Steve Tecklenberg

Steve Tecklenberg was a Starfleet officer in the late 24th century. He was the commanding officer of the USS Scandalon and the Eagle's Nest Squadron. He was known for his work with Starfleet Intelligence, and in training the best and the brightest at Starfleet Academy. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Children of the Burning Heart", "Wings As Eagles", et al.)

Early life

Stephen Paul Tecklenberg was born on Belle Terre in 2330. His father was Captain Paul Tecklenberg, Chief Medical Officer at the colony's Starfleet base. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Scandalon", "The Veil")

Academy

Tecklenberg enrolled in Starfleet Academy in 2347. He was assigned to Alpha Squadron. One of his Cadre was upperclassman John Seilback who took Tecklenberg under his wing, and the two became best friends. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Scandalon")

While at the Academy, he met Gehn, an El-Aurian listener. (PDN: "A Quiet Darkness")

In his sophomore year, Tecklenberg won the Starfleet Academy Marathon on Danula II. He went on to compete on the Academy's anti-grav track team in the Federation Olympics on Pacifica. (PDN: "Children of the Burning Heart", "Wings As Eagles")

In 2349, Tecklenberg entered the undergraduate program at the Advanced Tactical Training Center on Mars. He was taught by Commander Elias Vaughn. At the ATTC, he frequently clashed with Lieutenant Edward Jellico. (PDN: "Scandalon", "Pilgrims on the Path of Shadows")

Tecklenberg graduated with high honors in 2351. (PDN: "Wings As Eagles")

Career

2350s

Ensign Tecklenberg's first assignment was as a security officer on the USS Stargazer (NCC-2893), where he quickly earned the respect of Security Chief Pug Joseph and Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Both men saw great potential in the young Tecklenberg. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Wings As Eagles")

In 2352, he was promoted to Lieutenant junior grade and transferred to the USS Intrepid (NCC-38907), where he quickly made Assistant Chief of Security. (PDN: "Scandalon")

In 2353, Tecklenberg transferred to the USS Beachmont (NCC-21087) as Security Chief. The Beachmont's commanding officer was Captain Paul Twining, and the two men soon formed a bond of deep mutual respect. Tecklenberg also came to greatly admire Lieutenant Commander Jon Hofmann, and they also became good friends. (PDN: "Children of the Burning Heart", "Wings as Eagles", "Scandalon")

After a year on the Beachmont, Tecklenberg was promoted to full Lieutenant.

In late 2357, Tecklenberg took leave to spend the holidays on Belle Terre. Just after the new year, he was out on horseback when terrorists attacked a nearby olivium mining settlement. Tecklenberg literally rode to the rescue, and was surprised when he met a young man named Timothy Sinclair who was doing the same. They risked their lives to save the colonists, and during the incident Tecklenberg was greatly impressed with Sinclair's resourcefulness and character. He convinced Sinclair to remain on Belle Terre for a while, and their lifelong friendship was born. (PDN: "The Veil")

In the another quantum reality, Tecklenberg did not take leave on Belle Terre and so did not meet Sinclair until 2368. This divergence would create the Rogue/Solo timeline. (PDN: "Reflections", "Rogue/Solo")

On 20 January 2358, Tecklenberg and Sinclair participated in the annual Challenger Day celebration on Belle Terre. Two days later, Tecklenberg's leave was up and he talked Sinclair into joining him on his return to the Beachmont. (PDN: "The Veil", "Children of the Burning Heart")

On their long journey from Belle Terre back to Earth, the Beachmont responded to distress calls from the USS Pegasus escape pods and recovered eight survivors, including Captain Erik Pressman and Ensign William Riker. Tecklenberg and Captain Twining became suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Pegasus. Starfleet Intelligence ignored their concerns.

Two months after the Pegasus incident, Admiral Mark Coleman met with Tecklenberg and Twining, and told them the truth about Pressman's experiment. He swore them to secrecy, but warned Tecklenberg to watch out for Pressman in the future. (PDN: "Cloak and Dagger")

Tecklenberg convinced young Sinclair to apply to Starfleet Academy. He suggested that Captain Twining and Admiral Coleman use their influence to quash the objections raised by Enclave J-12 regarding Sinclair's "disciplinary problems." (PDN: "The Captain's Table: Bearers of the Light")

In June 2358, the Beachmont was decommissioned to serve as a training vessel, and Tecklenberg accepted a teaching position at the Academy. He served as field instructor for Nebula Squadron, and made a profound impact on the cadets from that squad. He became an instructor for the Advanced Tactical Training Program.

