Leslie

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

For other characters named "Leslie," see Leslie (disambiguation).

Leslie was a 23rd century Starfleet officer, serving in the operations division aboard the USS Enterprise during the historic five-year mission in the 2260s. By 2266, he held the rank of lieutenant.

Lieutenant Leslie was a versatile officer who was cross-trained to serve in several departments as needed. In most of his duties aboard the Enterprise, he worked at the engineering station on the bridge, just to the left of the turbolift doors as one entered the bridge.

Contents 1 The Five-Year Mission 1.1 Duty Officer 1.2 Engineer 1.3 Helm Officer 1.4 Medical Assistant 1.5 Navigator 1.6 Science Officer 1.7 Security Officer 2 Health and vitality 2.1 Infections 2.2 Assaults and injuries 3 Social Relationships 3.1 Lieutenant Brent 3.2 Lieutenant Galloway 3.3 Lieutenant Hadley 3.4 Roger Lemli 4 Career Recognition 5 Memorable Quotes 6 Appendices 6.1 Related topics 6.2 Appearances 6.3 Background 6.3.1 Ambiguities 6.3.1.1 First Name 6.3.1.2 Relationship to Connors and Ryan 6.3.1.3 Death and resurrection 6.3.1.4 Service rank 6.4 Apocrypha 7 External links

[edit] The Five-Year Mission

Under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, Leslie's years of service aboard the Enterprise existed between 2265 and 2268. During this period, he performed a variety of functions and the Starfleet uniforms he wore reflected that.

Like other Enterprise officers in 2265, Leslie wore the standard uniform of the mid 23rd century. In his case, he wore both a beige operations division uniform and a blue sciences division uniform. When this style was gradually replaced by the newer one the following year, Leslie commonly displayed the red operations division uniform whenever he was assigned duties as a security officer or an engineer. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

Even though Leslie regularly wore the operations division duty uniform, he displayed the gold command division uniform on occasion. Sometimes he would be spotted wearing it as he walked along the corridors of the Enterprise. However, Leslie normally wore this uniform whenever he was posted as the ship's navigator. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth", "The Menagerie, Part I", "Obsession", "The Deadly Years", "Return to Tomorrow", "The Changeling")

At other times, though, Leslie wore various styles of duty jumpsuits depending on the tasks he performed. If he was assigned to main engineering, he wore a red operations division jumpsuit. If he worked in sickbay, or if he performed some duties in the sciences division as part of a landing party, he wore a blue jumpsuit. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth", "The Man Trap", "Amok Time", "The Enemy Within")

Before stardate 2126.1, Leslie's uniform displayed no rank insignia. After this stardate, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. With rare exceptions afterwards, his uniform displayed a full lieutenant stripe. (TOS: "The Squire of Gothos")

[edit] Duty Officer

During his service aboard the Enterprise, Leslie performed the tasks of a duty officer on at least two important missions.

Shortly after his promotion to the rank of lieutenant on stardate 2126.1, Leslie sat in the command chair. This occurred when Kirk and several other officers escaped from Trelane of the planet Gothos and safely returned to the Enterprise. The second time occurred on stardate 3088.7, when the starship investigated the cause of massive spatial disturbances on an iron-silica planet and encountered Lazarus. (TOS: "The Squire of Gothos", "The Alternative Factor")

[edit] Engineer

Among all the duties he ever performed aboard the Enterprise, Leslie was widely known for his skills as an engineer. While there are times he was assigned to the transporter room and main engineering, he regularly performed his duties as a bridge engineer on many missions.

Leslie was posted at the engineering station when the Enterprise crew first encountered Harcourt Fenton Mudd on stardate 1328.8, learned the fate of Doctor Roger Korby on stardate 2712.4, and answered a distress signal from Miri's homeworld on stardate 2713.5. Later in the same year, he witnessed Doctor Simon Van Gelder burst onto the bridge with a phaser in his hand with a demand for asylum protection on stardate 2715.1. The following year, he was at the same post when the Enterprise headed for Talos IV on stardate 3012.4, and when Kirk ordered a pursuit of the Gorn ship on stardate 3046.2. (TOS: "Mudd's Women", "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "Miri", "Dagger of the Mind", "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II", "Arena")

