Nikola Edwards

"When the galaxy says, Give up, hope whispers, Try it one more time"

- Nikola Edwards,

Character Information

Name: Nikola Emily Edwards

Rank: Commander

Position: Commanding Officer

Post: [[USS Endeavour

Gender: Female

Species: Human

Age: 42

Physical Appearance

Height: 172 cm

Weight: 57 kg

Eye Colour: Hazel

Hair Colour: Dark Chestnut Brown

Description:

To the casual observer on first appearance Nikola appears to be a quiet and thoughtful individual with an unassuming presence. Standing at a height of 172cm (5’ 7”) Nikola tips the scales at a tick under 58kgs (127 lbs) which should be noted is slightly below average for a human female of her height, nevertheless she is a picture of good health. Nikola is nevertheless a picture of good health and maintains an active lifestyle with daily runs and the odd aerobic session. Thanks to her extensive cross county background Nikola has excellent endurance and power in her legs, but she does lack a lot of upper body strength.

Personality & Traits

General Overview:

Ashley is hard working and carries herself with a high sense of professionalism when she is on duty, but she also knows how to let her hair down and have fun. She tries not to take things to seriously as evidenced by her a quirky sense of humour, made up mostly of self deprecating jokes that she makes at her own expense. She is never short on material for her jokes as she can be quite clumsy at times. Despite this Ashley is very self assured and confident, this was not always the case as she lacked confidence in her youth but her time in Starfleet and motherhood has changed that for the better. One of the quirks that Ashley has developed since becoming a Mother is her use of parentese (baby talk) which she has a tendency to accidently drop into normal every day conversation.

Strengths & Weaknesses:

Ashley’s greatest strength is by far her family. While a constant source of strength and inspiration for her Ashley’s family is also her greatest weakness. Her concern for her family’s safety in particular that of her young son Brian, will often cause her to worry and lose concentration, especially during alert situations.

Ambitions:

Despite her ambitious nature Nikola had never pictured that she would one day wind up serving in Starfleet. The seemingly endless days of her childhood were often spent dreaming of lofty goals like becoming a princess similar to the ones found in the old Earth fairy tales that her Grandparents use to read to her. To much more simple and achievable dreams of becoming a school teacher like her own favourite primary school teacher Miss Ellis. Like most childhood dreams these were all fleeting and would quickly morph into whatever new fascination had managed to snare her imagination.

By the time of her thirteenth birthday, she had started to set her sights on one day following her father into political spectrum. Her ever increasing interest, awareness and knowledge in all things political made a career involving politics appear to be a natural progression for her, this was not only apparent to Nikola but to her parents as well. Political studies in secondary school continued to shape and hold Nikola’s attention until the start of her senior year when a Starfleet recruiter caught her ear.

Hobbies & Interests:

Nikola is an active woman with a strong love for cross country running. She first started running when she was in primary school and it quickly became a major foundation in her day to day routine. Since giving birth to Imogen Nikola rarely has enough free time to devote to her cross country training and her overall level of fitness has fallen away as a consequence of this. She still tries to go for a run a couple of times a week, but her work often gets in the way of this. Nikola’s other main passion lies in the field of politics and government, a trait that she no doubt picked up from her father who is heavily involved in local government back at home. She is a political scientist by trade and she enjoys keeping up-to-date on political matters from across the Federation.

Nikola is a bit of history buff with a particular love for both Early Federation and Earth history. It is not uncommon to find her reading some sort of historical text from either of these two periods of history. She is also a massive fan of English literature and often enjoys revisiting the works of her favourite writers including such famous as Shakespeare, Dickens, Hardy and Jane Austen. At the insistence of her parents Nikola was taught at a young age to play the piano by her Grandmother. Despite hating it as a child, Nikola has developed a fondness for it and enjoys playing the occasional tune. She has been putting serious thought into getting a piano of her own as she would love to one day teach it to her own daughter.

Languages:

Federation Standard, French, Latin and two different dialects of Vulcan.

