Rick McGavin

Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, Richard learned at an early age that you only ever get what you work for, there are no handouts. Growing up he was a middle child with one older brother, Edward, and a younger sister, Kayla. He wasn’t necessarily forgotten, but he had to speak louder than his siblings to be heard.

In his teens he Richard’s father, Mark, passed away suddenly, although it probably could have been prevented with the medical intervention that his father regularly refused. His mother, Sarah, never remarried but lead a fulfilling life as a botanist. Richard never liked botany, in fact being force fed knowledge about botany turned him off from ever seeking anything to do with the sciences beyond the bare minimum to pass his courses. This trend remained at the forefront straight through the Starfleet Academy.

Richard’s experience in the academy was like most: classes, beer, women, homework. He made it to the end, meeting a really nice young officer named Clare Jordan in, you guessed it, the sciences division. It didn’t matter to him though, he tolerated the science jargon simply because she was the most beautiful women he’d laid his eyes on. They married before graduation from the academy. Richard and Claire saw each other sporadically for the first few years of their marriage, on shore leave and whenever the Georgetown or Providence were in the same sector as wherever Claire was posted. In 2262 Claire gave birth to their son, Peter. By 2265 they were divorced, not because they didn’t like each other, but because the distance was just too much.

Richard’s early career as a helmsman and shuttle pilot was particularly uneventful, he was skilled, he was competent, he and two clues to rub together. Because of his genial nature Commodore Stan Edwards of the USS Georgetown kept Richard aboard to bright the gap between the trained helm staff and the cadets, sort of a “Hey, I was just like you not long ago, and now look at me! I fly ships!” He fit in well with both groups, he didn’t feel like he was better than the cadets, like some newly-minted officers sometimes portrayed. He often alternated between tables on cadets and officers in the mess hall.

After a stint on the Georgetown the long time friend of Commodore Edwards, Captain Bronson of the Providence, needed a good junior helm officer for his five year mission. Richard McGavin fit the billet. He quickly moved up to Chief Helmsman, displaything the same comradery and leadership skills as he did on the Georgetown. When the Second Officer position opened up on the Providence, Richard got a set of dashed stripes from Captain Bronson. Richard worked beside Captain Bronson and Commander Greyson, the first officer. Greyson and McGavin worked so well together, Greyson somehow persuaded Captain Bronson to part with him for be Greyson’s first officer for his first command.

Richard McGavin gladly accepted the opportunity to be posted with Greyson, but he felt some regret, like he was betraying Bronson, who had become like a second father to him.