History Recap / StarTrekDiscoveryShortTreksE07AskNot

* SecretTestOfCharacter: A fascinatingly multi-layered one. Cadet Sidhu is given orders, in the middle of an apparent Tholian attack on the Starbase, to watch the arrested Captain Pike until the situation is secure and he can be moved to the brig. Pike has a sympathetic story: he argued with an admiral who ordered him to cease rescue operations for the ''Bouman'' once the admiral was safe, Pike's refusal to do so resulted in his arrest. Even worse, the ship that Pike was trying to save is where Sidhu's husband is stationed, so she has a personal interest in seeing that ship and its crew rescued. When this is not enough to sway her to free Pike (so he can take command of the situation, stop the Tholian attack, and rescue the ''Bouman''), Pike begins quoting several regulations which would theoretically justify releasing Pike to take command, but Sidhu responds with relevant regulations that undermine Pike's arguments. Finally, Pike outright threatens to destroy Sidhu's career before it even really starts, and looks prepared to leave the room anyway, banking on Sidhu [[YouWouldntShootMe not having the guts to stop him]]. The test is for one's ability to adhere to orders, in the face of (in order): a LivingLegend with sympathetic motives, personal interest and emotional compromise, loopholes in regulations that would let you do something that you know is wrong but claim that you thought it was okay, and threats to personal well-being. Sidhu sticks to her orders on every count, greatly impressing Christopher Pike.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: We all know that Pike is a brilliant commander with a steel-trap mind and excellent memory (remembering the names and positions of ''Discovery''[='=]s bridge crew after only hearing them once, right before warping into a hazardous situation), but it seems rather odd that he knows this one cadet and is familiar with her personnel file, including her childhood trauma. Because this is all part of a test, and Pike is specifically interested in her joining the crew of ''Enterprise''.

* NecessaryEvil: Pike admits that the conditions of the test that Sidhu was put through were downright inhumane, but that the situations that they were training for were no less so.

A surprise attack on Starbase 28 leaves Cadet Thira Sidhu in charge of an unusual prisoner, and the decisions she makes while carrying out this duty may jeopardize her future in Starfleet.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: We all know Pike is a brilliant commander with a steel-trap mind and excellent memory (remembering the names and positions of ''Discovery''[='=]s bridge crew after only hearing them once, right before warping into a hazardous situation), but it seems rather odd that he knows this one cadet and is familiar with her personnel file, including her childhood trauma. Because this is all part of a test, and Pike is specifically interested in her joining the crew of ''Enterprise''.

* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: At the end of the episode, Sidhu asks Pike if the phaser she was using to hold him at gunpoint was active or not. Pike grins and leaves without answering.
* TheMutiny: Pike states that when the Admiral aborted the rescue mission and tried to relieve him of duty, he refused to let the ''Bouman'''s crew die and "it didn't go so well".

* NecessaryEvil: Pike admits that the conditions of the test Sidhu was put under were downright inhumane, but that the situations they were training for were no less so.
* PetTheDog: After the test is over, the ''very first'' thing Pike does is assure Sidhu that her husband is just fine, and Pike has in fact arranged a leave for him and he's on his way to spend some time with Sidhu.

** Pike threatens Sidhu with this as part of the SecretTestOfCharacter, stating that he won't forget her actions and will personally ensure her Starfleet career will stall and never see her aboard a starship.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Subverted. Pike keeps trying to get Sidhu to disregard her orders and let him go so he can try to draw the Tholians away and rescue the ''Bouman'', but she refuses to break protocol. This was all a test to make sure she would follow her orders even in a life-or-death situation.
* SecretTestOfCharacter: A fascinatingly multi-layered one. Cadet Sidhu is given orders, in the middle of an apparent Tholian attack on the Starbase, to watch the arrested Captain Pike until the situation is secure and he can be moved to the brig. Pike has a sympathetic story: he argued with an admiral who ordered him to cease rescue operations for the ''Bouman'' once the admiral was safe, Pike's refusal to do so resulted in his arrest. Even worse, the ship Pike was trying to save is where Sidhu's husband is stationed, so she has a personal interest in seeing that ship and its crew rescued. When this is not enough to sway her to free Pike (so he can take command of the situation, stop the Tholian attack, and rescue the ''Bouman''), Pike begins quoting several regulations which would, in theory, justify releasing Pike to take command, but Sidhu responds with relevant regulations that undermine Pike's arguments. Finally, Pike outright threatens to destroy Sidhu's career before it even really starts, and looks prepared to leave the room anyway, banking on Sidhu [[YouWouldntShootMe not having the guts to stop him]]. The test is for one's ability to adhere to orders, in the face of (in order): a LivingLegend with sympathetic motives, personal interest and emotional compromise, loopholes in regulations that would let you do something you know is wrong but claim you thought it was okay, and threats to personal well-being. Sidhu sticks to her orders on every count, greatly impressing Christopher Pike.
* SlippedTheRopes: When Sidhu passes the test, Pike casually congratulates her and reveals his restraints were never locked.

