescue because he is actually all powerful. Picard is concerned and secretly proud.

Wesley jets over to Cardassian space and plucks his girlfriend out of prison and then they both go to the Delta Quadrant to pick up Nick. But they don’t rescue Voyager because the Traveler shows up and is like, Wesley, you are destroying the timeline, please stop. And Wes is like, I kinda want to destroy everything but you said please so, fine. [insert Janeway #unimpressed face]

Traveler returns to his higher plane of existence and makes plans to steal Wesley’s kid as a baby so he can mold her from birth (Yoda style) because this ‘waiting for him to make his own decision about it’ was a disaster. Wes, Jaxa, and Nick return to the AQ, find Jean, and become space pirates.

Send me a ship and I’ll give you my (brutally) honest opinion on it and/or write a scenario

#response #pixie ships #sito jaxa #wesley crusher #nova squadron

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kimboatfloats · 4 years

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He’s a Total Locarno

My partner and I have a shorthand that when someone is a total moron, they’re a Locarno. It comes from Star Trek Next Gen when Nicholas "Nick" Locarno (played by Robert Duncan McNeill) is kicked out of Star Fleet for the failed Kolvoord Starburst maneuver. (Also important to say that someone died during the maneuver and Wesley Crusher was affected by this too)

In my headcanon, Nick was under an assumed name because he didn’t want to be connected with his dad Admiral Owen Paris. So he changed his name and tried to be a swaggerly flyboy and then well spectacularly failed and got a whole bunch of people kicked out of the Academy. So using his father’s clout he got back in under his own name, kept his head low, graduated and then eventually was dishonourably discharged because he killed some other pilots when doing the same shit he did when he was at the Academy the first time. He goes onto the Maquis, blah blah blah, Voyager. Etc.

Throughout this there’s a half-brother named Steve. Steve Locarno was the child of his mom’s first marriage and his father ran off when Steve was born. Captain Paris shows up and wants to marry Mama Locarno so he adopts Steve. Steve adores his step-dad even though Paris is out exploring the galaxy. Steve’s about 9 when Tom is born. Tom becomes the golden child and at the same time is given way more attention by Paris than Steve ever did.

Steve gets into Starfleet. Nobody cares. Steve graduates somewhere in the bottom of his class. He gets an assignment somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant as an engineer. Nobody cares.

FINALLY his stupid younger brother gets booted out of Star Fleet for doing something stupid. Finally someone might care. But no. Then Tom graduates and murders a bunch of people. FINALLY someone might actually care that Steve didn’t murder anyone while in Starfleet. Hell even Steve gets a transfer to Deep Space 9 to work in Engineering. But Tom has to go and join the Maquis and then disappear with Voyager.

FINALLY someone in his family might shut up about Tom and maybe Steve Locarno will get his stepdad’s attention for once.

Then Voyager has to contact everyone from the Delta Quadrant and be alive. GODDAMN IT STEVE.

So now, this imaginary headcanon has become a legit way for whenever something falls apart on DS9 (We’re watching through it right now) we both shout out, “GODDAMN IT STEVE!” The Defiant broke down and we were like, “GODDAMN IT STEVE!”

I’ve started to say, “Locarno” under my breath when someone’s really annoying in real life.

#goddamnitsteve #locarno

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wildishmazz · 4 years

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The curious case of the identity of Nick Locarno

This should be the last time I blather about this, but I wouldn’t swear to it.

Now, to be clear, I have not looked at dates for this. If they are fundamentally incompatible, I offer this: it was largely a coverup, so there will be some falsification, and I am going purely from what I noticed on screen, without digging deep.

Tom Paris says he was heavily pressured to resign from Starfleet. B'elanna reminds him that he got expelled from Starfleet Academy. How did he manage to do both?

It all starts with Admiral Paris having a parenting style that was essentially incompatible with his son.

He was strict. He was demanding. He wanted what was best for his son, and he thought the way to achieve it was tough love, and was sure Tom would, in time, appreciate what he did and agree that it was what was necessary. Tom, meanwhile, was an independent spirit who did not want to be constrained. He did not want to be prevented from stretching his wings, finding his own way, and making his own mistakes.

He did not want, in essence, to be considered nothing but an extension of his father - and from his perspective, that’s what his father was trying to force him to be.

(Let us also consider what happens when ADHD youngsters are treated as malfunctioning neurotypicals - overachieving but only ever at the last minute, after a fight, constantly hearing "See, you can do it when you try" when they've driven themselves into the ground to finally achieve the desired result, never feeling that they're good enough because they can't do it consistently, almost always getting good academic results until they reach a certain point and then suddenly crashing and burning; and consider the possibility that absent-minded, impulsive, well-meaning, dopamine-seeking Tom Paris might just be a teensy tiny little bit 110% ADHD)

His interpretation of his father’s attitude and commands was not that he was being directed for his own good, but to get him to obey, conform, and be a credit to the good Paris name.

Nonetheless, he(naturally) still wanted his father’s approval. So while trying to break free, he also kept trying to impress him.

As it happened, their interests did align in one respect: Tom wanted to be a Starfleet pilot.

However. Not wanting to be constantly associated with his father, held to higher standards than other students because of being a Starfleet brat with an Admiral for a parent, under greater scrutiny, having any mistakes he made pounced on gleefully by anyone who thought he got into the Academy by nepotism as proof that he didn’t deserve it, he persuaded the relevant people to let him apply under and go by a pseudonym.

Nick Locarno.

And doesn’t he do well? As graduation approaches, he’s the leader of an elite flying squad - the Nova Squadron.

