Bryan MacRae
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| Lieutenant (J.G) Bryan MacRae |
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| Personal Details |
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| Service Details |
Writer ID: A239005BM0 |
Ensign Bryan MacRae, a Human, is a Starfleet officer currently serving as a Helm, Communications and Operations (HCO) Officer aboard the USS Avandar.
<< Early Life & Education >>
Bryan Andrew MacRae was born in Edinburgh, Earth, to Allison (Neé Leslie) and Duncan MacRae. His father is a retired editor and political correspondent for the Federation News Service and his mother is a museum curator and historian. The couple met when Allison was researching Cardassian history. He has a younger sister, Iona, who works as a chef in Geneva.
He enjoyed a comfortable upbringing in a small, quiet community on the outskirts of the city. A marginally above average pupil at school, Bryan was quite shy and self-conscious – preferring to just keep himself to himself and let others take the attention. He wasn't particular popular and was bullied into his early teens. Looking back, he believes this is where his talent for discerning people’s true emotions and intentions began to manifest itself as a form of defence.
Despite this he strived to be a good student and was eventually rewarded with good grades in his final exams. He decided that he would like to continue his studies further but wanted to move away from home, partially due to the wanderlust of adolescence and partly to start afresh where he could discover himself away from the people who he grew up with. As this was more important to him than the subject of his study he started looking for degree courses and institutions where he thought he would find this chance.
He eventually chose the Europa Academy of Social Science, based in London, to study psychology. One of the appealing features of the four year course on offer was that it included a one year placement program off-world. Bryan selected, and was approved, to spend a year studying on Betazed as he felt that he would benefit from studying alongside a telepathic race and learning about their approach to the subject.
Following his graduation he applied for, and was accepted, as a post-graduate researcher working at the Assulin Institute in Tel-Aviv in the field of non-verbal communication. During this period of study he was able to expand his knowledge of body language, voice stress analysis and microexpressions and was occasionally called upon, typically by private corporations or media organizations, to assess news footage or observe/conduct interviews to assess subjects for signs of deception. He hoped that this blend of academia and commercial work would help him find avenues into further work in the field.
It was during his time at the institute, while writing up the last part of his dissertation, he was contacted by a recruitment agent from Starfleet Intelligence with an offer to join the academy and begin training as an intelligence officer. Having enjoyed his work over the last two years and feeling this might finally be a chance to do something more constructive with his future – he accepted.
<< Starfleet Academy >>
Upon enrolling at the academy Bryan opted to combine his major in intelligence with a minor in communications as he felt this was a fitting match for his future career. He did consider counselling, particularly when taking into account his background in psychology, but discounted it due to the potential conflict of interest that may arise between is role as a potential intelligence operative and his potential duty of confidentiality and trust as a counsellor.
His training was deeply intesive and competition was fierce between cadets, the initial year was almost exclusively centred on routing out unsuitable candidates. Like many other cadets in his field he had an extremely intensive study schedule but, as he was now a little older and wiser and finally had a sense of purpose and direction in his life he was able to balance his training with other pursuits – including playing ice hockey. Bryan enjoyed the sport and played for one of the academy teams - the SFI Black Cats – as a centre during his second and third years.
He decided against playing for the team for a third year as it would be his last an he would have to focus on his studies as well as attend his cadet traiing cruise for the final half. His fourth year was merciless. The study became more intesive, the physical exams more demanding, particularly regarding one cadet named Mnheia (See Relationships & Persons Of Note). He resolved, however, that he would just do the best he could in the way he knew best, afterall if he was selected for graduation he may be required to opearte in areas where he needed to know he own mind and limitations.
MacRae chose to make his intelligence specialisation the Orion Syndicate. While technically not a governmental organization he convinced his instructors that there was enough confirmed information about the group that it was a valid option. He also rationalised that, while governments may rise and fall, the Syndicate has an enduring and widespread reach, meaning his training may be of more use particularly in areas of galactic instability where the Syndicate hoped to capitalise.
His cadet cruise was assigned aboard the USS Centris-A under the instruction of Commander Jhen Thelev & Lieutenant Commander Isaac Bale.
<< Starfleet Career >>
Following his graduation Ensign Bryan MacRae, as a result of an overabundance of intelligence assets in the region, received his first posting as an HCO officer aboard the USS Avandar under the command of Captain Della Vetri.
<< Personal Notes >>
MacRae tries to maintain a good level of physical fitness and enjoys ice hockey, running and outdoor trekking. He is also fond of archery.
He is also skilled, and continues to train, in the self-defence art of Krav Maga – which he began practising while in Tel-Aviv. While he prefers to avoid carrying a weapon, mostly through his desire to avoid appearing hostile and confrontational, MacRae is a skilled close-quarters combatant and is highly skilled in the use of trench knives – a weapon comprising a knuckle duster style grip and double-edged blade, similar to a Klingon mek'leth.
He enjoys the taste of whisky and always tries to ensure he has a genuine, non-replicated, bottle of single malt available in his quarters – his personal favourites being the peaty whiskies of Islay.
He enjoys games that involve thought, memory, tactics and bluffs and is particularly fond of poker and liars dice – although his skills at observing microexpressions and spotting lies mean he seldom finds people who are prepared to play him for long...and certainly not for money.