Family

Father: Charlie Franklin

Mother: Rose Franklin

Brother: William Franklin

Spouse: Lieutenant JG Sam Douglas - married on the 4th of August 2378

Children: Brian Douglas - born on the 25th of December 2380

History

Childhood & Early Life

Ashley Maree Franklin was born on the planet Earth in the spring of 2351 in the city of Philadelphia. Her parents Rose and Charlie Franklin owned and operated a small yet successful old book store near Logan Square. Ashley spent many an hour in her parent’s store, reading through a wide variety of different books with the assistance of her parents. On her 13th birthday, Ashley was given a copy of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet by her grandfather, which opened up an entirely new world of literary style. Shakespeare quickly became Ashley’s favourite writer, as she loved analysing all of his work. This led to Ashley to developing a keen interest and understanding for the field of Linguistics during her years at Middle School, but it wasn’t until Ashley’s senior year of High School that she decided to actively pursue it as a career. Following her graduation from High School Ashley was accepted into the University of Chicago Linguistics Department Undergraduate Program. She graduated four years later in 2372 with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics.

Starfleet Academy

Ashley had intended to remain at Chicago University to obtain her masters degree, but she learned through a Starfleet Recruiter that she could do her masters degree through Starfleet Academy. Up until point in time Ashley had never really considered a career for herself in Starfleet, but she was well aware of the career potential that Starfleet would offer her as an Officer and as a Linguist. After doing a great deal of thinking and weighing up her options Ashley decided to set her sights on Starfleet and enrolled in Starfleet Academy. During her four years at the Academy Ashley successfully obtained her masters degree in Linguistics and took a number of specific language related courses. She also undertook a number of minor science courses that included Botany and Xenobiology. Ashley graduated from the Academy in 2376, finishing in the top 25 of her class. She was promoted to the rank of Ensign and was nominated for a ship based assignment.

Starfleet Career

Assignment #1 – USS Agincourt NCC-70088

Ensign Edwards serving on the Agincourt - 2366

Fresh from the Academy Ensign Nikola Edwards was assigned to the new Norway Class starship Agincourt as a junior science officer in the ship’s Anthropology department. The Agincourt was assigned to the Beta Quadrant where it performed extensive follow up work to successful first contact missions. As the ship’s resident political affairs expert it was Nikola’s job to study and catalogue the various governing bodies of the planets that the Agincourt visited. While not everyone’s cup of tea, Nikola totally adored her work and found it to be both a highly rewarding and challenging experience. She was constantly being introduced to new ideas and ways of thinking that on occasion would challenge her own well held perceptions. She also enjoyed the opportunity that her position presented her with to rub shoulders and interact with numerous planetary delegates and to liaise with renowned experts in her field like the famed Dr. Aiden Connors from Mars and Dr. Kireon Gren from Bajor.

Nikola had more than enough work to occupy herself with but she was not content with limiting herself to just her chosen field. She was always looking for ways to further build upon her knowledge base and was to keen to find more ways to become further involved in the department. To this end she would often volunteer her free time to assist with the other projects that the Agincourt’s Science Department were working on. Her growing interest in the day to day operations of the department didn’t go unnoticed for too long as she quickly caught the attention of the Agincourt’s Chief Science Officer, a Vulcan Lieutenant Commander named Tovol.

Seeing potential in the young Ensign to move beyond her field Tovol took Edwards under his wing. Under Tovol’s watchful eye and tutelage Nikola was instructed in the administration and day to day operations of the Agincourt’s large Science Department. Tovol proved to be an extraordinarily tough taskmaster. He constantly tried to challenge Edwards and push her to her limits, but Nikola with her eagerness to learn and her drive to succeed would rise to meet his every challenge. With Tovol’s backing Nikola sat and passed the Starfleet Bridge Officer’s Test. She served her first shift on the Agincourt’s bridge during the graveyard shift on the day of her six month anniversary since joining the ship. By the end of her first full year on the Agincourt Nikola had firmly established herself as an integral part of the Agincourt’s Science Team. So rapid was her rise on the Agincourt that Nikola had taken everyone around her by complete surprise, including Tovol. In recognition for her work and despite her relative lack of experience Nikola was named as the new head of the Agincourt’s Anthropology Department and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. The promotion made her the third most senior science officer of the Agincourt and she was considered by many in the department to be the go to person after Tovol.

