Accepting a Position on board the USS Enterprise as chief of Astrosciences, Hikaru Sulu, would end up not only changing his career path, but become a major part of one of the most famous starships Starfleet had ever built…
Hello and welcome to another episode of Truth OR Myth Beta Canon, a Star Trek web series that dives in to a the history of any given topic using Beta Canon sources using my own imagination to fill in the gaps, and create a cogent narrative. In today’s episode we’re continuing our look at the life and times of Hikaru Sulu.
Though this video is based mostly on Alpha Canon, the truth is it is in fact a Beta Canon video as Ive extrapolated Sulu’s feelings surrounding the various events that will be discussed.
And so, because this IS a Beta Canon video, all information relaid should pretty much be taken with a grain of stardust, and only considered a little bit of Star Trek Fun! And so, with all that out of the way, lets begin.
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, was a Constitution Class starship designed for to explore beyond the borders of known space. And this fact alone appealed to new promoted Lieutenant, as at the very least, he would be exploring things that no one in the Federation had yet seen.
Exerts from Hikaru Sulu’s Biographical File, Audio Interview, Recorded Stardate: 9442.6, Federation News Service;
“I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, I was happy to accept the position as chief of Astrosciences on board the Enterprise. Actually for the first time in a long time I was excited about the opportunity, and decided to be the best damn Astroscientist Starfleet had ever seen.”
“Plus, I wanted to justify the faith that James T Kirk had placed in me. The opportunity to serve aboard a Constitution Class, at the time the jewel in Starfleet’s crown, don’t come every day. There were only 12 other starships like her in the fleet after all…”
And so Hikaru Sulu went about his business, determined to show everyone his talent in the Astrosciences, and become a valued member of the Enterprise crew. But fate would have a different course for Lieutenant Sulu, when on stardate 1312.4, one of the Enterprises officers would be given god like powers and threaten the entire survival of the Federation.
“I didn’t know Gary Mitchell that well. I knew he and Captain Kirk were close and that Kirk had requested him as his helmsman aboard the Enterprise, but that was about it.”
“The Enterprise was ordered by Starfleet to investigate the disappearance of the SS Valiant after we had picked up a distress call from the missing starship.”
“Our investigation would lead us to attempt to pierce the Galactic Barrier, believing that was what the Valiant had attempted to do.”
“Eleven crewmembers, with high Esper ratings were zapped by some unknown form of radiation from the barrier, nine of them died, though Mitchell, and the Enterprises new Psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Dehner, who had also being hit by the flash both survived.”
“I was given the job of observing and analyzing whatever effect the barrier had had on Mitchell, who had come out of the experience with glowing silver eyes.”
“Over the next while, Mitchell began to display super human abilities, Esper abilities. He could read minds, manipulate objects, those sort of things, and I immediately saw a problem.”
“With each passing moment, Mitchell was becoming more and more powerful, and his entire personality as a result was changing.”
“Eventually, Captain Kirk was forced to kill his friend on the lithium planet of Delta Vega with the help of Dr Dehner, who had also begun to transform in to a super human, and would ultimately perish helping Kirk defeat Mitchell.”
“The entire experience was a sad one. The Enterprise had lost not only the 11 crew members who were zapped by the barrier, but also the ships navigator, Lieutenant Lee Kelso who Mitchell had killed while escaping the brig on Delta Vega.”
“Of course though life goes on. One of the first things you learn at the academy is that the exploration of space is a dangerous mission, and casualties will always be a part of that. It doesnt make the loss of any crew members less important, but at least you know and understand the risks.”
“Well that mission had left the Enterprise without a Chief Helmsman and Navigator, and Captain Kirk, knowing my academy record, and always placing officers at different positions on the ship to create a well rounded crew, had me assume the helm position for second sift on the trip back to Starbase 12.”
“The Enterprise wasn’t operating at 100 percent. In fact the trip through the barrier had severely damaged the ship, that’s part of the reason why we went to Delta Vega in the first place, to cannibalize someof it’s equipment to at least get our warp drive back online.”
