Zachary Kuhns

## Zachary Hugh Kuhns

* Captain
* Academy
* Lionheart
* Dominion War

> "*So you're the captain of the Davis...and a decorated combat officer, gifted scientist, explorer, father and instructor. Somehow I thought you'd be older...*"
> ― Crystal Hasegawa
>
>

## Personnel File

* Serial Number: DB-921-767
* Active Rank: Captain
* Most Recent Assignment: Commanding officer of the USS *Davis* (2390-)
* Previous Assignments:
	+ Ensign, USS *Enterprise*-D (2368-2371)
	+ Lieutenant, USS *Enterprise*-E (2372-2374)
	+ Lieutenant, USS *Galaxy* (NCC-70637), (2374-2376)
	+ Chief Science Officer, USS *Lionheart* (NCC-75011), (2376-2384)
	+ Instructor, Starfleet Academy (2384-2390)

## Medical Record

Kuhns remained in excellent health due to a training regiment that was introduced to him during the Dominon War and, even at the age of forty-seven (in 2394), was more muscular and fit than some people half his age.

Despite a busy career, Kuhns still found time for Velocity and was one of the few science officers to regularly play with the tactical officers on a regular basis. He was also highly skilled at three dimensional chess, having practiced extensively with Data during his time on the *Enterprise*-D and *Enterprise*-E.

Due to a near-fatal injury during his time on the *Lionheart*, he was forced to have significant repair work on several vertebrae and the degree of injury necessitated the complete replacement of his sternum and four upper ribs. The repairs would cause him discomfort for some time, but it abated after a month.

The loss of his siblings would take an enormous emotional toll and required several weeks of counseling. Kuhns would later undergo similar, though less lengthy, time to recuperate after learning of his daughter Valana's death.

## Personal Life

Kuhns held diverse interests and recreational pursuits, ranging from science projects to creative writing. He was a lifelong creative writing enthusiast and was encouraged by his Academy instructor, Walter Horne. Because of his writing skills, he was very concise and his reports were considered "short and sweet, but informative." However, he was not greatly interested in literature, saying that inventing your own stories helped to keep the imagination active and open the mind to original ideas. He did, however, have a complete works of Sherlock Holmes, stating that Holmes's unconventional methods as well as skilled analysis paralleled his own way of thinking.

He was skilled at playing both Velocity and three dimensional chess, both of which he would use to relieve stress and get to know people under his command. He once tried parisses squares, but didn't much care for the sport.

He maintained a healthy relationship with both the senior staff and other junior officers wherever he was posted, trying to learn from their experience as much as possible. He spent a great deal of time with Data aboard the *Enterprise*, who would teach him three dimensional chess and would help him improve as a player, but would eventually improve him as a person noting that "sometimes Data knew human nature better than any human did."

Not known to keep a large amount of possessions, his desk and quarters were generally littered by photos sent to him by his many children, even if they were scattered in different places. His most prized possession was a photo album that contained pictures of his siblngs, his children, their mothers and his wife. Most noted among these was a wide shot of the entirety of them in one large photograph.

### Family

Kuhns had "never been much of a family man," which lead him to be uneasy about the amount of children aboard the ships on which he had served. When Stacey Ray was orphaned due to the Veridian III, it served only to reinforce that sentiment. Over time, his unease lessened and spending time with Stacey influenced his views greatly, later admitting that he couldn't imagine a life without her. His initial hesitation was a reflection of his friction with his own father over what happened to his mother and about leaving the family farm.

Upon the deaths of his brother and sisters in the Dominion War, the issue of lineage entered his mind now that his siblings were no longer there to attend to that themselves. This brought on a sudden, yet brief, period of depression.

After being notified of his daughters Valana and T'Vrell, he did his best to stay in touch with them and spend some time with them if his schedule allowed. It became far more difficult with Valana, as her position in the Romulan military made if nearly impossible to spend time together. He also made a great deal of effort to get to know T.J. Abernathy, the son of his wife and her previous husband, and to appear as best of a father figure he could. Kuhns and his wife would eventually have another child on Earth, naming him Jordan.

