Lamarche

**Lamarche** was a human professor of astroarchaeology at Union Point and pioneer of ancient Zankon history. He was an advocate of the historicity of the Zankon and believed that part of the Zankon's empire could still be discovered even after three million years.

## Life

Lamarche joined the Union Point faculty as a professor of astroarchaeology at some point during or before the 2390s. He published many papers. At one point, he taught both Ed Mercer and Gordon Malloy astroarchaeology, and nearly failed Gordon for cheating on the final exam.

In 2411, Lamarche discovered a remnant of Zankon DNA.

In the 2410s, Lamarche's career began to stagnant and his rate of publications dropped. To re-invigorate his career, Lamarche became highly interested in the ancient Zankon empire. The scholarly community was unsure such an empire even existed, but if it did, it died out 3.4 million years ago, leaving little behind. Lamarche studied the evidence of the Zankon and advanced theories concerning a lost Zankon fleet that the scientific community regarded as unfounded, such as the Zankon being able to control their ships with thought waves. Lamarche's career suffered further, and Union Point removed him from their faculty in 2416.

Convinced the lost fleet could be discovered, Lamarche left on an expedition to find it. Convinced the Zankon mind could control the ships, he used his DNA fragment from 2411 to comb the galaxy in search of a descendant species. He visited the planet Sephalda, where he discovered the indigenous people share over 90 percent of its DNA with the Zankon. He enlisted Chalmi as his personal assistant in exchange for a Food Synthesizer.

Around the year 2421, researchers found an ancient epic poem, "The Four Brothers," on Retepsia. The poem referenced a constellation by the same name, and Lamarche believed the lost fleet was hidden somewhere inside it. In 2421, he visited Outpost 47 and persuaded Ed to take him and Chalmi aboard the USS *Orville* to the Cruxis system, the probable location of the Four Brothers constellation.

The trip into Cruxis was stressful, due to the powerful forces of Cruxis' four stars. When Ed and First Officer Kelly Grayson agreed to turn back, Lamarche forced his way to the helm and piloted the ship further, badly damaging the ship and killing or injuring tens of officers. Enraged, Ed threw Lamarche into the Brig. However, Lamarche's time in there was short-lived. With the Orville out of commission, Ed soon realized that only Lamarche could operate one of the Zankon ships and potentially save the fleet.

Lamarche, Chalmi, Ed, Gordon, Chief Security Officer Talla Keyali, Isaac entered the nearest Zankon ship. Lamarche was cool and calm: his years of study allowed him to identify Zankon technology with ease, and he knew that Chalmi could operate the ship with her mind. Once Chalmi began controlling and piloting the ship, Lamarche felt assured that he could barter the fleet with the Planetary Union Central in exchange for amnesty for his crime. Chalmi, however, was shocked to learn the ancient Zankon cruelly enslaved more primitive species with their powerful technology. She destroyed most of the fleet with the exception of one, which she took back to her people - leaving Lamarche in the Union's hands.

The Orville's Security Officers detained Lamarche for a second time. It can be assumed that the Union later tried, convicted, and imprisoned him.

## Trivia

* The visual representation of Lamarche is based on actor Norman Lloyd, who played Professor Galen in *Star Trek: The Next Generation*. Goodman instructed Cabeza to add a mustache.
* Lamarche is named after voice actor Maurice LaMarche, who worked alongside Goodman on the show *Futurama*.
* When Lamarche ran into Ed and Gordon in years later, he remembered Ed but not Gordon. Gordon was convinced Lamarche remembered him, but claimed not to simply because Lamarche disliked him.
	+ Gordon despises Lamarche. He calls Lamarche an "asshole" for pretending not to remember him and later calls him "scum" who should be thrown in the Brig for "trad[ing] her for a food synthesizer."

## Appearances

* *Artifacts, Pt. 1*
* *Artifacts, Pt. 2*

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Artifacts, Pt. 1
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Artifacts, Pt. 2
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 David A. Goodman, Executive Producer and Writer. Quantum Drive. May 10, 2022.