Jean-Luc Picard

Jean-Luc Picard was a legendary Starfleet officer in the 24th century, most famous for commanding the USS Stargazer, the USS Enterprise-D, and the USS Enterprise-E. As of 2385, he is the Commanding Officer of the USS Invincible and the Flag Officer-in-Command of Task Force Invincible, which is attached to Vanguard Fleet and Vanguard Command.

Early Life
Jean Luc Picard was born in Labarre, France, on Earth on 2305. He had few friends as a youngster and self-admittedly "skipped his childhood," due to his early, single-minded drive to be in Starfleet. Though shy, he took piano lessons only to please his mother; he hated public performance and soon quit - a move he now regrets. He did build airships in bottles when young, and like his nephew years later he wrote a ribbon-winning report on starships; reading of the ancient Bajorans in the fifth grade might have been another influence on his lifelong passion for archeology. Later he was school president, valedictorian and a star athlete.

Picard is described as a tall balding man who strikes a bearing pose and has a kind face. He is well built and muscular. He is a very quiet man, tending to keep to himself when off duty rather than mix with his fellow officers. Picard is one of nature’s explorers and loves to discover new lifeforms or unearth buried civilizations. His love for history is apparent and his quarters and ready room are filled with his findings, books and other items from his long career. Picard loves sports and is a keen horseman, fencer, and rock climber and spends a lot of his spare time in pursuit of these on the Holodeck.

Starfleet Academy
Picard failed his first try on the Academy entrance exams in 2322 but only required one more to finally pass in 2323. As a student athlete, he became the only freshman ever to win the Academy marathon - the event at Danula II marked the beginning of his friendship with Admiral Hanson - and he once out-wrestled a Ligonian in 14 seconds with a reverse body lift for a pin. He graduated at or near the top of his Academy class, even though he once failed an Academy class over a woman he refers to only as "A.F.," the initials he carved into gardener Boothby's prize campus elm tree; he was called at least once to the Academy superintendent's office, and he credits Boothby for helping him through an ordeal that saved his graduation in 2327.

Early Starfleet Career
His lack of self-discipline as a young officer nearly led to his death in a near-fatal stabbing at Starbase Earhart in 2328 while awaiting post-graduation assignments. Picard went on as a lieutenant to meet Ambassador Sarek at the wedding of his son Starfleet legend Spock to senior Starfleet officer Saavik.

Another mentor of those years was archeology professor Richard Galen, whose fatherly approach was a trait sorely missed by the son estranged from his true father. In fact, it was not until after his abduction during the Borg crisis that Picard ventured home, the first time in 20 years, and began to heal the rift with his brother Robert, who had been jealous of his high-achieving younger brother whom he viewed as getting away with spurning family traditions and responsibilities.

The USS Stargazer
In an early highlight of his invincible and fondly recalled years aboard the U.S.S. Stargazer, First Officer Picard took command of the bridge upon his captain's death and saved the ship, leading to his permanent promotion to captain.

Picard’s first command was the USS Stargazer during which he made his name in the history books of the Federation by his actions.

It was only a year before the Stargazer's loss, in 2354, that his senior officer and friend Jack Crusher was killed on an away team, and he had returned the body to his widow, Dr. Beverly Crusher, at Starbase 32. That same year he visited Chalna; earlier, the Stargazer had barely eluded ambush while on an unsuccessful truce mission during the Cardassian border wars.

Picard's command over the USS Stargazer was cut short when his ship was attacked by a vessel of then unknown origin (later revealed to be a Ferengi Marauder class cruiser). By jumping to warp a second before the ship fired on the Stargazer his vessel appeared to be in two places at once allowing the Stargazer to open fire on the Ferengi vessel and destroy it. This later became known as the ‘Picard Maneuver’ and is still taught in tactical classes in the Academy. Although the feat worked, the Stargazer was lost and had to be abandoned (turning up years later). Picard was court-martialed for the lose of the Stargazer but was exonerated of all charges against him.

The USS Enterprise-D
A few years later after proving his worth both as a ship’s captain and a skilled negotiator, Picard was given the command of a new starship that would become the flagship of the Federation, the USS Enterprise-D. The fifth in a long line of ships to bear this name, the USS Enterprise-D was then a state of the art Galaxy class Starship that would play home and work place to over a thousand people. Unlike many vessels before it the Enterprise-D was a ship of peace and exploration and not only carried many Starfleet officers on board but also their families.

