T*R*E*K:"I believe you have that quality."

[scarfman]

Decades before I started asking myself questions like, What if King Arthur were a starship captain, or a MASH surgeon?, I asked, What if James T. Kirk never existed but Hawkeye Pierce was born 300 years late? The title of a T*R*E*K piece is a line from the original scene which doesn't appear in the T*R*E*K version. (Here's an overview of the T*R*E*K chronology.)

Setting/spoilers: This is a scene from The Tholian Web.

I believe you have that quality

---

The comm screen cleared, to show Potter, seated at this very desk.

"Gentlemen, Doctor. Since you are viewing this tape, we will assume that I am dead, the tactical situation is critical - and the bunch of you are at each others' throats.

"It also means, Tharlss, that you are in command - of a crew you have served with for mere days - and are making probably the most difficult decisions of your career.

"I know of Andorians that you are a warrior people, and that your family ties are your strongest loyalties. The Andorian word for 'commander' is 'father'. Well, as I am your father, I commend to you my family, now yours. Seek out their advice, and if you find it sound, use it.

"Hawkeye, B.J., Margaret - you heard what I said to Tharlss. Give him all the help you can, but remember, he is the captain. I wouldn't have brought him aboard if I didn't believe he was every bit as deserving of the loyalty you have all shown me, and each other."

The screen faded to black. No one said anything for a moment. Then Hawkeye stepped up to Tharlss, still facing the screen. "I'm sorry, Tharlss. It must hurt."

Tharlss did not turn. "I can handle it." He left the cabin.

---

The Tholian Web is the debut episode for Commander Tharlss, the Andorian science officer replacing Srank of Vulcan as the Enterprise's first- and science- officer. It was an especially trying story for Spock, and he wasn't even new. I made Charles Winchester an Andorian because the Andorians, despite fairly little development or quality screentime (before Enterprise, anyway), always seemed to be the second-rank Federation aliens in Star Trek - for instance, in Yesteryear, in the timeline where Spock was killed at age seven, the alternate Enterprise first officer is the Andorian Thelin.
Potter's speech is of course lifted almost verbatim from Kirk's speech in the source.
"I know of Andorians that you are a warrior people, and that your family ties are your strongest loyalties." This is about all that came out about Andorians in the original series, from Journey to Babel and Yesteryear respectively. Of course family is a big thing for Charles too.
"The Andorian word for 'commander' is 'father'." My extrapolation, but it seems reasonable.
"I can handle it." I couldn't think of an especially Andorian thing for Tharlss to say here, so I gave him an especially Charles thing.