Robert April

Robert T. April was Human male who served in Starfleet in the 23rd century. He was notably the first commanding officer of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the late 2240s. Prior to the Enterprise he commanded the USS Tiberius (23rd century), and later rose to positions as a Starfleet Commodore, and Federation Ambassador.

Early life and career
Robert T. April was born in Coventry, England on Earth on October 14, 2194. 

April entered Starfleet Academy aged 17, in 2211, and graduated in 2215. Over the next ten years, April quickly rose through the ranks, and was made captain of the USS Tiberius (23rd century) in 2226. He commanded the Tiberius on three five-year missions, before returning to Earth in 2243. 

Captain of the Enterprise
In 2243, Commodore Van Anling placed April in charge of construction of the, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), at the San Francisco Fleet Yards.

Six months into construction, April took the empty shell of the Enterprise on a secret mission to retrieve the lost colony vessel, SS, trapped in an ion storm. April handpicked a command crew he could trust, including his oldest friend George Samuel Kirk, Sr. 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 some assistance from a defecting Romulan, April and Kirk managed to defuse the situation and rescue the colonists. 

In 2244, April married his long-time friend and vet, Sarah Poole, and she agreed to sign aboard the Enterprise as chief medical officer. (SS TOS (Though Hell Should Bar the Way))

In July 2245, construction of the Enterprise was completed and she was launched on shakedown cruises by Federation President Samuel Solomon Qasr. The shakedowns were successful, and the Enterprise began her first five-year mission of exploration in 2246, with April in command. 

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, commanded by Commander Kor, who was under orders not to let in Federation vessels into the system.

April tried to explain to Kor that they were on a mission of mercy, but Kor attacked. April had no option but to fight back as the Enterprise took heavy damage. He had the Enterprise bring all her 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 Commander 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 he was relieved that young James T. Kirk had survived, he couldn't help but wonder if it could have been prevented had the Klingons not engaged him, and the Enterprise reached the colony sooner. (SS TOS (Though Hell Should Bar the Way))

Later Starfleet career
In 2251, following completion of the Enterprise's first five-year mission, April addressed the Federation Council 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, currently commanding the USS Yorktown (NCC-1704), was to assume command for the second five-year mission. April personally escorted Pike to the Enterprise in spacedock to give his old ship’s new captain a few words of advice for his adventures yet to come. 

Later that year, newly-promoted Commodore April ensured, with the help of Admiral R. Mallory, that James T. Kirk was admitted into Starfleet Academy. 

As a Commodore in Starfleet Command April was able to keep an eye on his old ship. In 2253 he recommended Spock as Pike's new science officer, and later he selected Mia Colt (who had served under him on the Tiberius previously) as Pike's new Yeoman, after the death of Dermot Cusack. 

Later in 2254 the then Admiral April returned to the Enterprise to temporarily take command while Captain Pike conducted a mission on the planet ; at this time the Enterprise engaged a pair of Klingon ships and April's command decisions resulted in damage to the Enterprise and injuries to Number One. 


 * April's appearance in the last issues of Early Voyages as an Admiral is inconsistent with what was established in TAS, Pocket Books novels and earlier EV comics. However given the events of the his appearance as an Admiral it is possible he suffered demotion for his actions.

Ambassador at Large
After several years as a Starfleet Commodore, April retired from Starfleet, but still worked for the Federation as an ambassador-at-large. (FASA RPG)

In 2269, Robert and Sarah boarded the Enterprise, commanded by Kirk, enroute to Babel. During the voyage, the Enterprise seemingly entered a antimatter universe and the crew begin to get younger. While the Enterprise crew regressed to infants, April was in his prime and once again assumed command of the Enterprise. April discovered that it was an illusion created by telepathic beings who were testing the Federation and Klingons.