Picard assumed captaincy of the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D on SD 41124, having hand-picked much of his senior staff - such as two young officers who impressed him enough upon first meeting to win a place in the senior staff: Geordi LaForge once piloted his inspection tour shuttle and stayed up all night to refit an engine part he'd made a passing comment on, and he witnessed Tasha Yar risk her life to save colonists amid a Carnelian mine field. Finally, he had picked Riker from among simple resumes as his first officer and promoted him to commander sight unseen, impressed by his record of independence.

Owing to a single-minded drive since childhood for a Starfleet career, Picard has "never been a family man" and was long uncomfortable with the Galaxy class starship's civilian family contingent.

Within months of his Enterprise captaincy he was offered admiral's rank and the job of commandant of Starfleet Academy by Admiral Quinn but turned it down to retain his flagship.

During their first year, Picard and his crew successfully managed to avert a hostile take over of the Federation by an alien race that had infiltrated Starfleet at the highest levels.In 2371, the USS Enterprise-D was lost over Veridian III, with the vessel's primary hull crash-landing on the planet's surface.

Q
On its very first mission to Farpoint Station the Enterprise-D encountered an omnipotent being that would plague the Federation (and above all Picard) for many years to come, the all powerful ‘Q’. Placing humanity on trial as an inferior race and threatening to wipe them from existence, ‘Q’ sort to take a potential threat to the realm which it hailed from ‘The Q Continuum’. Picard successfully defended humanity against the omnipotent being but was this would be far from the last time that the two would meet.

Other mission performance highlights of his years on the Enterprises included his second meeting with Sarek, where at great personal risk he agreed to a mind-meld to save the Legaran conference in 2366 with the ailing ambassador; the legendary Vulcan had taken an interest in his career, calling it "satisfactory," but Picard was still awed by the UFP legend. They met again briefly as Sarek lay dying two years later as Picard was en route to another reunion with Spock, leading an underground pro-unification movement with Vulcan on Romulus.

He also commanded the 23-ship blockade fleet to deter Romulan interference along the Klingon border during the empire's civil war of 2367-68, and undertook a covert raid in 2369 with two Enterprise officers on Celtris III to investigate a reported Cardassian metagenic weapons base, later found to be a hoax.

Picard has also participated in first-contact encounters with the Borg, Ferengi, Edo, Aldeans, Tamarians, Jarada, Malcoria III, Douwd, Mintaka III, Paxans, Cytherians, the Ux-Mal, and Devidians, among others, and served as a negotiator and diplomat on missions including Acamar III, Rutia IV, Angosia III, Bajor, Talarians, Turkana IV, Pentaurus V, Ventax II, Kaelon II, Lenaria, Gemaris V-Dachlyd, and Krios-Valt Minor.

The Borg
Picard and the Enterprise-D were flung far into the Delta Quadrant in 2365 (again by the mischievous ‘Q’.) and encountered the single biggest threat to the Alpha Quadrant - the Borg.

During his third year as captain of the Enterprise, Picard underwent a situation that would forever change his life. In 2366. A lone Borg cube from the Delta Quadrant had been dispatched to assimilate Earth (after learning of its existence via the ‘Q’ incident!). The Borg, (a race of technologically advanced race of cybernetic lifeforms) captured Picard and took him to use as a voice for them. Picard was transformed into Locutus of Borg, his memories stripped from him and his vast knowledge of Starfleet and tactics used against the Federation. He was formerly declared dead by Adm. Hanson as a casualty of war after his assimilation by the Borg; the ruling was rescinded six days later, after he fought through the imposed Borg mind of Locutus and got back to his own identity following his recapture.

As Locutus, Picard was responsible for the deaths of over 11,000 Starfleet officers and the loss of over 39 ships in the now legendary Battle of Wolf 359. The valiant crew of the Enterprise-D mounted a rescue mission for their captain and with his help managed to avert the threat before the Earth became a Borg outpost. Along with his physical recovery, the invasive incident took an enormous emotional toll and required several weeks of counseling. Picard followed a similar though less lengthy recuperation following his capture and torture by Cardassians in 2369. This left a traumatic scar on Picard and it wouldn’t be the last time that he would lead the battle against the Borg.

The Enterprise-E
There were no fatalities, and most of the ship's senior crew was reassigned to the USS Enterprise-E, the sixth Federation starship to bear the name.

The Enterprise-E was launched in early 2372, but Picard wasn't offered the command as expected. Instead, command of the Enterprise-E went to Captain Morgan Bateson. Picard was ordered to go into Cardassian space and confront Gul Madred and negotiate for the release of Federation prisoners.

Enroute to Cardassia Prime, Picard relived some adventures of the USS Enterprise, under the command of James T. Kirk on the vessels holodeck. Kirk's adventures persuaded Picard that negotiation would be useless. Picard began to plan to kidnap Madred and demand the prisoners release. His move was successful and all Federation prisoners were released into Picard's custody.

