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m (rm Chekov and sulu, fairly sure those were ever established on screen)
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The '''second officer''' was an [[officer]] who was third in command of a [[starship]] and who assumed command of the ship when both the {{dis|captain|rank}} and [[first officer]] were unavailable.
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The '''second officer''' of a [[starship]] assumed command of the ship when both the [[captain]] and [[first officer]] were unavailable. Typically a second [[officer]] on a [[Starfleet]] vessel held the [[rank]] of [[commander]] or [[lieutenant commander]]. It was common for a second officer to be a department head aboard the ship first, since the role of second officer was considered a nominal position. He or she was rarely involved in the day to day command of the [[starship]] or [[starbase]] the way the [[captain]] or first officer was.
  
   
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It was standard procedure for the second officer to accompany the [[away team]]. ({{TNG|Time's Arrow}})
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It was standard procedure for a [[Starfleet]] second officer to accompany the [[away team]]. ({{TNG|Time's Arrow}})
   
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[[Ferengi code]] was to offer the life of their second officers when [[surrender]]ing. When [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]], second officer of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D}}, learned of this code in [[2364]], he stated to [[Geordi La Forge]], "''Fortunately, Starfleet has no such rules involving our second officers.''" ({{TNG|The Last Outpost}})
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In [[2364]], [[Ferengi]] protocol was to offer their second officers when surrendering. ({{TNG|The Last Outpost}})
  
   
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During a second encounter with the Ferengi that year, Data was introduced to [[Bok]] by Captain [[Jean-Luc Picard]] as his "second-in-command", after Bok's own second officer was [[Rata]] was introduced. ({{TNG|The Battle}})
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On [[Klingon]] ships, first officers were called upon to ensure their incapacitated captains died an [[honor]]able [[death]]. In [[2365]], [[Worf]] explained to [[William T. Riker]] that should he also become unable to perform while serving as an exchange officer, ''his'' second officer would [[Assassination|kill]] him. ({{TNG|A Matter Of Honor}})
  
   
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{{bginfo|As noted above Data was referred to by Picard as his "second-in-command" (rather than "third-in-command") during the same introduction of Riker as his "first officer", both are the same title.|In similar regards, [[Spock]] referred to himself as "second officer" in {{TOS|The Enemy Within}}, rather than "second-in-command" or "first officer".}}
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When the [[Satarran]] agent using the alias of [[Kieran MacDuff]] commandeered the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} in [[2368]], he altered the computer records so that the ship's rightful first officer, [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker]], was listed as the second officer. ({{TNG|Conundrum}})
  
   
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Still later that year, [[Bjorn Bensen]], the [[chief engineer]] of [[Velara Base]], was intrigued by Data, asking if he was an [[android]]. [[Tasha Yar]], answered that he was, and added that additional he was "''third-in-command of the ''Enterprise''.''" ({{TNG|Home Soil}})
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Some noted first officers in Starfleet history were:
  
   
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On several occasions thereafter, he was introduced as the ship's second officer. ({{TNG|First Contact|Time's Arrow|Starship Mine}})
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* [[Commander]] [[Charles Tucker III]] of {{EnterpriseNX}}
  
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* [[Lieutenant]] [[Spock]] of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  
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* [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Saru]] of the {{USS|Shenzhou}}
  
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Montgomery Scott]] of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Data]] of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} and the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}
  
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Worf]] of [[Deep Space 9]]
  
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* Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Commander) [[Jadzia Dax]] of the {{USS|Defiant|2370}}
  
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* Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Commander) [[Tuvok]] of the {{USS|Voyager}}
  
   
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On [[Klingon Defense Force|Klingon]] [[warship]]s, the first officer was called upon to ensure their incapacitated captain died an [[honor]]able [[death]]. In [[2365]], [[Worf]] explained to [[William T. Riker]] that should he also become unable to perform while serving as an exchange officer, ''his'' second officer would [[Assassination|kill]] him. ({{TNG|A Matter Of Honor|Shades of Gray}})
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<gallery caption="Second officers">
  
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{{bginfo|In a follow up to this exchange, [[K'nera]] also introduced {{dis|Klag|Lieutenant}} as Riker's second officer, rather than as the ship's second officer.}}
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File:Trip Tucker, 2154.jpg|[[Commander]] Tucker
  
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File:Spock, 2254.jpg|[[Lieutenant]] Spock
  
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When the [[Satarran]] agent using the alias of [[Kieran MacDuff]] commandeered the ''Enterprise'' in [[2368]], he altered the computer records so that the ship's rightful first officer, [[Commander]] Riker, was listed as the second officer. ({{TNG|Conundrum}})
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File:Saru (2256).jpg|[[Lieutenant Commander]] Saru
  
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File:Montgomery Scott, 2267.jpg|[[Lieutenant Commander]] Scott
  
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File:Data, 2366.jpg|[[Lieutenant Commander]] Data
  
