Captain Donald Varley was a male Human Starfleet officer in the 24th century. In 2365, he succeeded Captain Richard McKenzie as the commander of the USS Yamato. Prior to the destruction of his ship, Varley discovered the coordinates of the planet Iconia, and violated the Romulan Neutral Zone in order to arrive there before the Romulans. He later sent a transmission to his old friend, Captain Jean-Luc Picard on the USS Enterprise-D, when the Yamato became infected with an Iconian software transmission, disabling, and eventually destroying the ship, killing Varley, and everyone on board. (TNG: "Contagion" )