Edward Beckett

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Template:Command Division Character

Edward J. Beckett is the newly-appointed Commanding Officer of the space station Deep Space Five. A former fighter pilot, Beckett made his name most significantly as a highly successful ship commander in the Borg War, though with his recent assignment as a military advisor in the Palais de la Concorde, has more post-war experience behind a desk than on a starship bridge. There are whispers, not without foundation, that his assignment to DS5 is a result more of his friendship with Second Fleet XO Commodore Matthew Royce than for his abilities.

Personal Details

Name: Edward Jericho Beckett

Age: 54

Species: Human

Interests: Hiking, Music (Classical, Jazz, Opera), Racing Sports (hovercars, horses, etc), Federation Military History, Cooking, Literature (Earth 19th Century, Colonial), Minor Mechanical Tinkering.

Family

Helen Beckett

Helen MacKenzie and Edward Beckett have known each other since their childhood, for after the death of his parents he was the ward of her uncle, Brandon MacKenzie. Due to arguments in the MacKenzie family the two were never close, though, and often outright hostile. They only got to know each other personally by chance and an intervention, as in the late 2370s the USS Athena was assigned to help in the rebuilding efforts on Cardassia Prime, and schoolteacher Helen MacKenzie went out as a volunteer to work there. In adulthood the hostility remained, though there was an undercurrent of fondness there was noted by Beckett's friend Royce, who made it his personal task to pair the two up. He succeeded, and the two were married in 2380, their first child Matthew - named for Royce - born three years later. Throughout the war, Helen continued her support work on border worlds, much to Beckett's chagrin, and the two were both happier with the other living on Earth in the aftermath of the war.

She is a dry, sarcastic woman whose wit has not been dulled over the years, and far more abrasive than her more polite husband. As a teacher, she has tended to focus her work on the more unfortunate parts of the Federation which need support, and has been investigating improving the educational facilities on New Kashmir.

Matthew Beckett

Named for his father's friend Royce, the eldest son Matthew seems to have inherited his father's calmness and his mother's confidence. He is, however, rather lacking in much ambition, seeming to consider doing 'odd-jobs' about the Core Worlds to be a valid career. Currently he crews as a steward on a freighter, is looked at by his younger sister Dawn as something of a failure, and even his parents are at their wits' ends in trying to motivate him to make greater plans for his life.

Dawn Beckett

The middle child, Dawn is subject to practically text-book self-doubts that result of such a position. She does, however, work hard to compensate for being neither the adored 'baby', nor the heir and scion. An academic near-genius, with drive and leadership skills to match, she applied for Starfleet Academy early and was accepted. Appearing on-course to graduate early as an Operations Officer on a command fast-track, she is driven, focused, and often incredibly arrogant and disparaging when it comes to the rest of her family.

Elaine Beckett

Ellie, the youngest child, still lives with her parents and is making desperate efforts to get out. This is hampered somewhat by a lack of plans forming into coherent opportunities, for although she has more drive than her brother, she also has an imagination that makes it hard for her to focus on one idea at a time. Her most consistent and coherent intention has been journalism, and she seems intent on making the most of her position on DS5 with her parents to try and get something published to kick-start a career.

James and Caitlyn Beckett

Beckett's parents were both Starfleet officers who fought in the Cardassian War. It was not, ironically, the conflict that ended them - rather, a minor shuttle crash while they were on Earth. They died when Beckett was seven years old, and Caitlyn's friend Brandon MacKenzie was charged to be his guardian should that come to pass.

Brandon MacKenzie

A retired Vice-Admiral, Brandon MacKenzie was a friend of Beckett's parents who took him in upon their death. A somewhat harsh and severe man with no family of his own save a distant brother, MacKenzie clearly had little idea of what to do with a young boy, and so defaulted to the only thing he knew - the military lifestyle. Beckett was brought up in a strict and military environment, and almost had no choice other than to join Starfleet like his foster-father and his parents before him. MacKenzie is now retired from Starfleet and lives in cramped New York City, occasionally giving lectures at the Academy. He is also uncle to Beckett's wife, Helen.

Andrew MacKenzie

Helen's brother, and thus Beckett's brother-in-law, is the Federation Councillor for Jupiter. A political middle-weight, Andrew still has a heft of ambition behind him and an interest in Starfleet's operations, being one of those calling for more defence than expansionism or exploration. He has long harboured a dislike for Beckett.

Medical Details

Physical Appearance

Moderately tall and of lanky frame, Beckett’s slight form once hid a wiry strength and resilience to cope with the high physical strain of his career as a pilot. His features were sharp and strong, in his youth seeing him cutting a dramatic figure in a flight suit that one would almost have expected to see in a recruitment poster. Age has, however, begun to take its toll – although he remains in good physical shape for a man in his fifties, that holds inherent limits. His hair and beard are now more grey than dark brown, his face creased and craggy. The only of his features that age has not affected are his eyes; still an almost disconcertingly dark brown, and holding the weight of his experiences within their depths – if you believe in that sort of thing.

Medical Profile

In strong physical shape for a man of his age, Beckett has sustained an expected number of injuries for a veteran of the Borg War. Most of these are minor cuts and scrapes, and never having been shot down from his fighter, the worst he sustained as a pilot was a burnt hand from some damage to his Valkyrie. His most significant injury came in the Battle of Tridentis, where he was stabbed clean through the left arm by a piece of falling metal, and in neglecting to have it seen to so as to stay on the bridge, almost lost his arm in the subsequent medical attention. His left arm still occasionally gives him trouble.

Starfleet Record

Decorations

• Distinguished Flying Cross, 2385
• Distinguished Service Cross, Battle of Tridentis, 2394
• Purple Heart, Battle of Tridentis, 2394
• Earth Defence Service Medal, 2399

Service Record

• 2370 – 2374: Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate (Cadet)
• 2374 – 2377: USS Maelstrom; Fighter Pilot (Ensign)
• 2377 – 2381: USS Athens; Squadron XO (Lieutenant JG)
• 2381 – 2385: USS Athens; Squadron Commander (Lieutenant)
• 2385 – 2389: USS Athens; Squadron Commander (Lieutenant Commander)
• 2389 – 2392: USS Illustrious; Executive Officer (Commander)
• 2392 – 2394: USS Illustrious; Commanding Officer (Commander)
• 2394 – 2399: USS Illustrious; Commanding Officer (Captain)
• 2399 – 2406: Palais de la Concorde; Deputy Federal Security Advisor (Captain)
• 2406 – Present: Deep Space Five; Commanding Officer (Captain)