Star Trek: 10 Greatest Captain Kirk Speeches
2. Don't Let Them Promote You
Kirk's presumed death aboard the Enterprise-B would never be a fitting end for this legend. That he may sacrifice himself to save others, on the other hand, was a perfect way to go. He was, after all, a man inspired to lead, and to be in the thick of the action. To him, the symbol for this wall wrapped up in that captain's chair, the centre stage of the bridge of a starship.
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.
While there are probably several admirals in the fleet who may take issue with Kirk's point, it so perfectly sums him up as a character. As Captain Kirk, he made his memories, commanded his missions, and earned both his reputation and sense of pride. Though Admiral Kirk was not without his merits, Captain Kirk was the true legend.
Faced, in the Nexus, with the idea of a quiet, if false, life of comfort - he buckled against it. This simply wasn't him. There was never any other choice - captain to captain, he couldn't resist the chance to help someone one more time. There's no doubt about it - he made a difference.