Robert April
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| CHARACTER | |
| Robert April | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Species: | human |
| Gender: | male |
| Born: | 2190s |
| Hair: | brown |
| Eyes: | brown |
| Affiliation: | Federation, Starfleet |
| Assignment(s): | Ambassador, former CO |
| Stationed: | USS Enterprise |
| Rank: | Commodore |
| Insignia: | .PNG){kind=small} |
| Spouse(s): | Sarah April |
Robert April was a 23rd century Federation Starfleet officer, perhaps most famous for his stint as the first captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). He was born in the mid-2190s, and eventually married Sarah.
- With little canon data on Robert April, different, sometimes conflicting, interpretations of the character have sprung up over the years.
Contents |
[edit] Biographical information
[edit] Star Trek: The Animated Series
Robert April oversaw the construction of the Constution class components at the San Francisco Naval Yards. He then went on to command the Enterprise for a five year mission from 2245 to 2250, with his wife serving as chief medical officer.
Commodore April rose over the next 20 years to become a respected ambassador-at-large, until he was forced to undergo mandatory retirement by Starfleet. Before his scheduled retirement, Robert and Sarah boarded the Enterprise, commanded by James T. Kirk, en route to Babel. During the voyage, the Enterprise entered an antimatter universe where the crew began to grow younger. While the Enterprise crew regressed to infants, April, again in his prime, assumed command of the Enterprise long enough to reverse the aging effects. These exceptional circumstances made Starfleet reconsider its retirement policies, and he continued to work for the service. ("The Counter-Clock Incident")
[edit] Pocket Books
Robert T. April was born in Coventry, England on Earth on October 14, 2194. He suffered from a rare blood disorder, which left him feeling chilly most of the time, and he compensated by wearing cardigan sweaters.
April joined Starfleet Academy at the age of seventeen in 2211, graduating in 2215. He rose through the ranks and became a respected Starfleet officer. During his career he befriended George Samuel Kirk, Sr., and often visited the Kirk farm in Iowa.
In 2243, Commodore Van Anling placed April in charge of construction of the Constitution-class USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at the San Francisco Fleet Yards.
Six months into construction, April took the empty shell of the as-yet unnamed Enterprise on a secret mission to retrieve the lost colony vessel SS Rosenberg, trapped in an ion storm. April handpicked a command crew he could trust, including his old friend George Kirk and his future wife, Sarah Poole. While underway, sabotage threw the Enterprise into the Romulan Neutral Zone and nearly sparked another war with the Romulans. With assistance from the defecting Romulan Field Primus t'Cael Zaniidor Kilyle, April and Kirk managed to defuse the situation and rescued the colonists. (TOS novel: Final Frontier)
- April wanted to name the ship Constitution, but George Kirk talked him into naming her Enterprise.
In 2244, April married his long-time friend and veterinarian, Sarah Poole, and she agreed to sign aboard the Enterprise as chief medical officer. The Enterprise was launched for shakedown under April's command in 2245, and her first five-year mission of exploration began the following year.
In October 2246, the Enterprise was assigned to deliver urgently needed food to the colony on Tarsus IV after a deadly mutagenic virus had attacked and destroyed the crops. Before entering the Tarsus system, the Enterprise was intercepted by the IKS Kut'luch, commanded by Commander Kor, who was under orders to not admit Federation vessels into the system. April tried to explain to Kor that they were on a mission of mercy, but Kor attacked. With no option but to fight back as the Enterprise took heavy damage, April brought the Enterprise's weapons to bear on the Kut'luch and overwhelmed its systems. With the Kut'luch disabled, April ordered the Enterprise to continue on to Tarsus IV, leaving Kor dismayed that April never destroyed his ship.
Once the Enterprise arrived at Tarsus IV, April uncovered the horror that had taken place on the planet at the hands of Governor Kodos. Though relieved that young Jimmy Kirk had survived, he couldn't help but wonder if it could have been prevented had the Klingons not engaged him and allowed the Enterprise to reach the colony sooner. (TOS short story: "Though Hell Should Bar the Way")
In 2249, April took George Kirk and sixteen-year-old Jimmy on an archaeological mission to Faramond while the Enterprise was engaged in other duties. April's shuttle was attacked in the Tong Beak Nebula by pirates, and only through the ingenuity of the Kirks were they saved. (TOS novel: Best Destiny)
In 2251, following completion of the Enterprise's first five-year mission, April addressed the UFP Grand Assembly on the continued success of the Starship Program, and the need to continue the program to further science and exploration. April also announced that he was stepping down as captain of the Enterprise and that Captain Christopher Pike (then currently commanding the USS Yorktown) was to assume command for the ship's second five-year mission. (TOS novel: Final Frontier)
Later that year, newly promoted Commodore April ensured, with the help of Admiral R. Mallory, that James T. Kirk was admitted into Starfleet Academy. (TOS novel: Best Destiny)
During the antimatter universe incident, April discovered that it was in fact an illusion created by telepathic beings studying the Federation and Klingon conflict. (TOS novelization: Star Trek Log Seven)
[edit] Early Voyages
Robert T. April commanded the USS Tiberius on three five-year missions before taking command of the Enterprise in 2245. After his final five-year mission, April personally escorted Christopher Pike to the Enterprise in spacedock to give the ship's new captain a few words of advice for his adventures yet to come. (EV comic: "Flesh of My Flesh")
In 2255, Admiral April returned to the Enterprise in a supervisory capacity while Pike was on an undercover mission to the Temazi homeworld. When Number One was injured in an engagement with Klingon forces, April assumed command of the Enterprise and put the ship in jeopardy by pressing the attack. (EV comic: "Thanatos"; "Nemesis")
[edit] Original Star Trek pitch
Captain Robert M. April was a 34-year-old Academy graduate, and the "skipper" of the SS Yorktown, sometime between the years 1995 and 2995. He was a physical and capable commander, considered a "space-age Horatio Hornblower." A compassionate commander, he was more prone to action than administration.
