Rear Admiral Lorian Tharos
Name Lorian Tharos
Position Director of Research & Development
Second Position Cultural Archival Society Chairman
Rank Rear Admiral
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Species | El-Aurian | |
| Date of Birth | 14 December 2119 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6'1" | |
| Weight | 162 lbs | |
| Hair Color | Brown | |
| Eye Color | Hazel | |
| Physical Description |
Family
| Spouse | ||
| Children | ||
| Father | ||
| Mother | ||
| Brother(s) | ||
| Sister(s) | ||
| Other Family |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | ||
| Strengths & Weaknesses | ||
| Ambitions | ||
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| Languages |
| Personal History | Little is known of the individual named Lorian Tharos from before the Borg assimilated the El-Aurian Homeworld other than he had been quite the adventurous traveler, even at a relatively young age. He was known to have been among those El-Aurian refugees attempting to reach Earth in 2293 when their transport vessels encountered the mysterious astronomical phenomenon known only as the Nexus. Thanks to the efforts of the USS Enterprise-B and her crew, Lorian was one of only forty-seven survivors rescued before the transport vessels were crushed by gravimetric shear. Lorian briefly considered applying to Starfleet when he reached Earth but decided to forgo application in favor of learning more about what had essentially become his new home. He spent a few years studying cultural diversity at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey before setting out on a tour of the Federation which would end up taking him nearly three decades to complete. El-Aurian society before invasion by the Borg had been vibrant, but lacking in the cultural diversity he was witnessing amongst the races of the Alpha Quadrant. Their ability to experience such drastically varied interactions despite a significant number of common bonds intrigued Lorian greatly and he eventually broadened his journey beyond the borders of the Federation into territories not often considered to be of interest to the scientific community. It was here that Lorian encountered something which seemed to change his attitude toward the Federation and toward Starfleet forever, though he has never disclosed this information to anyone. In 2335, Lorian applied for and was accepted to Starfleet Academy in the fields of cultural study and starship operations. He quickly distinguished himself as an individual whom others could rely on by the dedication he showed toward understanding those with whom he worked. He graduated by 2339 and was assigned to the Miranda-class USS Brahms as one of the vessel’s communications department which was, at that time, being streamlined into the operations department. This natural change in the structure of shipboard divisions allowed Lorian the opportunity to further develop his understanding of the more engineering aspects of starship operations. Lorian was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant JG and assigned to the Excelsior-class USS Farragut as assistant chief operations officer. It was often a struggle for others to understand how this El-Aurian managed to so easily reconcile two specialties as different as starship operations and cultural sciences. There were some who felt it would have been so much easier for everyone involved if Lorian had simply chosen to place one over the other, yet he continued to impress his superiors with his broad range of professional experience. Sometime in early 2353, the Farragut was dispatched to Keltak IV with orders to assist in arbitrating negotiations over a local trade agreement which was threatening to boil over into open conflict. Initial attempts by the Farragut’s command staff were having little effect and it seemed as if the two sides might open fire on one another at any moment. It was around this time that Lorian was approached by his commanding officer in hopes he might be able to lend some experience to their diplomatic efforts. He accompanied the negotiating team on their next meeting with the delegates and was somehow able to bring calm to what had previously been a chaotic shouting match. His success in creating a dialogue between the two delegations earned him the position of contact specialist as well as a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. Lorian continued to serve aboard the Farragut in a dual capacity for the next nine years. He frequently accompanied his commanding officer in matters of diplomatic negotiations as well as those which provided a greater opportunity for cultural understanding. By the time the Farragut was decommissioned in 2362, Lorian had participated in first contact with no less than six previously un-encountered species. The advent of the Dominion War in 2373 found now-Lieutenant Commander Tharos serving aboard the Akira-class USS Thunderchild as Chief Flight Control Officer and Second Officer. It was a position which required Lorian to focus more on his understanding of starship operations than his experience with the study of other cultures as the Thunderchild frequently found itself engaged with Dominion and Cardassian vessels attempting to disrupt Federation supply lines near the primary battle fronts. On one occasion, the Thunderchild was able to successfully fend off three Dominion attack vessels which had been attempting to ambush a convoy en route from Starbase 375. Lorian managed to coordinate his maneuvers with the Thunderchild’s tactical officer, ensuring more frequent opportunities to achieve solid targeting locks. During the later part of the war, the Thunderchild came across an ambushed transport which had been attempting to carry refugees away from the primary war zone. There was no telling whether another Dominion patrol would show up so Lorian was chosen to lead an away team to the stricken vessel to conduct a quick search for any possible survivors who might still be aboard. It wasn’t until they had nearly completed their search of the vessel that Lorian discovered a boy named Thomas Rolands hiding amongst the ruins of one of the cargo bay’s turned make-shift bunk room. The away team returned to the Thunderchild with the boy and managed to depart the area without being detected. It was learned the boy’s parents had been killed during the ambush which left the Thunderchild crew with the responsibility of locating another relative to care for the boy. When no living relative could be found, Lorian filed for and received permission to assume official custody of the boy. The two seemed to fit together better than a jig-saw puzzle and were always seen to be getting along well. Lorian even briefly considered the possibility of taking leave at the end of the war in order to spend time showing Thomas some of the more interesting sights of the quadrant. Following the conclusion of the Dominion War in 2375, Lorian was offered a transfer to the Sovereign-class USS Avenger where he would continue to serve as Chief Flight Control Officer as well as Second Officer. He eventually