Eftersom han ville stanna en kapten. Som du sa erbjuds han en kampanj i TNG: Coming of Age , och han avvisar det för just därför:
QUINN: That's not enough. I want to promote you to Admiral, and I want you to take over as Commandant of Starfleet Academy.
PICARD: The Academy.
QUINN: Yes.
PICARD: The Academy?
QUINN: I need you close.
PICARD: Then there was never a problem with the Enterprise.
QUINN: No, but I had to be sure you hadn't been co-opted.
PICARD: Greg, this is politics, and I'm not good at politics. Surely there are others who are better suited.
Senare i avsnittet:
QUINN: Wish I could convince you to change your mind.
PICARD: I'll serve you better here.
Senare meddelade Captain Kirk direkt att han aldrig skulle acceptera kampanjen i Star Trek: Generations och bekräftade vidare sin position.
KIRK: You know, maybe this is less about an empty house than that empty chair on the bridge of the Enterprise. Ever since I left Starfleet I haven't made a difference. ...Captain of the Enterprise, huh?
PICARD: That's right.
KIRK: Close to retirement?
PICARD: I'm not planning on it.
KIRK: Let me tell you something. Don't! Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there, you can make a difference.
(betona min)
Kirk förstärker sin filosofi om att "göra skillnad" med sina döende ord:KIRK: Did we do it? ...Did we make a difference?
PICARD: Oh, yes, we made a difference. Thank you.
KIRK: It's the least I could do for the Captain of the Enterprise. ...It was ...fun. ...Oh my.
I slutändan vill Picard vara en utforskare, inte en administratör, och medan han utan tvivel är en fulländad diplomat, är han inte intresserad av det administrativa diplomatiets vardagliga angenämningar. Vi ser denna inställning uttryckt i Star Trek: Insurrection.
Efter en lång konversation om traditionella hälsningar och uppdragsplanering:
RIKER: The diplomatic corps is busy with Dominion negotiations.
PICARD: Oh, so they need us to put out one more brush fire. Can anyone remember when we used to be explorers?