That September, Tecklenberg led Cadets Timothy Sinclair, Benjamin Bartholomew and Christopher Durham on a field assignment aboard the runabout Shenandoah. Answering a distress call from the SS Whitcomb, they rescued Dr. William Hoesch from Orion pirates, and inadvertently learned that Hoesch was working on a new Genesis project. Tecklenberg was concerned about the cadets being privy to such classified information, and impressed upon them the importance of complete secrecy. (PDN: "Children of the Burning Heart")

In November, Tecklenberg was officially recruited into Starfleet Intelligence, though he maintained his Academy position. (PDN: "A Quiet Darkness")

In May 2359, Tecklenberg and Seilback took Sinclair and Bartholomew on a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon, and afterwards coached Bartholomew to victory in the Starfleet Academy Marathon. (PDN: "Children of the Burning Heart")

2360s

In 2360, Tecklenberg sponsored Ceej Whaldron for the Starfleet SEALs training program. He also encouraged Cadets Sinclair and Shive to enter the Advanced Tactical Training Program. (PDN: "Still Comes the Dawn", "Children of the Burning Heart")

Tecklenberg was promoted to Commander in the summer of 2364. He was given command of the USS Scandalon (NX-71125), a prototype reconnaissance vessel designed by Jonathan Hofmann. He assembled a group of his trusted friends and allies to crew the ship, including John Seilback and Trupp, among others. He also brought along younger officers such as Mark Montgomery, Justin Shive, Joshua Gorman, Ben Bartholomew and Timothy Sinclair. Based out of Starbase 20 near the Eagle's Nest Cluster, Tecklenberg's senior team became known as the Eagle's Nest Squadron. (PDN: "Wings As Eagles"; "Scandalon")

In the early days of his command, Tecklenberg and the Eagles were often sent as a follow-up team to investigate and respond to potential crisis throughout Federation space, especially on the outskirts. This often left Tecklenberg with the impression that they were "just cleaning up the Enterprise's messes." (PDN: "Scandalon")

Those assignments included investigating Dr. Paul Manheim's lab complex and exploring the ruins on Minos. (PDN: "Reflections", "Wings As Eagles")

Late in the year, Tecklenberg was briefed by Admiral Mark Coleman on the parasite infiltration of Starfleet Command. The Scandalon was assigned to track the parasites' signal to its destination. After six weeks chasing the signal, the Scandalon was diverted to investigate the loss of the outposts in Sector 30, and uncovered the earliest evidence of Borg incursions into the Alpha Quadrant. Starfleet Intelligence kept the reports secret and recalled the Scandalon to Starbase 20. (PDN: "Scandalon")

In September 2365, Tecklenberg authorized Tim Sinclair to lead an undercover mission to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate and shut down their operations in the Lakann sector. During the operation Ensign Brad Powell was tortured and killed. Sinclair blamed himself, as did Toby Moore, though Tecklenberg absolved him of blame. (PDN: "Memoriam", "Not Home Yet", "Ties of Bitter Blood")

Shortly thereafter, Tecklenberg and Sinclair were involved in a mission on Telamar III. The events on Telamar would have a great impact on both men throughout their lives. (PDN: "Shadows, Part I", "Shadows, Part II")

A month after Powell's death, Tecklenberg regretfully granted Sinclair a transfer from the Scandalon, saying that he was "losing his trusted right hand." (PDN: "Wings as Eagles"; "Scandalon", et al.)

