Alexander Richards/Family
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Extended Family
- The Richards family is small by modern standards due to the fact that both Alexander and Marissa are the only children of their respective parents. Furthermore all four parents (Gary & Harriet Richards, Michael & Maria Dawson) were also the only children of their respective families. This of course means that Alexander and Marissa have no aunts or uncles and therefore, no cousins.
- Maria Dawson having been a widow for 5 years welcomed the marriage of her daughter to Alexander with open arms. Alexanders parents took an instant liking to Maria and the three now share a house in Tycho City, on the Lunar Colony. It has long been a Richards family tradition that the extended family live together where possible and despite being an in-law, Gary & Harriet decided that tradition applied to Maria more than it had to any family member in the past.
- When news of the birth of John Richards reached the family in Tycho City, there wasn't a dry eye for days. All three parents were over joyed that they had a grandson and threw a large party. The grandparents have yet to see john Richards face to face owing to travel times between Star Base 118 and Earth. However, the Richards family keep in constant contact through subspace communications.
- Whilst Alexander was growing up, the family had a pet Rag doll cat named pebbles. Unbeknownst to both Gary and the young Alexander, Harriet was allergic to her. Because Alexander loved the cat so much, his mother would visit the doctor weekly for antihistamines to keep her allergy under control. It was only after Pebbles passed away that Harriet revealed the truth. Alexander has to this day never forgotten the sacrifice his mother made for him.
- Notable ancestors of the Richards family include:
- Captain Martin Richards, a Starfleet officer in the early 24th Century.
- Alison Richards, a civilian scientist at the Daystrom Institute in the mid to late 23rd Century.
- Lieutenant Marcus Steadman, a Starfleet officer in the mid to late 22nd Century.
- Jane Sarah-Anne Richards, a renowned chef in the late 21st Century.
- Captain Michael Steadman, a captain in the British Navy in the late 20th Century.
- Sarah 'Cut Throat' Steadman, a renowned and feared pirate in the mid 18th Century.
Father
- Full Name: Gary Joseph Richards
- Race:Terran
- Date of Birth: 232905.14
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Earth
- Age: 72
- Gender: Male
- Occupation: Xenobiologist
- About:
- Gary Joseph Richards was born to Martin Richards and Emily Richards (nee Steadman) on the fifteenth of May, 2329. He spent most of his early life growing up in Chicago. With his father being a Science officer on the USS Tycho (an Oberth class Star ship) and his mother a teacher, he gained an avid fascination with the sciences. Gary was a quick learner and by the age of 10 already knew the periodic table of the elements by heart. Although he only saw his father twice in his first 10 years of life, he was able to keep in touch with him through subspace on a regular basis. His father's work was a constant inspiration to Gary to strive for the best. At 15 years old, his mother moved him to New York with her so that he could be around some of the best scientific learning and research facilities outside of Star Fleet.
- Gary's high school years were very uninteresting. He would have several short courtships with various girls in New York but none that were at any risk of becoming serious. For this reason he earned himself a reputation as a bit of a ladies man. He continued to study incredibly hard despite the occasional distraction of these romantic flings and graduated from high school at the top of his class at the age of 19. By this time (mid 2348) his father had been promoted to the rank of commander and was now the first officer of the Tycho. Possibly one of the happiest moments of Gary's life outside of his later marriage to Harriet and the birth of their son Alexander, was when his father surprised him by being at his high school graduation. He had not informed Gary that the Tycho would be home in time from it's latest five year mission studying gaseous phenomenon in the Alpha Quadrant.
- In the autumn of 2348, Gary began his studies into Xenobiology at University. It was here during his first year that he met his future wife, Harriet, at a seminar on 'Mixed species marriages: The hidden dangers.' After 4 years of study, Gary graduated with a Bachelors degree in Xenobiology in the the summer of 2352. He was immediately offered an intern position on the Lunar colony studying various Xenocultures and their biology. 4 years after his graduation from High school, Gary's father was promoted to the rank of Captain and took command of the Tycho from it's retiring Captain, Harold Sanders. Whilst back at Earth Space Dock in the January of 2353, Martin would pay visit to his son. Although at the time, neither were aware this would be their last meeting. Martin was incredibly proud of everything his son had achieved and wished him luck with his career.
