Matthew Decker

Commodore Matt Decker was a Human Starfleet flag officer assigned as the commander of the USS Constellation.

In 2267, the Constellation was on a routine survey mission near System L-374 when it encountered an alien doomsday machine systematically destroying the planets of the system.

Decker remained on board to confront the creature, beaming his entire crew to what he believed was safety. When the alien machine destroyed that planet, and crippled the Constellation, Decker was the only survivor.

Decker was later discovered by the USS Enterprise, who tranported him from his broken ship. Consumed with grief over his actions, and with an almost reckless desire for revenge, Decker seized command of the Enterprise, leaving Captain Kirk stranded aboard the Constellation.

He then launched an attack on the planet killer, a move which ultimately proved futile. Relieved of command by Spock, Decker subsequently stole an Enterprise shuttlecraft, piloting it into the maw of the creature in an attempt to destroy it.

Decker was killed in the attempt, which failed to cause significant damage, but his actions gave the Enterprise crew a method of disabling the creature. Following the battle, Captain Kirk noted in his log that Decker gave his life in the line of duty. (TOS: "The Doomsday Machine")

Alternate realities
During the Doomsday War, the alternate Constellation also encountered a Doomsday Weapon. Decker and the derelict ship were discovered by the USS Farragut. Similar as to what happened in the recorded timeline, Decker stole Shuttlecraft Jeffries and flew it directly into the weapon. However, he was not killed. His attempt to destroy the machine accidentally caused the excess Chronitons vented by its anti-proton engine to activate and send the shuttle back in time to 1967. With nowhere else to go, Decker set a course for Earth. He was discovered by a woman named Veronica who nursed him back to health. The two shared Decker's secret and lived a long happy life togther without making any significant changes in this timeline. Later in 2006, Kirk, Spock and McCoy, tracking high levels of residual anti-protons, arrived on Earth and discovered Veronica. Expecting them, she showed the trio a video tape Decker made before he died explaining how he arrived in this time. The three left with vital information on how to disable the weapons and a gift to Decker's son, Will.


 * Matt Decker was played by actor William Windom in both "The Doomsday Machine" and "In Harm's Way". Several other members of the Decker family are featured in the Starfleet Academy comic book series.