* YouWouldntShootMe: At the end of the test, Pike simply makes to leave the room, forcing Sidhu to arm and aim her phaser at him, prepared to stun him if he doesn't cooperate. Pike stares her down until he's satisfied she really would pull the trigger if pushed any farther, then relents, revealing the test.

* SecretTestOfCharacter: A fascinatingly multi-layered one. Cadet Sidhu is given orders, in the middle of an apparent Tholian attack on the Starbase, to watch the arrested Captain Pike until the situation is secure and he can be moved to the brig. Pike has a sympathetic story: he argued with an admiral who ordered him to cease rescue operations for the ''Bouman'' once the admiral was safe, Pike's refusal to do so resulted in his arrest. Even worse, the ship Pike was trying to save is where Sidhu's husband is stationed, so she has a personal interest in seeing that ship and its crew rescued. When this is not enough to sway her to free Pike (so he can take command of the situation, stop the Tholian attack, and rescue the ''Bouman''), Pike begins quoting several regulations which would, in theory, justify releasing Pike to take command, but Sidhu responds with relevant regulations that undermine Pike's arguments. Finally, Pike outright threatens to destroy Sidhu's career before it even really starts, and looks prepared to leave the room anyway, banking on Sidhu not having the guts to stop him. The test is for one's ability to adhere to orders, in the face of (in order): a LivingLegend with sympathetic motives, loopholes in regulations that would let you do something you know is wrong but claim you thought it was okay, personal interest and emotional compromise, and threats to personal well-being. Sidhu sticks to her orders on every count, greatly impressing Christopher Pike.

* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: At the end of the episode, with the test concluded and Sidhu's place on the ''Enterprise'' all but assured, Pike personally leads her to the ship's engine room, where she can only gaze in awe.

* SecretTestOfCharacter: A fascinatingly multi-layered one. Cadet Sidhu is given orders, in the middle of an apparent Tholian attack on the Starbase, to watch the arrested Captain Pike until the situation is secure and he can be moved to the brig. Pike has a sympathetic story: he argued with an admiral who ordered him to cease rescue operations for the ''Bouman'' once the admiral was safe, Pike's refusal to do so resulted in his arrest. Even worse, the ship Pike was trying to save is where Sidhu's husband is stationed, so she has a personal interest in seeing that ship and its crew rescued. When this is not enough to sway her to free Pike (so he can take command of the situation, stop the Tholian attack, and rescue the ''Bouman'', Pike begins quoting several regulations which would, in theory, justify releasing Pike to take command, but Sidhu responds with relevant regulations that undermine Pike's arguments. Finally, Pike outright threatens to destroy Sidhu's career before it even really starts, and looks prepared to leave the room anyway, banking on Sidhu not having the guts to stop him. The test is for one's ability to adhere to orders, in the face of (in order): a LivingLegend with sympathetic motives, loopholes in regulations that would let you do something you know is wrong but claim you thought it was okay, personal interest and emotional compromise, and threats to personal well-being. Sidhu sticks to her orders on every count, greatly impressing Christopher Pike.

* BlindfoldedTrip: A hooded Pike is brought to Sidhu by two security guards. They tell her to take charge of him because they cannot reach the brig, then remove the hood with an electronic device.

* MyRuleFuIsStrongerThanYours: Pike and Sidhu quote regulations at each other, with Pike eventually invoking a regulation that he claims overrides her orders. She fires back that that regulation only applies when invoked by ''active'' captains.

