Theo Whittaker: Difference between revisions

Lieutenant '''Theo Michaelangelo Whittaker''' is a [[Terran]] [[Starfleet]] officer, currently serving as the '''Chief of Engineering''' aboard the {{USS|Columbia}}.

* '''Height''': 1.7m (5"7')

* '''Weight''': 68kgs

* '''Handed''': Right

[[File:Tucker's Landing.jpg|thumb|Tucker's Landing, Archer IV: Theo's home city.]]

* '''Favorite Room:''' Main Engineering

**Tinkering with machinery.

[[File:20080815parkstreet(1).png|thumb|Theo Whittaker's childhood home.]]Born to '''Josiah Bartholomew Whittaker'''- a former dean of Tucker's Landing University- and '''Madeline Fatima Whittaker''' (neé Carson)- a Starfleet officer- Theo Whittaker grew up a well educated and well spoken young man. Attending the best schools on Archer IV, he was expected to comport himself accordingly under the strict rules of his father whom he lived with full time while his mother served in Starfleet. Never the less, he inherited his mother's rebellious nature and often clashed with his uptight, privileged father who expected his only child to continue the family tradition of a career in the academic world. In an open act of defiance, Theo chose to follow in his mother's footsteps and enroll in Starfleet. The decision led to a rift between father and son which had not healed by the time of Josiah's death during Theo's second year attending [[Starfleet Academy]].

As a teen, and in another effort to put as much as distance between himself and his father, Theo took up hiking, often disappearing for weekends at a time in the Keating Mountains, which lay on the outskirts of Tucker's Landing. He later regretted not being able to do as much hiking as he would have liked while attending Starfleet Academy in San Fransisco.

[[File:TheoWhittaker2.png|thumb|150px|left|Whittaker on duty.]] Theo enrolled at Starfleet Academy at the age of eighteen, studying on the Engineering track and specializing in warp mechanics and theory. For the most part he was a model student, with only one near infraction when caught breaking back into the Academy grounds after curfew (he talked his way out of punishment). In his 2nd year he was involved in a bar fight but no disciplinary action was taken due to the fact he responded in self defense and he had recently lost his father. He graduated following a final exam at the training facilities aboard [[Starbase 118]].

After Columbia recieved orders to investigate a series of accidents on Avronis V- a Romulan world notorious for being a contaminated antimatter disposal site- Theo began to notice odd occurences aboard the ship. The weapon system's targeting sensors were misaligned- even though he and Oori had repaired them after the previous mission and potentially explosive cargo that should have been stored were placed together. He brought his findings before acting Captain [[Brek| Lieutenant Commander Brek]] who arranged for Columbia to depart Starbase 118 immediately (since it was suspected members of the base's support staff may have had a hand these events). Susequently assigned to modify three shuttles for use on Avronis, Theo and Oori then discovered suspected sabotage to the shuttles and their additional power cells. Investigating an open Jeffries Tube hatch, Theo was attacked and knocked unconscious by an unseen and possibly cloaked figure. After being woken in sickbay, he discovered that he had had severe facial trauma, but that [[MacLaren, Johanna|Doctor Johanna MacLaren]] had repaired much of it. Although he was still in considerable pain, he had to be moved to the secure bio-hazard ward when it became clear saboteur's were intent on stopping him from revealing his attack. There, he formulated a plan to use a shipboard tachyon detection grid to find the location of said saboteurs. Unable to leave, he instructed Oori to modify the holoemitters accordingly. A short while later, Doctor MacLaren cleared him to return to duty and he set about finding a way of secretly destroying the Iconian gateway on Avronis V with newcomer [[Stennes, Didrik| Didrick Stennes]], resulting in them planning a heist mission to covertly steal a Romulan power generator from a little used recycling plant on Avronis, utilising a cloaking device acquired by Captain Livingston. He oversaw the mission from the bridge and found himself in temporary command. At the conclusion of the mission, Theo was promoted to full Lieutenant and given the position of Chief Engineering Officer.