### Romance

Kuhns had a relationship with a fellow cadet named Elisa Flores. They initially met aboard a shuttle to the Academy. Over the course of their Academy careers, the two developed an intimate relationship. They would both be posted on the *Enterprise*-D after graduation and she was initially irritated that Kuhns hadn't told his friends about their relationship. Eventually, Flores and Kuhns parted on good terms, as she decided to pursue other postings elsewhere. The two were later reunited when he asked for Flores to be his first officer aboard the *Davis*.

In 2374, after assisting a *D'deridex*-class Romulan Warbird, Kuhns would be introduced to Ketrina, a junior engineering officer on the Romulan vessel. While the *Galaxy* was assisting them in some critical repairs to get the ship moving again, Ketrina led him to an area by the engine core to, as Kuhns would eventually tell it, "assist with high-priority operations". This would lead to Ketrina's pregnancy, eventually giving birth to a girl they named Valana.

In 2375, during a party to celebrate, a fellow *Galaxy* officer named T'Lona started to enter her *pon farr* prematurely and, in the absence of a Vulcan male, Kuhns readily volunteered to assist T'Lona in her issue. The next morning, the two emerged from her quarters with T'Lona no longer in danger of suffering negative effects of the *pon farr*, but she would become pregnant with a daughter they would name T'Vrell

#### Alison Cory

Alison Cory and Kuhns maintained a close friendship while serving on the *Lionheart*, often speaking about various topics after duty shifts were over.

Their relationship stayed platonic for most of his time aboard the *Lionheart*, both considering the other close friends who would give advice freely when dealing with tough decisions. While she was worried about her marriage at the time, he comforted her by offering his help however he could.

Early on, the two had a few romantically close calls. While still married, the two would occasionally flirt when nobody was looking. This flirting became more common and more involved over time. After the strain on Alison and T.C.'s relationship reached a critical point, what was heavy flirting turned into an affair. After Alison's marriage ended, their relatonship went from an illicit affair into a romantic partnership. Near the end of his tenure on the *Lionheart*, Zachary and Alison were married and later had a child named Jordan.

### Friendships

#### Elisa Flores

Kuhns and Flores first met at Starfleet Academy, being in the same graduating class. They shared a very close friendship that was romantic for a time, but both decided to be good friends instead. They trusted each other fully and held no secrets from each other even though her talking about a recent date with a fellow cadet did cause him pangs of jealously at the time. Their close friendship translated to a close working relationship, both sharing similar views on the goals to achieve, but often differing in the manner to achieve them. Only once did they ever get into a notable verbal confrontation, but it would quickly pass.

They stayed in touch a great deal in their careers, their relationship remaining very close had it had during their Academy years. She was jealous about his posting aboard the *Enterprise*, but he reminded her that they were both fortunate to have careers they both loved. He would later lament that while he was thrilled to be aboard the *Enterprise*, he sometimes wished to be on the front in the Dominion War as to help his siblings.

When Kuhns assumed command of the *Davis*, he was allowed to pick his senior staff. He immediatley demanded that Flores be promoted to Commander and she would be his First Officer, stating that, aside from his wife, she would be the only one unafraid to speak her mind to him, no matter the situation.

She later served as one of the bridesmaids at Kuhns's wedding to Alison Cory.

## Chronology

2347
Born in Nebraska, United States of America, Earth
2364
Applies to Starfleet Academy, but is rejected
2365
Accepted to Starfleet Academy
2369
Graduates Starfleet Academy, assigned to the USS *Enterprise*-D
2371
The *Enterprise*-D is destroyed over Veridian III
2372
Transfers to the USS *Enterprise*-E
2373
Travels back in time to 2063 to defeat an attempt by the Borg to create an alternate timeline in which the Federation is never created
2374
Transfers to the USS *Galaxy*, participates in the First Battle of Chin'toka.
2375
Participates in the Battle of Cardassia, celebrates the signing of the Treat of Bajor later that year.
2376
Transfers to the USS *Lionheart*
2380
Suffers near-death experience on board the USS *Greyon*, the wounds necessitate several bones in his chest and back replaced.
2381
Begins relationship with Alison Cory, marrying two years later.
2386
Assumes teaching position at Starfleet Academy
2390
Assumes command of the USS *Davis*