** Pike threatens Sidhu with this as part of the SecretTestOfCharacter.

* JerkassFacade: Pike gets increasingly angry and pushy with Sidhu when she doesn't do what he tells her to. Once it's clear that she's passed the test, he goes back to his usual NiceGuy self.

* FriendOrIdolDecision: Sidhu is forced to choose between her orders to keep Pike prisoner, or the chance to save her husband's life. [[spoiler:She chooses to follow her orders, and Pike reveals that her husband was never in danger.]]
* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: [[spoiler:At the end of the episode, Sidhu asks Pike if the phaser she was using to hold him at gunpoint was active or not. Pike grins and leaves without answering.]]

* NecessaryEvil: Pike admits that [[spoiler:the conditions of the test Sidhu was put under were downright inhumane, but that the situations they were training for were no less so]].

** Pike threatens Sidhu with this as part of the [[spoiler:SecretTestOfCharacter]].
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Subverted. Pike keeps trying to get Sidhu to disregard her orders and let him go so he can try to draw the Tholians away and rescue the ''Bouman'', but she refuses to break protocol. [[spoiler: This was all a test to make sure she would follow her orders even in a life-or-death situation.]]
* SlippedTheRopes: [[spoiler:When Sidhu passes the test, Pike casually congratulates her and reveals his restraints were never locked.]]

* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: At the end of the episode, with [[spoiler:the test concluded and Sidhu's place on the ''Enterprise'' all but assured, Pike personally leads her to the ship's engine room, where she can only gaze in awe]].

* ContinuityNod: Among the directives and regulations cited were [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E4InTheFlesh Directive 010]] (combat with an alien species must be a last resort at all times), [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E25S6E1Equinox Regulation 191]] (In a combat situation and with no higher ranking officer present, the ship with tactical superiority is in command) and the infamous [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Reserve Activation Clause]] (any active member of Starfleet may recall a retired or discharged officer in an emergency).
* DistressCall: The ''Enterprise'' was responding to a distress call from the ''U.S.S. Bouman'', only to find that it was a Tholian trap.

* FriendOrIdolDecision: Sidha is forced to choose between her orders to keep Pike prisoner, or the chance to save her husband's life. [[spoiler: She chooses to follow her orders, and Pike reveals that her husband was never in danger.]]
* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: [[spoiler: At the end of the episode, Sidha asks Pike if the phaser she was using to hold him at gunpoint was active or not. Pike grins and leaves without answering.]]

* NecessaryEvil: Pike admits that [[spoiler: the conditions of the test Sidha was put under were downright inhumane, but that the situations they were training for were no less so.]]
* ReassignedToAntarctica: Sidhu and her husband both applied for postings on the ''Enterprise'', but were rejected. Her husband got assigned to the ''Bouman'' and she was shunted to an inventory officer post on Starbase 28.
* SlippedTheRopes: [[spoiler: When Sidha passes the test, Pike casually congratulates her and reveals his restraints were never locked.]]

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Subverted. Pike keeps trying to get Sidhu to disregard her orders and let him go so he can try to draw the Tholians away and rescue the ''Bouman'', but she refuses to break protocol. [[spoiler: This was all a test to make sure she would follow her orders even in a life-or-death situation.]]

* FalseFlagOperation: "The Admiral" sends an encoded message to the ''Enterprise'' that the Tholians have seized the ''Bouman'' and are using the distress call to lure the ''Enterprise'' into a trap so they can seize it as well.

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Sidhu and her husband both applied for postings on the ''Enterprise'', but were rejected. Her husband got the ''Bouman'' and she was shunted to an inventory officer post on Starbase 28.

* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Subverted. Pike keeps trying to get Sidhu to disregard her orders and let him go so he can try to draw the Tholians away, and she refuses to break protocol. [[spoiler: This was all a test to make sure she would follow her orders even in a life-or-death situation.]]

* DistressCall: The ''Enterprise'' was responding to a distress call from the ''U.S.S. Bowman'', only to find that it was a Tholian trap.
* TheMutiny: Pike states that when the Admiral aborted the rescue mission and tried to relieve him of duty, he refused to let the ''Bowman'''s crew die and "it didn't go so well".

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Sidhu and her husband both applied for postings on the ''Enterprise'', but were rejected. Her husband got the ''Bowman'' and she was shunted to an inventory officer post on Starbase 28.

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