Viliami Vaka

**Viliami Vaka** was a male Human Starfleet officer who began service during the Dominion War and was killed during the Iconian War.

## Biography

### Early life

Born on Aldebaran III in 2352, Viliama's grandparents had emigrated from Earth to Aldebaran III with a large group of Tongan families.

The boy grew up boating on the oceans of his homeworld and watching starships being constructed in orbit at the New Aberdeen Shipyards. Both were done to fulfill his wanderlust and fueled his desire to join Starfleet and explore the stars.

### Dominion War

When the Dominion War erupted in 2373, Viliami was in his senior year at Starfleet Academy. As the war dragged on, many from the class of 2374, including Viliami, were rushed through their last semester to enter active service in time for Operation Return, a major offensive against the Dominion forces to retake Deep Space 9.

The young ensign was assigned to the USS *Venture*, one of the *Galaxy*-class starships playing a key role in the mission. During the battle to capture Chin'toka later that year, the *Venture* sustained moderate damage when a torpedo broke through the shields and tore through the starboard section of the primary hull. Viliami was injured in the blast, losing his left eye and fracturing his left arm in multiple places. After the battle, he was put on medical leave and spent a few months back home on Aldebaran III to recuperate and adjust to his new eye.

Viliami returned to service shortly before the invasion of Cardassia and was assigned to another *Galaxy*-class starship, this time the USS *Dauntless*. When the war was finally over, Viliami was promoted to lieutenant junior grade due to Starfleet's dire need for officers after its losses in the war. He was also recommended for Command School by the *Dauntless*' captain, Robert Wright, and entered the program in 2376.

### Maelstrom Conflict

After graduating from the command program, Vaka was assigned to the USS *Zhukov* as chief of security. His new tactical skills were put to the test when the *Ambassador*-class cruiser became involved in the Maelstrom Conflict.

### Taking command

The year 2386 brought Viliami both a promotion to captain and his first command: the USS *Takarabune*. The vessel was a *Sovereign*-class and was a prominent posting in the Beta Quadrant. Captain Vaka served as commanding officer to the end of the century. He took a brief leave to see to his wife's health and upon his return to active service in 2401, Viliami was promoted to commodore and assigned as the mission operations officer of Romulan Theater Command under Rear Admiral Vanessa Tim.

As tensions continued to rise with the Klingon Empire, Commodore Vaka proposed that Task Force 202 be reactivated. Admiral Tim agreed and once approval was received from Ktarn Fleet Command, she place Viliami in charge of the new unit.

### The Iconian War

Viliami was returning to Starbase 234 aboard the USS *Mongoose* when the Iconians and their Heralds attacked in early 2410. From *Mongoose*, he led Task Force 202 in defense of the station. With the assistance of various other Starfleet, Klingon Defense Force, and Romulan Republic vessels, TF202 was able to hold back Iconian forces long enough for the USS *Gheryzan*, USS *Deletham*, and RRW *Intraktu* to evacuate the station.

However, the *Mongoose* suffered severe damage during the engagement and when an Iconian cruiser moved to destroy the *Gheryzan,* laden with numerous evacuees, the Tongan admiral was left with few choices. Offering his apologies to his crew and the Resistance fleet, Viliami his flight controller to ram the Iconian ship. The sacrifice of the *Mongoose* and its crew preserved the *Gheryzan* and the 8,000 individuals who had been evacuated from the crippled starbase.

### Legacy

After the war, Viliami and the other members of the *Mongoose* crew were posthumously awarded the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor and their names were listed on the Federation memorial to those lost in the Iconian War. The *Alita*-class USS *Aberdeen*, still under construction at the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards, was also renamed and commissioned as the USS *Mongoose*-B in honor of Viliami and his crew.

## Chronology

2352
Born on Aldebaran III
2374
Graduated from Starfleet Academy; posted to the USS *Venture*; participated in Operation Return and the First Battle of Chin'toka, where he lost his left eye; put on medical leave
2375
Reentered service and posted to USS *Mongoose*; participated in Battle of Cardassia; promoted to lieutenant junior grade
2376
Entered Starfleet Academy Command School
2377
Graduated command school; promoted to lieutenant; assigned to USS *Zhukov* as chief of security
2386
Promoted to captain and assigned command of the USS *Takarabune*
2401
Promoted to commodore and assigned as mission operations officer at Romulan Theater Command
2404
Assigned as commanding officer of Task Force 202
2410
Killed in action during the Battle of Starbase 234
## Appendices

### Connections

**Assets:** Starbase 247-Vershina • Jatha Dilithium Mine • Noonian Soong Spire • Delta Foundry • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 39-Sierra

**Components:** Romulan Theater Command • Task Force 200 • Task Force 201 • Task Force 202 • Task Force 203 • Task Force 204

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards