U.S.S. Illustrious Crew

The crew of the U.S.S. Illustrious, NCC-97107 is made up of strong personalities that seem a bit disparate and even dysfunctional outside of our unique combination, but work together surprisingly well. We’ve forged a team that is very capable, but also challenging, and never boring.


Shelana (Andorian female, First Officer):
Shelana is practical, polite, direct, competent, fiercely loyal, tenacious and honest. Also, stubborn beyond words, independent, outspoken when necessary, sometimes quite opinionated. She is a huge personality and presence. She almost impishly smiles in the face of challenge. She is a perfect First Officer, and a good part of the identity of the ship. She knows my thoughts almost before I have them and our tactics are so close that very often she gives important orders before I have to. In the few times we’ve disagreed, she’s deferred with grace, both public and private, although we discuss our differences of opinion when needed.

I do try to keep her from certain ambassadorial duties with races that lack gender equality, as this sparks her considerable cold temper, not that she shows it publicly.

She’s also beautiful inside and out, and has chosen to walk her life’s path next to mine. Why, I’ll never know, nor do I ask. From her, I have no secrets, nor she from me. I accept her love and devotion as simply and totally as I give mine. I sincerely hope to serve with her till our mutual end of days.


Jiras (Un-joined Trill female, CMO):
Doctor Jiras, a young Trill and our ships Chief Medical Officer is in some ways the opposite of our First Officer; she seems shy, almost coy; quiet, giving, trusting when she can be, and conducts herself with a grace that is inspirational. She is more openly feminine than other women I have met in Starfleet. She possesses a maturity far beyond her years. She also can be implacable when called for, and contains no real weakness at all. Her personality gently guides and dominates her department with an ease I admire and envy. Secretly, I rue the day, if it comes, that she’s called upon to host a symbiote; it should be the grateful one in that case.

One criticism: she is battle-shy and has asked to only be included in away missions when necessary. She can face alien anatomies and personalities without fear, but is bothered by alien environments and wildlife, especially anything wet or winged. Even so, when needed, she steels herself as I would expect, for as long as needed.

Jiras and Shelana are best friends. I am forbidden to attend their “meetings” twice a week, and I accept that no personal secrets of mine are safe. It’s good that I can trust her.


Goz’Pon Zhir:
This middle-aged Andorian, my chief engineer, came to me after a Rite of Cleansing, reborn and ready to start his path of honor anew, the old life dead and gone. I looked in his eyes once and accepted his allegiance. He is, of course, an excellent engineer, and his department is top-notch, but in him I have also found an honorable companion, and family. He asked not to be spared of chances to build his honor, and I have not kept him from it. He has saved many lives, including mine, and more importantly, only risked his when warranted or necessary. I have watched the spark of hope take root in him and a joy of his new life. I am honored to help provide this.

At the end of last year he asked to enter my Clan, and the Clan accepted him. He is not only my brother now, but my best friend as well; he’s always finding some exotic locale to explore or new athletic hobby or challenge to try in the holodeck, which we use during Shelana’s and Jiras’ meeting times. Personality-wise, as time has gone on he has shown a youthful exuberance rare for one of his age or experience, but is all cold-eyed business when on mission.


Dalvet (Vulcan male, Tactical/Security):
This young Vulcan male is an enigma. He came with exemplary grades and reports from Starfleet, but almost no personal notes or psychological information of any kind. He is direct and terse, even for a Vulcan, and shows none of their veiled ironic humor that Humans seem to miss in Vulcans, although my people detect it well enough. At meals, he sits apart from all the other officers, except for Miriya, which I’ll get to in a moment. He is as much machine as the instruments he uses. I don’t think he has any true friends, and I’ve never seen him use any unnecessary words of conversation with anyone.

He runs both Tactical and Security, and does so adequately. I have not had reason to doubt him, nor would I insult him by implying such until warranted.

Even so, it is my experience that any personality, even Vulcan, kept in such tight check may erupt if left confined for too long. I do not know what, if any, “issues” may be lurking under the surface. I doubt if I can ever truly say I know the man. Perhaps the Kohlinar was a complete success. I hope that’s all it is.


Miriya (Klingon female, Science Officer):
Miriya’s House is a rare Klingon House that stayed with the Federation after the renouncement of the Khitomer accords; they believe they gave their word, and intend to keep it. Miriya carries not only this weight, but the weight of being a lonely Klingon in Starfleet, being female, AND choosing the sciences. This all adds up to a considerable “chip on her shoulder”. She came to the Illustrious with an impressive but flawed service record and a troubled psych profile.

One of the ensigns in the Science dept. hung a sign on the lab deck entrance that reads “Welcome to Hell’s Kitchen”. Miriya runs her dept. as if it were a military unit in a combat zone, demanding absolute perfection, personal accountability and teamwork. I’ve had to transfer some of the “primadonna” personality scientists to other ships when she took over. On top of her considerable expectations and epic readiness drills she also insists that her dept. has the top scores for boarding party drills and combat marksmanship. The Sciences rugby team is ruthless and undefeated. Despite all this pressure, or maybe because of it, those that survive their internship in “The Kitchen” bear it like a badge of pride, and will brook no negative commentary of their boss. Their ability to work hard under difficult circumstances puts some of my marines to shame; I’ve been told I have the most “bad ass”, (as admiral Quinn put it) sciences department in all of Starfleet. This is all to the Commander’s considerable credit. When I first took her on, few other ships wanted her; now I would never give her up, or return to a more casual or “soft” science department ever again.

She takes her meals in silence away from all of us, at Dalvet’s table. I think their mutual need to not have to talk complement each the other. She works out her frustrations on the holodeck, in private combat programs we’ve locked out to all but her for safety reasons. Shelana has sparred with her on a few occasions, the first moments after Miriya came on board; they came out with bruises and, as Shelana puts it, “an understanding”.

The crew gives her a wide berth. She will take my orders, and Shelana’s, but no others, and will follow them to her utmost. She holds Doctor Jiras in thinly-veiled disregard, but seems to trust Dalvet, and regards Aracge as childish. I have ordered her to counseling, but she won’t open up. Perhaps I need to spar with her myself.


Aracge (Saurian female, Operations)
Aracge is a young, inquisitive and personable Saurian with a wide-eyed wonder of life. Her love of detail and massive ability to multi-task made her a natural fit for Ops. She honestly finds so many different things interesting that no task is too menial, no mission undesirable. She is the happiest and most optimistic being I have ever met.

She will commonly engage a random crewmember in involved and unpredictable conversations. I hear her dedication to a dizzying number of hobbies, literature, music and even a few exotic romantic pairings among the crew is legendary. Boundaries of appropriate topics of conversation have eluded her. She has no tact that we have detected, nor contempt for anyone, nor any real fear. We have no idea what she will say next. She is almost universally liked, especially among the junior officers, whom she does not intimidate as much as the rest of the command crew do. She readily adapts to direction and correction with a complete lack of ego, nor ever gives an indication of feeling judged. She is a true “free spirit”.

If I were to have one criticism, it would be that she finds EVERYTHING fascinating, even the minute details of horrifying accidents, the darkest chapters of human history, and the pain and death of enemies on the field. Even though I have served with many species, she is the most “alien” being, in terms of mindset, that I have served with. Serving with her has taught me to be more accepting of differences, and fulfilled part of my goals in serving off-world.

Nice work.

Very well done!

Nice!