After the Enterprise accidentally hurled back in time to the planet Earth in the year 1969, Leslie used his skills to examine the state of the engineering systems for the voyage back to stardate 3113.2. In a subsequent mission, he was unable to prevent Doctor Leonard McCoy from leaving the bridge after the doctor accidentally injected himself with a hypo of cordrazine on stardate 3134.0. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday", "The City on the Edge of Forever")

Leslie's engineering skills came in handy on other missions as well. On stardate 3468.1, he assisted Commander Spock and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu in their efforts to discover weaknesses in Apollo's force field and free the Enterprise. Before receiving the mandatory ship-wide sedative on stardate 3614.9, he tried to restore control to the engineering console when the non-corporeal lifeform Redjac took over the Enterprise's computer systems. As the starship orbited Gamma Trianguli VI on stardate 3715.3, he tried to help Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott by repairing the engineering console while the machine Vaal held onto the starship. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?", "Wolf in the Fold", "The Apple")

It should be noted that Leslie witnessed two Starfleet commodores assume command of the Enterprise while working as a bridge engineer on two separate occasions. The first time occurred on stardate 3479.4, when Commodore Stocker ordered the starship to enter through the Romulan Neutral Zone and encountered Romulan Birds-of-Prey. The second time occurred on stardate 4202.9, when Commodore Matt Decker used the Enterprise to attack the Doomsday Machine. (TOS: "The Deadly Years", "The Doomsday Machine")

Also noteworthy is the fact that Leslie came into contact with a royal dignitary while working as a bridge engineer. This occurred on stardate 4372.5, when the Enterprise was under attack by a Klingon battle cruiser. As Elaan, the Dohlman of Elas, entered the bridge, he offered his seat to her. Even though he discharged his duties while standing, Leslie continued to operate the engineering controls until he was relieved by Scott. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius")

[edit] Helm Officer

On a few missions, Leslie executed the duties of a helm officer. The first time occurred on stardate 1513.1, when the Enterprise orbited planet M-113. The next time happened on stardate 2124.5, after the crew discovered the rogue planet Gothos and shortly before he received his service rank promotion. (TOS: "The Man Trap", "The Squire of Gothos")

Leslie operated the helm again on stardate 2817.6, as the Enterprise transported the Karidian Company of Players from Planet Q to Benecia. On stardate 3018.2, he was posted at the helm when Lieutenant DeSalle was placed in charge of the bridge during the visit to Pyris VII, and again on stardate 3025.3, as the Enterprise orbited the Shore Leave Planet. (TOS: "The Conscience of the King", "Catspaw", "Shore Leave")

It should be pointed out that Leslie performed some noteworthy tactical duties when the Enterprise encountered Lazarus on stardate 3088.7. Under Kirk's orders, he fired the starship's phasers and destroyed Lazarus' ship. Not only did this action seal the negative magnetic corridor, it also saved two universes from mutual destruction. (TOS: "The Alternative Factor")

[edit] Medical Assistant

Since Doctor McCoy had some limited medical knowledge of Vulcan anatomy and physiology, Leslie sometimes served as a medical assistant in sickbay and treated Spock on at least two occasions.

The first time occurred on stardate 1513.8. This was after the first officer was attacked and injured by the M-113 creature. The second time occurred on stardate 3372.7, when Spock underwent a medical examination on Kirk's orders. It was on this occasion that McCoy was able to discover that the first officer was suffering from the effects of pon farr. (TOS: "The Man Trap", "Amok Time")

[edit] Navigator

There is at least one occasion when Leslie performed the duties of a navigator, and this occurred on stardate 3541.9.

When the Enterprise was en route to the Malurian star system to investigate a distress call, Leslie was at the navigation console as the starship encountered the interstellar space probe Nomad. After Scott was attacked on the bridge by the space probe, he was one of two officers who assisted in carrying the injured chief engineer to sickbay. (TOS: "The Changeling")

[edit] Science Officer

On at least two missions, Leslie performed the duties of a science officer. The first time occurred on stardate 1672.1, when he participated in the geological survey team on Alfa 177. The second time occurred on stardate 3211.7. On this occasion, he was assigned to the science station when the Enterprise headed for Triskelion in search of Kirk, Lieutenant Uhura and Ensign Pavel Chekov. (TOS: "The Enemy Within", "The Gamesters of Triskelion")

[edit] Security Officer

Aside from his accomplishments as an engineer, Leslie was also widely known among the Enterprise crew for his duties as a security officer on many missions.

