Kirk

Canon Facts Backstage Info Speculation

2233	Born in Iowa on Earth.
2250	Qualified for entry to Starfleet Academy; served on board the USS Republic during this year.
2254	Graduated Starfleet Academy. Served aboard the USS Farragut during this year.
2263	Promoted to Captain, placed in command of the USS Enterprise.
2266	Destroys a Romulan bird of Prey which has crossed the Neutral Zone and attacked several Federation outposts.
2267	Becomes the first Starfleet Captain ever to stand trial when he is court martialed for negligent homicide in the death of Ben Finney. During the trial Finney is found to be alive.
2268	Responsible for stealing a Romulan cloaking device during a covert Starfleet intelligence mission.
2269	Promoted to Admiral, assigned as Chief of Starfleet Operations.
2271	Reassigned to Captain of the USS Enterprise in order to deal with the V'Ger threat.
2281	Retires from Starfleet.
2284	Returns to Starfleet to command Starfleet Academy.
2285	Assumes temporary command of the USS Enterprise during a routine training mission. Is forced to destroy the USS Reliant in order to prevent Khan from escaping with the Genesis device.
2286	Court Martialled and convicted of violating orders while recovering Spock from the Genesis planet. Reduced in rank to Captain and assigned command of the USS Enterprise-A.
2293	Responsible for saving the Khittomer Peace Conference, along with Captain Sulu of the USS Excelsior. Retires from Starfleet and is subsequently believed killed during the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise-B.
2371	Emerges from the Nexus, killed at Veridian III.

Notes : One of Starfleets most revered officers, James Tiberius Kirk is something of a legendary figure in Starfleet history. In life he was a modest man - although his records indicate that he was a tremendously intelligent and capable leader, he frequently attributed his phenomenal success as a ships captain to a combination of instinct and good luck. His academy years set the standard for the career that followed - Kirk proved himself to be a maverick who had little regard for proper procedures. This would normally have caused a quick end to a Starfleet career, but in Kirks case he was protected by his extraordinary performance in almost every aspect of the Academy life. At the end of his first year he became the first cadet in Starfleet history to be placed at the top of every single one of his classes, a performance he repeated in his second year. When faced with the feared Kobyashi Maru test, which tests a cadets response to a scenario in which victory is impossible - Kirk repeatedly refused to accept his failure to win. On his third attempt Kirk reprogrammed the simulator prior to the test and because the only cadet ever to beat the no-win scenario. Kirks astonished instructors awarded him a commendation for original thinking.

In his personal life, Kirk rapidly acquired a reputation as a ladies man. He had close relationships with several women during his life, as well as many short-term affairs. Kirk was probably closest to Carol Marcus, with whom he had a son, David, in 2261. Carol asked Kirk not to be involved in the childs upbringing as she feared that his Starfleet career would prevent him from being a proper father to the boy. Kirk did not see David again until 2285; David was murdered by a Klingon soldier shortly afterwards.

Kirk commanded the original Starship Enterprise for a total of twenty two years. His first tour as Captain was a five year deep-space exploratory mission which is generally regarded as one of the most successful missions of its time; on his return Kirk was promoted to Admiral and assigned as Chief of Starfleet Operations. He returned to command the Enterprise in 2271 when he convinced Admiral Nogura that he was the best choice to face the threat represented by V'Ger. Kirks success in this mission gave him sufficient political pull to ensure that he retained command of the Enterprise for the next decade.

By 2281 Starfleet was again prepared to force Kirk to take a desk job; he retired instead, but by 2284 he decided to return to Starfleet in order to command the Academy. Kirk once again took command of the Enterprise in 2285 in order to deal with the attempt by Khan Noonian Sing to steal the Genesis Device; Captain Spock was killed during this mission when he entered an area flooded by radiation in order to carry out critical repairs to the ship. Subsequently, Kirk and the senior officers of the USS Enterprise stole the ship from Spacedock in order to recover the re-animated body of Spock from the Genesis Planet. The Enterprise was attacked by a Klingon Bird of Prey during this escapade, and Kirk was forced to self-destruct the ship.

Subsequently Kirk was responsible once again for saving Earth, this time from an alien probe which was causing massive environmental damage while attempting to communicate with an extinct species of whale. Kirk and his officers subsequently surrendered for court martial for their actions in appropriating the Enterprise, but in light of their actions all charges where dismissed with the exception of one charge against Admiral Kirk, of disobeying orders. Kirk was found guilty, reduced in rank to Captain and assigned command of the Enterprise-A.

Kirk commanded this ship for a further seven years, culminating in his escorting of the Klingon Chancellor to Earth for a peace conference. Assassins from among his crew killed the Chancellor during the mission, and Kirk was subsequently arrested and convicted of involvement in the murder. Sentenced to the infamous Rura Pente penal asteroid, known throughout the galaxy as the "Aliens Graveyard" and reputed to be escape proof, Kirk rapidly escaped. He took the Enterprise to Khittomer to prevent another assassination attempt, this time on the Federation president, and saved the Khittomer conference.

Both Kirk and the Enterprise where retired after this mission; Kirk attended the launch of the Enterprise-B some months later and was believed killed during that ships maiden voyage when it was damaged by a spacial anomaly known as the Nexus. In 2371 Kirk was discovered to be alive within the Nexus, and he agreed to leavy the anomaly in order to help Captain Picard stop Dr. Tolian Soran from destroying the Veridian star system. Although Kirk was instrumental in stopping Soran, he was forced to sacrifice his own life in the process. James T. Kirk is buried in a simple stone cairn on a mountain top on Veridian III.

Last updated : 31st July 1998. This page is Copyright Graham Kennedy 1998. Star Trek et al is Copyright Paramount Pictures 1996/97. No Copyright infringement is intended and this page is for personal use only. All of the above classes of star ships and all of the named ships are copyright Paramount 1996/97.