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In the game you take command of the USS Sovereign - a prototype vessel that has finally had all its bugs worked out in 2378. Question is, could a 27 year old serve as the captain? Or would he/she be far too young to take command of a vessel of such size and power?

The reason I ask is because I have noted in some comics that Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise had his first command at the age of 28, and Captain Picard got command of the USS Stargazer at that very same age - and he kept HIS command even at that age for a record breaking 22 years of service.

I always thought Kirk was the record holder at 29 when he got the Enterprise, but 28 is close enough, I guess.

The episode Conspiracy establishes that Tryla Scott "made Captain faster than anyone in Starfleet history, present company included." So she beat Kirk, which would mean that 27 or so would be a reasonable if exceptional age.

That said... technically Scott made Captain faster, which is a slightly different thing than making it younger. If you recall, Picard botched his Starfleet Academy exams the first time, so he entered the Academy at 19 instead of 18.. so graduated at 23 instead of 22, and then rose to Captain (you say) at 28, six years later.

But what is Tryla Scott joined at, say, 25... then graduated at 29, and made Captain at 34, five years later? That would be making Captain faster than Picard, but not younger. Just a thought.

What really throws us for a loop is the Abramsverse. In that, Kirk joins Starfleet at age 22, the attack on Vulcan happens in his third year when he's 25, and then he gets command of the ship at the end of the movie, apparently, though not certainly, when he is still 25. Certainly he's the Captain by the following year.

So overall, whilst there's very little of absolute certainty, being Captain by age 27 is certainly within the realm of possiblity.

Graham Kennedy wrote:I always thought Kirk was the record holder at 29 when he got the Enterprise, but 28 is close enough, I guess.

The episode Conspiracy establishes that Tryla Scott "made Captain faster than anyone in Starfleet history, present company included." So she beat Kirk, which would mean that 27 or so would be a reasonable if exceptional age.

That said... technically Scott made Captain faster, which is a slightly different thing than making it younger. If you recall, Picard botched his Starfleet Academy exams the first time, so he entered the Academy at 19 instead of 18.. so graduated at 23 instead of 22, and then rose to Captain (you say) at 28, six years later.

But what is Tryla Scott joined at, say, 25... then graduated at 29, and made Captain at 34, five years later? That would be making Captain faster than Picard, but not younger. Just a thought.

What really throws us for a loop is the Abramsverse. In that, Kirk joins Starfleet at age 22, the attack on Vulcan happens in his third year when he's 25, and then he gets command of the ship at the end of the movie, apparently, though not certainly, when he is still 25. Certainly he's the Captain by the following year.

So overall, whilst there's very little of absolute certainty, being Captain by age 27 is certainly within the realm of possiblity.

Well 3 things to answer to those points:
1. According to information provided, Kirk was born in 2233, which means he gets command of the Enterprise when he is 31, which is in 2264, which WOULD make sense seeing as how the TOS second pilot took place in 2265.
2. Okay, so it would make sense, because in the game, the character is the first officer of the USS Dauntless, a Galaxy class starship under the command of Captain Robert Wright, in 2377.
3. Well according to some novels, he took command of the Stargazer when its captain was killed, which in a way IS established in canon by Q when he said it in Tapestry. So Picard took command in 2333, when he is 28 seeing as how his birthdate IS in 2305, which is established in Conundrum in 2368.

Meste17 wrote:

Graham Kennedy wrote:
So overall, whilst there's very little of absolute certainty, being Captain by age 27 is certainly within the realm of possiblity.

Well then that answers that, but another question remains: if that is so, would Starfleet most likely allow a 27 year old to retain his command of the USS Sovereign (the sister ship to the USS Enterprise-E) or would Starfleet reconsider and assign him a different command/ship and put someone older and more experienced in the center chair if that were the case?

In a sensible world you work your way up commands from smaller, simpler ships to larger more complex and prestigious ones.

We call that the real world because that is how most major militaries work.

Many smaller a/o less prestigious or rear-echelon ships will be captained by someone somewhat below the rank of captain.

Small ships in the Navy are usually commanded by Lt. Or Lt. Commanders.

Graham Kennedy wrote:In a sensible world you work your way up commands from smaller, simpler ships to larger more complex and prestigious ones.

I agree. However, the game clearly states that the character first took command of the Dauntless, a Galaxy class starship, after being her first officer, then takes command of the Sovereign.

Well then the game is a little silly.

But then the Enterprise was Kirk's first and only command, so I guess there's precedent.

Graham Kennedy wrote:Well then the game is a little silly.

But then the Enterprise was Kirk's first and only command, so I guess there's precedent.

If that's the case, I would agree.

One year necro!!!

In seriousness : Please take note of the forum rules on necro posting, to whit :

If you wish to contribute to a topic that has been dead for a while please make sure you have something of value to add to the topic and are not just posting for the sake of it. Posting in an old topic is referred to as Necroing and can be annoying if done often and without reason. Generally it is preferred that you start a new topic and summarise the existing points in the first topic. Please include a link to the previous discussions in your introduction.

In other words, please don't resurrect a year old topic to just say "I agree".

Thank you kindly.

Bryan Moore wrote:One year necro!!!

I apologize.