Ambassador

Anambassador is adiplomaticofficer who represents apolitical body. Ambassadors may be assigned as long-term liaisons to specific individual foreigngovernments, or as at-large "troubleshooters" carrying out specific diplomatic missions.

History and specifics[]

Federation ambassadors[]

In theUnited Federation of Planets, ambassadors can represent theirworld orcivilization within theFederation government, or ambassadors fromFederation members can be assigned as envoys toforeign powers, just as outside states send their own ambassadors to represent them to the Federation.

In bothcanon and non-canonStar Trek, some apparent members of theFederation Council have been addressed as "ambassador" rather than "councillor", most notablySarek inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home. It is unclear whether "ambassador" is a correct form of address for some or all members of the council, or if this honorific is reserved for members with specific diplomatic credentials.

While most Federation ambassadors are not considered to be part of theFederation Starfleet, they are often sent on missions withStarfleet personnel onoutposts andspacecraft. In situations where they have been given control of the mission, they have the right to give lawful orders to Starfleet personnel in regard to the diplomatic objective, but do not have authority over other aspects of Starfleet's missions, such asmilitary preparedness and ongoingscientific investigations.

AmbassadorRobert Fox exercised such authority in the2260sdecade when he insisted thatCaptainJames T. Kirk of thestarshipUSSEnterprise approachEminiar VII, against acode 7-10 call from the world prohibiting visitors. He again tested his authority withMontgomery Scott, theacting captain in Kirk's absence after the initiallanding party was taken prisoner. (TOSepisode &Star Trek 2novelization:A Taste of Armageddon)

AmbassadorAverill Stanton also acted authoritatively with Starfleet personnel assigned to his mission when sent toMaggie's World in the2280sdecade. Upon coming aboard theUSSExcelsior, he immediately remindedAdmiral Kirk that as ambassador, he would be in complete control of the mission. Possibly in order to reinforce that fact, he wore a full Starfleetofficer's uniform with ambassadorialinsignia. (TOScomic: "Maggie's World!")

When theUSSDefiant of theFirst Splinter timeline went on a desperate and daring mission back in time to theyear2373 ofthe Borg timeline, theescort ship crashed inSan Francisco on theassimilatedEarth, the majority of key personnel went ashore to conduct their mission.The crew was composed of renegadeStarfleet personnel from the First Splintertimeline year2387, sent back with assistance fromGalactic Commonwealth crewpersons inthe First Splinter mirror universe.CommandersWorf andthe mirror K'Ehleyr disembarked to protect anengineering team in search of repair materials, leaving AmbassadorAlexander Rozhenko incommand of the skeleton crew. When K'Ehleyr questioned why Worf would do that, Worf replied that, as aFederation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire, Alexander held the authority of a Starfleetvice admiral and was qualified to oversee the mission. (ST -Codanovel:Oblivion's Gate)

The revelation inCoda about the policy granting ambassadors withflag officer authority clarifies the earlier actions of Robert Fox and Averill Stanton, especially the latter, who gave direct orders to James Kirk, who was arear admiral at the time.

Appendices[]

See also[]

• Ambassadors
• Ambassador-classstarship
• Ambassador Hardin-classstarship

References[]

• TOSepisode &Star Trek 2novelization:A Taste of Armageddon
• TOSmovie,novelization &comic adaptation:The Voyage Home
• TOScomic: "Maggie's World!"
• ST -Codanovel:Oblivion's Gate

External links[]

• Ambassador article atMemory Alpha, the wiki for canonStar Trek.
• Ambassador article atWikipedia, the free encyclopedia.