Early in his career, Leslie was assigned to watch over the holding cell of Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell at the Delta Vega lithium cracking station on stardate 1313.1. As part of the security detail for the second Beta III landing party on stardate 3156.2 in the following year, he had the opportunity to disguise himself as one of the local inhabitants and discover the fate of the Archon. Soon after that mission, he was assigned to the security team headed by Lieutenant Commander Giotto to hunt for the Horta at the Janus VI colony on stardate 3196.1. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "The Return of the Archons", "The Devil in the Dark")

Perhaps Leslie's greatest accomplishments as a security guard occurred on stardate 4523.3, when he was assigned to the security team aboard Deep Space Station K-7. While posted there, he helped to put an end to the brawl that erupted in the bar between Enterprise personnel and the Klingon crew of the IKS Gr'oth. He also guarded the quadrotriticale storage compartment, apprehended Cyrano Jones for questioning, and assisted Kirk in uncovering the true identity of Arne Darvin. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles"; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Even though he excelled as a security officer on Deep Space Station K-7, Leslie still had a few other important security assignments afterwards. On stardate 4768.3, he was part of the security detail for the landing party to Arret. When Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Doctor Ann Mulhall decided to beam deep inside the planet, he was prevented from transporting along with them due to Sargon's power. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")

Later that same year, Leslie joined Sulu and beamed down to a room in a Kohm village on Omega IV. He was responsible for holding Captain Ronald Tracey in custody after Kirk charged the captain of the USS Exeter for violating the Prime Directive. (TOS: "The Omega Glory")

After the Enterprise rescued the orphans of the doomed Starnes Exploration Party on stardate 5029.5, Leslie was assigned to watch over Tommy Starnes. As the children took control of the starship under the influence of Gorgan, he was posted by the turbolift doors when Starnes was on the bridge. As Kirk issued orders in an attempt to regain control of the ship, Leslie had difficulty in understanding the orders since Starnes transformed the captain's words into incomprehensible gibberish. (TOS: "And the Children Shall Lead")

Perhaps the only time Leslie was assigned to protect a dignitary occurred on stardate 5630.7. After Kirk discovered that Doctor Larry Marvick had planned to assassinate the Medusan Ambassador Kollos, Leslie joined Kirk, Spock and McCoy in response to the threat. Together, they ensured that no harm came to the ambassador. (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")

[edit] Health and vitality

During his years of service aboard the Enterprise, Leslie was exposed to many dangers. Since he experienced many infections and injuries throughout his career, it was important for him to be in the best possible health so that his capacity to recover was not hindered.

[edit] Infections

Like many members of the Enterprise crew, Leslie was exposed to numerous illnesses. Among the most notable, four illnesses stand out – one which nearly resulted in his death.

Early in his career, Leslie experienced hypothermia and nearly froze to death when the transporter failed and exposed him to the rapidly freezing conditions of Alfa 177 on stardate 1672.1. Fortunately, he survived this ordeal and returned to active duty on stardate 1709.2, when the Enterprise battled a Romulan Bird-of-Prey during the Neutral Zone Incursion. (TOS: "The Enemy Within", "Balance of Terror")

On stardate 3417.3, he was infected by the spores of the Omicron pod plants when the Enterprise visited Omicron Ceti III. After being exposed to the spores, Leslie abandoned his post and waited in a line headed towards the transporter room with the intention of permanently joining the colonists on the planet. When Kirk saw the line and ordered the officers to head back to their stations, Leslie publicly defied the captain by refusing to obey the order. The spores lost their influence on him after Kirk and Spock devised a plan to neutralize their effects on the crew. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise")

The following year, Leslie succumbed to the energy draining effects of a space amoeba on stardate 4307.1. Even though he collapsed on the bridge, he was quickly treated by the medical team that was present at the time. Later the same year, he was exposed to the Omega IV virus after beaming down to Omega IV and holding Captain Tracey in custody. Fortunately, he spent enough time on the planet surface to build up sufficient immunity and naturally recover. (TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome", "The Omega Glory")

[edit] Assaults and injuries

Like the rest of the Enterprise crew, Leslie was the victim of several assaults. While some of these incidents resulted in injuries, on one occasion midway through his career, he was presumed dead.

