Name of Officer: Zander Blakeslee
Age: 26
Position: Chief Security/Tactical Officer: USS Serendipity
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Species: Human
Place of Birth: Alaska, Earth
Marital Status: Married: To Samthia Wej-Blakeslee
Physical Description:
Height: 1.78 meters
Weight: 81.6 kilograms
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Zander was born to a Starfleet Security Officer, Steven Blakeslee and a well known Bio-Mechanist, Helva Michels.
Zander knew from a young age that he wanted to follow in his father footsteps much to the chagrin of his mother, who had hoped that her only son would work to further science. Zander was attracted to the excitement of Starfleet.
Zander is a natural competitor in both physical competitions as well as mental. He was team captain of the Starfleet Academy jujitsu team as well as a member of the rowing, baseball, chess, and marksman teams. He led an almost perfect life excelling at almost all that he did.
That all ended during the Dominion War. His father had been assigned to Starfleet Academy to teach advanced security fundamentals. When the war broke out he requested reassignment to the U.S.S. Mandrake. He felt that he could do more good out their then at the academy.
Zander was in his final year at the Academy when word came back that the Mandrake was lost in battle. All hands were believed lost. Zander and his mother were stricken with grief, but the fact that his father had died while serving somewhat comforted them both.
Zander completed the Academy with honors and went on to advance training for security, covert ops, infiltration, and deductive investigation. Halfway through this training, he and his mother found out that Steven was alive. He had been taken prisoner and held in a Cardassian prison camp. A maquis assault force had rescued him. They were overjoyed, however that would fade when they found that Steven Blakeslee was severely brain damaged. His Cardassian captors had used several brutal tactics to extract information from him causing irreversible damage to his brain. He was reduced to a vegetable state, capable of nothing more then grunts to communicate. Zander was overwhelmed with anger. Starfleet protested the treatment of Lt. Blakeslee but that was as far as they were willing to push the issue. Not willing to risk the new treaty.
This fueled Zander’s anger and he swore that he would find the Cardassian responsible and bring him to justice, or justice to him. Zander completed his advance training with honors once again. He stayed on at the Academy to stay near his mother and help her with his father.
During this time he took advance combat tactics, advanced weapons training, and several hand to hand combat classes. He attended any seminar or class that he felt would increase his ability to fulfill his vow. He waited for an opportunity to apply to a starship that would give him a chance to test all of the training and skilled that he had collected. When the opportunity came to join the crew of the Poseidon, Zander jumped at it. Zander said goodbye to his mother and father and set off to find his destiny on board the U.S.S Poseidon.
He quickly found a home among his shipmates and worked tirelessly at his position as a security officer. He earned a good reputation with his officers and shipmates as a stalwart friend and young officer. His anger over his father and resulting quick temper always overshadowed his career.
This resulted in two reprimands from Captain O'Banyon and then Commander Pritchard because of two physical encounters with shipmates and cilvilians.
Zander proved his worth on more then on occasion while serving on the Poseidon. He played a critical role in the capture of undercover saboteurs that had detonated a bomb on Starbase Epsilon. His actions earned him a promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
It was during his time on the Poseidon that he met his future wife. A Deltan named Samthia Wej. It was with her help that he was able to shake off the weight of his guilt over his father and finally make peace with himself thru an ancient Deltan ritual. (links below)
Confronting the Past
Journey to Covahaven
At the conclusion of the ritual Zander had found that he had gained limited telepathy and empathy powers.
Samthia and Zander married shortly after. Zander last few months aboard the Poseidon were a series of ups and downs. The sad passing of his father was overshadowed by the news that was going to be a father, of twins. That realization of a commitment to something greater then Starfleet caused him to deeply think of his future.
When his in-laws offered him a position in the family business he accepted. He took an indefinite leave of absence from Starfleet to concentrate of his family, much to the chagrin of Captain O'Banyon. The news of the destruction of the Poseidon and the death of Captain O'Banyon saddened Zander deeply.
Life was good on Delta IV. Samthia gave him two lovely children; twin boys, Thomas and Johannes. He found himself moving up in Deltan society with the influence of Samthia's family’s connections and gained duel citizenship 6 months after arriving.
He earned an honorary ambassadorship because his frequent trips to earth allowed him to assist the Deltans with negotiations with the UFP and Starfleet.
It seemed like a fairy tale life, but something was missing. Despite all of the happiness his family provided and the success of his civilian life, he found himself missing Starfleet. Zander did not realize how much he thrived on the action and comradarie. Samthia noticed his feelings and prompted him about them. After several denials of anything wrong, Zander finally admitted to missing the action of Starfleet but also revealed his fear of being away from his wife and children.
Samthia pushed him to request reinstatement into Starfleet, assuring him that she and the children would join him when possible and that he would be happier if he was following the path he loved. Zander at first refused, but eventually gave in promising to return at every possible leave and to have them join him as soon as possible.
With his wife's blessing he contacted Starfleet and requested reinstatement. Starfleet approved his request and reinstated his commission at his previous rank. He was assigned to the weapon research facility Phoenix 7 as a tactical officer. Zander said goodbye to his wife and kids and set off to pick up his career with a new outlook. Even though his deeply misses his kids and wife he deeply feels that he can make a difference.
During his assignment on the station Zander was promoted to chief of Tactical and Security but that was eventually narrowed down to just the tactical department. The station was plagued by numerous malfunctions that were lingering results of the close proximity of the station when the USS Poseidon was sabotaged.
Even with the busy pace of his work his found himself missing his family more and more and had begun to consider once again resigning from Starfleet when his wife announced to him that she had decided to reinstate into Starfleet also.
Unfortunately, Zander concluded that the station in its current condition was not safe enough for his family to be with him.
He and his wife were stationed (and allowed to bring their children along) to the new ship the USS Serendipity under Captain Zanh Liis, as part of The Alchemy Project.
Talents:
Several forms of armed and unarmed combat. Saxophone, Covert Ops, Investigative Skills, Infiltration, Advanced Security Tactics, Chess, Skilled Marksman.
Traditions:
Most common Earth and Deltan observed holidays.
Likes: Straight shooters, Decisive people, Honorable people, good music, Iced Tea.
Dislikes: Distrusts Cardassians, Weak minded people.
Strong Beliefs: One man can make a differance.
Limitations: Sometimes blinded by his anger at what happened to his father.
Strengths: Highly motivated, Highly skilled. Single minded, Honorable.
Ambitions: To find out who was responsible for his fathers condition and to help prevent it from happening to anyone else.
Special abilities: Limited Telepathic/Empathic Abilities - Close Range 2 Meters or less centered on emotions.
Eccentricities: Likes his Iced Tea with suger only. No ice or lemon
Career Record (Official)
Starfleet Academy Training: Entered the Academy at age 17. Final training completed age 21. Advance training for security, covert ops, infiltration, deductive investigation, advance combat tactics, advanced weapons training, and several hand to hand combat classes.
Degree: Standard Degree (With Honors) Advanced Security Methods and Tactics (With Honors) Starfleet Covert Operations and Tactics.
Previous Assignments:
Security Officer, USS Poseidon
Chief Tactical Officer, Phoenix 7 Station
Further Training and Qualifications:
Honorary Deltan Ambassador
Current Assignment: Chief of Security/Tactical: USS Serendipity; The Alchemy Project
Personal Note
"Life is what you make of it. Take nothing for granted. Never fear your opponent and always overestimate him."
Songs that define Zander Blakeslee
(chosen by the writer)
"Silent Lucidity"~ Queensryche
"Ballad of Youth" ~Richie Sambora
