Commanding officer of Federation Nebula-Class starship Niobe.  Harding was of average age for a starship captain.  Though he applied for one of the Galaxy class exploers, older, more experienced officers tended to receive those prestigious commands.  Harding was content with his Nebula class vessel, a prestigious command assignment in of itself.  Harding was killed in 2373 when his ship was destroyed during combat with the Maximillian after Niobe was compromised by alien parasites.