Valesha Sienelis

USS Gorkon
Valesha Sienelis
Full Name	Valesha ir-Jhianhre t'Sienelis
Species	Romulan
Gender	Female
Age	Late Twenties
Birthplace	Jhianhre Province, Romulus
T/E Rating	0+

Valesha Sienelis, a refugee from Romulus in the wake of the Hobus disaster, currently serves in Starfleet as a science officer aboard the USS Gorkon.

Appearance

Height: 1.78m (5' 10")
Build: Slim, boyish
Hair: Black, short
Eyes: Green

Valesha is a tall young woman, with a slim, boyish figure. Her skin is pale, crying out for a touch of real sunlight, and tinted ever-so-slightly by her copper blood. A long-standing practice of martial arts is visible in the defined outlines of lean muscle, and a languid, precise grace of movement. Emerald eyes are keen with a sharp intellect, sometimes distant if she drifts off into her busy inner world. Her dark hair is worn short, though she avoids the traditional, severe crops of her people. She uses few cosmetics, though she does have an occasional fondness for statement lip colour, and her only perfume is that of soap.

Personality

Valesha is independent, adaptable and creative, possessing a fiercely logical and analytical mind. She often brings a unique perspective on a situation, and has a sharp eye for patterns and discrepancies. This also translates into a good ability to read people, and she's often quick to spot a lie. "Traditional" goals such as popularity and stability mean little to her, and she can be restless and temperamental, particularly if she doesn't feel intellectually challenged. She has an appreciation for action and risk, exemplified by her choice of career and leisure activities.

Her constantly busy mind can have the effect of making her look pensive and detached, while she's actually conducting a full-fledged debate in her own head. With people she knows, or who share her interests, she can be relaxed and friendly, though she never quite loses that sarcastic edge. If she believes her conclusions or theories are being unduly criticised, her attitude can quickly turn combative and her sarcasm can become deliberately cutting.

She isn't easy to make friends with; relationships tend to form with those she shares a common interest or train of thought. In those cases, the connection sparks instantly and can surprise those who consider her distant. Those who have sharply differing tastes may only find a stony demeanour that borders on the rude.


Strengths	Weaknesses
Analytical, abstract thinker Imaginative and original Open-minded Objective Honest and straightforward	Very private, withdraws easily Insensitive Condescending Can struggle with rules and guidelines Insecure

Hobbies

Dressmaking: Born into a house-clan of artisans and craftsmen, Valesha was encouraged to create by hand as much as possible, rather than replicate. Her brother was the cook and gardener in the household, while she turned her hand to clothes making and household maintenance.

Literature: With full access to the Federation's extensive libraries, she makes an effort to read seminal and classic works from across the known galaxy.

Martial Arts: On the insistence of her father, Valesha is a long-term student of Ch'Vashrek. Her lessons were focused on a variation that involves rapid, hard and direct assaults intended to incapacitate as swiftly as possible. Since leaving the Empire, she practises in holodeck programs, rather than against real opponents.

Swimming and Underwater Diving: With the luxury of rivers and a lake near the family home, Valesha enjoyed swimming and often spent hours in the water with her brother. As she grew older, her love of the water expanded to include snorkelling and scuba diving. Since arriving in the Federation, she has taken full advantage of holodecks and holidays to visit a variety of diving spots.

Quarters

Valesha's quarters are generally quite sparsely decorated -- she has little in the way of personal belongings and doesn't seem particularly inclined to accumulate them, though her various hobbies are in evidence. Shells, corals and underwater pictures from her dives are on display, dotted about on shelves and tables. There are often rolls of fabric, sewing threads, needles, pins and scissors piled on her desk, accompanying the most recent garment she's creating.

