Fleet captain (Star Trek)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Starfleet ranks and insignia Fleet Captain |
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| Enterprise: | N/A |
| Star Trek pilots: |  |
| TOS: |  |
| TMP: | N/A |
| TOS films: |  |
| TNG 1st season: | N/A |
| TNG, DS9, VOY: |  |
Fleet captain is a commissioned Starfleet officer rank in the Star Trek fictional universe. It is based on the real but rare rank of fleet captain.
The rank's status in the Starfleet rank structure is somewhat ambiguous, with several instances of characters who transition from captain to rear admiral without first holding the rank of fleet captain. Fan literature has suggested that Fleet captain is a special rank for extremely successful Starship Captains; however, formal Star Trek canon does not address the subject and only two characters in all of Star Trek (both from The Original Series) are identified as having been fleet captains.
[edit] Original Series rank
Fleet captains appear twice in the entirety of Star Trek, both times in The Original Series: Christopher Pike ("The Menagerie") and Garth of Izar ("Whom Gods Destroy").
Pike's promotion to fleet captain is specifically mentioned as having occurred when James T. Kirk took command of the USS Enterprise, setting the date at approximately 2263. Pike was an active duty fleet captain until at least 2266, after which an accident caused him to be removed from duty but not from the active officer list because Starfleet Command did not "have the heart" to retire him (TOS: "The Menagerie").
Garth of Izar was a fleet captain as early as 2253, if not before, when James T. Kirk was a cadet at Starfleet Academy. Garth held the rank until being relieved of duty and confined to a mental hospital ten years later.
The fleet captain insignia during TOS is never discussed or seen on camera, as neither Pike nor Garth is shown wearing a fleet captain uniform. However, 1967 notes from Starfleet uniform designer William Ware Theiss indicate that fleet captain would be indicated by three solid sleeve stripes, fitting with the captain insignia of two stripes with a center hash mark. This insignia later appears in several Star Trek magazines and technical manuals.
Garth's proposed fleet captain insignia has only appeared in a draft of Star Trek Chronology. An airbrushed picture of Steve Ihnat was redrawn to show Garth wearing the pilot episodes' heavy velour gold uniform shirt with three solid stripes on the sleeve. The picture was not placed into the final draft of the Chronology manual, but rather a modified version showing Garth of Izar wearing a red uniform shirt with no visible insignia.
[edit] Later versions
Literture form the producers of Star Trek: The Motion Picture make it clear that the rank of Fleet captain did not exist during the time frame of the Motion Picture (set in 2271). However, The Star Trek Encyclopedia establishes a feature film rank pin for fleet captain, but this pin has never appeared on camera[1] nor was a Starfleet Fleet captain ever seen in any of the feature length films.
The non-canon Star Trek: The Next Generation Officers Manual states that the 24th century fleet captain insignia consists of five gold pips[2] and that the rank is actually superior to that of Commodore. The rank is said to be a special positional rank held by three Starfleet officers who command the design teams for cruiser, destroyer, and escort starship classes respectively. The information in the Next Generation Officers Manual has never been made official in a live action production and is actually contradicted by later material.
In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Luther Sloan is shown to be wearing what appears to be a 24th century fleet captain's insignia, consisting of a gold bar beneath four gold pips. Appearing in the episode "Inquisition", Sloan's insignia was quickly viewed by fans as being that of the "long lost rank" of Fleet captain. However, Sloan is referred to only as "Deputy Director", leaving the possibility open that his insignia was not that of Fleet captain but instead some other rank. Other than Sloan's sppearance in his holodeck simulation, no other characters have been addressed as Fleet captains nor appeared with the insignia worn by Sloan.
[edit] References
- ^ Okuda, Michael & Denise (1994,1997,1999). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. New York: Pocket Books, 210. ISBN 0-671-03475-8.
- ^ Star Trek: The Next Generations Officer Manual, Page 8