Picard and the prisoners were later successful in regaining control of the Enterprise after the ship had been captured by the Klingon renegade Kozara, who attempted to use the ship to invade Cardassia. Following the Enterprise’s recapture, Morgan Bateson turned the ship over to Picard's command on SD 49827.5. Picard was installed as commanding officer and given a new authorization code: "Picard-4-7-alpha-tango." While Lt. Cmdr. Worf chose to be the exception, Picard's entire senior staff and many junior officers made the transfer with their captain. That continuity proved fortuitous. After a one-year shakedown cruise, Picard was ordered away from repelling a second Borg attack for fear of giving unwitting aid to the enemy, but after reconsidering he led a deflection of the main assault. the new Enterprise was nearly lost when the senior staff decided to sacrifice the ship in order to save Earth's future by preventing the Borg on board from changing history. Fortunately, the crew was able to repel the Borg attempt without having to destroy the Enterprise.

In 2372, Picard attended the funeral of Captain Hikaru Sulu at Starfleet Command, on Earth.

The Ba'ku
In 2375, Picard ordered the Enterprise-E to the Ba'ku homeworld in the Briar Patch when it appeared that his operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, had malfunctioned and assaulted members of the research team there. Picard was able to capture Data and uncovered a plot by Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty and some in the Federation Council to relocate the Ba'ku against their will. Picard rebelled against Dougherty, bringing word of his actions to the public.

Shinzon and the Battle of Bassen Rift
Picard continued in command of the Enterprise through 2378, when the ship was sent to Romulus after the coup by Praetor Shinzon. Shinzon was a clone of Picard created by a former Romulan government – they intended to replace the captain with a spy of their own. Following a change of government, the plan was abandoned and Shinzon was sent to Remus to die. Instead, he prospered, becoming a highly successful leader during the Dominion War. Shinzon used a thalaron radiation weapon to eradicate the Romulan Senate and had planned to do the same to Earth. He needed Picard in order to repair faults in his own genetic makeup.

In a pitched battle between the Enterprise and Shinzon's flagship, the Scimitar, at an area of space called the Bassen Rift, Picard was eventually able to board the enemy ship and eliminate Shinzon. Data saved Picard's life by transporting the captain back to the Enterprise before sacrificing his own life; he destroyed the Scimitar by firing on the thalaron weapon with a hand phaser, thereby saving the over 800 men and women aboard the Enterprise.

Starfleet Admiralty
In 2380, Picard and Beverly Crusher were married. In 2382 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, lower grade (one star) and placed in command of a permanently assembled task force of ten starships under the flagship of the USS Enterprise-E.

Admiral Jean-Luc Picard was Federation Admiral during the 2380's. After the Reaver threat on the Milky way galaxy, he commanded the Alliance fleet to the Raxtorian Nebula in an attempt to escape the Galaxy using the Wormhole located inside. After his ship, The Enterprise-E, was able to open the Ractorian Rift, Several Reaver Ships intercepted the fleet at the Nebula. The Enterprise was one of the first ships to be lost. He died aboard the ship, in a suicide attempt to ram one of the Reaver vessels. He is honoured by the fleets military personnel and is succeeded as head of the fleet by Admiral Kathryn Janeway. (Star Trek : Armageddon, Episode 1, New Beginnings.)

A few months later, Picard and the Enterprise-E were found alive and back in the Milky Way Galaxy under mysterious circumstances by Captain William T. Riker and the USS Titan.

Vanguard Command Timeline
In 2385, Picard accepted another promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral (upper grade), and assumed command of the Invincible class Fleet Carrier-Heavy Battleship USS Invincible, as well as its task force, both of which are assigned to the Vanguard Command of Starfleet Academy batchmate and old friend Fleet Admiral Maximus Hunter. He welcomed Captain Chakotay as his First Officer, Captain Stareck as his Second Officer, and all the rest of his senior staff and department heads upon assuming command.

Starfleet Performance Evaluation
An accomplished diplomat and tactician, Picard managed to surpass a 22-year career as first officer and later captain of the USS Stargazer with an even more impressive record as captain of the fleet's former flagship, the USS Enterprise-D (and then later the USS Enterprise-E). In the latter role he not only witnessed the major turning points of recent galactic history but played a major role in them as well, from surviving as the only human abductee of the Borg invasion in 2366, to becoming the chief contact point with the Q Continuum, to serving as arbiter choosing the ruler of the Klingon Empire and exposing the Romulans as backers of his chief rivals, later helping a pacifist underground movement to gain a toehold there. His command presence and ethics persevered even through a Satarran memory wipe - despite orders, he would not fire on unarmed people.

