3188. Cadet McCoy

Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy, MD, was a Starfleet medical officer serving in the 23rd century. He became the chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise during the battle of Vulcan, serving under acting captain Spock and then his classmate at Starfleet Academy, Captain James T. Kirk. Leonard McCoy was born the son of David McCoy in 2227. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) McCoy completed medical school and was a certified doctor sometime prior to 2255. He was married, but he had endured a harsh divorce. So with nowhere else to go, he decided to enlist in Starfleet. McCoy boarded the Starfleet shuttle for new recruits which departed from Riverside Shipyard in 2255. McCoy suffered from aviophobia and attempted to remain in the shuttle's bathroom during the flight, as there were no windows in that section of the craft. However, a flight officer discovered him and forced him to sit with the other passengers and buckle up. He sat next to James T. Kirk, who assured McCoy of the shuttle's safety, to no avail; the nervous doctor kept ranting to Kirk about the health hazards of flying in a shuttle. McCoy confided to Kirk his reasons for joining Starfleet, saying that his wife took "the whole damn planet," and all he had left were his "bones." He and Kirk then introduced each other and shared a flask of alcohol as the shuttle took off for Starfleet Academy. McCoy and Kirk met on a transport shuttle to Starfleet Academy, when the pair found themselves in adjacent seats where a slightly neurotic McCoy instantly opened up to the rebellious and somewhat incredulous Kirk. The two remained good friends throughout their time together at the Academy. When the time came, McCoy always had Kirk's back, such as helping to get him aboard the Enterprise after his suspension and berating Spock for throwing Kirk off the ship and marooning him on Delta Vega.