Picard failed in 2322 to gain entrance to Starfleet Academy at the age of 17, but was admitted a year later. As a first-year cadet in 2323, Picard became the only freshman ever to win the Starfleet Academy marathon on Danula II. Shortly after graduating from the Academy with the class of 2327, Picard was on leave at Starbase Earhart, where he picked a fight with three Nausicaans, and was stabbed through the heart, necessitating a cardiac replacement procedure, leaving him with an artificial heart.

As a young lieutenant, Picard met Ambassador Sarek, and was in awe of actually meeting someone who had helped to shape the Federation. Lieutenant Picard was a bridge officer on the U.S.S.Stargazer when the ship's captain was killed. Picard took charge of the bridge, and for his service in the emergency was offered command of the Stargazer, which he commanded for some 20 years, until 2355, when the ship was destroyed by an unprovoked sneak attack by a Ferengi vessel.

Jean-Luc Picard was appointed captain of the fifth Starship Enterprise in 2363, shortly after the ship was commissioned. Picard was offered a promotion to the admiralty in 2364 when Admiral Gregory Quinn was attempting to consolidate his power base to combat an unknown alien intelligence that was trying to take over Starfleet Command. Picard declined the offer, citing his belief that he could better serve the Federation as a starship commander. Picard met Ambassador Sarek again in 2366, when Sarek's last mission was jeopardized by Bendii Syndrome, which caused the ambassador to lose emotional control. Picard mind-melded with Sarek to lend the ambassador the emotional stability needed to conclude the historic treaty with the Legarans. Picard was abducted by the Borg in late 2366 as part of a Borg assault on the Federation. He was surgically mutilated and transformed into an entity called Locutus of Borg. As Locutus, Picard was forced to cooperate in the devestating battle of Wolf 359, in which he was forced to destroy 39 Federation starships and their crews. He was rescued by an Enterprise-D away team, and surgically restored by Dr.Crusher.

In addition to excelling as an explorer, diplomat, and leader, one of Sisko's personal passions was the ancient Earth game of baseball. Ben Sisko entered Starfleet Academy in 2350, and early in his career, Ensign Sisko was mentored by Curzon Dax, a Trill who met Sisko at Pelios Station before the two served aboard the U.S.S.Livingston. Sisko later served aboard the starship Okinawa under Captain Leyton, who promoted him to lieutenant commander, and making him the ship's first officer. Aboard the Okinawa, Sisko and Leyton fought the war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi. Sisko served as executive officer with the rank of lieutenant commander aboard the U.S.S.Saratoga at the time of the ship's destruction in the battle of Wolf 359. Sisko was subsequently assigned to the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars, where he spent three years working on the design of the experimental Starship Defiant. He was subsequently promoted to commander and assigned to DS9.

In 2372, Sisko was temporarily appointed head of Starfleet security when a Dominion infiltration was feared, and was instrumental in preventing an attempted coup by Admiral Leyton. Sisko was an admirer of legendary starship captain James T. Kirk, and actually met Kirk when the Defiant traveled back in time to 2267, and even got Kirk's autograph.

Bejamin Sisko was promoted to the rank of captain in late 2371, and in early 2372 was injured in a Jem'Hadar attack aboard the Defiant during a trade conference with thr Karemma. Benjamin Sisko's greatest challenge was the Dominion war, which began in late 2373. In his role as Emissary to the Bajoran people, Sisko felt compelled to recommend that the Bajoran government sign a nonaggression treaty with the Dominion, despite Starfleet objections. Shortly thereafter, Sisko, and all other Starfleet personnel were ordered to abandon DS9, and the facility was returnd to Cardassian control. Sisko was subsequently stationed at Starbase 375, where he was assigned to a covert mission to pilot a captured Domonion vessel into Cardassian space to destroy a Dominion ketrecel-white storage facility, the first major Starfleet victory in the brutal Dominion war.