MacRae counts among his favourite books; The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, Leviathan and Behemoth by Thomas Hobbes and the Shakespearian play – Othello.
He also has a keen interest in the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China.
<< Family >>
Duncan MacRae
Father - (B: 232909.14) (Age: 72) - Duncan is a former political correspondent and currently an editor for the Federation News Service (FNS). He began his career at the bottom of the pile as a runner and technician working under a full news team. Lacking any substantial formal training her tried to gain as much information as possible from working under them. He found that he gained a lot of information while working and was often called upon to practice interviews with the journalists, asking their own questions back to them so they could practice second guessing the answers they would receive. Over time and with this practice he became quite adept at finding the right tone and inflections to conduct interviews of his own. His skill with second guessing the answers a subject would give meant his interview technique typically involved manipulating the conversation to a specific end without the interviewee being aware until it was far too late, gaining him a reputation for skill and integrity but also for being unforgiving in his questioning.
In 2358, the Cardassian government, still involved in hostilities with the Federation, allowed certain off-world news and information agencies the opportunity to visit the occupied Bajor to see the 'fine efforts Cardassia was making to shepherd and guide the primitive Bajoran people'. Duncan was able to secure not only information, but was able to use this visit to discover more information about the Bajoran Resistance to bring back to Earth. Upon his return he was approached by Allison Leslie, a researcher and historian, who was interested in the relationship between Cardassian government and the citizenry. He was flattered to be asked and, while not being an expert, offered any information he had. The two had several meetings both at the museum and at the FNS offices and a chemistry began to build.
They were married in 2360, the date of their wedding - unknown to them at the time - coincided with the appointment of Gul Dukat as Commander of Terok Nor.
Allison MacRae
Mother - (B: 233110.11) (Age: 70) - Allison MacRae (Neé Leslie) is a historian and museum curator at the Caledonia Museum Of Cultural History. Born in a small agricultural community she was raised in a fiercely patriotic home environment, brought up to believe that the Federation was an infallible institution that always put the needs of citizens first. During her teenage years, what Allison refers to as her 'anarchist phase' she began to question what made the Federation so special? Much to her parents disgust she began to look into the past of the Federation - trying to find proof that it couldn't be beyond question or reproach. She found her evidence in the form of the Khitomer Conspiracy. The details were somewhat unclear but what was obvious (at least to her) was that if institutions were organized and controlled by people, and people were capable of anything to further their own goals, then it wasn't possible to trust them implicitly. While the tensions with her parents did subside she had found that she had enjoyed her research and study and elected to take it further and study history.
She found it fascinating - all of the different aspects of state, religion, politics all moving together to form a complete picture of a nation and his people. Following her graduation she began working in academia. She started studying periods of earth history but she eventually found herself drawn to other species throughout the galaxy, particularly those that were just emerging onto the galactic stage. It was while she was looking into the history of Cardassia, and the influence of State on cultural development, that she met her husband to be.
She and Duncan currently reside in a comfortable but modest home on the east coast in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, an iconic natural landmark just to the south of Edinburgh.
Iona Louise MacRae
Younger Sister - (B: 236406.19) (Age: 37) - Iona is a sous-chef at a restaurant in Geneva that specializes in ‘Xeno-Fusion’ cuisine. She, unlike her older brother, left academic education at sixteen to follow her passion for cooking into the real world and began her training as a kitchen porter at a hotel/restaurant close to the family home. Working in the tightly knit group within the kitchen she was often used by the staff as a taste tester for their new dishes and it was through this that the head chef discovered her excellent palette. He encouraged her to attend catering college as this would open up more opportunities for her. She moved to London to study and excelled in her first two years. During this time she showed a particular aptitude for not only pastry and deserts but also blending unique flavours together. She was offered a training position in kitchen in Paris for her final apprenticeship year and, based on her attention to detail and work ethic, was offered a full-time position within the restaurant as a full-time chef. She stayed in this position for three years, broadening her repertoire and skill set before she, attracted by the additional challenge and the unique nature of food being produced in the restaurant, moved to Geneva. Her current position allows her the freedom to try new things with some of the finest ingredients from around the galaxy and she hopes, one day, to be chef-patron of her own restaurant.
Bryan and Iona have a typical sibling relationship and, despite their minor personal differences and approaches to life, they have a good bond and a respect for each other to live their own lives their own way.
<< Relationships & Persons Of Note >>
Mnheia Thieurrull-Orpheus Khellian & Kaitlyn Falcon - Members of the same cadet cruise assignment and graduating class (239004.30). Mnheia was also a fellow intelligence cadet during MacRae’s time at the academy and is currently serving as a security officer aboard the USS Avandar. Falcon was assigned as an HCO officer aboard the USS Vigilant.
<< Education & Service Summary >>
Education History
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Starfleet Career History
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<< Awards >>
See also List of Awards and Service Ribbons.
<< Mission Logs >>
USS Avandar
Nomad Pursuit
See also USS Avandar Mission Archive
<< Sims >>
HCO Duties
We Control The Horizontal... - MacRae arrives in the Operations Centre of the USS Avandar.
...We Control The Vertical - MacRae continues to settle in to his new duties as an HCO officer.