E'riQ

USS Blackwell
E'riQ, son of Lo'PeH
Position	Helm Officer
Rank	Lieutenant
Species	Klingon
Gender	Male
DOB	235904.26
Age	42
Birthplace	Archanis IV

Lieutenant E'riQ is a former Klingon smuggler, currently serving as the Helm officer aboard the USS Blackwell.

Appearance

Height: 1'74
Weight: 76
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Build: Strong
Facial hair: Klingon style split moustache

Other Data

Name: E'riQ, son of Lo'PeH
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Helm
Former profession: Smuggler
Klingon Rank: HoD - Captain (Honor rank, no actual authority or affiliation to the KDF)
Date of Birth: 235904.26
Place of Birth: Klingon colony on Archanis IV
Nickname: Recruiter for the Black Fleet (see Biography)

Relationships

E'riQ has a casual approach to relationships, be it friendship or romantic ones. He has never been in a committed romantic relationship, since his lifestyle did not allow him to. He has loved, deeply, but always with burning passion and for short periods. His personal approach to life, and to relationships, might involve a deep emotional bonding, but not a long term arrangement.

Ryan Kernel

E'riQ's trusted friend from his smuggling years, the human was also the one who convinced him to join Starfleet. Kernel did, himself, although he did not go to the academy, and he is currently a Petty Officer in the engineering department of Deep Space 26. They still talk regularly about the situation and their ideas, the radicalization of which lead them to take on smuggling in the first place.

Biography

Childhood

Archanis IV was a former Klingon planet that was handled to the Federation as part of the Kithomer Accords. However, Klingon colonies stayed behind, living as Klingon citizens even under a Federation government. That brought tensions first, but when E'riQ was born almost a century later, both populations coexisted peacefully. Because of that, E'riQ was raised on a highly traditional community that made a point of staying true to their Klingon traditions, but also with frequent contact and even friendship with members of other species. That made E'riQ a surprisingly open minded Klingon, although he understood and loved the traditions of his people. During those years he learned Mok'bara with his father but, out of curiosity, he also went to the human colony to practice, where he learned Aikido.

Klingon-Federation war of 2372 and life in Qo'noS

That war marked the return of Archanis to Klingon hands, and the Klingon colonies on the planet were quickly and artificially expanded. Uncomfortable with the sudden changes, his family decided to move to the First City, on Qo'noS. But they came from an unknown family in a colony world, so their situation was empoverished and E'riQ had soon to start working. At 14 he was working on civilian transports, and soon learning the trade as a civilian pilot. He entered in contact with not-so-legal transportation businesses, and learned to move in that area.

Smuggling years

At 19 he had his own ship, a two people civilian ship with its own cloaking device. He also met again with Ryan Kernel, a lost friend from Archonis. The human was also involved in illegal activities, but he did that with the interest of the colonies in the former neutral zone in his heart. E'riQ saw the goodness in his actions, and they together started a smuggling business in the area.

The former neutral zone had been zone of disputes, and although the worlds there had been assigned to either the Federation or the Empire, excessive pressence or resources was seen with suspicion, so the colonies there received little help. E'riQ and Kernel helped them bringing in resources, although that meant skipping past some authorities.

Although illegal, they still kept a strict code of honor, smuggling goods in and people out of needed areas, and charging the minimum they could afford. It was not lucrative, but they were not doing it for money.

After the years, they expanded their area of operations and also their reach. They had contact with several dark organizations and both earned and owed a few favors here and there. But they also worked several other kinds of mercancies, mostly people. Always in an honored way (according to his own sense of honor, at least). They smuggled people out of conflict zones or for protection, or goods into needed colonies, especially those highly controlled by corrupt systems, be it official government or other less official organizations.

Hobus disaster and science outpost siege

During the Hobus star disaster, when Romulus disappeared to a supernova, while most Romulans attended humanitarian problems in their own territory, splinter sections of their army, on unexpected bursts of rage, decided to attack anyone they saw possible to blame. A Klingon research outpost near the frontier, holding 50 personnel between scientists and other civilians, was caught under siege by two Warbirds bombarding it. The siege lasted for two weeks, with the scientists hidden in caves, while the Romulans prepared an invasion, with the intention of taking prisoners that could be traded or used as leverage.

E'riQ received the distress call and made the decision that was expected of a Klingon. He smuggled in a load of weaponry, with disruptors to arm every man and woman in the post, and their fair share of other military material. He did not take anyone away, but left witht he ship. Two days later, the post was invaded. But the Klingons held to the last warrior, and took five Romulans each before falling. No prisoners were taken.

The story of that siege reached the Klingon High Council, which earned him the resepect of the Klingon military. They gave him an honor commendation, which have him the rank of HoD (although just for protocolary issues, he had no real authority) and they gave him the nickname of "Recruiter for the Black Fleet". It was believed that klingon that died fighting joined the Black Fleet in Sto-Vo-Kor to fight their enemies forever. E'riQ's deeds had earned all the people in the outpost the rights to reach Sto-Vo-Kor

Starfleet Academy and Service

All that gave him a good position, but also prevented him from doing his job. You can't smuggle goods if every Klingon and probably some Starfleet officers know your face and your ship. So he was forced to retire from that. However, as much as E'riQ valued klingon honor, he also felt distant from the Klingon government, after years helping those the High Council had refused to help. Looking for a place where his abilities could be of use, which did not held him to moral struggles and where his own name could not thwart his work, his friend Kernel convinced him to join Starfleet.

So he entered Starfleet Academy in 2388, and thanks to the experience gained (not many cadets had his age, or the experience of having captained small ships), he had no trouble with the courses. That was not true, however, for personal relations. 2389 was a hard year for him, as during the Klingon invasion of Romulan space, he had to endure pressure from Qo'nos to join them in their fight, and trouble from his companions who were suddenly suspicious of where his loyalty stood. Even Academy personnel and counselors kept close watch on him. This year affected him personally and he was about to leave Starfleet for good, but finally he overcome the difficulty and finished his instruction. That particular experience, also, taught him what to expect from Starfleet personnel in regards of his upbringing, which was hard but enlightening. He finally graduated in 2392.

During the second half of 2392 and the end of 2393 he has been assigned to the USS Conquest and the USS Pasteur, the latter being a medical ship. His experience at helm of a non combat ship made him a great helm option for the Pasteur, and after reaching the rank of Lieutenant he was assigned to the Par'tha expanse to a new taskforce being deployed on the region.

His service for Starfleet has been respected by some, but it has also gained him some powerful enemies within the empire, who see it as a betrayal. Of course, there is no betrayal in the honor and legal versions of the word, but some Klingon feel it is, and he has been receiving some pressure, or even attacks. On the other hand, he has also received some support and made some friends within the Klingon High Houses.

Service History

Service History
Insignia	Rank	Dates	Posting	Assignment
	Cadet First Class	239206.18	Graduated Starfleet Academy	Helm Officer
	Ensign	239206.18 - 239211.21	USS Pasteur	Helm Officer
	Lieutenant JG	239211.21 - 239308.30	USS Pasteur	Helm Officer
	Lieutenant	239308.30 - Present	USS Your current ship	Helm Officer