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File:Worf, 2375.jpg|[[Lieutenant Commander]] Worf
  
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File:Jadzia Dax, 2374.jpg|[[Lieutenant]] / [[Lieutenant Commander]] Jadzia Dax
  
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File:Tuvok, 2371.jpg|[[Lieutenant]] / [[Lieutenant Commander]] Tuvok
  
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</gallery>
  
   
 
==List of second officers==
  
==List of second officers==
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*[[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]]
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* [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]] ({{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}})
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Jadzia Dax]] ({{USS|Defiant|2370}}; implied)
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**{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}
  
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* [[Lieutenant]] {{dis|Klag|Lieutenant}} ({{IKS|Pagh}})
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**{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}
  
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* [[Rata]] ([[Bok's Marauder]])
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*[[Lieutenant]]/Lieutenant Commander [[Jadzia Dax]]
  
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Saru]] ({{USS|Shenzhou}}; implied)
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**{{USS|Defiant|2370}}
  
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*Lieutenant {{dis|Klag|Lieutenant}}
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Montgomery Scott]] ({{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}; implied)
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* [[Spock]] (USS ''Enterprise'', 2254; implied)
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**{{IKS|Pagh}}
  
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* [[Vico second officer 1|Timothy's father]] ({{SS|Vico}})
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*[[Rata]]
  
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* Commander [[Charles Tucker III]] ({{EnterpriseNX}}; implied)
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**[[Bok's Marauder]]
  
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*Lieutenant Commander [[Montgomery Scott]]
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Tuvok]] ({{USS|Voyager}}; implied)
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* Lieutenant Commander [[Worf]] ([[Deep Space 9]]; implied)
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** {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  
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* ''[[Major]] {{mu|Malcolm Reed}} ({{ISS|Enterprise|NX-01}}; implied)''
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* [[Spock]]
  
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** {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} (''according to his [[alternate reality]] [[obituary]]'')
  
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*[[Vico second officer 1|Timothy's father]]
  
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**{{SS|Vico}}
  
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*Commander [[Charles Tucker III]]
  
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**{{EnterpriseNX}}
  
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*Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander [[Tuvok]]
  
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**{{USS|Voyager}}
  
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*Lieutenant Commander [[Worf]]
  
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** [[Deep Space 9]]
  
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* [[Major]] {{mu|Malcolm Reed}}
  
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** {{ISS|Enterprise|NX-01}}
  
   
 
{{ranks}}
  
{{ranks}}
   
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== See also ==
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* [[Second officer's log]]
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* [[Second officer's personal log]]
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* [[Second officer's science log]]
   
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==External link==
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* {{mbeta}}
   
 
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[[de:Zweiter Offizier]]
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[[ru:Второй помощник]]
  
[[ru:Второй помощник]]
 
[[Category:Titles]]
  
[[Category:Titles]]
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[[Category:Military ranks]]

Revision as of 16:57, 6 December 2019

Multiple realities
(covers information from several alternate timelines)

The second officer was an officer who was third in command of a starship and who assumed command of the ship when both the captain and first officer were unavailable.

It was standard procedure for a Starfleet second officer to accompany the away team. (TNG: "Time's Arrow")

Ferengi code was to offer the life of their second officers when surrendering. When Lieutenant Commander Data, second officer of the USS Enterprise, learned of this code in 2364, he stated to Geordi La Forge, "Fortunately, Starfleet has no such rules involving our second officers." (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

During a second encounter with the Ferengi that year, Data was introduced to Bok by Captain Jean-Luc Picard as his "second-in-command", after Bok's own second officer was Rata was introduced. (TNG: "The Battle")

As noted above Data was referred to by Picard as his "second-in-command" (rather than "third-in-command") during the same introduction of Riker as his "first officer", both are the same title.
In similar regards, Spock referred to himself as "second officer" in TOS: "The Enemy Within", rather than "second-in-command" or "first officer".

Still later that year, Bjorn Bensen, the chief engineer of Velara Base, was intrigued by Data, asking if he was an android. Tasha Yar, answered that he was, and added that additional he was "third-in-command of the Enterprise." (TNG: "Home Soil")

On several occasions thereafter, he was introduced as the ship's second officer. (TNG: "First Contact", "Time's Arrow", "Starship Mine")

On Klingon warships, the first officer was called upon to ensure their incapacitated captain died an honorable death. In 2365, Worf explained to William T. Riker that should he also become unable to perform while serving as an exchange officer, his second officer would kill him. (TNG: "A Matter Of Honor", "Shades of Gray")

In a follow up to this exchange, K'nera also introduced Klag as Riker's second officer, rather than as the ship's second officer.

When the Satarran agent using the alias of Kieran MacDuff commandeered the Enterprise in 2368, he altered the computer records so that the ship's rightful first officer, Commander Riker, was listed as the second officer. (TNG: "Conundrum")

List of second officers

See also

External link

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