Jack Graves

Engineering Tech Jack Graves was an Engineer of Deep Space 3, in the mid-24th century. (Star Trek: Outpost)

Starfleet career

Very little was known about Jack Graves' Starfleet career before his arrival at DS3. What is known is that "I've got the bad habit of not knowing when to shut up and smile". Despite his personal shortcomings, add to that his general dissatisfaction with his assignment to DS3, he had made himself indispensible to Station Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Forrestal. In the two years since his arrival, he had shown his skills as an engineer time and again. Though station commander Captain Buchanan did not consider him worthy of any type of consideration, promotion, commendation or the like, Jack Graves demonstrated himself to be not only capable, but imaginative as an engineer. His skills had garnered the attention of 214th Construction Battalion commanding officer CDR Olivia Twist, so much so that she offered him what he had been waiting for since his arrival, a way out. His attitude towards DS3 started to change, following the resolution of the bug crisis. By his own admission, he now had a personal stake in the station, and he needed to decide for himself what his next step would be. Sadly, his future was cut short. In 2365, he suffered a cerebral infarction while playing Majong. After lingering for several days on full life support, it was ordered shut off by DS3 Station Commander Captain Montaine Buchanan. He passed away shortly after. 

Relationships

With his peers

Neela Gliss

Neela Gliss' enthusiasm regarding her recent posting to DS3 is a direct counterpoint to Jack Graves' dissatisfaction and malaise. Still, Gliss did turn to Graves for the rundown on how the station operates, even if it was after the fact. (Drawing Back the Veils)

With his Superiors

Master Chief Burt "Hard" Knox

Like a majority of personnel aboard DS3, as well as the Chimera, Jack tended to give Master Chief Petty Officer Burt Knox a wide berth. With the resolution of the bug crisis, however, that changed. With Graves' renewed enthusiasm towards duty aboard the Station, he had come to the realization that he needed to "start getting into the rhythm of this place, this sector, the universe outside this station." To that end, Jack asked the Chief to let him 'tag along' the next time he was out doing something 'interesting'. Teach him how to find, and obtain items outside of Starfleet and Federation supply outlets. Knox did not make a decision. To sweeten the deal, Jack gave Knox an Escherrite statue that had changed hands multiple times during its stay aboard.  Knox finally relented and allowed Jack to accompany him on a shopping trip to The Enclave. While on the mission, his performance, given the task assigned, was adequate.

Captain Montaine Buchanan

In the words of station Commander Captain Montaine Buchanan; "Engineer Graves' is a passable Technician, but his work is either quick or quality. He is not capable of both at the same time, therefore, his chances of any meaningful advancement at this time are not good." In the words of Jack Graves regarding Captain Buchanan; "Ever since I've been stationed out here, he's done nothing to try to make anyone's job easier. He's done nothing but make cuts here and there, and when he's done, he'd go back and start over. To him, we're not a crew. We're nothing but resources to use up and throw away. It's hard to like a man like that."

Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Forrestal

Graves had been Lieutenant commander Jennifer Forrestal's right hand man ever since his arrival in 2362. Together, they have taken point on every major crisis that has befallen DS3, from the Captain's turbolift accident, to the arthropod crisis, and, most recently, the station's power crisis. LT Forrestal thought so highly of Jack's skills, when she discovered his displeasure at being posted to DS3, she promised to get him a transfer. Despite this, Graves finally accepted that he was a vital part of the station, and asked Forrestal to withdraw his request. Forrestal was present when Captain Buchanan ordered Graves' life support shut off. She was one of the people whom Graves confided his wishes should he be incapacitated with little or no hope of recovery.

