Nathan Hawk was born in Charleston, South Carolina and from the age of 10 onward was raised by his Aunt and Uncle. Academically, Nat was one of the best in his class. However, his yearning knack for pranks and an independant streak caused him problems in his teens. He often questioned authority and ran with the wrong crowd. When Nat was 16, both his Aunt and Uncle died in a tragic shuttle accident. The cause was ruled pilot error. Nat, having lost his parents when he was 10, was thrown for a loop. Stealing a shuttle craft from a Neighbor, Nat barely made it out of the atmosphere before being picked up by Starfleet. He was taken in for the next year and a half by a friend of his Uncle's, a Starfleet Admiral Toddman. Still very much of a wildcard, Nat's bad-boy streak only got worse, until he was given an ultimatum by Toddman, one of the deputy heads of Starfleet Security: He could apply himself, and join Starfleet, or throw his life away and probably end up dead within the next twenty years.
Nat wasn't keen on the idea of being a 'prim-and-proper' Starfleet Officer, but he did have an ambition to become a Pilot, either in spite of because of his Aunt and Uncle's death. He also figured he'd gain valuable insight into Starfleet Security Procedures and knowledge that would allow him to make a comfortable life for himself outside the Federation by knowing how to avoid the authorities. Nat was kept on a tight leash and strict academic probation, barely passing most of his courses the first year. During his Academy days, he had many run-ins with fellow cadets. He especially had disagreements with the Vulcan Cadets. He often shared many of the same classes and opposite opinions on political or cultural matters with Vulcans. They would often take over classes with their debates, and drew considerable crowds from not only other Cadets, but officers and instructors as well. Any who tried to intervene in these debates learned the hard way to stay out of things by having the debate turned on them.
Upon graduation in May 2373, Ensign Hawk was assigned to Starbase 310, along the Cardassian Demilitarized Zone. Part of the 85th Attack Squadron - The Flying Aces - Hawk quickly earns the reputation of a Wildcard, which also becomes his nickname and call sign. In August, 2373, when the Cardassian Union joins the Dominion, the 85th Squadron is assigned escort duty for evacuations of the DMZ as the Jem'Hadar begin extermination runs. Its at this time that Nat and the 85th sees its first real combat during multiple skirmish encounters with the Dominion. By December, when the War officially begins, Nat and the 85th have already logged more Combat Duty than the entire rest of the Fleet. In January 2374, the 85th Squadron joins the 7th Fleet. Three months later on its now notorious fateful battle against the Dominion in the Tyra system, Two of the Five members of the 85th are lost during the devastating battle in which 98 out of 114 Starships are lost.
In May 2374, the 85th, with Nat now Third in Command, participates in the Battle to Retake Deep Space 9 under Captain Benjamin Sisko. It is during this battle that Nat earns the new nickname and call-sign of Death Wish, as he takes multiple risks to try to provoke the Cardassian's into breaking their lines. Once the battle begins, Nat's weapons systems go off-line, and he makes a Khamakazi Run at a Dominion Battle Ship, narrowly using his evacuation transporter to beam back to the 85th's temporary home-berth of the USS Honshu. The 85th's First Officer is lost, and Nat is promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, to replace him. He officially takes the call-sign Death Wish after being chewed out by the Captain of the Honshu.
In December 2374, The 85th participates in the First Battle of Chin'Toka. In April of 2375, the 85th re-joins the re-formed 7th Fleet for their Offensive in the Kalandra Sector. Nat makes his Second Khamakazi run during this Offensive to save the USS Bismarck from a Jem'Hadar Khamakai run. In October 2375, when the Breen Confederacy joins the Dominion, Nat makes his Third Khamakazi run against a Breen vessel in a futile attempt to turn the tide of the battle. A month later in November, during the Final Battle, Nat makes what should have been his final such run, this time when his Weapons, Warp Drive, and Emergency Systems fail. He is narrowly beamed out by the USS Agamemnon, where he is confined to Sickbay for Psychiatric Evaluation - something he has eluded so far do to the War which is now at a close.
In January 2376 Nathan Hawk is promoted to the rank of Senior Lieutenant in commendation and recognition for his service during the war. Six weeks later, he is Honorably Discharged from Starfleet on Medical Reasons. For the next 3 years, Nathan Hawk takes various Odd-Jobs as a Mercenary, Transport Pilot, Civilian Test Pilot, and Freighter Captain for 3 weeks. He enters multiple high-stakes races, most of which he wins, and spends considerable time on Risa, and New Sydney. In January 2379, Starfleet Intelligence recruits Hawk for a single mission, and agree to provide him with the Schematics to the Flyer-Class shuttle in exchange for his services as an informant against the Orion Syndicate. After 3 months as said informant, Starfleet Intelligence arrests Kevaan Faro, an Orion Syndicate Senior Member, who Hawk has considerable information against. Faro escapes custody soon after, and Hawk is offered Protective Custody. He accepts the offer only to find out that this protective custody is in the form of a Return to Starfleet at the rank of Lieutenant.
Hawk is assigned to the USS Republic as Chief Helmsman, where he is to serve until Faro is apprehended and Testimony can be Offered.
NOTE: Nathan Hawk's reason for serving in Starfleet once again is highly classified, with only the vessels Captain aware. How his Parents and Siblings died is unknown except to those in the upper levels of Starfleet Command, and Nathan himself. He refuses to speak of them, or even acknowledge their existence.
During his current cruise aboard the USS Republic, an altercation occurred where an attempt was made on Nat's life. This attempt was successful, killing the lieutenant via multiple stab wounds followed by severe blood loss, system shock, and the rapid spread of powerful bio-engineered toxin. Due to the efforts of several medical officers, Nat was revived using questionable procedures involving modified Borg nanoprobes. Due to the procedure, Nat required an artificial ventricular bypass, and his body, though medically fit for duty, sustained internal damage that may cause continued reliance on nanoprobe treatments and therapy.