- This April was the basis for the Christopher Pike and later James T. Kirk character seen in Star Trek.
| Commanding officers of the starships Yorktown | |
|---|---|
| SS Yorktown (NCC-108): | Narsu • T'Pol • Kelby • Mayweather • F. Decker • Roddenberry • Picard • Mitchell • "Number One" • April |
| USS Yorktown (NX-1531): | April • Pike |
| USS Yorktown (NCC-1704): | April • Pike • M. Decker • Holtzbrinck • Randolph |
| USS Yorktown (NCC-2033): | Ledbetter |
| USS Yorktown (NCC-38712): | Caldon |
| USS Yorktown (NCC-61137): | Zimmerman • Kentrav • Shelby |
| USS Yorktown (NCC-90276) | Shriela • Tyler |
[edit] Fan continuities
[edit] Star Trek is...
Lieutenant Commander Robert Mayweather April, born in 2195, was an officer, formerly of Starfleet Security and Starfleet Headquarters who was placed in command of the UESPA freighter SS Yorktown (NCC-108) in 2229.
Born and raised in New Bozeman on the Alpha Centauri Colony, April served aboard the SS Enterprise (NX-01) as his field study at the Academy, but did not serve aboard any starships until the Yorktown. A year of duty in Starfleet Security is unaccounted for, however.
April was close friends with Garth of Izar and served under Commodore Robert L. Comsol.
[edit] Star Trek: Origins
Robert April was born on Earth in 2194. He entered Starfleet Academy at age 17 in 2212 and graduated in 2216. Over the next ten years, April quickly rose through the ranks, and was made captain of the USS Tiberius in 2226. He commanded the Tiberius for four years, then took command of the USS Challenger, which was nearly destroyed in a battle with the Klingons in 2233.
Afterwards, April was assigned to the Legend project and given command of the second ship of the Legend-class, the USS Yorktown (NX-1531) in the year 2235. April was allowed to hand-pick his own crew, which included Ensign Christopher Pike, Commander George S. Kirk, and Doctor Sarah Poole. He faced several adversaries, including Klingon Captain Korrd and Harry Mudd, Sr.
- Robert April is to-be-played by veteran actor Ron Morrison.
[edit] Star Trek: Pendragon
Robert Timothy April's first command was the USS Yorktown followed by the Tiberius, where he served with security chief George Kirk.
Prior to the launch of the Enterprise, April met with Jonathan Archer and worked with Lawrence Marvick and Charles Tucker on the development of the Constitution class.
- The Pendragon universe accepts the Pocket Books and non-contradictory Early Voyages information as Robert April's origin and background.
[edit] Star Trek: The Legend
Robert April was a very quick witted and sarcastic commander. He was an expert tactician, but liked complicated things to be explained nice and easy.
April was born in 2205 in Cairo, Egypt. His parents were archeologists, so he moved around a lot until 2210 when they settled down in Coventry, England, where April would grow up. By 2223, April entered Starfleet Academy and graduated four years later. He was stationed on Earth where he began graduate level work at UCLA in the field of history. He eventually earned a doctorate in history with his concentration on the mid-22nd century.
In 2235, April, now a lieutenant commander, transferred to starship duty as a tactical officer. The ship he was assigned to patrolled the Tholian border and, as a result, April engaged in several skirmishes. He earned a reputation for himself as a skilled tactician and moved up the ranks. In 2237, April was promoted to captain, but was tired of Starfleet life and resigned his commission. He continued to be a history instructor at the Academy.
In 2245, Federation President McCann called on April to re-instate his commission to command the USS Enterprise to investigate the disappearance of a starship commanded by one of April's long-time friends. After the mission was sucessful, McCann urged April to remain in the fleet, which he agreed to.
[edit] Notes
- One detail about April's past that varies is the year of his birth, which is either 2194, 2195 or 2196 depending on which chronology is being used and the placement of the TAS episode.
- According to the FASA RPG, April retired after several years as a commodore to serve as ambassador-at-large, but most other sources have him remaining in the fleet while an ambassador.
[edit] External links
- Robert April article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Robert April article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
- Robert April at Arcapedia
- Star Trek: The Legend official website
