Why do a Kolvoord Starburst in "The First Duty"?

[eepruls]

I recently watched "The First Duty" again and have pondered this question for years. In the episode we learn that Nova Squad was attempting a "Kolvoord Starburst" for the commencement ceremony. After it is discovered at the end of the episode that they were attempting this illegal maneuver, they are almost expelled, their credits for the year are erased, and they have to redo the year. Picard also tells Wesley that they will have a hard time with their classmates because they know what they've done.

So my question, what was the point of attempting a Kolvoord Starburst? If you're doing it for the 'Commencement Ceremony', that would mean that you want everyone to know you successfully did it. But since it's illegal, Starfleet would expel you. It's not like only your friends would know you did it but Starfleet wouldn't.

Are the classmates going to give Nova Squad a hard time because Josh died or because they were doing the illegal maneuver in the first place. If it's because Josh died, a death from a dangerous trick is always a possibility and while sad, I couldn't see the classmates who thought it would be cool in the first place, giving Nova Squad a 'hard time'. If the classmates are angry at the fact that they were doing the trick, why was Nova Squad attempting it?

Am I missing something?

 

[Penta]

You aren't. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, either.

 

[Holdfast]

*shrug*

I'm guessing they figured teh awesomeness would blind the admiralty to the illegality of the maneouvre. Stranger things happen. And in Star Trek, quite often.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Yeah, they tried to emulate James T. Kirk. Keep in mind that Kirk had received a commendation for original thinking after cheating on the Kobayshi Maru test.

They just tried to be more awesome than Kirk. In Starfleet, you don't advance by playing it by the book. You have to show that you've got balls. Therefore I partly blame the culture of Starfleet for the accident in "The First Duty".

 

[USS Triumphant]

Therefore I partly blame the culture of Starfleet for the accident in "The First Duty".

Indeed. It was shown again and again in TOS, and to a lesser extent in TNG, that the difference between breaking the rules and being in deep trouble, and breaking the rules and being commended for taking the initiative, is how things turned out in the end. Starfleet Command thinks the ends justify the means, apparently. If the students had pulled off their manuever, Command would have given the violation a wink and a nod - and would probably have given the participants plum assignments.

 

[Neutral Zone]

I think that they would've had a hard time because they should've been expelled. As for the Starburst they probably thought that they wold get away with it if they were successful.

 

[eepruls]

Yeah, they tried to emulate James T. Kirk. Keep in mind that Kirk had received a commendation for original thinking after cheating on the Kobayshi Maru test.

They just tried to be more awesome than Kirk. In Starfleet, you don't advance by playing it by the book. You have to show that you've got balls. Therefore I partly blame the culture of Starfleet for the accident in "The First Duty".

For some reason, I see Kirk cheating on the Kobayashi Maru Scenerio as different than doing the Kolvoord Starburst. Nobody thought you could win the Kobayashi Maru test. It was a no-win scenario. When Kirk 'won', it was a first. He did something nobody else had done (and nobody died). It was imaginative and different. While it was wrong, it was still amazing.

The Kolvoord Starburst was an illegal move where people could die. Everyone knew that you could do it but it would get you expelled. It was like drinking and driving! It wasn't heroic or innovative - it was a trick that was known and illegal. I just see a distinction.

 

[PorthosShadow]

I think there is a big difference between cheating on a test and performing a stunt that puts lives in jeoporady. Now an argument can be made that anyone cheating on a no-win scenerio kind of test and that gets into a position of authority could theoretically put lives in danger. However, Kirk or anyone cheating on The Kobayashi Maru scenerio could put lives in jeopordy much further down the road.

In the case of Kolvoord Starbust Manuever, that was a stunt that could kill or injury the participents pretty quickly. But back to the topic at hand, more than likely if they pulled it off the cadets would have gotten away with unless some admiral was feeling like running for higher office.

 

[Saito S]

Therefore I partly blame the culture of Starfleet for the accident in "The First Duty".