[[File:Theo Whittaker Beach Party.jpg|thumb|100px|Theo relaxes at a Risian themed beach party.]]Theo freely admits that he had very few friends growing up as a direct result of his father's drive to turn his only son into an academic. Forced to study, he became a socially awkward and rebellious teenager. At the Academy, Theo found himself with more freedom than ever before and he soon began to forge his own path. The strict discipline of Starfleet helped to temper his rebellious streak and began making person connections with others his own age for the first time in his life. However, it has been aboard Columbia where he truly began to flourish on a personal level. His growing friendship with Nuvia Oori (see below) a fellow engineer and the welcoming nature of the crew have seen him relax, loosen up and even express his dry, often sarcastic, sense of humor. He even began to consider going on a date with a young ensign from another starship docked at Starbase 118, marking his first consideration of a romantic entanglement, although nothing came of it at that time.  

[[File:Josh-josh-hutcherson-7377162-300-500.jpg|thumb|upright=0.50|left|Whittaker just prior to his departure for the Academy]]It has been noted that at first in a new situation that Theo is rather reserved and quiet, adressing people in a formal, polite manner. However when he settles in to a situation or an assignment he does relax and can be characterized as an easy going, personable and sociable young man while on duty he is driven, focused and a consummate officer. He is able to work well under pressure, while maintaining a witty- and sometimes sly- sense of humor. His examiners and lecturers at Starfleet Academy noted that he is able to easily diffuse tense situations. Counseling staff at the academy have suggested that his innitoak reserved nature and later affable and relaxed characteristics probably stem from his uptight father. They also recognized that Theo carries around a lot of guilt in regards to his father's death and the fact that he had not mended their estrangement before his father succumbed to Meenok's Disease.

Many dormitory inspectors noted that Theo was unusually tidy for a cadet, preferring to keep his room tidy and well presented at all times, as opposed to many other cadets whose rooms were often messy. Theo attributed this to his parents, who were neat and tidy themselves. Theo is therefore irritated by unessesary clutter and mess.

[[File:Josiah Whittaker.jpg|thumb|100px|Professor Josiah Whittaker]]'''Josiah Whittaker''': Possibly the most defining relationship of Theo's life is also the most complex. While there is no doubt that his father loved him very dearly, he was largely unwilling- or even unable- to show his son much affection, possibly stemming from his ''own'' upbringing. The two clashed frequently throughout Theo's childhood owing to their differing natures; Theo was more carefree than Josiah expected, Josiah banned modern technology from the family home, so Theo became more and more intrigued by it and finally. Theo would spend hours in the tunnels under their home to avoid his duties around the house. The relationship was perhaps fractured beyond repair through Theo's decision to enter Starfleet Academy instead of following the family's footsteps and entering academia. Josiah cast Theo out of his family home- and out of his will- and ordered his son never to return. He never did. When Josiah passed away during Theo's second years of studies- the guilt of their estrangement almost became too much for the young cadet too bear. Although he received counseling from the academy mental health staff, Theo still carries a great deal of guilt (as stated above) that he never managed to repair their relationship. Even now- and although he will never admit it- Theo wants more than anything to impress the man who shaped so much of his life.

'''[[Oori, Nuvia|Nuvia Oori]]''': Theo's fellow engineer, with whom he became friends after a difficult mission in the Piktar System. Oori was there when Theo struggled to comprehend Starfleet's authourisation of the Providence project and helped to refocus his thoughts by hiking with him on the holodeck. The two work well together and the Trill is Theo's closest friend and confidant aboard the Columbia. When Theo was attacked by a being claiming to be an Iconian, Oori felt guilty for leaving him alone and dismissing his earlier concerns about security breaches on the Columbia, although he was quick to absolve her of any blame, noting that she could never have predicted what subsequently happened.

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