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11 Aug 2020 @ 6:00am

Lieutenant Mitchell Graham

Name Mitchell Lee Graham

Position Chief Flight Control Officer

Rank Lieutenant


Character Information

Gender Male
Species Human/El-Aurian
Age 31

Physical Appearance

Height 6'2"
Weight 187
Hair Color Dark Blond
Eye Color Blue
Physical Description Tall and lean with an athletic physique.

Family

Spouse N/A
Children
Father Christopher Graham
Mother Janeca Graham
Brother(s)
Sister(s) Maddie and Kiva
Other Family

Personality & Traits

General Overview Mitchell has the discipline and dedication typical of most Starfleet officers. He takes his job seriously. But he's also the type who can find the humor in any situation, always ready with a joke. For those who know him he's also a loyal and steady friend.
Strengths & Weaknesses He's technically adept and loves to figure out complex challenges, particularly as part of a team. He's a reliable guy to have around in almost any situation. He doesn't complain and contributes positively.

On the other hand, sometimes he works himself so hard that he forgets to relax. When the stress piles on he will drive himself to near exhaustion. It usually takes a stern word from a superior to pry him away from his duties.
Ambitions He is focused on what he is doing here and now. He considers astrogation and piloting to be crucial skills that every Starfleet officer should possess. So he takes his job very seriously. As far as long-range plans go he desires to command his own ship someday.
Hobbies & Interests Recreational flying, space jumping and camping are things he's been known to do, but he doesn't make time for them like he should.

Personal History Mitchell was born on the colony planet Sigma Draconis VII. It was a small enclave of only 20,000 people. Their work was terraforming the class-K world into class-M standard. He grew up watching the world around him transform from an airless desert landscape into one with a thriving ecosystem. It was a world of scientists and spacefarers.

His parents, Christopher (Human) and Janeca (El-Aurian), were terraforming engineers. They also had the distinction of being the first couple to be married on Sigma Draconis. The captain of a visiting Starfleet vessel officiated the ceremony. Mitch was born soon after. He was named for his father's father, who had passed away many years before.

His sisters, Maddie and Kiva, who are twins, were born later on. Their home on Sigma Draconis was peaceful and prosperous. The only danger they knew was the environment outside, where the air was thin and the heat in the summer was bad enough to blister skin if exposed for more than 30 minutes. His earliest memories were of running around and playing in a bulky, cumbersome spacesuit that he disliked because it prevented him from running as fast as he could. His mother, however, absolutely forbade him to take it off.

One particular incident from his childhood had a significant impact on him. When he was 10 years old a group of geologists from the colony set off on a shuttle to explore one of planet's moons. On the return trip the shuttle's thrusters malfunctioned, sending the craft into a violent spin as it approached the spaceport. The craft slammed into the ground. All eight people aboard were killed. Mitchell's parents volunteered to help recover remains from the wreckage. Several of the geologists aboard had been friends of theirs, including a man named Dr. Jenker. It was Jenker that he remembered the best. He was a kind man with a beard who always called him "tiger," showed him interesting rocks from his collection. It was his first lesson on the fragility of life.

At the age of 16 Mitch had his first encounter with Starfleet personnel. By now the air on Sigma Draconis was breathable, and civilian freighters were always coming and going. Resupply was important for the colony. But for a time those duties were taken over by Starfleet. This was due to a territorial dispute with the Breen which threatened the security of the colony. He didn't know much about the Breen except that they were cruel and warlike. Security was taken up by the USS Valour, which paid a port visit to the planet.

The USS Valour was a Nebula-class starship. Her mission at the time was to resupply the colony and patrol the surrounding sectors for signs of Breen activity. While in orbit her captain invited the colony's school children to come aboard for a tour. Mitch was among those. He was impressed by everything he saw. The sharp-looking uniforms. The bright, clean spaces. The intimidating thrum of the warp core. The amazing capabilities of the holodeck.

The biggest impression, however, was made by the Naussican chief of security. Naussican traders has visited Sigma Draconis before, and Mitch knew them to be barely-literate troublemakers who kept local law enforcement busy. His mother always told him to stay away from the center of town whenever they were there. The center of town was where all the pubs were. Sooner or later there would be a fight if the Naussicans were around.

This Naussican on the Valour was different. He was intelligent and professional. He had a friendly demeanor. He answered the children's questions thoughtfully and patiently. When presented with a question about the Breen the Naussican grunted derisively and said, "Not to worry, my young one. You won't see any Breen near your planet as long as I'm out here." It was at that moment Mitch knew he wanted to be in Starfleet.

That evening, Mitch brought up the idea of joining Starfleet with his family. His sisters, still very young, were enthusiastically supportive. His father was also supportive, but advised him to research and be absolutely certain that this was what he wanted to do. His mother was the only one who tried to talk him out of it. A great uncle of hers had served in the El-Aurian defense forces and had been killed in combat with the Borg. She felt it was better to apply his talents elsewhere, rather than take the risks involved with that type of career.

Mitch understood, but there was no dissuading him. The next day he contacted a recruiting officer via subspace to begin the application process for the Academy. A few months later he traveled to Starbase 487, the nearest Starfleet facility, to take aptitude tests and meet with a selection board. His father offered to accompany him, but he insisted on going alone. He was eager to set off on his own. Being on a big starbase was an eye-opening experience for him, but it convinced him more than ever that he wanted to be part of this world.

A few weeks after returning home, an officer from the selection board called him to say that he had done well in the tests and interviews. Only one student from the sector, however, was allowed a slot at the Academy, and another person had edged him out on the scores. Just barely.

The selection board officer encouraged him to try again the following year. Mitch resolved to do just that. In the meantime he began making alternate plans to study elsewhere.

A little over six months later an unexpected call came. An admissions officer from the Academy contacted him to say that the person selected over him had changed his mind at the last minute. The slot he wanted was available again, but he would have to arrange transport to Earth immediately to make it in time for freshman indoctrination. Could he make it?

A fast ship could make it to Earth in four or five weeks. With his father's help he scrambled to look for a ship heading towards Earth. The commercial passenger transports were booked. Nor were there any Starfleet vessels that could swing by and take him that way. Desperate, they went into town looking for any kind of transport. They found a group of merchantmen whose next port of call was the Alpha Centauri colony. They were leaving that same night. They were Naussican.

It took some doing but his father managed to negotiate passage for him, plus meals and a spot in the cargo bay where he could lay down a sleeping mat. Once he arrived at Alpha Centauri it wouldn't be any trouble to find something else making the short hop to Earth.

It was a difficult goodbye with his parents. With little more than the clothes on his back he boarded the cargo ship. A lone kid with twenty Naussicans who had no intention of treating him any better than the cargo they were hauling. It was a long trip.

Five and a half weeks later Mitchell finally arrived in San Francisco, exhausted, hungry, and somewhat in need of a shower. This was the first time he had been on Earth. He was also two days late for the Indoc cycle, but was granted a waiver from possible AWOL charges. He stepped through the gate at the Academy, and his Starfleet career began.
Service Record Starfleet Academy: Astrogation and Flight Systems Management concentration with minor in Starship Propulsion Systems. Also active in several student clubs including Nova Squadron.

Starfleet Academy Postgraduate School: Command and Advanced Bridge Officer Qualification training.

USS Steadfast: Assistant Helmsman.

Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards: Systems and Flight Test Operations Manager for Pre-Commissioning Units Renown and Persistence.

USS Andromeda: Chief Helmsman