Star Trek: 10 Characters That Faked Their Way Into Starfleet

The Galaxy Truth Network (GTN) has already given its… unique… thoughts on this particular matter for anyone thinking of applying to Starfleet Academy, but here at TrekCulture, we too would like to address the issue of those genetically modified officers who have faked their way right up the ad astra.

Let's begin with Doctor Julian Bashir. His genetically enhanced status was only uncovered after parents Richard and Amsha blabbed about the whole thing to the Long-term Medical Holographic Program (LMH) they'd mistaken for their own son. Of course, Doctor Bashir wouldn't have had to hide any of it had Starfleet been a teeny tiny bit more tolerant and generally just less afraid of genetic engineering. "For every Julian Bashir that can be created, there's a Khan Singh waiting in the wings." Oh, come now, Admiral Bennett. That argument is as slippery as the subspace slope it was made on! In any case, Richard was sent to the Tom Paris Penal Colony, and 'Jules'… Julian retained his commission.

A century and nearly a half earlier, Una Chin-Riley had started her Starfleet career, later becoming Captain Pike's 'Number One' ("Numero Una"). Throughout her medal-winning time in the service, she too had been hiding the fact that she was genetically 'augmented' as an Illyrian, having falsified her application to get into Starfleet. Una was brought to court martial — strike one for Starfleet and Federation dogma — but was acquitted, granted asylum, and also allowed to keep her commission. That was thanks to the BRILLIANT defence counsel of another Illyrian, Neera Ketoul.