Lycoa

### Service Record

* Utopia Planetia Shipyards (Experimental Development Division – Shield Harmonics)
* USS Denver (Engineering Department)
* USS Francis (Beta Shift Operations Officer)
* USS Brazzaville (Operations Officer)
* USS Ariel (Operations Officer)

### Awards & Commendations

* Jean-Luc Picard Medal of Resiliance (Silver Cluster)
* Chimera Cluster Campaign Ribbon
* Honors in Exo-Planetary Science
* Honors with Merit in Marine Ecology and Biology
* Honors in Starship Operations
* Honors in Shield Mechanics
* Honors in Mechanical Engineering

### Species Summary

Aquastarians are equally at home on land or in the water having the ability to effectively ‘breath’ in oxygenated water via a set of gill-like organs at the base of their necks. They also have bladder like organs throughout their body which help them withstand the high pressures of deep water environments, and even extreme pressures for short spaces of time.  Due to their unique musculature and lightweight, yet strong bone structure Aquastarians appear graceful a lithe in movement with a human like level of strength, yet are considerably lighter in weight.  A very clear oddity observed by all encountering Aquastarians is their speech having a very distinct Russian accent – this is a result of the Aquastarian universal translators basing their interpretation of other languages from the spoken words of the captain of the USS Shackleton which made first contact with Aquaste, the captain in question being from Leningrad on Earth and carrying a very heavy Russian accent himself.

### Personal Life

Growing up on Aquaste, Lycoa was a curious and adventurous child.  He aspired to join the Aquastarian Exploration Cadre, an elite group in Aquastarian culture dedicated to exploration of the ocean of their home planet as well as the planets in their solar system.  First contact with the Federation occurred while Lycoa was still considered a child – this event captured his imagination and he set out to learn as much as he could about his race’s new friends from the stars.  As a relatively technologically advanced race, the Aquastrian people applied for and were accepted into the Federation as a member state in rather short order and just in time for Lycoa to reach an age where traditionally his people moved from education into a chosen career path. Lycoa took the rather unique choice of joining Starfleet, and along with a small handful of fellow Aquastrians was admitted to Starfleet Academy.

### Career

With his peoples natural affinity for aquatic environments, its was no surprise that Lycoa easily passed courses and qualifications on Marine Ecology and Biology with ease.  Lycoa also expressed a talent for engineering and specifically shield harmonics during his studies (not surprising given his races development of particularly strong shield technologies).  Accordingly Lycoa passed through Starfleet Academy with qualifications in engineering and sciences.

Recognising his natural talents, Starfleet initially assigned Lycoa to Utopia Planetia Shipyards, where he worked with some of the leading experts in the Federation on the development of enhancements to existing and new shield technologies. This work was fascinating to Lycoa and he revelled in not only his work, but immersing himself in the culture of the Sol system.  During this time he even managed to find his way to Leningrad itself where, due in no small part to his ‘accent’ and reverence for the captain of the USS Shackleton, he was welcomed warmly by the locals.  Nevertheless, eventually, as much as he loved working at Utopia Planetia, Lycoa yearned for explore more of the wider universe.  He subsequently applied for transfer to duties aboard a starship.

Initially Lycoa was assigned to the USS Denver, an older light frigate on routine patrol duties. Assigned to the Engineering team aboard the ship, he took to shipboard life well and was kept busy maintaining the somewhat outdated systems aboard the vessel.  Ever popular (if not always understood due to his accent) Lycoa made a positive impression on the Chief Engineer could see a bright future for him.  With the Chief Engineers encouragement, Lycoa began training for bridge crew stations.  Lycoa enjoyed being on the bridge and made a decision to move in that direction in his career.  As there were no vacant bridge positions on the Denver, Lycoa eventually applied for a position aboard the USS Francis.

Moving to the USS Francis, a Nova-class vessel, Lycoa assumed the post of Beta Shift Ops Officer. His tour aboard the Francis was fairly peaceful with the ship being deployed to investigate numerous special and planetary anomalies.  During his tour Lycoa displaced a competent and calm demeanour earning him a reputation as a reliable member of the crew.  One particular highlight of the tour was when Lycoa, due to his aquatic nature, was able to play a key part in the rescue of a crashed shuttle which come to rest in a particularly deep section of a planetary body of water and buried in rubble which prevented the use of transporters.  With the crew having to physically dive down to clear the rubble, their work was hampered by them having to wear somewhat bulky environmental suits modified to adapt to the currents, pressure and temperature of the water.  Lycoa however, due to his aquatic nature, was able to ‘free dive’ and operate more easily and almost singlehandedly carved a tunnel through the rubble so pattern enhancers could eventually allow the trapped shuttle crew to be rescued.  Reaching the rank of Lieutenant, Lycoa wanted to further his career and solidify his experience as a member of a bridge crew. A position within Joint Task Force Bellerophon (JTFB) became available to which he applied for and was accepted.

Upon arrival at JTFB, Lycoa was assigned as senior Ops officer aboard the Nebula class USS Brazzaville.  On one of his first deployments as part of the ships complement, he was on an away team which was captured by the rouge ‘Federation Marines’.  Unlike his fellow crewmates, an unconscious Lycoa was placed aboard a shuttlecraft and used as a decoy to allow his captors to escape the USS Brazzaville.  His captors plans were thwarted however, and Lycoa was able to re-join his ship and help in the recovery of the rest of the captured away team.