Indeed. It was shown again and again in TOS, and to a lesser extent in TNG, that the difference between breaking the rules and being in deep trouble, and breaking the rules and being commended for taking the initiative, is how things turned out in the end. Starfleet Command thinks the ends justify the means, apparently. If the students had pulled off their manuever, Command would have given the violation a wink and a nod - and would probably have given the participants plum assignments.

I disagree. What you are talking about - the Starfleet culture of "results above all" - refers to field results. Data disobeying orders in order to successfully expose the Romulans in "Redemption" is a good example. Following orders is important, but you have to be ready to think outside the box and do what needs to be done if you want to sit in the big chair. All well and good.

There was nothing at stake in "The First Duty." There was no mission. They were just getting ready for a ceremony. Starfleet would NOT look the other way and say "the ends justify the means." What ends? What would they have accomplished, even if they HAD pulled it off? Made a crowd of onlookers go ohh and ahhh?

IMO, if they had done it at commencement, even if they pulled the stunt perfectly and no one got hurt, all five of them would have been tossed on the spot.

And yes, the failure of the cadets in Nova Squad to consider this is a large dent in an otherwise excellent episode.

For some reason, I see Kirk cheating on the Kobayashi Maru Scenerio as different than doing the Kolvoord Starburst. Nobody thought you could win the Kobayashi Maru test. It was a no-win scenario. When Kirk 'won', it was a first. He did something nobody else had done (and nobody died). It was imaginative and different. While it was wrong, it was still amazing.

The Kolvoord Starburst was an illegal move where people could die. Everyone knew that you could do it but it would get you expelled. It was like drinking and driving! It wasn't heroic or innovative - it was a trick that was known and illegal. I just see a distinction.

There is a distinction, if you ask me; a huge one.

No one can die during the Kobyashi Maru. It's just not possible. Kirk's solution - while technically "cheating", did demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking. So I would see it being met with a bizarre mixture of praise and reproach, kind of like the reaction Sisko got from that admiral in "The Die is Cast" after he takes the Defiant on a daring mission to rescue Odo and Garak against orders ("But if you pull a stunt like that again, I'll court-martial you. Or I'll promote you. Either way, you'll be in a lot of trouble.")

The Starburst maneuver has the potential to cause injury or death (and what if they had pulled it off during practice, but then botched it during the ceremony, and one of their ships careened into the crowd?), and the potential benefit to anyone or anything of any importance of successfully pulling the maneuver off is none.

 

[WillsBabe]

Am I missing something?

I love your logic. When I have moments like this watching tv it really frustrates me that I can't tell the writers what I think about their lack of thought. Anyway, I don't think that you are missing anything, but I have to say that I tend to agree with Holdfast. The writers were probably expecting the audience to think that if they'd pulled it off the SF brass would have been too bowled over to remember that the manoeuver was illegal.

 

[eepruls]

I disagree. What you are talking about - the Starfleet culture of "results above all" - refers to field results. Data disobeying orders in order to successfully expose the Romulans in "Redemption" is a good example. Following orders is important, but you have to be ready to think outside the box and do what needs to be done if you want to sit in the big chair. All well and good.

There was nothing at stake in "The First Duty." There was no mission. They were just getting ready for a ceremony. Starfleet would NOT look the other way and say "the ends justify the means." What ends? What would they have accomplished, even if they HAD pulled it off? Made a crowd of onlookers go ohh and ahhh?

IMO, if they had done it at commencement, even if they pulled the stunt perfectly and no one got hurt, all five of them would have been tossed on the spot.

And yes, the failure of the cadets in Nova Squad to consider this is a large dent in an otherwise excellent episode.

For some reason, I see Kirk cheating on the Kobayashi Maru Scenerio as different than doing the Kolvoord Starburst. Nobody thought you could win the Kobayashi Maru test. It was a no-win scenario. When Kirk 'won', it was a first. He did something nobody else had done (and nobody died). It was imaginative and different. While it was wrong, it was still amazing.

The Kolvoord Starburst was an illegal move where people could die. Everyone knew that you could do it but it would get you expelled. It was like drinking and driving! It wasn't heroic or innovative - it was a trick that was known and illegal. I just see a distinction.

There is a distinction, if you ask me; a huge one.

