Joseph Adams
From Star Trek: Theurgy Wiki
Character Draft Awaiting Approval
Joseph Adams was a Human Male officer serving aboard the USS Theurgy. Injured during her daring escape from earth, he was placed into cryostasis until he was finally awoken again. He aided in the opposition against the parasites that had compromised Starfleet Command at the end of the 24th century.
Biography
Born and raised on Earth, Joseph Adams’s father served as a diplomat for the Federation. His grandfather in turn served as a Chief Engineer aboard the USS Ambassador. Naturally, it seemed, Joe would follow in their footsteps. He had his grandfather’s intuition with machines, after all.
At five years old, his grandfather successfully procured an older model shuttlecraft and began refurbishing it. Allowing the young boy to help whenever he was free to do so. Having only just started his education, however, Joe did little more than hold and pass things, as well as ask inquisitively as to what his grandfather was doing. To which, the aging man would reply, and Joe would pretend to understand what had been said.
Perhaps it was this restoration project of his grandfather’s that gave him his first interest, Spaceships. Big, small, Federation, Klingon, even Borg! If it was a spaceship, it was likely to be among the many models that he decorated his childhood bedroom with. By age nine, he’d graduated from holding and passing tools to his grandfather, to actively contributing to the refurbishment of the shuttle. Now he even understood, at least in a rudimentary sense, what he was doing. Of course, his job still consisted of removing hull plating and other, similarly basic tasks, however he didn’t care. He was enjoying what he was doing, and the shuttle had never been so close to being finished! However, school meant he had less time to spend with his grandfather on the shuttle.
At 12, his Aunt on his mother’s side married a Klingon, thereby spurring the family to visit the Klingon homeworld of Q’onos. Never really having the opportunity to see Klingon ships up close before, Joe thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Befriending a Klingon around his own age and even intruding on a KDF surface installation to watch Klingon Birds of Prey coming and going from the complex. As his new friend recounted their dreams of one day joining the KDF, Joe found himself inspired. Deciding then and there that he wanted to be a Starfleet Officer.
Making the decision to enlist in Starfleet Academy after he’d completed his education, he started to double down on his work. Knowing that only the best could hope to proceed past the entrance exam. Needing all the assistance he could get, his grandfather and uncle both offered to try and teach him what they knew in their respective fields. His Uncle taught him the tactical side of serving aboard a starship, including target practice and Klingon Martial Arts. While his Grandfather opted to challenge him with Operations and Engineering based trials, he'd developed quite the interest since he’d been old enough to hold a hyperspanner.
Thanks to the extra tutoring and the shuttle side-project,it didn’t take long for Joe to receive the holocommunication that he would be joining the class of 2371. Shortly after, during the prior summer he and his Grandfather completed the shuttle. With Joe’s Uncle offering a few last minute ‘Klingon’ additions.
However, to the surprise of his uncle in particular, and despite having a reasonable grasp on Klingon Martial Arts, he instead chose Operations as his preferred division, pursuing courses in the areas of Ops. He also attempted the Kobyashi Maru, however, like all previous attempts (Save that of the famous CPT. James Kirk’s), he failed. Spectacularly.
Attempting to appeal to the Klingon Captain he encountered at the border for the fate of the frigate, naturally instead, he found the ship in combat instead and was forced into a tactical retreat to preserve his ship and crew.
While already a competent engineer and operations officer in his own right, Joe found a particular talent for transporter operations. A talent that he’d neither forseen nor expected to have. Still, it was certainly a welcome addition to a growing repertoire of skills, and it soon became the usual duty he was selected for. Particularly on the Theurgy, at least, prior to their ‘renegade’ status.
Before his graduation from the academy, Joe befriended a series of individuals, a female Vulcan Engineering cadet, T’Mana being chief among them. The two of them served together on the USS Gallagher before Joe was eventually transferred a year later and, until Theurgy was branded by Starfleet Command, he had kept in regular contact with his friend from the academy.