- Over the next 3 years, Gary continued to improve his knowledge of Xenobiology, even writing a few papers on the subject regarding specimens found by Star Fleet ships on exploratory missions. However on Stardate 235703.03 tragedy befell the Richards family. Emily Richards received word that USS Tycho was missing presumed lost during a survey mission near the Cardassian border. A search mission was launched but called off just three months later. There was no sign of the missing vessel. A memorial service was held on Stardate 235709.15 to remember the crew of the vessel. Grief stricken, Gary nearly gave up everything to return to Earth. However, hope was just around the corner. No less than two weeks after the service, Harriet arrived on Tycho to take up a role at the same facility he was working at as a junior Astrophysicist. The two immediately connected with each other romantically and were married on Stardate 235805.22. Gary's mother, Emily, to her death credited Gary's marriage as the sole thing that saved her from a downward depressive spiral.
- 3 years later with both having advanced in their fields to senior research partners, Alexander Richards, their first and only child was born. The majority of the next 17 was spent balancing their career with the raising of Alexander. When Alexander started University in 2379, Gary returned to his work in earnest. In 2388, he became the lead Xenobiologist on the Lunar colony with his wife becoming the lead Astrophysicist. Between the two of them, they now have 25 researchers under them and countless more interns.
Mother
- Full Name: Harriet Jane Richards (nee Samuels)
- Race: Terran
- Date of Birth: 232901.17
- Place of Birth: London, Earth
- Age: 72
- Gender: Female
- Occupation: Astrophysicist
- About:
- Harriet Jane Samuels was born to Jason Samuels and Rebecca Samuels (nee Pugh) on the seventeenth of January 2329. She spent most of her early life growing up with her parents in a quiet suburb of London. With her father being the head chef at a world renowned London restaurant and her mother a lawyer, early family life tended to be broken up. Sundays were usually the only time the family had an entire day to themselves and Harriet's father, Jason, would always cook a traditional roast dinner to mark the occasion. In September 2334 at the age of 5 Harriet was packed off to the prestigious Sutton Academy Preparatory School (S.A.P.S.) to begin her school life. Although it pained both her parents to be apart from her, they wanted their little girl to get the best education possible. To begin with, Harriet was a little tearaway with little to no regard for authority. However by the middle of her first year she had settled down and begun to make friends.
- By the age of 10 Harriet had shown great promise as a student and was studying in the most advanced courses at her school. She showed a particular affinity for the sciences and impressed her teachers with her questioning nature. It wasn't enough for the 10 year old to see the end result and accept it. She had to know why the end result happened. Harriet's early teenage life was very quiet. She was mildly attractive but had no real interest in boys except as friends. Her first Romantic encounter didn't happen until late 2346 at the age of 17. In the summer of 2348, Harriet graduated at the top of her class in all subjects from her secondary stage education and had already been unconditionally accepted to University.
- In the autumn of 2348 aged 19 Harriet began her studies in Astrophysics at University. Whilst attending a seminar on 'Mixed species marriages: The hidden dangers.' she met her future husband, Gary Richards. The only reason Harriet attended this seminar is because she had been attracting attention from a few Bolians and the odd Trill who had opted to study at the same University rather than one on their own world. Over the rest of her course, Harriet would increase her knowledge to the extent that her final paper titled 'Binary star systems: Natural wonder of the galaxy.' would earn her recognition from some of the greatest minds in the field. T'Pok, a highly respected member of the Vulcan science academy commented that: "Harriet Jane Samuels shows a wealth of knowledge on the intricacies of binary star systems and the wealth of resources that might be found within them. Her logic is flawless and her conclusion that 'Binary stars have the potential to become a great source of dilithium, and other finite resources' warrants further investigation both by civilian scientists and Starfleet."