Among the attacks that Leslie experienced, two of the most unexpected assaults came at the hands of fellow Enterprise officers who rendered him unconscious. The first instance occurred on stardate 1313.3, when Gary Mitchell used his newly acquired psionic powers on the Delta Vega landing party. The second instance occurred on stardate 3287.2, when an infected Spock applied the Vulcan nerve pinch on him while the Enterprise orbited Deneva. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Operation -- Annihilate!")

Before becoming the victim of a Vulcan nerve pinch, Leslie was a victim of Khan Noonien Singh, a missing 20th century Earth despot who was revived in the 23rd century after the Enterprise discovered the Botany Bay. In an attempt to seize control of the starship on stardate 3141.9., Khan cut the life support system to the bridge where Leslie was posted at the time. Even though Leslie was rendered unconscious by the act, he was not injured after he was revived and taken prisoner by Khan's followers. (TOS: "Space Seed")

Shortly after Khan's attack, Leslie was victimized by an alien computer on stardate 3156.2. As part of the Beta III landing party, he was stunned by Landru and later absorbed into the Body. After Kirk neutralized Landru, Leslie returned to duty unharmed. (TOS: "The Return of the Archons")

Later in the same year, Leslie sustained some head injuries. This occurred on stardate 3196.1, when the security team he was assigned to was assaulted by the miners of Janus VI during the hunt for the Horta. Fortunately, he quickly recovered from his head injuries to resume his duties at the engineering station when the Enterprise prepared for battle in the Federation-Klingon War (2267) on stardate 3198.4. (TOS: "The Devil in the Dark", "Errand of Mercy")

Of course, it should be pointed out that Leslie was the victim of assaults by aliens from other worlds on four separate occasions — one of them which was nearly fatal.

During the mission to Argus X on stardate 3619.2, Leslie was attacked by the dikironium cloud creature and presumed dead. Even though the creature drained all the red blood corpuscles from his body, he recovered from the assault. In fact, by stardate 3620.7, he began walking along the corridors of the Enterprise and returned to active duty by stardate 3715.3. (TOS: "Obsession")

With regards to the other three incidents, one of them occurred when Gary Seven used his servo and rendered Leslie unconscious after the Enterprise traveled back in time on a mission to visit Earth in the year 1968. Another occurred on stardate 4657.5, when he was temporarily transformed into a small cubeoctahedral solid after the Kelvan Milky Way Expedition hijacked the Enterprise. The third instance occurred on stardate 5431.4, when the Eymorg, Kara, boarded the Enterprise and rendered him unconscious by using her control bracelet in order to steal Spock's brain. Fortunately, Leslie was not physcially injured in all three cases. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth", "By Any Other Name", "Spock's Brain")

[edit] Social Relationships

Since Leslie performed a variety of functions throughout the five-year mission, he obviously had multiple opportunities to interact with many Enterprise officers. In fact, these opportunities allowed him to regularly socialize with members of the crew during routine work breaks.

Due to the fact that Leslie enjoyed watching games of three-dimensional chess, unusual displays of card tricks, and Uhura's singing performances with Spock, it was quite common to spot him with his fellow colleagues in the recreation room and chatting with them. On occasion, he could also be spotted sharing drinks in a bar with his fellow officers. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Charlie X", "The Trouble with Tribbles"; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Obviously, Leslie's friendly personality endeared him to many officers who served aboard the Enterprise. Out of all of them, it is known that he had good working relationships with four fellow officers – at least one which apparently developed into a friendship.

[edit] Lieutenant Brent

Leslie had a good working rapport with Lieutenant Brent. In fact, there are at least two instances when they faced grave moments together as the Enterprise crew experienced a collective danger.

The first incident occurred on stardate 1512.2, when the Enterprise encountered the First Federation starship Fesarius. When Commander Balok threatened to destroy the Enterprise, Leslie was seen talking with Brent and Bobby during the tense countdown. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver")

The other moment occurred on stardate 3141.9. After Khan cut life support to the bridge, Brent and Leslie passed out along with the rest of the bridge's crew. When they were later revived, Brent was seated next to Leslie in a prisoner's row situated in the briefing room. Together, they were forced to watch Khan's murderous spectacle on the viewscreen. (TOS: "Space Seed")

[edit] Lieutenant Galloway

Lieutenant Galloway is another Enterprise officer with whom Leslie had a good working rapport. On at least three important missions, it is known that they were teamed together.

