Born in 2339, Mike was raised and schooled in Hampshire, England until he left at the age of 18 to join Starfleet. During his youth, he spent many days sailing with both his father and grandfather as they fished the waters between England and Ireland. The lad's natural mechanical abilities were well known throughout the tiny hamlet and he spent many a night repairing old boat engines and motors. He might have never left his birthplace if it hadn't been for one ordinary space hop.

That one-day experience gave him a taste of space travel, and the young man was hooked forever. Mike considered joining the merchant space services, but after a conversation with an uncle who was in Starfleet, he changed his mind and applied for Starfleet Academy. It took him three attempts to finally get in, but he made it.

Mike relished the instruction he received during his four-year tenure at the academy. He quickly rose to top of his class; grade-wise, and especially in the specialties associated with engineering. He graduated in 2361 and was promptly assigned to the USS Khitomer's Engineering Section. Here he quickly proved his worth to his shipmates and Starfleet alike.

The Khitomer was assigned to an exploration mission in the Sigma Erani Sector. In 2364, while defending a Freighter from an attack by Klingons, the ship sustained slight damage - most of it in the Engineering Section. Nineteen Crewman died that day in a mission that literally wiped out the Alpha Shift in engineering.

After the skirmish, Captain Blackman recommended Michael for advanced training in engineering. Not only to further hone his skills in that department, but to also allow him time to heal and contemplate the loss of his shipmates. The Englishman did well in school and bounced back relatively quickly.

When he returned from his Advanced Training, Mike was promoted to Lieutenant, JG and made the Assistant Chief of Engineering on the Khitomer. He would keep that job for the next six years, nursing the Khit along as she was hammered yet again, in 2367.

He would see very little in way of action for the remainder of their time on the Khitomer - as they were sent back to Sigma Erani and tucked away for nearly five years. After two years of being in the Sector, Mike's Chief Engineer had had enough, and transferred off. Mike was promoted to Lieutenant, and made Chief Engineer in his place - in 2370.

In 2373, the Khitomer crew were relocated; some to Starbase-99, and others to the USS Archimedes. Mike retained the title of Chief Engineer and was transferred to the Archimedes.

He is however, extremely possessive of his own department or area of responsibility and does not tolerate interference with the day-to-day functioning of his charges. Occasionally this has caused some conflict and or tension with his superiors, especially micromanaging executive officers. But, he is a professional officer and conducts himself accordingly.