No one can die during the Kobyashi Maru. It's just not possible. Kirk's solution - while technically "cheating", did demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking. So I would see it being met with a bizarre mixture of praise and reproach, kind of like the reaction Sisko got from that admiral in "The Die is Cast" after he takes the Defiant on a daring mission to rescue Odo and Garak against orders ("But if you pull a stunt like that again, I'll court-martial you. Or I'll promote you. Either way, you'll be in a lot of trouble.")

The Starburst maneuver has the potential to cause injury or death (and what if they had pulled it off during practice, but then botched it during the ceremony, and one of their ships careened into the crowd?), and the potential benefit to anyone or anything of any importance of successfully pulling the maneuver off is none.

Totally agree with your post. It's an annoying part of the plot that has made me question the reason for the damn maneuver for years. The episode is excellent and well-acted, however I find it hard to believe that Wesley would go along with some illegal trick and honestly think that Starfleet would just turn a blind eye if they do it successfully.

I agree that Starfleet would NOT turn a blind eye if they did it successfully. It wouldn't save lives or be part of a vital mission. It was just a stupid, illegal prank that put lives in danger.

Am I missing something?

I love your logic. When I have moments like this watching tv it really frustrates me that I can't tell the writers what I think about their lack of thought. Anyway, I don't think that you are missing anything, but I have to say that I tend to agree with Holdfast. The writers were probably expecting the audience to think that if they'd pulled it off the SF brass would have been too bowled over to remember that the manoeuver was illegal.

Thanks! This problem has always been so glaring to me because Picard spells out all the repercussions at the end of the episode when he and Wesley are talking in the garden. I, too have asked myself if the writers actually want us to assume that Starfleet would be fine if they did the trick successfully. What would be the point of it being illegal? What kind of precedent would that set at the Academy? Silly, silly, silly. I was actually hoping I was missing something!

What frustrates me is that all the writers had to do is tweak the idea. Don't make the Starburst illegal. Basically that solves the entire issue. Just make it a dangerous, difficult move that squads have tried for years but never done successfully, or something like that. Maybe Picard tried it when he was at the Academy and that's what he was referring to with Boothby. Make the plot more about the cover up of Josh's death while they were trying to do the Starburst during a training mission (the only time they have access to ships).

Basically, attempting the trick wouldn't be such a big deal to Starfleet but rather them doing it on training time and having a classmate die while the squad covered it up. In this way, doing the trick successfully at Commencement would indeed have been frickin awesome in the eyes of their classmates because it wouldn't be illegal. The ending of the episode as it currently is would make more sense because it would explain why everyone on campus would give them a hard time - death of Josh and covering it up. Starfleet's punishment would focus on Nova Squad covering up Josh's death and not them breaking a stupid law about doing a trick. Thus, no questions on our part about why Nova Squad would try an illegal trick with Starfleet Admirals standing at Commencement!

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

For some reason, I see Kirk cheating on the Kobayashi Maru Scenerio as different than doing the Kolvoord Starburst. Nobody thought you could win the Kobayashi Maru test. It was a no-win scenario. When Kirk 'won', it was a first. He did something nobody else had done (and nobody died). It was imaginative and different. While it was wrong, it was still amazing.

The Kolvoord Starburst was an illegal move where people could die. Everyone knew that you could do it but it would get you expelled. It was like drinking and driving! It wasn't heroic or innovative - it was a trick that was known and illegal. I just see a distinction.

Well, the point is: Nic Locarno didn't. And he managed to convince the other members of Nova Squad to see it the same way. They surely crossed the line. The problem is, Starfleet had failed to draw a clear line for its cadets before. In some cases you get a commendation when you break the rules, in other cases you're expelled. Starfleet Academy seemed to assume that cadets are always able to make a distinction between these two. Well, they didn't.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Um, I think the reason Nova squd would have had a hard time from the other cadets is that after Josh was killed they tried to cover up what they were doing. You can't trust someone who is willing to lie about something to cover their own ass.