Lieutenant Commander Gant

Ever since the arrival of 214th Starfleet Construction Battalion, Graves had embarked on a singular campaign to get the attention of anyone from that unit, in the hopes of obtaining a transfer. His enthusiasm in trying to show off his engineering skills often ran counter to the by-the-book USS Remington Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Gant. Gant had been drafted by Commander Twist to assist in the repairs to the station. Graves was frustrated by Gant's determiniation to do the work by the book, even when he showed Gant that "it works!" He would lose valuable work time when Gant would pull him off of his assignment, and force him to watch the 214th perform the same procedure, "To see the proper way."

Commander Olivia Twist

It wasn't until the bug crisis, when he came up with the idea of modulating forcefields to either repulse or attract the bugs did Jack Graves draw the attention of 214th Commanding Officer Commander Olivia Twist. In her own words, "The ability to observe and improvise is an often overlooked quality in an engineer". She also mentioned LT Forrestal conveyed his desire to leave. Twist offered Jack a position with the 214th if he wanted it. "Make sure you find time to sit down with me before you leave. There are plenty of good engineers who can do what they're supposed to do. Good engineers who can go a bit further, and see what else needs to be done are more rare. I might have a place for you in the Two-Fourteen, If you want it."

Chronology

2362 - Reports for duty at Deep Space Three. Is assigned Engineering alongside Station Chief Engineer LT Jennifer Forrestal.

2364 - Deep Space Three infested by duranium-based insect-like arthropods. Captain Montaine Buchanan seriously injured following the failure of a station turbolift, along with the surrounding shaft. During the battle to eliminate the swarming bug population, Graves comes up with the plan to use modulating forcefields to attract and repulse the bugs.

2365 - Suffers a cerebal infarction while playing majong with Engineer Neela Gliss and Medtechs Giles and Johnson. After lingering for several days, life support was ordered shut off by station commander Captain Montaine Buchanan. At his bedside were Neela Gliss LCDR Forrestal, Dr Arban Breetal, and Captain Montaine Buchanan

Memorable quotes

"Ever since I've been stationed out here, he's done nothing to try to make anyone's job easier. He'd cutback here, he'd cutback there, and when he was done, he'd go back and start over. To him, we're not a crew. We're nothing but resources to use up and throw away. It's hard to like a man like that."

" 'Something' doesn't cover it, Lieutenant! I'm going to do everything I can to catch the eye of anyone from the Construction Battalion I can! This may be my last, best hope of getting out of this place, and I don't intend to let it pass by without giving it my all!" 

"It's not like that, Lieutenant, and you know it! I don't blame you! You've done everything you can to make it bearable out here . . . . . But you can't tell me that you haven't thought about it yourself . . . . . . ever since Commander Torkelson told us they were coming . . . . . Can you honestly tell me that you haven't even considered asking Commander Twist to take you with her when she goes?"

"Stay out of this, Gliss! You CHOSE to be here. You asked to get off the Admiral's ship, the Kittinger, so you could do what you call 'real engineering work'. You may not regret that, yet, but you will. Soon, and for the rest of your life . . . . .  No one asked me if I wanted to come here! No one has ever asked me if I want to stay. Well, with the two-fourteen aboard, I've got a chance to be noticed! Maybe not a good chance. In fact, it may be a downright lousy chance. But it IS a chance. Which is better than the goose-egg of a chance I had before. And I'm going to do everything I can to turn that chance into a reality! Everything!"

"It's just that over the last several days . . . .  I've not only fought for - bled for - this station . . . . I've done everything I could to keep together against an enemy that would and could have destroyed it."

"What I'm trying to say is . .  . . .  I'm not ready to leave. Not now. Not any time soon. Deep Space Three may be outdated and falling apart, but, somehow it feels different than before. These last few days, I've invested something into this station that I never had before. Chief Knox told me I needed to figure out what I wanted . . . . Well, I think I've done that. I actually feel like I belong here now. . . . . .  I guess what I'm saying Lieutenant, is that I'd like to withdraw my request for transfer. That is, if it's not too late."

Background

Jack Graves was played by the late Michael Liebman in all his appearances in Star Trek: Outpost.