Nitpicking Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – We Can’t Beam from Earth

I get Admiral April flying a shuttle to Captain Pike’s home in Montana, especially if Pike has been ignoring communication hails. It makes sense to show up in person. And beaming directly into Pike’s living room is rude and probably illegal.

But once Pike has agreed to return to Starfleet and his captaincy of the Enterprise, why not just beam him directly from Montana? Because of a tradition that started with Archer’s flyby of the NX-01 which has since been codified in Starfleet Regulation 5473.6

United Federation of Planets – Starfleet Command
Regulation 5473.6 – Dramatic Shuttlecraft Flyby Protocol

“In situations where morale, cinematic effect, or emotional resonance may be enhanced, commanding officers are authorized — and encouraged — to forgo transporter use in favor of a dramatic shuttlecraft flyby or spacedock reveal of their assigned starship.”

Purpose:
To ensure that all shuttlecraft flybys conducted in proximity to Federation starships, starbases, planetary colonies, or ceremonial platforms are executed with the highest standards of safety, decorum, and dramatic impact.

1. Scope
   This regulation applies to all Starfleet shuttlecraft, runabouts, and auxiliary vessels performing low-altitude, high-visibility passes for purposes including, but not limited to:

Officer arrival/departure ceremonies
Diplomatic receptions
Historic commemorations
Occasions deemed “too cool to pass up” by the commanding officer

2. Authorized Maneuvers
   2.1. A “dramatic flyby” shall be defined as any pass conducted within 50 meters of a designated structure or vessel at speeds exceeding ¼ impulse.
   2.2. Acceptable cinematic elements include:
   
   Inverted rolls (maximum one per pass)
   Power-down glides with running lights only
   Supplemental audio cues such as retro thruster roar or docking clamp click
   Light deflector lens flares (intentional or incidental)

3. Safety Requirements
   3.1. All flybys shall be logged and pre-approved by the ship’s XO, unless overridden by the CO under the “emergency style clause” (Reg. 5473.6-c).
   3.2. Structural integrity fields must be at maximum during any pass within 25 meters of an object of mass > 1000 metric tonnes.
   3.3. Crew must secure all loose beverages before initiation of maneuver.
4. Dramatic Considerations
   4.1. Where possible, flybys should occur against a backdrop featuring a rising star, warp core vent plumes, or planetary rings.
   4.2. Helm officers are encouraged to time passes with stirring orchestral crescendos, if available.
   4.3. The shuttle pilot may, at their discretion, raise one eyebrow, nod meaningfully, or utter a terse one-liner before engaging maneuver.
5. Disciplinary Actions
   5.1. Failure to comply with this regulation will result in formal reprimand, suspension of shuttle privileges, and/or mandatory attendance in “Subtlety in Command Presence” workshops.
   5.2. Exemptions may be granted retroactively if the flyby is unanimously deemed “awesome” by the bridge crew and captured on at least two shipboard holocams.

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