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Lt. Evans

The Captain John Harriman Appeal

After reading my post do you like or dislike Harriman?  

12 members have voted

  1. 1. After reading my post do you like or dislike Harriman?

    • Yes, he was a good captain and he deserved 'Enterprise-B'
      11
    • No, he was a poor captain and he didn't deserve 'Enterprise-B'
      1


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Name: John Harriman

Rank: Captain

Born: 2258

Origin: Human

Birth place: New York, New York, Earth

Assignment: U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-B

Previous: U.S.S. Saratoga NCC-1937

Academy class: 2278 (94th percentile)

 

Achievements: Medal of Honor, 2283; Starfleet Citation for Conspicuous Bravery, 2287

 

Academic performance was in top percentile until final year, when parents died in accidental crash of transport ship on Mars. Cadet Harriman refused one-year leave of absence, completed midshipman cruise aboard U.S.S. Thebes, graduated from Academy.

 

First posting: Starbase 331, supply shuttle pilot. Transferred to starship duty in 2279; assigned as junior helm officer, U.S.S. Tucson. In 2280, Promoted to lieutenant, junior grade.

 

In 2282, transferred to U.S.S. Danforth as senior helm officer. In 2283, promoted to Lieutenant, after leading succesful landing party to rescue downed shuttle crew on a Prime Directive-protected planet with a pre-warp civilization.

 

In 2286, transferred to U.S.S. Midway, as second officer and science officer. Decorated and promoted to lieutenant commander, 2287, after risking life to complete a mission that saved 283 colonists from natural disaster on Cestus IV.

 

In 2289, named first officer of U.S.S. Saratoga by Captain Sevok, promoted to Commander. Served on four-year mission of exploration in Beta Quadrant, cataloging gaseous anomalies and stellar phenomena.

 

In 2293, promoted to captain of U.S.S. Enterprise-B for its maiden voyage. The unfinished ship was unprepared to mount a rescue of the S.S. Lakul, trapped in an anomaly known as 'The Nexus'. With the assistance of Captain Kirk, Harriman saved the Lakul and most of its passengers and crew.

 

Family: Wife and son (Sloane and Ferris)

Residents: Chicago, Illinois, Earth

Interests: Starfleet history, trout fishing, 20th-century Italian sports automobiles

 

Click for Spoiler:

aruck3.jpg

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I liked him. Sure he was inept but it was his first day. That post makes him seem so much better, it proves he's qualified. he may just have been nervous and intimidated having 'living legends' on his bridge. He was also undermanned and was lacking equipment.

 

I've always liked Alan Ruck too. He was great in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Spin City.

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No, too inexperienced...

tried to avoid distress call...

He should have been courtmarshalled...

What an unworthy person for such a fine ship!!!

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Generations really does not give us a good picture of who John Harriman was. If one really wants to get to know him, read The Lost Era: 2311: Serpents Among the Ruins. That book is all about John Harriman and the Enterprise B. (It also tells the real story behind Tomed for those of you who are interested). Based on that book, he is not the greatest captain, but he was alright for the job.

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I think he was a good captain, you can't blame him for what happened in Generations, he had an imcomplete ship and was still managed to save most of the refugees of the Lakul and escape the Nexus. Kirk was going to get himself zapped out of our reality sooner or later anyway. :rofl:

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As Kirk put it. "You left space dock without a tractor beam?" A Captain is responsible for his or her ship. If the ship isn't going to be ready till tuesday you don't leave spacedock. Unless it is an emergency like some space probe coming to destroy the earth. No such emergency existed till after the Enterprise left for it's little jaunt across the solar system. However, once the emergency existed Harriman was right to find out if another ship could assist because of the lack of crew on board and the lack of equipment. I would even say he was right to try all the technobable stuff to try and pull the ships out of the Nexus. He failed when he couldn't think of the right thing to do which was to take the Enterprise in and get those people out. Kirk had to step up and assume command because Harriman dropped the ball. "Risk is our business." A Starfleet officer puts the wellbeing of others before his or her own life. If that means you face danger or even death or are willing to order those under your command to sacrifice themselves to save another's life or serve the greater good then so be it. If you aren't willing to make that call you've got no business sitting in the centre chair. Harriman in that one moment showed he wasn't ready for the captain's chair. Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Archer, Pike, even Janeway I'd follow but not Harriman.

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Hold on

 

1. Harriman was suppose to be ready for a disater which he had no idea was going to happen and couldn't possibly be ready for. Also, there is no reason to believe that Harriman was responable for the topedoes, tractor beam, or the medical staff. Archer didn't have a full crew aboard either when the NX-01 left dry dock.

 

2. Harriman was smart to avoid a poweful gravity distortion with a brand new ship. The dust had barely settled on the Enterprise and I get the feeling like they were only in space as a big show for the media. He knew they weren't ready, and made the desicion to go when he saw he had no other choice.

 

He wasn't the most experianced man, but the right stuff is there for a solid commander worthy of the Enterprise.

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Well, based on the bio i'd say that harriman was portrayed pretty badly in generations, even for that brief portion. I bet in reality (i'm talking figuratively, ok?) he would've shown a bit of "i'm pissed off and why didn't those idiots get the equipment here like i ordered them to?" type of attitude. I bet, knowing how increasingly political starfleet was getting when he got the chair, there were several people who weren't cooperating and the admirals were either too busy or didn't care :rofl: . I've heard of there at least being problems in our military along these lines, but it's more because a corporation screwed with the schedule somewhere.

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I liked him, although Star Trek Generations didn't give a good enough image of John.....

 

I would go under the assumption that all the Enterprise captains were great in some way or fashion, and Harriman closed the gape in between Kirk and Garrett....

 

*complains that all the new equipment won't come in by Tuesday....*lastresort.jpg42.gif

The Adventures of STF.net

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