 

[Vanyel]

I'm just really surprised they got off so lightly. The all conspired to hide a death. The death was done during the practice of an illegal maneuver and they covered it up. The death was an accident, but from what Wesley said they knew Josh wasn't up to the task. So they conspired to do an illegal maneuver, they knew that one member of the group wasn't a good enough pilot to do the maneuver, and they conspired to lie during the inquisition. Not only should they have all been expelled, they should have been arrested and put on trial. They got off way to easy and my bet is that the other cadets would have seen them as murders that got off easy because Wesley's mother is good friends with the Captain of the Federation's Flag ship. Had I been a cadet I wouldn't be able to trust them ever again. If I were a starship CO or starbase CO I wouldn't want someone like that under my command.

Paris was able to redeem himself because he was brought on board as a observer/consultant and there was no one better qualified pilot on Voyager after it was pulled across the galaxy.

 

[Green Shirt]

They did it because, speaking from experience,"college kids" do stupid things. I'm 50 now, and only half as dumb as I used to be.

 

[Nerys Myk]

For some reason, I see Kirk cheating on the Kobayashi Maru Scenerio as different than doing the Kolvoord Starburst. Nobody thought you could win the Kobayashi Maru test. It was a no-win scenario. When Kirk 'won', it was a first. He did something nobody else had done (and nobody died). It was imaginative and different. While it was wrong, it was still amazing.

The Kolvoord Starburst was an illegal move where people could die. Everyone knew that you could do it but it would get you expelled. It was like drinking and driving! It wasn't heroic or innovative - it was a trick that was known and illegal. I just see a distinction.

Well, the point is: Nic Locarno didn't. And he managed to convince the other members of Nova Squad to see it the same way. They surely crossed the line. The problem is, Starfleet had failed to draw a clear line for its cadets before. In some cases you get a commendation when you break the rules, in other cases you're expelled. Starfleet Academy seemed to assume that cadets are always able to make a distinction between these two. Well, they didn't.

Locarno killed a kid who looked like him and took his place. The kid's poor Dad didn't even notice the difference.

 

[Robert DeSoto]

Kolvoord starburst wasn't illegal. It was just banned by the Academy. If they pulled it off and it was successful, I'm sure the Academy would punish them, but not like they're gonna go to jail or something. And they would graduate as living legends.

And so what if you get into a little bit of trouble. Girls love the bad boys. Getting into trouble with the authorities is just gonna make more girls wanna sleep with them. As if the crazy flying stunts weren't already enough.

They're typical young people doing stupid shit to try and look cool. Everyone's done it. Most of us are fortunate enough that no one has died from it. But these kids took it to a level where they got more than they bargained for. It happens.

 

[sbk1234]

Um, I think the reason Nova squd would have had a hard time from the other cadets is that after Josh was killed they tried to cover up what they were doing. You can't trust someone who is willing to lie about something to cover their own ass.

This, and the fact that Wesley admitted that they pushed Josh into it, even though he wasn't ready.
Is the episode believable? Absolutely. It was stated that they were the "stars" of the Academy. The Jocks, if you will. I've known of numerous sports stars who thought they were above the rules. Both in school, and professional. Many get the mindset that the rules aren't for them. Also, as they were in college, they were young with poor judgment.
I used to wonder why would Wesley go to the academy, if he was already wearing a starfleet uniform, and had the privilages of an ensign. This episode showed exactly why he needed to be there, and how judgement was a major part of the education that was needed.

 

[A beaker full of death]

It's akin to buzzing the tower in Top Gun. It's showing off that you're a hotshot - part of the psyche that makes for a good officer in the first place.
I'm really rather surprised that so many (young?) viewers don't get that.

 

[Vanyel]

It's that they covered up and lied about how they were responsible for the death of a cadet that's at the heart of the matter. They committed perjury and homicide (what degree or kind I don't know, but I'm thinking Negligent Homicide.) If all they did was practice the maneuver and got caught, or if the accident did happen and everyone got out alive, then I can see the slap on the wrist as being a somewhat fair punishment. But a kid died. They were responsible because they knew he wasn't up to it and they pushed him into it and then they covered it up by committing perjury. They all should have been expelled and turned over to a civilian court, or if possible, court martialed. Can a cadet be court martialed?