An historian, and archaeologist and talented musician, Picard tends to keep to himself much of the time and finds very little time for romance, though an encounter with an alien probe changed his views on life and romance, he still remains a bachelor. He has a great love of history and one of his passions is reading 20th century crime novels and the recreation of them on the Holodeck where he assumes the role of the lead character Dixon Hill. A very wry sense of humor, that is well hidden under a veneer of composure.

Part of Picard's private nature includes a difficulty in confronting deep personal issues, which then tend to become suppressed. Philosophically, he sees life and death as more than two choices of eternal or momentary existence; in fact, he believes there is another concept yet beyond human understanding. Genetic engineering with its pre-determination disturbs him, saying it robs humanity of the unknown factor that makes life worth living. Having to be patient in the presence of mounting problems, even if it is unavoidable or even the best path to take, is unsettling to him; nevertheless, he has shown a clear skill in knowing when to solicit opinions and when to act decisively. His Enterprise operations officer, Data, once estimated only a 17% chance that Picard would be so indecisive in a crisis as to call Starfleet for instructions.

Though he often heatedly defends a strict interpretation of the Prime Directive, he has broken it numerous times when he felt it was warranted. For example, during his Enterprise career he allowed an Edo female to confront her "god" from space and brought a pre-spaceflight Mintakan leader aboard so as to undo the damage done by cultural contamination. (He later offered his life to a distressed Mintakan's arrow to prove he was no immortal himself.) He also chafes at the Starfleet directive banning captains from most away-team missions in uncertain or hostile situations.

Picard keeps a healthy outlook on life with a wide variety of interests and recreational pursuits, including his near-professional pursuit of archeology, having studied the Iconian culture since his cadet days and addressed the Federation Archeological Council as keynote speaker on his oft-studied Tagus III ruins in 2367. He enjoys Terran literature in its written rather than holo-visual display, especially detective fiction such as Dixon Hill, and Shakespearean drama; oddly enough, while he enjoys role-playing the former in holo-programs, he avoids acting or any other performance art himself despite an interest in classical music and attending the shipboard concerts and plays on the Enterprise. Even so, he overcame his childhood dislike and began playing a Kataanan flute following his encounter with that culture.

Picard's interests go well beyond archeology and literature, however. The subject of planetary motion and physics is another; he kept up with the Atlantis Project on Earth through journals; and is fascinated to be the first to discover the spacefaring life form, communicate with the Crystalline Entity, and reveal an ancient Promellian battle cruiser. He has studied semantics and keeps his Latin fresh, but has no interest in politics, dance, small animals, or the Enterprise senior staff's poker game until his 2370 encounter with Q and an alternate future timeline.

Picard enjoys excellent health, thanks to a regimen carried over from his days as an athlete. He still finds time for fencing, racquetball and equine sports, usually by Holodeck, but he does show a tendency for overwork, avoids formal vacations, and has reported bouts of insomnia. His aversion to annual physicals must also be noted and dealt with.

Owing to a fatal stabbing through the heart in a brawl as a newly-graduated ensign in 2328, a cardiac device later found to be defective was implanted to save his life. The unit required replacement when it malfunctioned in 2365, overseen at Starbase 212 by then-CMO Dr. Katherine Pulaski. Four years later in a near-fatal Lenarian attack using compressed tetryon weaponry, it was damaged and replaced. He suffered head trauma to the right temple area in the same incident that led to Jack Crusher's death in 2355, and has sustained numerous injuries on occasion, none with long-lasting physical damage.

Picard has compiled an invincible career and laudable accomplishments in both diplomacy and tactics, but the fact remains that he abandoned his first command -- a decision cleared by court-martial review -- and lost his second. While his quick accession to a new command betrayed any concern at Starfleet about his emotional fitness to lead a starship, it did play a factor in delaying his eventual decision surrounding the aborted abandonment and self-destruct of the new vessel to stop the Borg temporal invasion. In this case, thanks to the interference of a strong-willed contemporary associate of Zefram Cochrane, Picard was persuaded that self-destruct was his only option, then thankfully found other options that saved his vessel -- including his unusually strong bond with longtime Second Officer, Lieutenant Commander Data.

All this made Picard a legend among his peers and he became one of the Federation's leading officers. No less than legendary captain of the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A himelf, James Kirk, said that Picard carried the "enterprise tradition" well. Jean-Luc Picard will go down in history as one of the best minds and greatest assets that the Alpha Quadrant has ever known.