Meet Andrew Chambers, Helmsman on the Kestrel

Chris Pine would play Chambers in a film

Andrew Chambers, the helmsman on the Kestrel, is human, from Earth. He joined the Kestrel a year before the first story, Intruders. There is an incident in his past which nearly finished his PACT career. Only the Captain and First Officer know the details, but there was an accident, and Chambers blames himself. If he had truly been negligent or careless he would have been prosecuted, so he is not as culpable as he feels he is. But because of it, it was difficult for him to find a posting.

Captain Darrow gave him a chance and has been building his confidence. He is only in his early thirties and has many years of service ahead of him, if he can regain his self-confidence. The helmsman Grey Lanx has just left the Kestrel, so Darrow has promoted Chambers to helmsman. Chambers wants to do well, but will his confidence desert him in a tight spot? Will the animosity of Roy Stubbs undermine him?

Chambers takes Tabitha Enns under his wing, when she is whisked away from the PACT Training School to fill a temporary gap in the crew, and the two become good friends.

Chambers' grandfather fought as a volunteer in the Casparian struggle for independence from Ochra, and when the Ochran representative on the main mission in Intruders finds out, he demands justice under the Ochran rule of family responsibility. Will this jeopardise the mission? What did his grandfather do? This is another mystery to solve, but Chambers turns out to be a good diplomat.