Relationships

Family


Name	Relationship	Description
Llaiira ir-Jhianhre t'Sienelis	Mother Deceased	Valesha's mother was a no-nonsense woman; discreet, sometimes stubborn, firm but fair, and devoted to her family. She raised her two children to be independent and self-sufficient, eschewing many modern conveniences such as a household replicator. Llaiira was dedicated to her house-clan's craft of smithing, and Sienelis blades were prized among the upper echelons of Romulan society. She died on one of the refugee ships fleeing the Hobus disaster, when life support failed in one of the cargo bays.
Taeval ir-Jhianhre tr'Sienelis	Brother (twin) Missing, presumed dead	Younger than Valesha by a matter of minutes, the pair were inseparable as children and still close as adults. When nearby, the twins were able to share their thoughts in a vestigial form of telepathy and even when apart, could often sense the other's mood. They were separated in the rush to board the refugee ships as the wavefront of the Hobus supernova approached Romulus. She has not seen him since, and after several years of searching, she has come to accept that he died on Romulus with so many others.
Withheld	Father Missing, presumed dead	The identity of Valesha's father is a secret she keeps closely guarded, allowing people to believe that he perished along with the rest of her family in the Hobus disaster.

Friends and Associates


Name	Relationship	Description
Quinn Reynolds	Academy Sponsor	Quinn Reynolds was one of the first Starfleet officers that Valesha encountered, and the one that left a significant impression upon her. The pair first met during the USS Drake's mission to escort a refugee caravan after the destruction of Romulus. After being convinced of Valesha's genuine desire to serve in Starfleet, Reynolds sponsored her entry to the academy, and they kept in touch during her student years and afterwards. When the Gorkon was declared lost, it was her connection to Quinn that spurred Valesha's determination to see the ship rescued, whatever it took.
Aron Kells	Friend and Mentor	Valesha and Aron first met when the Starfleet vessel he served on escorted a caravan of Romulan refugee ships into Federation territory. The then science officer encouraged Valesha to follow her dream of a scientific career, vouching for her when she made her application. The pair kept in contact throughout her time at Starfleet Academy, and were briefly reunited during her time serving on the USS Invicta. Though they now serve in different regions of the galaxy, they still keep in loose touch.
Caedan Nkai	Friend	It seems to Valesha that Caedan simply decided that one day they were friends, and that's how it's been ever since. His telepathic abilities are a frequent source of frustration and annoyance for her, but his easy-going and affectionate manner compensates, and she appreciates his care, company and advice. He has recently begun attempts to encourage her to socialise with his wider circle of friends, which she finds awkward and pleasing in equal amounts.
Chris Johns	Friend	Fast friends for many years in the dreamscape of the Maquis Raider Skarbek, they awoke to find that that had barely exchanged names in reality, their closeness in the dream a simple result of physical proximity when they were sent to sleep. Unable to shake off the sense of loss that came with the absence of one another's company, they decided to see how a friendship would work for real, and have quickly fallen into the same easy teasing and banter they shared in the dream.

Personal History

Valesha was born and raised in the Jhianhre province, in a small, quiet settlement some distance from the city of Tal K'shir. She shared the family home with her mother and her twin brother, Taeval. It is a time she remembers very fondly, growing up happy and healthy, with very few troubles. As the twins grew older and matured into adolescence, their father began to pressure both his children to take a career in the military, so that they might follow in his footsteps one day. Neither had much interest -- Valesha wanted to study science, while Taeval had already begun apprenticing with their mother to take over the family craft and trade.

The tug of war between father and children was never resolved. The Hobus star went supernova, the explosion propagating through subspace. At the last minute, their father secured a space on the refugee ships for his children and mistress. Taeval was separated from his mother and sister as they boarded, and the ship lifted off without him. Valesha has not seen him since, and officials consider him deceased along with the majority of Romulus' population.

Conditions in the refugee caravan were poor. Cramped and overcrowded, it was not unusual for vital systems to fail with little warning due. Valesha lost her mother when one of the cargo bays that served as sleeping quarters lost its inertial dampening, with catastrophic consequences for those inside.

Eventually, the Federation agreed to assist the refugees, allowing them inside Federation borders and rehoming them in temporary camps on Vulcan. It was during this journey that she met Quinn Reynolds and Aron Kells, two Starfleet officers who would change her entire future. Kells was a fellow scientist, and the pair bonded over their shared interests. It was he who encouraged her entry into Starfleet, Reynolds who sponsored her entry into the academy, and the three kept in contact throughout her training.