On stardate 2823.1, Leslie was on hand to assist Galloway in the transporter room and beam the survivors of the shuttlecraft Galileo before it incinerated in a decaying orbit around Taurus II. In the second instance, they disguised themselves as inhabitants of Beta III on stardate 3156.2, and provided the security detail for members of the second landing party. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven", "The Return of the Archons")

With regards to the third mission, they were present to witness a unique event aboard Deep Space Station K-7 on stardate 4523.3. While posted as security guards by the quadrotriticale storage compartment, they saw Kirk being buried by an avalanche of tribbles after he demanded an inspection of the compartment. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles"; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

[edit] Lieutenant Hadley

Lieutenant Hadley is another Enterprise officer who apparently had a good working rapport with Leslie. While not much is known about Leslie's association with Hadley, it is known that they were victimized together by Khan on stardate 3141.9.

After Khan seized control of the Enterprise, Hadley passed out on the bridge along with with Leslie and Brent when the life support system was cut. After revival, Hadley was seated in the same prisoner's row that Leslie and Brent were seated. (TOS: "Space Seed")

In other missions, it is also known that Hadley and Leslie were paired together on stardate 3196.1 as part of the security team that pursued the Horta. On stardate 4598.0, Hadley, who was posted at the science station during the visit to Sigma Iotia II, had a PADD signed by Leslie. (TOS: "The Devil in the Dark", "A Piece of the Action")

It should be noted that Hadley and Leslie were victimized together for a second time, and this occurred when the Kelvan Milky Way Expedition hijacked the Enterprise on stardate 4657.5. On this occasion, Leslie was standing next to Hadley, who was seated beneath the red alert screen on the bridge, when the Kelvans temporarily transformed them, as well as other crew members, into a small cubeoctahedral solids. (TOS: "By Any Other Name")

[edit] Roger Lemli

Of all the officers who served aboard the Enterprise, not only did Leslie have a good working relationship with Roger Lemli, it appears that he shared a friendship with him as well. This friendship seems apparent given the fact that they were often paired on many missions and shared some work breaks together.

On at least two occasions, it is known that Leslie teamed up with Lemli on some noteworthy engineering assignments. This first time occurred on stardate 4040.7, when he supervised Lemli, who was assigned to the engineering station as the Enterprise orbited 892-IV. The second time occurred when the two of them were posted to the transporter room after the Enterprise encountered Gary Seven. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses", "Assignment: Earth")

On stardate 4523.3, the two relaxed in a bar during a routine break from security duty aboard Deep Space Station K-7. When their break was over, they greeted Scott, Chekov and Lieutenant Freeman, and encountered Cyrano Jones at the doorway. Shortly afterward, they returned to the bar to end a brawl that erupted there. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles"; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Along with their security duties aboard the space station, there are at least three other instances when they were paired together for security assignments. On stardate 4768.3, they were the security team assigned to the landing party on Arret. When Leslie was given the duty to watch over Tommy Starnes of the doomed Starnes Exploration Party on stardate 5029.5, Lemli was given the duty to watch over Mary Janowski. After the children took control of the Enterprise, Lemli joined Leslie by the turbolift doors as Janowski joined Starnes on the bridge. In the third incident, Leslie and Lemli accompanied Kirk, Spock and McCoy in response to the threat on the life of Ambassador Kollos on stardate 5630.7. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow", "And the Children Shall Lead", "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")

[edit] Career Recognition

Throughout his service aboard the Enterprise, there are two instances of noteworthy recognitions which Leslie received.

