What would you do in the Kobayashi Maru?

[Deja Q]

Poll question: What would you do in the Kobayashi Maru?

The simulation takes place on a replica of a starship bridge, with the "testee" as captain and other Starfleet members, officers or other cadets, in other key positions. In the scenario of the 2280s, the cadet receives a distress signal, stating that the Kobayashi has struck a "gravitic mine" in the Klingon Neutral Zone and is rapidly losing power, hull integrity and life support. There are no other vessels nearby. The cadet is faced with a decision:

* Attempt to rescue the Kobayashi's crew and passengers, which involves violating the Neutral Zone and potentially provoking the Klingons into hostile action or an all-out war; or
* Abandon the Kobayashi, preventing war but leaving the crew and passengers to die.

If the cadet chooses to save the Kobayashi, the scenario progresses quickly. The bridge officers notify the cadet that they are in violation of the treaty, which is duly noted in the log. As the starship enters the Neutral Zone, the communications officer loses contact with the crippled vessel. Three Klingon starships then appear on an intercept course, or decloak nearby. Attempts to contact them are met with radio silence; indeed, their only response is to open fire, with unrealistically devastating results. The simulation ends with the understanding that the cadet's ship and crew have been lost. There is no way to win the resulting 'battle,' as the computer is programmed to ensure Klingon victory by any means necessary; but then, the objective of the test is not for the cadet to outfight the opponent, but rather to test the cadet's behavior and thought processes in the face of shame and defeat.

[kedrys]

1. Alan Rickman summed this one up in GalaxyQuest

"...to see if there's a PUB!!!"

:P