Rachel Garrett

Multiple realities
(covers information from several alternate timelines)

Species:	Human
Affiliation:	Federation Starfleet
Rank:	Captain
Occupation:	Commander, USS Enterprise-C
Status:	Deceased (KIA) (2366)
Died:	2366, USS Enterprise-C
Played by:	Tricia O'Neil

"We'll make it one for the history books."

– Rachel Garrett, 2366 ("Yesterday's Enterprise")

Rachel Garrett was a 24th century Human female who served as a Federation Starfleet officer and, by 2344, had attained the rank of captain commanding the Ambassador-class USS Enterprise-C.

Biography

In 2344, the Enterprise-C, under Garrett's command, responded to a distress call from the Klingon outpost at Narendra III, which was under attack by four Romulan Warbirds. Garrett ordered the Enterprise to engage the attackers. While defending the outpost, the weapons discharges resulted in the creation of a temporal rift, through which the badly damaged Enterprise drifted, arriving in the year 2366. Garrett had been badly injured, but managed to send a distress call.

To her surprise, a Federation ship did answer the call – the ship's immediate successor, the USS Enterprise-D. Garrett was taken to its sickbay while Lieutenant Richard Castillo managed repairs. As she recovered, Jean-Luc Picard informed her that the Federation was at war with the Klingon Empire, and on the brink of defeat. Initially, Garrett was prepared to remain and assist the Federation's war efforts, but it was eventually discovered that the Enterprise-C's journey through time had resulted in the creation of an alternate timeline, and that, if they wished to restore the proper flow of history, the Enterprise-C would have to return through the rift, in the middle of the battle with the Romulans. Garrett initially balked at this idea, noting that they were hopelessly outmatched by the Romulans, but Picard pointed out that if a Federation starship were to sacrifice itself in defense of a Klingon outpost such an act would be seen as extremely honorable by the Empire, and perhaps avoid the war altogether. Garrett eventually conceded, and prepared to take her ship back through the rift.

However, before the Enterprise-C could depart, both ships came under attack by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, resulting in Garrett's death. The timeline was eventually restored when Lieutenant Richard Castillo took command of the Enterprise-C, and returned the ship through the rift. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

Memorable quotes

"The war is going very badly for the Federation, far worse than is generally known. Starfleet Command believes that defeat is inevitable. Within six months, we may have no choice but to surrender."
"Are you saying all this may be a result of our arrival here?"
"One more ship will make no difference in the here and now, but twenty-two years ago, one ship could have stopped this war before it started."

- Picard and Garrett, in the alternate timeline (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

"To be honest with you, Picard, a significant number of my crew members have expressed a desire to return even knowing the odds. Some because they can't bear to live without their loved ones, some because they don't like the idea of slipping out in the middle of a fight."

- Garrett to Picard, in the alternate timeline. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

"Mr. Castillo?"
"Yes, captain?"
"Inform the crew - we're going back!"

- Captain Rachel Garret to Castillo, after Picard reveals the assistance of the Enterprise-C at Narendra III could prevent the war. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

"We'll make it one for the history books."

- Captain Rachel Garrett (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

Appendices

Background information

Rachel Garrett was played by actress Tricia O'Neil; stunts for Garrett's death scene were performed by stunt double Donna Garrett.

According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, the last name "Garrett" was chosen by story co-writer Trent Christopher Ganino, who took the name from a pizzeria in San Diego, Ganino's hometown.

In an early draft of the script, the captain was named Richard Garrett. Captain Garrett is the only canon female captain of a USS Enterprise. (Demora Sulu was captain of the USS Enterprise-B in Star Trek novels.)

In the final draft of the script, Rachel Garrett is described as "a tall, handsome woman that commands respect instantly."

A biographical readout, written by Michael Okuda, in the PC game Starship Creator Warp II stated that Rachel Garrett was born in 2300. If so, and the date is taken along with her history from the novels, she was admitted to Starfleet Academy at a very young age.

According to Rick Sternbach, the fatal shrapnel was a wing from a VF-1 Valkyrie.

Apocrypha

The Lost Era novels – The Art of the Impossible and Well of Souls – and the Starfleet Academy novel The Haunted Starship, add the following non-canon details:

• 2303 - Her sister Sarah Garrett is born
• 2311 - Entered Starfleet Academy
• 2316 - Met, and married, the Betazoid xenoarcheologist Ven Kaldarren, while a Lt. JG on the USS Argo
• 2324 - Their son Jason is born; Garrett and Kaldarren subsequently divorce and Jason raised off-ship by his father
• 2328 - As a commander she is first officer of the USS Carthage, and is involved in the Betreka Nebula Incident
• 2332 - Promoted to captain and given command of the newly launched USS Enterprise-C
• 2336 - Garrett's long-time friend and first officer, Nigel Holmes, is killed by Klingon renegades

According to the video game Star Trek: Starship Creator, Rachel Garrett was born in Madison, Indiana to parents Judith and David Garrett. She has a brother named Robert James Garrett.

External links

• Rachel Garrett at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Rachel Garrett at the Star Trek Online Wiki