Gav is JT Austin’s somewhat hapless but earnest copilot in Checkmate. He’s described as a dark-haired Euro, a few years older than JT, but far less composed when it comes to wormhole travel. Gav suffers from severe motion sickness, particularly wormhole-induced nausea, and is frequently seen desperately fumbling for a barf bag at critical moments—despite JT repeatedly offering him anti-nausea pills derived from Orag medicine, which he stubbornly refuses due to mistrust.
Gav’s comedic presence and nervous demeanor contrast with JT’s confident, often snarky professionalism. He’s a qualified ensign, but still relatively green, and JT does not hesitate to pull rank on him. For instance, JT orders Gav to either take medication or seek medical treatment before being allowed back in the cockpit again, citing that his vomiting makes flying more difficult.
By the second chapter, Gav is grounded on doctor’s orders, officially diagnosed with motion sickness. He remains behind on the Queen Maria Sophia while JT continues his missions, leaving his copilot duties temporarily to Mitsuko Yamato.
While Gav is a minor character, he serves as both a comic foil and a means to reflect JT’s increasing maturity and authority as an officer.
Appearances: Checkmate, Breaking Liberty