Once a Hero...
Once a hero…

Summary 
James Kirk is in his quarters, reviewing the personnel file of Ensign Thomas Lee. He asks the computer if there is any further information available, but there is not. Kirk tries in vain to record a eulogy for a young man who sacrificed his life to save his captain. Leonard McCoy arrives to find Kirk concerned about the situation. He recommends that the captain should check into the details of Ensign Lee's service and lifetime.

Memorable quotes 
"Thomas Lee deserves more than empty words, delivered by a captain who didn't really know him."
"Then do more."
 - Kirk and McCoy

Background information 
 This was regular scripter Peter David's last issue written for this series, although he went on to write numerous more Star Trek comics for DC and eventually the Star Trek: New Frontier novel series.
 David originally submitted this story under the pen name of "Robert Bruce Banner." 
 It was reprinted in the "Best of Peter David" collection.

Creators 
 Based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
 Writers: Peter David
 Artists: 
 Gordon Purcell (interior pencil art)
 Arne Starr (interior inking)
 Tom McCraw (color art)
 Bob Pinaha (letter art)
 Jerome K. Moore (cover art: pencil, ink, brush, pen, opaque gouache, China marker) 
 Editor: Robert Greenberger

Characters

Regular and recurring characters 

 James T. Kirk   captain.
 Spock  Vulcan Enterprise-A exec and science officer.
 Leonard McCoy  Enterprise-A surgeon.
 Hikaru Sulu  Enterprise-A helmsman.
 Montgomery Scott  Enterprise-A chief engineer.
 Uhura  Enterprise-A communications officer.
 Pavel Chekov  Enterprise-A navigator and security chief. Chekov regretted severely dressing down Ensign Lee after the briefing for what would become Lee's first, and final mission. Chekov's quarters had a wall display of a stylized Russian flag. 
The flag was a Russian Federation banner overlaid with a yellow bird design derived from the 1800s Russian Empire. This flag was similar to the standard of the President of the Russian Federation, which was adopted in the same year this comic was published.

Other characters 
 Thomas Lee  Enterprise-A security ensign. Despite being an ensign, Lee wore no rank insignia on his Starfleet uniform.
 Hunter  Enlisted security crewperson aboard Enterprise-A, a twenty-year veteran of Starfleet. 
Although Hunter identifies himself as enlisted and a long-term veteran, he wears the red shirt and insignia of a cadet's training uniform (but with an enlisted crewperson's jumpsuit collar). One other character, Valeris, had a similar inconsistency in canon, raising questions as to added functions of red uniform insignia and shirts by non-cadets in this time period.
 Jackson  Security man aboard Enterprise-A. Jackson also wore the red undershirt and uniform insignia of a trainee, but on a jumpsuit with an enlisted collar.
 Ventura  Leader of the Haigy raiders who poses as Arcade captain.
 Kapek  Haigy raider who fights with Scotty.
 Anna Lee  Ensign Lee's mother, whose name was listed in his personnel file
 Jack Lee  Ensign Lee's father, according to his records.
 Rogers  The true captain of Arcade, missing, captured aboard a Haigy vessel.

 References Arcade : Federation freighter.
Dinar IV  Crash site of the Arcade.
Dinar system  Star system where the Arcade was attacked.
Haigy  Band of raiders operating outside Federation authority. Although they were identified as a separate civilization, the Haigy had Human names and appearances.
Sandar  Alien civilization, outside the Federation, that contracted the Arcade to carry goods to their Colony IX.
Sandar Colony IX 
Sparta, Illinois  Hometown of Ensign Lee.
Starbase 29  Federation base where Ensign Lee signed aboard Enterprise-A.

Timeline 
Late 2260s
 Thomas Lee born.
 Hunter joins Starfleet.
Late 2280s 
 Stopover at Starbase 29.
 Receipt of distress call from the Arcade.

External link
 

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