The first one occurred on stardate 3141.9. When Lieutenant Marla McGivers arranged a banquet for Khan, Leslie was one of a few officers privileged to dine at the banquet. Later, Kirk listed the names of bridge personnel to be recorded for commendations after Khan cut life support to the bridge. While Spock, Uhura, Lieutenant Spinelli, and Technicians Thule and Harrison received special recognition by the captain, Brent, Leslie and Hadley did not. This apparent oversight seems to suggest that Kirk ran out of air and passed out before being able to list the entire bridge crew. (TOS: "Space Seed")

The second recognition occurred on stardate 4729.4, when the Enterprise was temporarily placed under the control of the M-5 computer as part of an experiment by Doctor Richard Daystrom. Leslie was one of twenty officers selected by the computer to operate the starship for the war games exercise. After Daystrom suffered a nervous breakdown, Leslie was one of two security guards who escorted the doctor to sickbay. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")

[edit] Memorable Quotes

• The following interaction between Kirk and Leslie happens in "The Conscience of the King" when Leslie sits at the helm and waits for the captain's orders to depart from Benecia.

Kirk: "Whenever you're ready, Mister Leslie."

Leslie: "Leaving orbit, sir."

• The following verbal exchange between Kirk and Leslie occurs in "This Side of Paradise" when Leslie, who has been infected by the Omicron spores, is standing in a line with other infected crew members who are headed towards the transporter room.

Kirk: "Get back to your stations."

Leslie: "I'm sorry, sir. We're all transporting down to join the colonists."

Kirk: "I said get back to your station."

Leslie: "No, sir."

Kirk: "This is mutiny, mister."

Leslie: "Yes, sir. It is."

[edit] Appendices

[edit] Related topics

• Redshirt

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Background

Leslie was played by Eddie Paskey, a regular extra who served as a set stand-in throughout the course of the original Star Trek series. He was often seen in the background wearing a red Starfleet duty uniform while operating the engineering station on the Enterprise bridge or serving as a security officer.

Paskey had few speaking opportunities throughout the series. The first time he spoke occurred in "The Naked Time", when his character replied to Kirk's orders on the bridge. The other times he was heard speaking occurred in "The Conscience of the King", "This Side of Paradise" and "The Alternative Factor".

The only screen credit that he got for the character was in "The Alternative Factor", when he was credited as "Lesley", and in "This Side of Paradise", when he was listed simply as "Crewman".

Of course, Paskey could have continued to portray the character of Leslie in subsequent episodes after "Is There in Truth No Beauty?". However, he decided it was time to retire from Star Trek. This was due to a back injury he sustained while filming a scene in "Operation -- Annihilate!" where Spock applies the Vulcan nerve pinch on Leslie, and the severe headaches he experienced which were aggravated by the lighting on the set. At the beginning of the third season, Paskey felt that he could no longer handle the job's activities. [1]

According to Paskey's personal website, Lieutenant Leslie was named after William Shatner's daughter Leslie.

[edit] Ambiguities

[edit] First Name

There has been much debate over Leslie's first name.

Some believe that his first name could be Connor. [2] This is due to the fact that Paskey's character, who was wearing a generic green jumpsuit in sickbay, was called "Connors" by McCoy in "Mudd's Women".

While it could be pointed out that Connors was probably intended to be another character with that surname, it should be noted that he was not called "Mister Connors". Even though Connors would be an unusual first name, it could be argued that "Connors" was simply McCoy's nickname for Leslie, just as Kirk often refers to the doctor as "Bones".

On the other hand, some believe that Leslie's first name could be Ryan, based on the script for "The Naked Time" which listed Paskey's character as "Ryan". In that episode, Spock realizes that Sulu is absent from his post at the helm, and says, "Take over here, Ryan". Immediately after Spock issues his command, Paskey, as "Ryan", says, "Yes, sir", and sits at the helm.

Many viewers believe that Leonard Nimoy said, "Take over here, Rand", which is a reference to the character of Yeoman Janice Rand, who was played by Grace Lee Whitney but was not present in that scene. Even the caption written for those with hearing difficulties displays Spock saying, "Take over here, Rand." [3] While it seems that Nimoy may have committed an error which was not corrected by the filming crew, some think that Spock may have uttered "Ryan" instead of "Rand".

Although it could be argued that "Ryan" was probably intended to be another character with Ryan as the surname, it could also be pointed out that no one in that episode addressed him as "Mister Ryan" or "Lieutenant Ryan". Even Spock, who normally addresses crew members by their surnames, has on occasion referred to Kirk as "Jim" and once called McCoy, "Bones". On this basis, it is possible that Ryan could be Leslie's first name.

