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| + | {{sidebar individual |
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| − | {{Sidebar character |
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| − | | image |
+ | | image = JohnChristopher.jpg |
| − | | |
+ | | imagecap = Captain John Christopher |
| gender = Male |
| gender = Male |
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| species = [[Human]] |
| species = [[Human]] |
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| − | | affiliation = [[ |
+ | | affiliation = [[United States Air Force|USAF]] |
| rank = [[Captain]] |
| rank = [[Captain]] |
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| − | | occupation = [[Pilot]] |
+ | | occupation = [[Pilot]], [[Air Defense Command]] |
| serial number = 4857932 |
| serial number = 4857932 |
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| − | | |
+ | | spouse = unnamed Human woman |
| + | | children = [[Shaun Geoffrey Christopher]] + two unnamed daughters |
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| actor = [[Roger Perry]] |
| actor = [[Roger Perry]] |
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}} |
}} |
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| − | [[Captain]] |
+ | '''[[Captain]] John Christopher''' was a male [[Human]] [[military]] [[officer]] in the [[20th century]]. He served in the [[Air Defense Command]], a command in the [[United States Air Force]]. He had qualified as an expert [[pilot]] in this command. His serial (service) number was 4857932. As of [[1969]], he was a [[husband]] and the father of two daughters. After [[1969]], he was the father of [[Shaun Geoffrey Christopher]], the [[commanding officer|commander]] of the first successful [[Earth-Saturn probe|mission to Saturn]]. |
| + | At some point in his career, he was in line for the space program but failed to qualify. In [[1968]], he served at the Air Force base of the [[US 498th Airbase Group]]. |
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| − | In [[2267]], the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} was hurled [[time travel|backwards through time]]. Its progress stopped in the year [[1969]], in low [[Earth]] [[orbit]] over an [[Omaha]] military base. With most systems off-line, the ship dropped deep into the Earth's [[atmosphere]] and became visible on the air defense [[radar]]s. Christopher was assigned to intercept it; he flew his [[F-104 Starfighter]] on approach. Fearing the possibility of [[nuclear warhead|nuclear missile]] attack, [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]] ordered the ship to hold Christopher's aircraft off with a [[tractor beam]]. Unfortunately, the aircraft was too fragile to withstand the force of the beam, and began to disintegrate. As a result, Kirk ordered the pilot transported out. |
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| + | In 1969, the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} arrived in low [[Earth]] orbit from the year [[2267]], through an accidental [[time warp]]. Captain Christopher was scrambled in his [[F-104 Starfighter]] to intercept the ''Enterprise,'' which the Air Force had detected as a [[UFO]]. Detecting the approach of Christopher's jet, and fearing the use of [[nuclear warhead]]s against them, [[Captain]] [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]] ordered the jet held in a [[tractor beam]]. But the metal of which the jet was constructed proved to be too fragile to withstand the force of the tractor beam, and it began to break apart, forcing Kirk to order Christopher beamed aboard. |
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| − | Christopher's materialization aboard the ''Enterprise'' created a new suite of problems: he now knew the future. And the longer he stayed, the more he learned. [[Spock]] knew that an unscrupulous man could use that knowledge to his advantage, perhaps altering the future, and so he and Kirk decided Christopher would have to remain aboard. But Spock's initial assessment of Christopher's future contributions as "not significant" was erroneous. While Christopher himself would lead an unremarkable life (at least as far as the future was concerned), his son, Shaun Geoffrey Christopher, would lead an important early 21st century manned mission to Saturn. Now the crew faced a paradox; it was impossible to keep Christopher aboard, and impossible to return him. |
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| + | Christopher's arrival aboard the ''Enterprise'' presented the crew with an interesting problem: Christopher could not be returned to Earth, as his newly acquired knowledge of the future might lead him to alter history inadvertently. With no choice, Kirk informed Christopher that they could not return him, although Christopher refused to accept this. Christopher tried to escape, pointing a phaser at transporter chief [[Kyle]], demanding to be beamed to the surface, but Kirk arrived in time and knocked him out. |
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| − | Kirk and [[Hikaru Sulu|Sulu]] attempted to retrieve the hard evidence of their presence: the recordings of Christopher's tower traffic and the films from his wing cameras. Without this evidence, Christopher's verbal account would be regarded as just another [[UFO]] encounter in a crowd. But Kirk was captured, and Spock was forced to allow Christopher to accompany him on a rescue mission. A mission that offered Christopher a chance to escape. Fortunately, Spock's foresight prevented this disaster, and Christopher was returned to the ship with the rest of the landing party. |