Tovol continued to instruct and guide Edwards’ development where he could, but it was quickly becoming clear to him that he had little left to teach her. In his opinion Edwards was ready to take on more responsibility and move into an Assistant Chief position. Unfortunately o such position was open on the Agincourt which left Tovol with little recourse but to recommend Edwards for a new posting in the fleet. After talking the matter over with Tovol Nikola with some reluctance nominated herself for a transfer. With glowing recommendations from Tovol and the Agincourt’s Captain it wasn’t long before Nikola was scooped up by another starship.

Assignment #2 – USS Commonwealth NCC-66191

Nikola transfer was approved in early 2367 and she was named the as the new Assistant Chief Science Officer on the venerable USS Commonwealth. She finished her tour on the Agincourt on stardate 44096.9 (5th of February, 2367) and transferred to Starbase 211 where the Commonwealth was undergoing a resupply. Built in the early 2340’s the Commonwealth was an Ambassador Class Starship that despite its age was still at the forefront of Starfleet Operations. The much larger Commonwealth was a major step up for Nikola in every sense, the ship’s science department alone was over three times larger than the one she had left behind on the Agincourt. It took Edwards a couple of weeks to settle into her new role and the responsibility that came with it. As always Nikola was quick to rise to the challenge and she made an immediate positive impression with her new superior Lieutenant Michelle Armstrong.

The Commonwealth had an outstanding and experienced crew, but the ship was on the cusp of a generational change though nobody at the time knew it. Included amongst them was a tight knit and talented group of junior officers. Several of the ship’s assistant chief’s would meet weekly for a games night and it didn’t take Edwards long to be welcomed into the small group. Over the course of the next several months Nikola struck up what would become lifelong friendships with members of the group including the vessel’s Andorian Assistant Chief Security Officer Ny’len Thomm, Harriet Perry who was the Commonwealth’s Assistant Chief Medical Officer and the Commonwealth’s Assistant Chief Engineer Carl Stevens. Out of the small group Nikola was the first to make it to the Commonwealth’s senior staff when she was named as the new Chief Science Officer following Lieutenant Armstrong’s reassignment to the USS Endurance in 2368. Her new position came with a promotion to the rank of full Lieutenant. Over the course of the next several months the rest of her friends would go on to join her as members of the Commonwealth’s senior staff.

In 2369 Nikola was badly injured after the shuttlecraft she was on crashed on an inhospitable M- Class world in the uncharted Konossos system. It was Edward’s first ever command mission and it was suppose to be nothing more than a simple week long astrological survey mission of a class 3 nebula. The shuttlecraft was badly damaged after coming into contact with a small subspace eddy. With a number of systems offline including communications and with life support failing Nikola ordered the damaged craft to proceed to the nearest habitable planet, where it ended up crashing. The small crew survived the crash and despite being badly injured Nikola managed to keep the crew focused on getting rescued and she assisted Lieutenant Stevens in repairing the shuttle’s communication systems. The shuttlecraft crew were stranded on the surface for well over a week before they were rescued by the Commonwealth. While she was stranded on the planet, Nikola became a lot closer to Lieutenant Stevens and in the weeks following the crash their relationship would turn romantic. For her actions during and after the crash Nikola was awarded a personal commendation by her Commanding Officer Captain Norman Makepeace.

In 2370 the Commonwealth conducted a six month exploration mission of the largely unexplored Beta Minor Star Cluster. The mission was bread and butter to the Commonwealth’s large Science Department and Nikola spent many a long hour working alongside her staff to coax every single ounce of information out of the ship’s sensors that they could. During the six month cruise the Commonwealth made several notable discoveries but there was nothing more remarkable and satisfying then the two successful first contact missions that the Commonwealth performed. Edwards’ previous experience on the Agincourt came in handy during these missions and Nikola played a large part in both missions. She was also responsible for the laying down most of the ground work for the many follow up missions that Starfleet would do following the Commonwealth’s initial visit.

