Warren Keffer

Lieutenant Warren Keffer was a Starfury pilot in the second season of Babylon 5, first introduced in the episode Points of Departure.

He was portrayed by Robert Rusler.

By 2259 Keffer was assigned to Babylon 5, as a fighter pilot in Zeta squadron. He was one of the pilots sent to defend B5 when the rouge Minbari ship Trigati tried to provoke B5's pilots into attacking their pilots, hoping to restart the war between Minbari and humans.

When the EAS Cortez became lost in hyperspace, Keffer was on the rescue mission, and helped the Cortez reach safety. During the rescue effort Keffer and Zeta Leader Ray Galus encountered a Shadow vessel in hyperspace. Galus was killed in the encounter, and Keffer's ship was badly damaged. Keffer was still able to guide the Cortez back to the jump point, and made it back safely himself a short time later. Keffer was then promoted to Zeta Leader by Captain John Sheridan.

Keffer reported the encounter with the strange ship to his superiors, but his recorders were off line due to the damage done to his Starfury, and he had no proof of the encounter. Keffer became obsessed with the ship, and began spending all his off duty time looking for the ship. When Sheridan and Susan Ivanova became aware of it they ordered him to stop. Meanwhile another pilot gave Keffer the data he would need to track a Shadow vessel through hyperspace.

In late 2259 Keffer was tasked with helping defend one of the last surviving Narn heavy cruisers as they left Babylon 5 space. While they were leaving they came under attack by the Centauri cruiser sent to collect the Narn vessel. Keffer and his squadron escorted the Narn ship to the jumpgate, and escorted them through hyperspace until they were a safe distance from B5 and they were sure they weren't being followed.

While escorting the Narn ship Keffer's Starfury picked up a nearby Shadow vessel. He broke off to investigate. Upon finding the Shadow vessel, he activated his recorders. When the Shadow vessel turned to attack he ejected his black box into hyperspace. Keffer was killed when the Shadow vessel opened fire upon him.

Keffer's sacrifice gave Sheridan and Delenn valuable intelligence into the Shadow vessels, which neither had ever seen before.

Trivia

 * J. Michael Straczynski had been required by studio executives to write in a "Top Gun" hotshot type character for the second season of B5, which became the character of Warren Keffer. Straczynski never intended for Keffer to survive past the second season.