Unexpected Honor

"Unexpected Honor" is a Star Trek Online short story by Christine Thompson appearing in Star Trek Magazine #167 UK/#40 US. It was the first of 20 stories set in the STO continuity that were published in Star Trek Magazine between 2012 and 2016, the first of ten by Christine Thompson, and the first of 16 collected in Titan Magazines' STO omnibus: The Short Story Collection in 2022.

Description[]

Data offers some advice to Va'Kel Shon, the new captain of the USS Enterprise.

Summary[]

Va'Kel Shon visits Data to discuss the command of the Enterprise, which he has been offered. Data attempts to convince Shon that Shon's tactical mindset is needed now.

Memorable quotes[]

"I don't look at the galaxy like you do. You see experiences - I see potential threats. I'm a tactical officer, not an explorer."

—Va'Kel Shon

References[]

Characters[]

B4 • Data • Va'Kel Shon
Referenced only: Bruce Maddox • Jean-Luc Picard • Montgomery Scott (implied) • Sama • Tress Shra • Deanna Troi

Starships and vehicles[]

Referenced only: USS Enterprise-E • USS Enterprise-F

Locations[]

Earth (Oxford University)
Referenced only: Andoria • Daystrom Institute • Earth Spacedock • Fluidic space • Starbase 36 • Starfleet Academy • Vega colony

Races and cultures[]

Andorian • Android
Referenced only: Human • Undine

Appendices[]

Related media[]

STO short story: "Shakedown" – A story featuring the USS Enterprise-F's shakedown cruise.
STO - The 2800 mission: "Boldly They Rode" – One of Shon's first missions aboard the Enterprise.

Images[]

Connections[]

Short stories published in magazines
TV21 Weekly	TOS stories	"Gateway to the Future"
Stardate Magazine	TOS stories	"Force of Law" • "The Killax Vendetta" • "Planetfall" • "Coronation Presumptuous" • "Boarding Party" • "Roleplaying in the Final Frontier"
Amazing Stories	TNG stories	"Last Words" • "On the Scent of Trouble" • "Life Itself is Reason Enough" • "Bedside Matters"
Amazing Stories	VOY stories	"When Push Comes to Shove" • "A Night at Sandrine's" • "The Space Vortex of Doom"
Star Trek Magazine	STO stories	"Unexpected Honor" • "Shakedown" • "The Gale, Part 1" • "The Gale, Part 2" • "Mirror Image, Part 1" • "Mirror Image, Part 2" • "Chief, Part 1" • "Chief, Part 2" • "Of Chaos and Kal-toh, Part 1" • "Of Chaos and Kal-toh, Part 2" • "Dove" • "Backchannel Negotiations" • "There's No Place Like..." • "Locks Without Keys, Part 1" • "Locks Without Keys, Part 2" • "Hope Remains" • "After the Storm" • "Recruitment Drive" • "Time of the Scotsman" • "An Honorable Frontier"
Star Trek: Explorer	stories	"All That Most Maddens and Torments" • "Q and False" • "A Night In" • "The Offer" • "Seven v Seven" • "Quality of Life" • "Retribution" • "Broken Oaths" • "The Way to Exile" • "Kill Captain Proton!" • "Cumulative Damage" • "Explorers of the Storm" • "Prey" • "Growing Pains" • "Pulaski 2.0" • "The Disavowed" • "By Special Request" • "Paghabi" • "The Expert" • "The Guardian" • "The Mission" • "Things Can Only Get Better" • "Frontier Medicine" • "Control" • "The Victim" • "Scramble" • "You Can't Buy Fate" • "Summer Days Can Last Forever" • "The Kellidian Kidnapping" • "Lost and Founder" • "A Year to the Day I Saw Myself Die" • "See and Seen" • "Work Worth Doing" • "The Trouble with Jones" • "Sundering" • "Academy Acquisition" • "Jack of Diamonds" • "A Dish Served Cold" • "Forewarned and Three-Armed" • "Working Miracles" • "Confirmation Bias" • "Dignified Transfer" • "Attempted Break-in" • "Cat and Mouse"

Timeline[]

Published Order
Previous story: first story	STO short stories	Next story: Shakedown
Previous story: first story	Stories by: Christine Thompson	Next story: Shakedown

Publication history[]

8 May 2012: First printed in Star Trek Magazine #167 UK/#40 US. (Titan Magazines)
8 November 2022: Reprinted in The Short Story Collection omnibus. (Titan Magazines)

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