In September of the same year following the successful completion of the Commonwealth’s six month mission, Nikola become engaged to Carl Stevens who she had been dating for well over year. Stevens popped the big question to her during a humorous and totally disastrous date in one of the Commonwealth’s recently upgraded holodecks. Despite a torrential amount of water and gale force winds Nikola found the whole situation to be oddly romantic and she naturally said “Yes,” to his proposal. Marriage had never been on Nikola’s radar as she had been utterly focused on her career and still was. Yet she loved Carl with all her heart and couldn’t picture a future without him as part of her life. The happy couple almost immediately started to make arrangements for their upcoming wedding in 2371.

2371 was a wonderful and standout year for Nikola in many ways. Her rapid rise through the ranks and Starfleet career ladder continued when she was rewarded for her outstanding work during the year before when she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Her promotion came with added responsibility as a month later she was also named as the Commonwealth’s new Second Officer by Captain Makepeace. With her confidence soaring Nikola took to her new role with her usual eagerness, and quickly adapted to her found responsibilities. Not forgetting her political background and training, Nikola also published a popular and critically acclaimed research paper based on her observations of two new political institutions that the Commonwealth had encountered in the Beta Minor Cluster. It was in July of that year that Nikola and Carl were married during a small private ceremony on the Commonwealth by Captain Makepeace. Nikola took on her husband’s last name of Stevens and quietly settled into married life. The rest of the year was spent in matrimonial bliss, but there were challenges ahead for the young couple.

In 2372 as the Alpha Quadrant started to mobilise and begin the inevitable march towards war Nikola was approached out of the blue by Captain Jamie McAllister. McAllister who was a long time friend of Captain Makepeace was in search of a new First Officer. He had heard a glowing report and an unofficial recommendation on Stevens from Makepeace during one of their weekly chats. He was so impressed by what he had heard that he immediately sort Nikola out and presented her with an offer to join him on the Aurora and become his new First Officer. Nikola was taken by complete surprise by the Captain’s offer. Never in her own wildest dreams did she even imagine the possibility of herself serving in such a position as she was still only 27 years old.

Normally she would have jumped at the opportunity that was being presented to her on a silver platter. For the first time in her career however she hesitated. It had been her dream since entering Starfleet to climb the ranks and one day become a starship captain, but she now had other priorities in her life to think about. In her five years on the Commonwealth Nikola had made a home for herself, got married and was seriously starting to consider a future for herself and Carl that involved children. After weighing up her options Nikola planned to turn down McAllister’s offer and remain on the Commonwealth. She was eventually talked out of the idea by Carl who was well aware of his wife’s desire to chase after her dream. He reassured that they could make their marriage work despite the distance and together they made vague plans for him to join her on Aurora as soon as a suitable position became available. Feeling much more comfortable about the future Nikola contacted Captain McAllister and finally accepted his offer.

Assignment #3 – USS Aurora NCC-48892

With some reluctance Nikola packed up the life that she had built for herself on the Commonwealth. After saying goodbye to her husband and friends, she transferred to her new posting on the Aurora. The USS Aurora was an Excelsior Class that had recently undergone a major refit in response to the rising threat of the Dominion. Stevens had some initial difficulties in settling into her new role on the Aurora and to “Find her command voice,” as Captain McAllister put it. Much like the Commonwealth the Aurora’s crew were a tight knit community and it took her some time to find her place and to feel comfortable amongst her new crew. Despite the difficulties Nikola wasn’t the sort of person to take a backward step, she continued to work away at it relentlessly and soon found her old grove.

Service Record

Civilian | 2351
University of Chicago | 2369
Starfleet Academy | Cadet | 2373
Starfleet Academy | Cadet | 2374
Starfleet Academy | Cadet | 2375
Starfleet Academy | Cadet | 2376
USS Magellan | Linguist | 2377
USS Magellan | Linguist | 2379
USS Pacifica | Language Specialist | 2380
Ti'ane II Expedition | Linguist | 2383
USS Pacifica | Language Specialist | 2383