Fridge / Star Trek: The Next Generation S5E19 "The First Duty"

• Fridge Logic: Starfleet might be Mildly Military, but surely even they would take umbrage at one of their cadets performing a banned flight maneuver without authorization. If Nova Squadron had successfully pulled it off, Nick would have still landed in hot water for such a reckless stunt, being kept on a tight leash for years if Starfleet decided not to kick him out. His career was screwed the moment he decided to perform the starburst, regardless of whether it worked or not.
  • It's a sign of his ego thinking that Starfleet will applaud Nova Squadron's rule-breaking if it's awesome enough. In a flashback moment on Star Trek: Lower Decks that takes place shortly before the accident, Locarno tries to convince Wesley that the rule-abiding Captain Picard would be proud of him.