W.M. Jefferies was a Human Starfleet officer in the 22nd century. He was one of the designers of the NX-class starships. (ENT: "Home")
In the 2140s, as a captain, Jefferies was an engineer on the NX Program. This program was part of an effort to develop and refine the warp five engine. Lieutenant Charles Tucker III was among the officers assigned to Jefferies' team. (ENT: "First Flight")
While designing the NX-class, Captain Jefferies was a proponent of installing powerful weapons on the ship. Jonathan Archer, captain of Enterprise NX-01, once had an argument with Jefferies regarding this topic, asserting that he did not want to be captain of a warship attempting to make peaceful first contact with other species. However, upon his return from the Delphic Expanse, during which Enterprise engaged in battle numerous times, Archer admitted that Jefferies had probably been correct. (ENT: "Home")
In the 2150s, he was named as an UESPA representative on the dedication plaques of the NX-class starships, namely the Enterprise in 2151, and the Columbia NX-02 in 2154. (ENT: "Broken Bow", dedication plaque; ENT: "Affliction", dedication plaque)
Jefferies was only mentioned in dialogue and on dedication plaques.
W.M. Jefferies was named for TOS production staff associate W. Matt Jefferies. This name, with its first initials, was seen on the dedication plaques.
The authors of the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 1, p. 386 considered it reasonable that the Jefferies tube, which were frequently mentioned in the other Star Trek series, were named after this character. The tubes in real life were indeed named in honor of the character's namesake, Matt Jefferies, who designed the original USS Enterprise studio model.
External link[]
- W.M. Jefferies at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works