Christopher Pike



Christopher R. Pike was a noted Starfleet officer in the 23rd century. He is most famous for his eleven-year command of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).


 * The USS Enterprise Officer's Manual gives Pike the middle name "Robin", while the novel Final Frontier gives his middle name as "Richard".

Early Life
The Early Voyages comic series, and the novel Burning Dreams, provide contradictory information on Pike's early life.

The Early Voyages
Christopher Pike was the son of retired Starfleet Admiral Joshua Pike, and was born on April 11th 2220 in Mojave, California, Earth. (EV comic: "The Flat, Gold Forever).

Burning Dreams
Christopher Pike was born in Mojave, California in 2219, the son of architect Willa McKinnies, and would not know his biological father until adulthood. When Christopher was nine, his mother married terraformer Heston Prescott, and his stepson took his surname.

In 2228 the family moved to the colony world of Elysium. There he was befriended by Charlie Pike, an apparent drifter and hired hand, who helped the family in their horse breeding endeavor. Willa and Heston died in 2231 when intense wildfires swept across Elysium. While aboard a Starfleet ship aiding rescue operations on Elysium, Chris learned that Charlie was a Starfleet petty officer who had been on extended leave. Pike brought Christopher back to Mojave, to the home he shared with his wife, Hobelia. The day after Christopher's thirteenth birthday, the couple formally adopted him, and gave him the surname Pike.

Early Career
Pike attended Starfleet Academy, and graduated at the top of his class.

In 2246, he held the rank of lieutenant commander, and was temporarily assigned as first officer of the USS Aldrin under Captain Kamnach. Pike was forced to relieve Kamnach of duty when the captain launched an unprovoked attack on a Vestian ship. Pike was charged with mutiny, but all charges were dismissed following a court-martial, and Pike given a promotion to Commander, and assigned to the USS York. (Burning Dreams)

In 2251, Captain Robert April announced to the UFP Grand Assembly that he was stepping down as commanding officer of the USS Enterprise. Pike, then aboard the USS Yorktown, was given command of the Enterprise. (TOS novel: Final Frontier).

Captain of the Enterprise
Pike commanded the Enterprise for a total of eleven years, including two five-year missions.

In 2254, Pike encountered the mysterious Talosians, and fell in love with a woman named Vina. (TOS episodes: "The Cage"; "The Menagerie").

Not long after, the Enterprise visited Corinthia VII. Though initially believed to be devoid of any advanced life forms, a landing party discovered huge subterranean creatures on the planet. It was his experience with the Talosians that helped Pike battle these dangerous life forms. (TOS short story: "A Private Ancedote")

In 2262, Pike encountered the Kan'ess, a race of reptilian hunters, and was for a time held captive as a pet by one of their leaders. (novel: Burning Dreams)

Fleet Captain Pike
In 2264, following the end of his second five-year mission on the Enterprise, Pike accepted a promotion to Fleet Captain.

In 2265, aboard the USS Tereshkova, he participated in a joint Starfleet-Trill study of a rogue comet in the Trill system. At the request of Trill scientist Audrid Dax, he agreed to keep the discovery of a parasitic life form inside that comet classified. (DS9 short story: "Sins of the Mother")

Tragedy and New Life
In 2266, Pike was taking part in a training cruise on a class-J starship, when a structural rupture flooded the ship with radiation. Pike acted to save trapped cadets, taking debilitating doses of radiation in the process. His life was saved, but he was confined to a life-support wheelchair and left unable to speak, other than by the simple blinking of a light on his chair.

In early 2267, his former science officer, Spock, helped him return to Talos IV, where he would be reunited with Vina and given the illusion of full health. (TOS episodes: "The Cage"; "The Menagerie").

On Talos, Pike helped inspire the Talosians to reclaim the surface of their planet and rebuild their former culture. By 2320, Talos had again become a thriving world, and Pike (in a recorded message, relayed after his death) appealed to Spock -- now an ambassador -- to help bring Talos into the Federation. (novel: Burning Dreams).


 * The Star Trek: Starfleet Academy comic Return To the Forbidden Planet has Pike communicating telepathically with visitors to Talos IV as late as 2372.