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| + | While Christopher was recuperating in the sickbay, Spock informed Kirk and Christopher that he had uncovered historical evidence that indicated Christopher '''''had''''' to be returned to Earth; that although Christopher himself had made no relevant contribution to history, his future son, [[Shaun Geoffrey Christopher]], would lead the first Earth-Saturn probe in the early [[21st century]], and that without Christopher on Earth to father this son, the mission would never take place. |
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| − | Spock's theory offered a better answer. In calculating how to return the ship to its proper era, Spock realized they'd have to retreat a little farther into the past as they approached the sun. They could then "slingshot" around the sun, back past Earth and into the future. If they returned Christopher to the precise moment he was beamed out, they would effectively eliminate the timeline in which he visited the Enterprise, and all the evidence. Christopher was returned to the cockpit of his aircraft moments before he left, preserving the timeline. ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}) |
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| + | |||
| + | Later, Kirk and [[Lieutenant]] [[Hikaru Sulu|Sulu]] beamed down to the Air Force base to covertly retrieve evidence of the ''Enterprise's'' presence in 1969, but Kirk was captured in the process. Christopher offered to help [[Spock]] retrieve Kirk, but only on the condition that Christopher be allowed to accompany the rescue party. Spock agreed, and the rescue of Kirk was successful, but during their time on the base Christopher stole a [[firearm]], with the intention of staying and reporting what he knew. Before Christopher was able to do so, however, Spock incapacitated him with a [[Vulcan nerve pinch]]. |
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| + | |||
| + | Spock and [[Chief Engineer]] [[Montgomery Scott]] devised a plan to return Christopher without any damage to the timeline: they would recreate the time warp via a [[slingshot effect]] around [[Sol|the Sun]], returning them to their own time. Since, as they gathered speed approaching the Sun, they would initially travel back in time, they would simply return Christopher to a point in time '''''before''''' his transport aboard the ''Enterprise.'' Their plan worked, and Christopher was returned to the cockpit of his jet before he was beamed aboard, leaving him with no memory of what had transpired--thereby causing the events he had experienced to "unhappen." ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}) |
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== Background == |
== Background == |
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| − | Captain Christopher was played by actor [[Roger Perry]]. According to the |
+ | Captain Christopher was played by actor [[Roger Perry]]. According to the episode's end-credits, he was credited as ''"[[Major]]'' Christopher." |
| − | Of note is that when Christopher |
+ | Of note is that when Christopher was given a Starfleet uniform to wear, it bore the rank of lieutenant. The USAF rank of "captain" was, in fact, equivalent to the naval rank of "lieutenant." Both were O-3 officer grades in the United States armed forces. |
| + | The Air Force service number Captain Christopher provided (4 857 932) was part of an unused range of service numbers (four million through seven million) created by the Air Force after World War II but never distributed to service members. The range of Air Force officer numbers in use during 1969 would have had Captain Christopher either holding a three million reserve officer number or, if Regular Air Force, a number somewhere between sixty and eighty thousand. (''Source: National Personnel Records Center'') |
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| + | ==Apocrypha== |
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| + | *The short story [[Strange New Worlds III|"The Aliens Are Coming!"]] featured Christopher being interviewed by [[Wainwright]] from {{DS9|Little Green Men}} soon after the events of {{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}. |
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| + | ==External link== |
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| + | *{{NCwiki}} |
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[[de:John Christopher]] |
[[de:John Christopher]] |
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| + | [[fr:John Christopher]] |
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Revision as of 08:56, 3 April 2015
Captain John Christopher was a male Human military officer in the 20th century. He served in the Air Defense Command, a command in the United States Air Force. He had qualified as an expert pilot in this command. His serial (service) number was 4857932. As of 1969, he was a husband and the father of two daughters. After 1969, he was the father of Shaun Geoffrey Christopher, the commander of the first successful mission to Saturn.