But he’s been trying to reach impossible standards for his whole life. He reckons that ordinary high grades and achievements upon graduation will not be enough for his father.

So, he goes beyond the rules. Maybe considers overachievers of the past - James T. Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru, so if he wants a place in the canon of Academy legends, he’s got to do something more impressive than that.

Well, the Kobayashi Maru was a simulation. What if he does something in the real world? So, he looks at aeronautical(astronautical?) manoeuvres, the most impressive, the least achieved, the most dangerous; the illegal. He finds the Kolvoord Starburst. If he can pull that off, it’ll do the job. He’ll go down in history, as will the rest of the squad, he’ll graduate a legend; and maybe for once his dad will be impressed.

Only… it doesn’t work out. Turns out that that move’s illegal for a reason, and being a talented and determined teenager does not make you immortal.

One of the squad, his friend Josh, dies. It's a disaster and a tragedy.

But like fuck is he going to ask Dad for help with it.

He’s pragmatic - if the squad come clean with what they were attempting, they’re all in the shit. But if they can convince everyone that it was an accident, well, it may be a betrayal of Josh's memory but it won’t make him any more dead, and it will preserve the reputations and prospects of the remaining four. Tom’s responsible for them, too. He failed Josh, but there’s a chance he can do right by Wesley, Jaxa, and Jean. The manoeuvre was his idea; it's up to him to fix things. He can wrestle with his conscience on his own time.

Buuut then Picard weighs in, and Wesley comes over all honest, so it all goes tits up. He's doomed.

Even then, he has a choice.

He can passively go along with whatever happens and probably get expelled along with the rest of the squad, or he can take the initiative to try to protect them - volunteer for expulsion, beg clemency for his friends on the grounds that it was his fault really, not theirs, which is what he feels to be true anyway.

So he does that. It works.

And he probably feels a bit better, for a while. He did wrong, and he was punished. It doesn’t assuage his guilt much, but it beats getting away scott-free and having to live with the lie.

Only when Dad finds out, he's not having it.

Admiral Paris, presented with this catastrophe, sees a silver lining: at least Tom didn’t do this under his own name.

And he wants what’s best for his son, loves him a great deal more than Tom realises, and his judgement gets clouded. He could throw his weight around. He could pull strings, make threats, demand preferential treatment. He could get Tom back into Starfleet Academy, using his own unblemished name, he could get him a second chance.

He'd call for the instant dishonourable discharge of anyone he discovered engaging in such an immoral and unethical scheme, but this is different, this is his boy we're talking about here, this is for Tom. He's willing to sacrifice some self-respect for the sake of getting his son a second chance. He can wrestle with his conscience on his own time.

He does.

Tom doesn’t get a say in the matter. Father knows best, and will do/threaten what he needs to, to get Tom back on track and not let him throw his future away. Maybe he threatens disownment, completely cutting him off. Maybe he doesn't need to say a word; Tom's got precious few options available to him, he's grieving for his friend, he doesn't know what else to do.

So Tom, who barely had a crumb of redemption for what he did, has his atonement - his punishment - rescinded.

He dutifully goes back to the Academy, keeps his head down, keeps his nose clean, stays obediently under the thumb and watchful eye of his father and his proxies, despised by the faculty and anyone else who knows who he is, hating every minute of it.

And it’s not just his atonement that’s gone, it’s any semblance of independence. Anything he achieves now he owes directly to his father.

So he graduates, gets a commission, and realises that he’s still under his father’s scrutiny and always will be for as long as he's in Starfleet.

He snaps - two fingers up to Starfleet, two fingers up to Dad, he joins the Maquis.

The Maquis offers three things he’s craving: rebellion, freedom, and the chance for redemption. Fighting for the rights of people he doesn’t even know. Who could condemn a man who sacrifices his good family name and promising Starfleet career for the sake of strangers as selfish and mercenary? It won't bring back Josh, but it feels a damned sight better than doing nothing.

Admiral Paris, meanwhile, takes this throwing of his sacrifice and effort in his face(he did dirty himself morally, after all) as a sign that Tom is a lost cause, and swears that he will never use his position to get preferential treatment for his son ever again.

Now, between then and “Pathfinder”, he does a bit of introspection, maybe gets therapy, and realises that he was going about it all the wrong way and actually what happened was kind of inevitable and, in a knock-on sort of way, his fault.

Voyager gets lost in the Delta Quadrant, and he starts putting Tom’s picture on his desk again. A picture from the Nova Squadron trial, so he never forgets what he did and why, but to anyone who doesn't know exactly what happened it's just a picture of a young man in an old cadet uniform, in pride of place on the Admiral's desk. (The combadge in the picture switches from side to side depending on how far away you're looking at it from, which is a nifty optical illusion. Or a sign that someone in the props department took a while to realise that flipping the image would put the badge on the wrong side and people would notice so they fixed it for the closeup shot but shh)

But despite his mellowing and forgiveness, Admiral Paris sticks to his resolution - he will not seek preferential treatment for Tom. It didn’t work out well before, and he’s determined to stay on the straight and narrow.

Fortunately, Barclay was hyperfixated on Voyager(let's have some appreciation for the autistics in the house), and saved the day by breaking the rules.

But yeah. That’s how Tom can have been made to resign from Starfleet, as he told us in the pilot episode, while also having been expelled from the Academy, as mentioned by B'elanna in "Drive", 7 years later.

He went through twice, because he was also Nick Locarno.

#Star Trek #Star trek: TNG #Star Trek: VOY #Tom Paris #Nick Locarno #I wrote this #headcanon

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