James Leyton (also known as Robert Leyton, Rodney Leyton or Thomas Leyton) was a male Human officer in Starfleet in the 24th century. In the 2360s, Leyton was the commanding officer of the USS Okinawa and had been promoted to admiral by the early 2370s. Leyton was the Chief of Starfleet Operations of the Federation Starfleet.

Biography[]

Early Life and Career[]

Admiral Leyton served as Chief of Starfleet Operations in 2372, and had served as Captain on starships such as the USS Okinawa with then-Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko, whom he promoted to the position of executive officer. (ST - The Lost Era novel: Catalyst of Sorrows)

Leyton was in command of the the Okinawa during the years of 2350-2364, with exemplary service during the Tzenkethi War from at least 2362-2364. (Decipher RPG module: Starships; ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

In 2369, Leyton's recommendation led to Starfleet Command's decision to assign Sisko as the commanding officer of Federation Starbase Deep Space 9.

Stance on the Dominion[]

After first contact with the Dominion in late 2370, Admiral Leyton assumed a hawkish policy stance, believing war to be inevitable. Leyton was frustrated by what he perceived as the lax and appeasement-minded defense policies of Federation President Jaresh-Inyo of Grazer. Believing it to be necessary for the protection of the Federation, Admiral Leyton used his position to attempt a coup d'etat in 2372; key officers in the Sol system were reassigned and replaced with officers loyal to Leyton, and his agents faked evidence of a cloaked Dominion fleet entering the Alpha Quadrant.

Members of Starfleet Academy's Red Squad were then ordered to sabotage Earth's planetary power network, allowing Leyton to manipulate Jaresh-Inyo into declaring martial law. With Starfleet officers stationed all across the planet, Leyton intended to oust Jaresh-Inyo and the Federation Council from power, setting himself up as military dictator of the Federation. His plan was thwarted when Captain Sisko uncovered evidence of Red Squad's sabotage, and when the USS Defiant, carrying evidence of the cloaked fleet fraud, engaged in a firefight with the USS Lakota, which Leyton had ordered to destroy the Defiant. The Lakota and Defiant later relinquished their battles, leading to the coup's failure and Leyton's imprisonment. (DS9 episodes: "Homefront", "Paradise Lost", SA comic: "Loyalty Test")

Leyton was sentenced to serve five years at the New Zealand Penal Settlement for his crimes.

Leyton's manipulating of Jaresh-Inyo into declaring martial law later proved to be a deciding factor in 2372's presidential election. President Jaresh-Inyo was defeated after only one term by Federation Councillor Min Zife of Bolarus, who had also favored a more militant stance against the Dominion in preparation for the coming war. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)

After his release from prison, Leyton faded into obscurity. Leyton consistently rebuffed repeated interview requests from journalists, historians, or authors. By 2386 Attorney General Phillipa Louvois had no idea of his whereabouts and decided to have one of her staff track the man down. Louvois was surprised that Leyton's name had not been present on the list of Section 31 agents after the agency's exposure to the public. (TNG novel: Available Light)

Alternate timeline[]

In an alternate timeline in which the Cardassian Union did not withdraw from Bajor in 2369 and discovered the Bajoran wormhole, Admiral Leyton served as the commander of the fleet that intercepted the Borg in the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373 and was killed in action. He was succeeded as Starfleet Commander-in-Chief by Admiral William Ross. (TNG - Myriad Universes novel: A Gutted World)

Appendices[]

Appearances[]

2360 ST - The Lost Era novel: Catalyst of Sorrows 2362 ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire 2369 TNG novel: The Best and the Brightest 2371 TNG novel: The Best and the Brightest 2372 TNG novel: The Best and the Brightest DS9 episode: "Homefront" (First appearance) DS9 episode: "Paradise Lost" 2374 DS9 novel: Hollow Men

Background information[]

• Leyton's first name was not given in "Homefront" or "Paradise Lost", but was established as James in Hollow Men and also used in The Insolence of Office, Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment and The Needs of the Many. The novel The Poisoned Chalice gives Leyton the first name Robert, probably in homage to Robert Foxworth^MA who played the character. The RPG The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon, published by Last Unicorn Games after they had lost their Star Trek licence, states that Leyton's first name is Robert.
• Former Star Trek editor Marco Palmieri had announced tentative plans for a Lost Era novel featuring Leyton and the Okinawa crew during the Tzenkethi War. However, there has been no further information about this project since Palmieri left Pocket Books in 2008. Rough Beasts of Empire had several scenes featuring Leyton during the Tzenkethi War.

External link[]

• James Leyton article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.

Connections[]

USS Okinawa personnel
	Butterfield • Eshrine • Kozel • Lafleur • James Leyton • Lintosian'a • Benjamin Sisko • Snowden • T. Ishmael Snowden • Thiemann

Starfleet Operations personnel
Chief of Starfleet Operations			Matthias W. Jefferies • Mattea Hahn • Chris Richards • James T. Kirk • Los Tirasol Mentir • James Leyton • Philip Herthum • Yoshi Fukazima
Other personnel	23rd century	Kevin Riley • N.J. Weiland
	24th century	Greg Agalsoff • Jiarui Bai • Rick Berman • Ian Calip • Carstairs • Christine Clark • Michael Crow • Yihong Ding • Gene Han • Ellen Hornstein • Jon Joffin • Len Levine • Jimmy Lindsey • Paul Lawrence • Jeffrey Lombardi • Maria Mantia • Crescenzo Notarile • Gregory Quinn • Alex Russ • Matt Sagona • Santin • Maxwell Thorpe • Frank Tignini • Mike Visencio • Andy Weder
		First Splinter timeline	Elizabeth Kadin