At some point in his career, he was in line for the space program but failed to qualify. In 1968, he served at the Air Force base of the US 498th Airbase Group.
In 1969, the USS Enterprise arrived in low Earth orbit from the year 2267, through an accidental time warp. Captain Christopher was scrambled in his F-104 Starfighter to intercept the Enterprise, which the Air Force had detected as a UFO. Detecting the approach of Christopher's jet, and fearing the use of nuclear warheads against them, Captain Kirk ordered the jet held in a tractor beam. But the metal of which the jet was constructed proved to be too fragile to withstand the force of the tractor beam, and it began to break apart, forcing Kirk to order Christopher beamed aboard.
Christopher's arrival aboard the Enterprise presented the crew with an interesting problem: Christopher could not be returned to Earth, as his newly acquired knowledge of the future might lead him to alter history inadvertently. With no choice, Kirk informed Christopher that they could not return him, although Christopher refused to accept this. Christopher tried to escape, pointing a phaser at transporter chief Kyle, demanding to be beamed to the surface, but Kirk arrived in time and knocked him out.
While Christopher was recuperating in the sickbay, Spock informed Kirk and Christopher that he had uncovered historical evidence that indicated Christopher had to be returned to Earth; that although Christopher himself had made no relevant contribution to history, his future son, Shaun Geoffrey Christopher, would lead the first Earth-Saturn probe in the early 21st century, and that without Christopher on Earth to father this son, the mission would never take place.
Later, Kirk and Lieutenant Sulu beamed down to the Air Force base to covertly retrieve evidence of the Enterprise's presence in 1969, but Kirk was captured in the process. Christopher offered to help Spock retrieve Kirk, but only on the condition that Christopher be allowed to accompany the rescue party. Spock agreed, and the rescue of Kirk was successful, but during their time on the base Christopher stole a firearm, with the intention of staying and reporting what he knew. Before Christopher was able to do so, however, Spock incapacitated him with a Vulcan nerve pinch.
Spock and Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott devised a plan to return Christopher without any damage to the timeline: they would recreate the time warp via a slingshot effect around the Sun, returning them to their own time. Since, as they gathered speed approaching the Sun, they would initially travel back in time, they would simply return Christopher to a point in time before his transport aboard the Enterprise. Their plan worked, and Christopher was returned to the cockpit of his jet before he was beamed aboard, leaving him with no memory of what had transpired--thereby causing the events he had experienced to "unhappen." (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday")
Background
Captain Christopher was played by actor Roger Perry. According to the episode's end-credits, he was credited as "Major Christopher."
Of note is that when Christopher was given a Starfleet uniform to wear, it bore the rank of lieutenant. The USAF rank of "captain" was, in fact, equivalent to the naval rank of "lieutenant." Both were O-3 officer grades in the United States armed forces.
The Air Force service number Captain Christopher provided (4 857 932) was part of an unused range of service numbers (four million through seven million) created by the Air Force after World War II but never distributed to service members. The range of Air Force officer numbers in use during 1969 would have had Captain Christopher either holding a three million reserve officer number or, if Regular Air Force, a number somewhere between sixty and eighty thousand. (Source: National Personnel Records Center)
Apocrypha
- The short story "The Aliens Are Coming!" featured Christopher being interviewed by Wainwright from DS9: "Little Green Men" soon after the events of TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday".
External link
- Template:NCwiki