agreed to accept the transfer on the condition he be allowed to bring Thomas along with him rather than having to find alternative custody for the boy. Their move to the Avenger marked not only marked another change in Lorian’s professional career but signified an important step in Thomas’ personal interest in possibly pursuing his own path in Starfleet. A disastrous encounter with three Tzenkethi warships in early 2376 caught the crew of the Avenger off guard during what was supposed to have been the scientific study of a gaseous anomaly forming from the remains of a millennia old supernova. The surprise attack caused significant damage to the ship itself and resulted in the deaths of twenty-two personnel including the executive officer. Feeling that Lorian’s service required recognition and given his growing acceptance of the El-Aurian’s counsel, the Avenger’s commanding officer asked Lorian if he would be willing to take on the responsibilities of executive officer. Lorian continued to serve as the Avenger’s executive officer without incident until the later part of 2379 when he received word that Thomas had suffered a potentially life-threatening injury during a deep space Academy training cruise. This prompted the El-Aurian to leave the Avenger and return to Earth so he would be around to help Thomas recover from his injuries. Despite Lorian’s words of caution, Thomas continued to work on his studies while recuperating and was able to graduate with the rest of his class, even earning himself top commendations in engineering. It was around this time that Lorian took a position at Starfleet Academy teaching classes in Temporal Mechanics, Linguistics, Cultural Studies, and Historical Research. Serving as an instructor and advisor at Starfleet Academy provided Tharos with several opportunities not typically available to field personnel. In addition to teaching several courses for incoming Starfleet personnel, the El-Aurian found himself in a position which gave him the ability to participate in academic research and to network with both Starfleet as well as civilian personnel from a variety of backgrounds. It was sometime in early 2383 when then-Commander Lorian Tharos was first introduced to Eighth Fleet Deputy Chief-of-Staff Admiral Antoine Meyer at a cultural seminar hosted by the Academy at its headquarters on Earth. Admiral Meyer was quite intrigued by the dedication and enthusiasm Tharos put into his work and offered the El-Aurian a position as Information Services Coordinator within the Eighth Fleet Department of Research & Development. Tharos arrived aboard Starbase 386, headquarters of Starfleet's Eighth Fleet as well as several of the Eighth Fleet's major departments, just as the dust was settling from several years of work converting the partially finished Nor-class station into a fully operational Starfleet facility. It did not take long for Tharos to make an impression with Director of Research & Development Vice Admiral Chris Manley and other members of the Eighth Fleet administration. He soon found himself working with members of the Daystrom Institute to develop a practical framework for implimenting previously discussed plans for a collaborative academic society operating within the Eighth Fleet patrol zone. Not long after Tharos had begun working with the Eighth Fleet Department of Research & Development, Rear Admiral Jason Locke was forced to step down from his duties as station commander and a member of the Eighth Fleet admiralty when word was received of a family emergency on Earth requiring the admiral's immediate attention. It was during this time that Admiral Meyer once again chose to call upon Tharos' services by asking him to step in as interim commanding officer of Starbase 386 until a suitable replacement for Rear Admiral Locke could be found. Upon the arrival of the USS Peacekeeper, Lorian was able to officially turn over command of the station to Captain James Lange and resume his duties with the Department of Research & Development. The rise of the Elyshan Empire in 2384, the destruction of the Hobus Star in early 2387, and the later discovery of the Yang Zutal created an even greater need for cultural understanding along one of the Federation's most tenacious frontiers. It was during this tumultuous time that Commander Aurora Trax, a former science officer specializing in biology and the history of Foreign Affairs, volunteered to work with Captain Tharos on further developing this project and it was by their efforts that the Cultural Archival Society was eventually founded in mid-2387 as a joint venture between the Eighth Fleet Department of Research & Development and the Daystrom institute. Their goal was to study previously unknown or little-known races, both living and extinct. This blended group of Starfleet and civilian specialists were also tasked with the compilation of data from this research for the Federation Archives. Like academic societies throughout history, the Cultural Archival Society relied heavily upon an atmosphere in which ideas could be openly exchanged without fear of condemnation or reprisal. Tharos continued to serve as Information Services Coordinator and Chair of the Cultural Archival Society for the remainder of 2387 and well into the following year when he was first approached by Admiral Olivia Tavez. Recent changes in personnel had resulted in the reassignment of several key members of the Eighth Fleet admiralty including Admiral Antoine Meyer and Vice Admiral Chris Manley, both of whom had been working quite closely with Tharos since his appointment to the Eighth Fleet administrative staff nearly five years prior. Admiral Tavez had witnessed Tharos' work within the Eighth Fleet administration and felt his familiarity with the Department of Research & Development made him a suitable candidate to succeed Vice Admiral Chris Manley. Within a few short weeks following the sudden upheaval within the fleet administration, Lorian Tharos was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and assigned to serve as the new Director of Research & Development. |
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| Service Record | *Cadet - Starship Operations, Starfleet Academy (2335-2339) *Ensign - Communications Officer, USS Brahms (2339-2350) *Lieutenant JG - Assistant Chief Operations Officer, USS Farragut (2350-2353) *Lieutenant - Assistant Chief Operations Officer & Contact Specialist, USS Farragut (2353-2362) *Lieutenant Commander - Chief Operations Officer & Contact Specialist, USS Farragut-A (2362-2370) *Lieutenant Commander - Chief Flight Control Officer & Second Officer, USS Thunderchild (2370-2375) *Lieutenant Commander - Chief Flight Control Officer & Second Officer, USS Avenger (2375-2376) *Commander - Executive Officer, USS Avenger (2376-2379) *Commander - Instructor, Starfleet Academy (2379-2383) *Captain - Information Services Coordinator, Eighth Fleet R&D (2383-2388) *Captain - Society Chair, Cultural Archival Society (2387-Present) *Rear Admiral - Director of Research & Development, Eighth "Horizon" Fleet (2388-Present) |