- Harriet graduated at the top of her class in the summer of 2352 aged 23. She was immediately offered an internship at the 'Alpine astrophysics research laboratory' which occupied the former 20th and 21st century research laboratory known as CERN. Her work there included monitoring results from various micro black hole projects being performed in a controlled holodeck environment, cataloging data being returned by various research stations and long range probes throughout the federation and learning how to apply the theory she learned at university to any and all data gathered in the working environment.
- 5 years later, Harriet would receive a job offer that was impossible to refuse. The heads of the scientific research facility on Tycho, the Lunar colony, offered her a position as an astrophysicist. Although she was enjoying her work in Switzerland, there was far too much prestige attached to the position on the Lunar colony to refuse. At the end of September 2357 her bags were packed and she made the short shuttle trip following a party in her honor to wish her well. Her colleagues spoke well of her and to this day, she remains friends with and in touch with them. With regards to her new job, the best was yet to come. Within days of arriving, she had a chance meeting with a former acquaintance, Gary Richards. The two began courting and were married on Stardate 235805.22.
- With their son, Alexander, beginning his own journey at university in 2379 Marissa and Gary refocused their energies on their work. In 2388, Harriet and Gary became the lead researchers in their chosen fields and now have numerous interns and researchers underneath them. They are recognized throughout the Federation as excelling in their fields and often find themselves aiding Starfleet in various research projects.
Father-in-law
- Full Name: Michael Dawson
- Race: Terran
- Date of Birth: 232205.15
- Deceased: 237711.21
- Place of Birth: Montreal, Canada
- Age: 57 at time of death
- Gender: Male
- Occupation: Structural Engineer (until death)
- About:
- Michael Dawson was born to Richard and Janet Dawson (nee Parsons) on the 15th of May 2322. He spent the majority of his early life growing up a shy, introverted young man in a leafy suburb of Montreal. He developed an interest in model building at an early age and his parents would obtain various kits for him to play around with, his most treasured of which was a 1:32 scale model of the USS Enterprise NCC - 1701 - B. Michael's personality issues made schooling the young child near impossible with his parents deciding to go the route of home schooling. On his 8th birthday, with his personality problems not showing any improvement, it was decided that Michael should receive counseling. Very little progress was made at first but, by the age of 12, Michael had become much more extrovert. He was able to make friends and enjoy a normal teenage life.
- Rather than attend high school, Michael applied for and was accepted on to a civilian apprenticeship scheme run by the Starfleet core of engineers (SCE.) During this apprenticeship, Michael was taught about the theory of structural engineering and the practical applications of said theory. Aged 18 Michael graduated from the apprenticeship program and moved to Chicago where he took up a job as a structural engineer. During a night on the town with his work colleagues Michael befriended a young woman by the name of Maria Gladstone who was studying at University to become a nurse. Two months after the initial meeting, Michael asked Maria out on a date which she accepted. This began their fourteen year courtship.
- On S.D. 234508.13 Michael married Maria in a civil ceremony at a lavish hotel in Chicago. In attendance were Michael's mother and father, his work colleagues, Maria's mother and father and her colleagues from the Chicago Hope memorial hospital. The two had decided to exchange custom vows which they felt better expressed their love for one another than any preexisting vows they could find. Tragically this would be the last time either saw their parents alive again. Two days after the ceremony Richard, Janet, Marcus and Elizabeth were killed in a shuttle accident en route to the Niagara resort in upstate New York. An investigation would later find a minor defect in the shuttles navigation systems caused the shuttle pilot to fly some 3 kilometers lower than he should have been. The civilian shuttle company was reprimanded heavily with the corporate management fined for negligence and later jailed for manslaughter. It took a while for both Michael and Maria to recover emotionally from the tragedy but eventually they were able to start enjoying life as a married couple.
- Over the next 15 years, the couple would spend their days working hard in their respective fields and their nights romantically in each others arms. Michael rose steadily through his chosen field becoming one of many foremen working for the Chicago Urban Rejuvenation Authority. He was now responsible for multiple projects including the extension of the hospital his wife worked at. On S.D. 236009.07, Maria gave birth to the couples first and only Child, Marissa. Unfortunately, Michael was unable to take much time off beyond the birth itself owing to the importance of his job, and the need for his current projects to be finished on time. This would lead to issues bonding with his daughter.