Frequently transferred around the fleet at the start of her career, Valesha found it hard to settle, and ran up against anti-Romulan sentiment more than once. When the USS Gorkon went missing, she took a leave of absence and was able to discover what had happened to the ship, but ignored by senior officers. This resulted in her bringing her findings to then Commander Walter Brunsig and becoming a member of the Yarahla Nine, a group of Starfleet officers and civilians who stole the USS Yarahla and used it to rescue the missing ship. Strong public opinion and private sympathies saw the Nine avoid any legal consequences, though her participation stalled Valesha's career and she remained an ensign for some time. After a brief time in limbo, she was posted to the Gorkon.

She served aboard the Sovereign-class vessel until spring 2396, when she was arrested on charges of espionage, treason and murder. With the aid of Orson "Bear" Marshall, she broke out of the brig and escaped from Federation borders, adding further charges of theft and escaping from custody. On their return to the Gorkon, it was revealed that their "escape" had been part of an undercover Starfleet Intelligence operation intended to retrieve information stolen from the Gorkon some months prior. It was an escapade that nearly cost Valesha her life, receiving a lethal dose of the Romulan poison melanth and saved only by the last-minute intervention of the Gorkon's medical staff.

Service Record

Service History

Service History
Insignia	Rank	Dates	Posting	Assignment
	Ensign	239207.16 - 239211.15	USS Invicta	Science Officer
		239211.15 - 239303.04	USS Darwin-A
		239303.04 - 239312.10	Leave of Absence
		239312.10 - 239503.31	USS Gorkon
	Lieutenant (Junior Grade)	239503.31 - 239407.25
	Lieutenant	239407.25 - Present

Commendations and Decorations

Awards and Service Ribbons

Name	Date/Assignment	Citation
Starfleet Academy Graduate Ribbon	2392 Starfleet Academy	Awarded to those who have graduated from Starfleet Academy.
Joint Meritorious Unit Award	239211.13 USS Invicta	Awarded to a person who participates in a joint action with an allied or neutral force toward a common goal.
Prometheus Ribbon	239211.13 USS Invicta	Awarded to a person who helped in handling the Prometheus Incident and ensuing chaos during 2392.
Explorer's Ribbon	239301.05 USS Darwin-A	Awarded to a person who participates in the discovery of a new planet, region, or species.
War of Shadows Ribbon	239401.21 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who participates in a conflict against the Orion Syndicate.
Orion Syndicate Service Medal	239401.21 USS Gorkon	Awarded to those who have graduated from Starfleet Academy.
Explorer's Ribbon	239409.09 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who participates in the discovery of a new planet, region, or species.
First Contact Ribbon	239409.09 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who participates in a successful first contact event.
Explorer's Ribbon	239412.13 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who participates in the discovery of a new planet, region, or species.
Orion Syndicate Service Medal	239503.31 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who participates in a conflict against the Orion Syndicate.
Captain's Commendation	239503.31 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual for exemplary service and/or honourable actions performed in the course of his/her duties, when that service is deemed worthy of formal recognition by his/her commanding officer
Purple Heart	239503.31 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who sustains an injury in the line of duty.
Prisoner of War Ribbon	239601.27 USS Gorkon	Awarded to an individual who has been taken prisoner.
Purple Heart	239404.27 USS Gorkon	Presented in acknowledgement of the injuries received aboard the USS Njörðr.
Explorer's Ribbon	239404.27 USS Gorkon	Awarded for the discovery of a semi-sentient subspace "nebula" during the Njörðr incident.
Good Conduct Ribbon	239404.27 USS Gorkon	Awarded for risking her life to save a wounded Bajoran crewperson, Kroho Kiyel, during the Njörðr incident.
Gold Lifesaving Ribbon	239404.27 USS Gorkon	Awarded for saving the life of Crewman First Class Kroho Kiyel, during the Njörðr incident.
Orion Syndicate Service Medal	239407.25 USS Gorkon	Presented in acknowledgement of her participation in Operation Sea Devil.
Purple Heart	239407.25 USS Gorkon	Presented in acknowledgement of the injuries received during Operation Sea Devil.
Distinguished Service Ribbon	239407.25 USS Gorkon	Presented in acknowledgement of her actions during Operation Sea Devil.