In 2368 in the Rogue/Solo Timeline, Tecklenberg met Timothy Sinclair while infiltrating an Orion smuggling ring in the Vega system. After that encounter, Sinclair become one of Tecklenberg's chief undercover contacts. (PDN: "Reflections", "Rogue/Solo")

For Christmas 2369, Tecklenberg and Seilback visited the Sinclair ranch in Colorado. Tecklenberg gave Sinclair a S'harien battlesword from Vulcan. (PDN: "Midnight Clear")

2370s

At the Challenger Day festivities on Belle Terre in 2370, Tecklenberg met Daniel Bryce, and like he had with Timothy Sinclair in 2358, convinced him to join Starfleet. (Junction Point)

In June of that year, Tecklenberg was promoted to Captain. He continued to lead the Eagle's Nest Squadron. Within days of his promotion, Admiral Coleman called him in to evaluate the Pegasus incident, along with Commanders Elias Vaughn of Strategic Operations and David Harmon of the Judge Advocate General's Office. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Cloak and Dagger")

In the Rogue/Solo Timeline, Tecklenberg and the Scandalon were on a mission dealing with the Romulans in late summer 2370, and unable to respond to Sinclair's warning about an Obsidian Order attack on Bajor. (PDN: "Rogue/Solo")

After the end of the Federation Civil War in 2374, Tecklenberg took leave on Belle Terre. He again attended the Challenger Day celebrations. (PDN: "A Quiet Darkness", "The Veil")

In 2374 in the Rogue/Solo timeline, Tecklenberg approached Tim Sinclair with an offer of a commission as a Starfleet Intelligence deep-cover operative. Sinclair accepted the offer when Tecklenberg informed him that Admiral Mark Coleman had information relating to the death of Jacob Sinclair. (PDN: "Reflections", "Rogue/Solo")

In September 2376, Starfleet assigned Tecklenberg to investigate the disappearance of Dr. William Hoesch and the SS Mount St. Helens. All communication with Tecklenberg was lost four days after he arrived at the Letchworth Nebula.

After six weeks of searching, Tecklenberg was declared missing in action in November. Admiral Alynna Nechayev had his service record and logs sealed, disbanded the Eagle's Nest Squadron and reassigned her officers, and mothballed the Scandalon. Against orders, the Eagles spent the next five years searching for Tecklenberg.

Tecklenberg had been captured by members of a conspiracy between the Tal Shiar, Obsidian Order, Orion Syndicate and Section 31, who aimed to take control of the second Genesis project and felt Tecklenberg was a serious threat to their plans. (PDN: "A Quiet Darkness", "Cloak and Dagger", "Pilgrims on the Path of Shadows", "Salvation (Parts I & II)")

2380s

For five years, Tecklenberg was kept in isolation at a Tal Shiar facility. He was tortured frequently, and was subjected to a Romulan mind-probe for his knowledge of the Genesis project.

Tecklenberg and Dr. William Hoesch were rescued in 2381 through the efforts of the crew of the USS Pendragon and the former Eagle's Nest Squadron. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Salvation" Parts I and II)

After his rescue, Tecklenberg and the Eagles were debriefed at Starbase 375. (PDN: "Memoriam")

Tecklenberg took at least a year of personal leave, returning to Belle Terre for a time, and traveling the galaxy. Afterwards, he returned to teaching at Starfleet Academy. (PDN: "Scandalon", "Not Home Yet")

In 2385, Tecklenberg and Sinclair returned to Telamar III to fulfill their oath from twenty years before. (PDN: "Shadows, Part I", "Shadows, Part II")

Personal life

Relationships

Solvita

In 2356, Steve met Solvita Lipsane, a translator with the First Contact Bureau. They became friends and maintained regular correspondence for years. Solvita even consulted with the Eagle's Nest Squadron on several missions during the 2360s and 2370s.

After the Federation Civil War, Steve grew weary of working in the darkness of covert operations, and took leave in 2374 to renew his "sense of decency." During that time, he was reunited with Solvita. They began a courtship, and were married in the spring of 2375.

Their daughter, Charity Daile, was born in July, 2376, and two months later, Steve was declared missing in action. Solvita never gave up hope, and the family was reunited in 2381, following Steve's rescue by Timothy Sinclair and the Eagles. (Star Trek: Pendragon: "Midnight Clear", "A Quiet Darkness", "The Captain's Table: Bearers of the Light", "Memoriam")

Background information

• Star Trek: Pendragon is a fan fiction series written (primarily) by T.L. Morgan. Images of actors are used in photomanipulations to simulate the "cast" of the series. In these photomanipulations, Steve Tecklenberg is "played" by Tom Selleck.
• Other actors considered for the role include Gerald MacRaney, David Hasselhoff, Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Richard Dean Anderson, Sam Elliott, Michael Cudlitz, and John Wayne.

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