- By 2377, Michael had managed to build a strong bond with his daughter. The preceding 16 had been arduous but by taking a strong interest in his daughters past times and education she had come to love him. He was at her high school graduation where you would have been hard pressed to find any parent who was more humbled and proud of their child achievement. He relayed to his daughter just how proud he was. This would be the last time Michael saw his daughter before being called away to his final job. A construction company in Europe had taken a massive interest in Michael's work and approached the Chicago Urban Rejuvenation Authority about hiring his services. Michael agreed terms with the construction company and left just 24 hours after the ceremony. Tragically on S.D. 237711.21, Michael Dawson lost his life trying to save fellow construction workers during a massive fire at his work site. Thirty three other men and women were lost that day but countless others were saved by his actions. A memorial plaque was added to the completed site in his honor following completion in 2380.
Mother-in-law
- Full Name: Maria Dawson (nee Gladstone)
- Race: Terran
- Date of Birth: 233007.16
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois
- Age: 81
- Gender: Female
- Occupation: Nurse (retired)
- About:
- Maria Gladstone was born to Marcus and Elizabeth Gladstone (nee Parkins) on the 16th of July 2330. She spent her early life growing up in a loving family environment in an apartment block located just one mile west of the city center. From an early age she showed a great aptitude for social interaction and never found herself without a group of close-knit friends. For her 5th birthday Maria received a nurses play set and professed to her parents that she would one day become a nurse. Knowing this, both parents agreed to support and nurture this desire.
- When Maria began school, she found it challenging at first but by her 8th birthday she was excelling in English, maths and science. However, whilst excelling in these subjects all the way through to high school she struggled with activities such as physical education and modern languages. Her parents opted to hire a tutor to help their daughter learn and appreciate various languages such as French and Vulcan. By her 17th birthday Maria could speak fluent French, German, Japanese and Vulcan. Soon after her birthday, Maria graduated from high school with high enough grades to study at the University of Chicago where she opted for Nursing and General Medical Practices.
- In late 2340, whilst on the third of five years of study, Maria met her future husband Michael whilst on a night out on the town. Two months later she was asked on an official date by the young man and graciously accepted. The pair courted until their marriage on S.D. 235408.13. In August of 2340, Maria graduated from university and began work as a nurse at Chicago Hope memorial hospital.
- Following the death of her parents in 2354, Maria was forced to take some time off from work to recover. She found comfort in her husband and the pair were able to work past the tragedy of losing their parents together. Over the next 15 years she continued her work as a nurse at Chicago Hope, gradually moving up the ranks. With each new promotion she threw herself at the responsibilities involved whilst continuing to show 100% devotion to the patients in her care. On S.D. 236009.07, Maria gave birth to the couple's first and only Child, Marissa whom she loved dearly. Owing to Michael's work commitments, Marissa developed a much stronger bond with her mother than her father.
- By 2377, Maria had worked her way up to the position of ward sister and had some 12 nurses and 23 orderlies underneath her. As ward sister it was her duty to ensure that the ward exceeded the minimum standards of care for patients and that her shift ran as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Maria attended her daughters graduation ceremony with her husband late in the year. She was overjoyed that Michael and Marissa had been able to work through their issues. Unfortunately, this would be the last time she saw her husband alive. He tragically died in an a fire whilst working on a project in France.
- Maria took the death of her husband very badly becoming very introverted. She took early retirement from her job at Chicago Hope Memorial hospital and began keeping herself to herself. She only recovered from her depression upon her daughters marriage to Alexander Richards on S.D. 238301.01. Soon after the marriage, Maria was invited to live with Gary and Harriet Richards on the Tycho City Lunar colony, an offer she graciously accepted. The birth of her Grandson in 2386 further cemented her will to continue living although like Gary and Harriet, she has yet to see him owing to the travel distance between Starbase 118 and Earth.