Based on this information, some have theorized that Leslie's full name could be Ryan Connors Leslie. [4] This speculation would resolve the inconsistencies surrounding the name of Paskey's character, who did not have a definitive name on the series until he was called "Mister Leslie" by Kirk on "The Conscience of the King". Of course, this theory is based upon the idea that Connors, Leslie and Ryan are in fact the same individual portrayed by Paskey, and not three separate characters.

[edit] Relationship to Connors and Ryan

There is also some debate over Leslie's relationship with Connors and Ryan. Some believe that Connors and Ryan are indeed one and the same person represented in the character of Leslie. [5] [6] This is due to the fact that Paskey's character was regularly addressed by the surname of Leslie on "The Conscience of the King" and afterwards, and that Connors and Ryan were not definitively established on screen in either "Mudd's Women" or "The Naked Time" as a character surname.

However, others believe that Connors, Leslie and Ryan are each separate individuals. [7] In the case of Ryan, it should be noted that according to the studio cast list for "The Naked Time", it appears that the episode scriptwriters had intended to make Ryan a character surname. [8] With regards to Connors, it seems possible that the scriptwriters for "Mudd's Women" also intended to make Connors a character surname since it is an unlikely first name. [9] On this basis, it is entirely possible that all three characters were, in fact, separate people.

Further supporting the idea that Connors, Leslie and Ryan are three separate individuals is the fact that Paskey can be spotted in multiple places at the same time within the same episode.

In "The Squire of Gothos", Paskey remains behind in the transporter room after he beams up Kirk, McCoy, Sulu, DeSalle and Lieutenant Karl Jaeger. In the next scene, he is sitting in the command chair as Kirk and the rest of the landing party enter the bridge.

For "The Menagerie, Part I", Paskey is seen both at the engineering station wearing a red duty uniform and standing in a corridor wearing a gold duty uniform as Spock addresses the Enterprise crew through the intercom. In the "The Menagerie, Part II", he is sitting at the engineering station and the navigation console when the Enterprise enters orbit around Talos IV.

For "Amok Time", he is walking in the corridor wearing a red duty uniform as Spock heads towards sickbay, and in the next scene, stands next to McCoy while wearing a blue duty jumpsuit. In "Assignment: Earth", Paskey is seen in a corridor wearing a gold duty uniform as Kirk addresses the entire crew through the intercom and, seconds later, wearing a red duty jumpsuit in main engineering as the captain speaks with Scott.

For those who believe that Paskey represented one character and not three, it could be argued that these multiple appearances were the result of simple continuity errors on the part of the film editors. On the other hand, for those who believe that he portrayed three separate characters, these sightings confirm that Connors, Leslie and Ryan are three different people.

If all three are believed to be different people, then the instances where Paskey was seen wearing a sciences division blue jumpsuit after "Mudd's Women" could be understood to mean that he was portraying Connors, despite the fact that he was neither called Leslie nor Connors by anyone in those scenes. There are three notable episodes where Paskey's character wears the jumpsuit afterwards, specifically "The Enemy Within" where he was part of the Alfa 177 landing party, and "The Man Trap" and "Amok Time" where he treated Spock in sickbay. Even though the studio cast list identifies Paskey's role in "The Enemy Within" as Connors, [10] he is listed as Ryan in "The Man Trap" [11] and Leslie in "Amok Time". [12] The apparent interchangeability of these three roles seems to suggest that all three characters could be one individual represented in Leslie.

Since all three characters were played by Paskey, there is some speculation whether Connors, Leslie and Ryan, if they were separate people, were clones or blood-related family members, like brothers or cousins, since they all resembled one another. [13] [14] [15] Assuming that all three characters were addressed by their respective surnames, it is unlikely that they would be brothers, unless they were all half-brothers. However, there is no information to verify this speculation. Nor is there any information to support or refute the theory that the three characters could be blood-related family members or clones.

Given the fact that other Star Trek actors played multiple roles throughout the Original Series, like Majel Barrett, Diana Muldaur and David L. Ross, it is also possible that Leslie was simply nothing more than a coincidental look-alike of Connors and Ryan.

[edit] Death and resurrection

Leslie has the distinction of being known as the first Star Trek recurring character to resurrect from the dead, especially since he was apparently attacked and killed by the cloud creature in "