During the escape from earth, specifically during the Theurgy’s pass from Jupiter Station just after the initial flight from earth, the console behind him exploded. The shrapnel and force from the explosion resulted in considerable head trauma and fractures in his skull. The injuries were at the time, untreatable and so, he joined many others in cryostasis, at least until his injuries could be properly treated six months later. The performed surgery, while not thoroughly researched by the Federation, was effective, although a portion of his skull, mainly under his scalp, now consists of synthetic bone.
Personality Profile
Ever the optimist, Joe has maintained a positive outlook for much of his life. This and a fascination with understanding how things worked, makes him a ‘poster boy’ Starfleet Officer. However naturally his youthful optimism comes with its inherent flaws. Particularly his naivety. Joe tends to see the best in people, even when the person in question is beyond redemption. It is his firm belief that nobody is truly irredeemable. A belief that one day, is likely to land him in trouble. Consequently he’s also unusually friendly, despite Theurgy’s situation. It would be easy for one to be mistrustful of other people.
Indeed, even despite the corruption of the highest echelons of Starfleet, his faith in others has remained unshakeable throughout the ordeal. Still as quick to trust as ever. Offering perhaps a more idealistic point of view to the ship’s scenario and a more optimistic perspective when needed to.
Such Optimism however, constantly grapples with worry for both his friends and family alike. Particularly on the actions of an infected Starfleet, which could certainly be capable of inflicting great damage to both their lives and careers. Equally, both his family and friends have no idea where he is or if he is safe, further adding guilt of being unable to contact them to the worry.
Both optimism and worry, however, appear to melt away when confronted with work. Whether it is an operations based task or his hobby of engineering, he becomes entirely focused on what he is doing. Carrying the demeanour of an officer much older and more experienced than he is. So immersed in his work sometimes, that a person may have to repeat themselves a little louder to tear away his attention. To Joe, there is always another challenge. Always another problem to be solved, and as such, it can be quite difficult for him to pull himself away from his work and his work related hobbies and do something entirely different such as play his guitar or play a holonovel. Such single minded focus can, in extreme cases, cause him to forget to take care of himself entirely. Becoming entirely swept up in his tasks.
As an Officer of the line, he remains as focused as he is with his usual tasks as an officer, however is much more open to conversation and working with others, so long as they are ‘part of the job’. Something he struggled with initially whilst at the Academy. For the past four years, he’s since grown from someone who preferred to work alone, into a firm but fair officer who tends to try and listen to the crewmen who work under him just as often as he commands them. Attempting to be as agreeable as he can.
In combat, he is equally focused, though perhaps not so heavily invested. Having learnt klingon fighting styles and based his self defence techniques around this, his fighting largely resembles a klingon’s own. A preference for 1v1 being most prevalent. Melee is also preferred, however lacking the physical strength of a klingon warrior means that a more experienced fighter would have little trouble in countering these manoeuvres. Supplementing this aggressive forceful style is Starfleet's standard tactical training, which is much more reserved and defensive. However again, he is limited by his lack of real experience, tending to stick to known techniques and not typically inclined to improvise on the spot.
While initially disorientated as a result of both his cryogenic storage and head injuries, Joe is typically quite organised. While not necessarily immaculately ordered, he usually knows where everything in his quarters is and hardly ever loses anything.
To say he was conflicted about his status as a fugitive would be an understatement. Having had many connections and friendships not only in Starfleet but on Earth as a whole, only to be separated from them in an instant, was not an easy change to accept. And while the rest of the crew had the opportunity to adjust to these changes, Joe has not. As such, he is particularly prone to bouts of homesickness, his holodeck time usually consisting of places on Earth. Particularly places he’s been before.
Physical Profile
Standing at 1.8 metres or 5,11, Joe had short, brown hair, usually combed tidily whilst on duty, and otherwise cleanly shaven. Possessing no tattoos or scarring on his body, the only other feature of note is the birthmark on his left shoulder, located near the small of his back. While not visible, he also has a synthetic portion of bone to the rear of his skull, in place of the damage to the original skull.
Reference Images
(Normal)
(injured + dirt)