Close Family
- Alexander first met Marissa Dawson whilst studying at Oxford university on the outskirts of London in 2380. He was studying applied Warp theory and mechanics whilst she was studying Xenobiology.
- The couple's first date did not happen until 2381 when Alexander 'accidentally' bumped into Marissa in one of the University's many common rooms, knocking her books out of her arms. Being the gentleman he was, he offered to pick up her books and the pair began talking. This culminated in Alexander asking Marissa to a fancy London restaurant which she graciously accepted.
- In late 2382, Alexander proposed to Marissa in front of a large number of students in one of the common rooms. Although a little embarrassed at first, Marissa eventually said yes and the pair were wed on new year's day 2383.
- On S.D: 238605.22 the couple's first and so far only child John Richards was born on Starbase 118.
Marissa Richards
- Full Name: Marissa Richards (nee Dawson)
- Race: Terran
- Date of Birth: 236009.07
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois
- Age: 41
- Gender: Female
- Occupation: Civilian Botanist, Starbase 118 Operations.
- About:
- Marissa Dawson was born on the 7th of September 2360 to parents Michael and Maria at Chicago Hope Memorial hospital. Her early years were spent mainly with her mother as her father's long work hours meant she woke up after he had left for work and was in bed before he got home. This in turn meant that she developed a strong bond with her mother whilst resenting her father.
- Early in her development, it was recognized that Marissa was a highly intelligent young girl with a passion for study. She showed an interest in botany helping her mother to cultivate various plants including several rare breeds of roses. She also developed strong bonds with her class mates, cultivating loving friendships, some of which still last to this day.
- By the time Marissa began high school in the September of 2372, her fathers work schedule had decreased to an extent where he was finally able to spend time with his daughter. Although the relationship was icy at first, it soon warmed up and the pair began making up for lost time. By her graduation in 2377 Marissa was almost inseparable from her family. Unfortunately tragedy struck soon after the ceremony when her father was killed in an accident at his work place in Paris.
- Although still reeling from the shock of her father's death, Marissa was accepted too and began study at Oxford University. The decision to leave the safety of the family home and her grieving mother had been a hard one not taken lightly. Ultimately it was her mother begging her not to put her life on hold that forced her hand. Whilst studying Botany and Xenobiology at the University, she met her future husband, Alexander.
- Marissa and Alexander married in a quiet ceremony in Oxford on S.D. 23830101. The pair graduated later that same year. Whilst Alexander took up studies at Starfleet Academy, Marissa began work as a Xenobiologist at a civilian research lab. She stayed there until Alexander transferred to the academy on Starbase 118. During the journey, Marissa fell pregnant and on S.D. 238606.13 John Richards, the couple's first and so far only child was born.
- Since the birth, Marissa and John have followed Alexander to his many different postings ranging from DS17 whilst he served on the USs Independence A and the USS Tiger A to being on board a star ship with him on the USS Mercury. She currently finds herself working as a civilian botanist in the science department on Starbase 118.
John Richards
- Full Name: John Richards
- Race: Terran
- Date of Birth: 238606.13
- Place of Birth: Starbase 118
- Age: 15
- Gender: Male
- About:
- John Richards was born to Marissa and Alexander Richards on the 13th of June 2386 whilst Alexander was in the process of transferring from Starfleet Academy San Francisco to the academy on Starbase 118.
- For the first few years of his life, he received the same level of love and attention from his doting parents however, upon his father's graduation, all of that changed. Whilst his father served aboard the USS Independence A (later the USS Tiger A) John stayed with his mother on Deep Space 17. This caused a small rift to develop between the pair which wasn't rectified until his father's resignation from Starfleet.
- Since his father's resignation from (and later re-commissioning in) Starfleet, the pair have spent a lot more time together. In early 2390 whilst Alexander was serving as the Assistant chief science officer aboard the USS Mercury, John broke his right leg whilst emulating his father's love of rock climbing by trying to climb over the desk units.
- The young man now spends his days between nursery, spending time with his mother and waiting for his father to come home.
NPC Listing · StarBase 118 Ops Crew Manifest · Crew History
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