“And although we were successful, we only had low warp, and our power systems were constantly fluctuating.”
“Well as luck would have it, on the trip to Starbase 12, the Enterprise came under attack by rogue Klingon D7 Battlecruiser, and I use the term rogue very lightly.”
“Nevertheless, it was my shift at the helm when the Klingons opened fire. Normally this wouldn’t be that much of an issue for the Enterprise, but given her damaged state we were at a severe disadvantage.”
With the Enterprise under attack, and the chances of her survival spiraling down with each blow of the Klingon Disruptors, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu would step up to the plate, showcasing his talents at the helm, the Enterprise would win the battle.
“It was one of my proudest moments, when Captain Kirk asked his officers for suggestions, I didn’t hesitate with several special maneuvers I felt could get us in to close range of the Klingon Battlecruiser, while leaving the Enterprise closed to Klingon Attack.”
“Captain Kirk also didnt hesitate, and ordered me to execute the maneuvers, I did, and they came out flawlessly. We ended up so close to the Battlecruiser that if someone had put their arm out a window they could have knocked on the klingons hull.”
“We then open up with a full barrage on the Klingon ship, while I simultaneously engaged Full Impulse and rode the explosion of the D7 out to safety. Captain Kirk was so impressed with what I had accomplished not only did he give me a commendation, but also offered me the position of Chief Helmsman almost on the spot. I of course, respectfully accepted…”
With Hikaru Sulu now at the helm of the Enterprise, the starship would embark on many adventures that would see the ship become on of the most famous starships in Starfleet history.
“You know, many people ask me about our missions, and how it felt to be such a hero for the Federation, well the truth is, we never saw it that way, at least I didn’t. It was simply my job, my duties aboard the ship.”
“When we out witted some alien life form or defeated the Romulans, or discovered some fascinating new anomaly, it was just part of the daily life aboard the ship. Never once did I stop to think of any of the ramifications our successful missions would have on people, I was just a helmsman of a starship, even though being the helmsman of the Enterprise left me feeling absolutely fulfilled.”
Hikaru Sulu himself would be involved in several close calls aboard the Enterprise, but seemingly, almost like magic, the officer would pull through, going on to live another day.
“There were several times I almost didn’t make it, but the one that stands out most in my mind would have to be the mission to Alfa 177.”
“Was part of the survey team for that planet. And when the transporter malfunctioned, splitting Captain Kirk in to 2 halves, well I was trapped with several other officers down on the planet.”
“Temperatures for Alfa 177 were very extreme, at night fall, they could reach as low as 120 degrees below zero. That was probably one of the only times I sure I was going to die. But of course I didn’t, the Enterprise saved us all at the last moment, though I was severally frostbitten.”
“And although I had a lengthy stay in sickbay, under the tender mercies of Dr McCoy, I recovered, and from that point on, had absolute faith in Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise.”
During it’s 5 year mission under the command of Captain Kirk, the Enterprise would efy all odds, always somehow, coming out on top of any situation. But by the year 2270, it seemed that the Enterprises mission had come to an end permanently, after it’s last mission had left the starship severely damaged, in danger of a full decommission.
But Starfleet, once it saw the effect the hero ship had on Federation citizens would change it’s mind and completely refit and upgrade the Enterprise which itself would breath new life in to the Constitution Class of Starships.
And Hikaru Sulu, would head on the journey, not only through out the refit of the ship, but also on it subsequent 2 additional 5 year missions that Starfleet would order the refit Enterprise on.
And when we next return to the Life and Times of Hikaru Sulu, we’ll take a look at some of the missions and feelings the helmsman had in regards to this amazing time in Starfleet history…
Thank you for watching today’s episode of Truth or Myth Beta Canon, what do you think of Hikaru Sulu? Are you enjoying the story Ive created here and this type of biographical layout as Ive presented? Well, leave your comments in the section below and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel, hitting that little bell icon so you wont miss a single video we release.
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