Distinguishing Physical Characteristics

Asian facial features, dark hair and eyes which she keeps in a pony tail.

Personality

Despite not being particularly social during her senior education, Abigail has since matured socially and is now amongst the forty-percent of Betazoids whose personality-type comes under the extravert classification. She is warm, charismatic and has a great passion for life. That said, some people believe that her boundless energy and passion for life comes from her constant consumption of super-caffeinated beverages (a habit that Starfleet doctor's recommend she curtail to avoid any unforeseen physiological consequences).

Like all Betazoids, Abigail displays total and complete honesty. Unfortunately, those who are not so accustomed to such honesty often find her brutal and impolite, despite the fact that she herself doesn't mean any harm when she speaks the blind truth. She is polytheist and attends daily meditation sessions on the holodeck or in her quarters. Like many Betazoids, she dislikes eating alone and will always choose to eat in the company of others whenever possible. Perhaps most significantly, she hates being called by her given name instead preferring to be called 'Abby' by her close friends and co-workers.

Background

Growing up, it was always apparent to Abigail Senate's parents that their daughter wasn't a stereotypical little Betazoid girl (even for a half-human one). While other six year-old girls were playing with dolls and plastic tea-cup sets, Abigail was outside playing 'Starfleet and Klingons' with the boys. At first, her parents comforted themselves with the thought that it was just a phase that their daughter was going through, although as time passed this proved entirely incorrect. She was simply, as her human grandfather put it, 'a tomboy'.

While at high school Abigail worked hard in order to excel in her academic studies, which wasn't difficult given that she didn't really have too many close friends to get distracted by. With excellent grades but very few friends, it wasn't surprising that she spent the majority of her free time with her father (at that point in her life, her mother was the curator of the Betazoid museum of contemporary art, and thus her busy working schedule kept her from ever spending that much time with her daughter). Thus, it was only inevitable that Abigail became interested in her father's favorite pastime.

Being a retired Starfleet officer (helmsman, by training), Nomora had purchased his own shuttlecraft and owned a private pilots license authorizing him to fly in non-military controlled airspace around Betazed. Thus, it was only natural that his favorite pastime involved flying his shuttle and, when that wasn't practical, 'tinkering' with its propulsion system while it was stored in the small hanger constructed on his wife's vast family estate. Consequently, Abigail grew up watching her father fly and listen to him explain what he was doing as he 'tweaked' his shuttlecraft for better performance.

When Abigail graduated from high school at the age of eighteen with a Betazoid Standard Diploma of Education, she applied to several universities in the capital prefecture and was eventually accepted into the prestigious University of Betazed. Once there she again devoted herself entirely to her studies, spending what little free-time she allotted herself each day with her father while he worked on his shuttlecraft. After three years of full-time study, she graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering, majoring in propulsion mechanics with a minor in flight dynamics.

With her Bachelor of Engineering in hand, Abigail was finally able to take her interest in shuttlecraft mechanics to the next level and do it as a full-time occupation. While her choice in undergraduate degree disappointed her mother, her father was absolutely ecstatic. "Free engine parts is what I expect from you, Abby" he told her jokingly the day after her graduation ceremony. Not one to disappoint, Abigail was employed by a private shuttle-construction & design company operating several kilometers out of the Capital Prefecture. Much to Nomora's delight, this entitled him to massively discounted parts.

Abigail spent the next three years working for the company, assisting in the design of more efficient propulsion systems. In 2380 though, she became tired of only working on designs and assisting in the implementation process but never really experiencing the end-result. With that in mind, she approached her employers and requested to be transferred to the company's test-pilot roster. After a short demonstration of her piloting skills (which she performed with fluent ease), her employers accepted her request and she was placed on the test-pilot roster.

Now, instead of merely designing and constructing shuttlecraft, Abigail was a part of the test and refinement stage - testing new shuttlecraft in every extreme situation one could encounter under non-combat conditions. It was an inherently dangerous occupation, and most of the pilots on the roster were denied life-insurance by most of Betazed's reputable insurance companies. Nonetheless, Abigail loved the thrill and she soon earned the reputation as one of the company's best test-pilots. And, although concerned for his daughter's safety, Nomora nonetheless supported her with incredible enthusiasm.

Abigail continued test-piloting craft for the company for the next three years until, in 2383, she was approached by Commander Richard Barino of the Starfleet Engineering Corps. Much to her surprise, her reputation as a test-pilot had been conveyed to the Engineering Corps through one of the CONN officers stationed at the Starfleet Embassy on Betazed. Unbeknownst to Abigail, the Starfleet Engineering Corps had a long history of contracting civilian specialists (warp-field engineers, for example) and were looking for qualified test-pilots that weren't concerned with promotions and prestige.

Offering her a civilian contract, Commander Barino convinced Abigail to resign from her current job by tempting her with the prospect of testing the latest in StarFighter technology. Knowing that most technological advances in starships are made by military contractors, Abigail accepted his offer and was transported to Earth on a Runabout. There, she spent the next three years test-piloting the latest in Starfleet Support Craft (fighters, runabouts, and shuttlecraft). Being a civilian, she was not concerned about advancing in rank and thus was perfectly content and efficient in her position.

After three years working under a civilian contract for the Starfleet Engineering Corps, Abigail decided that she wanted to do more than just test experimental craft. she wanted to fly them full-time as a profession. Although he was sad to see her go, Commander Barino (head of the Engineering Corps Test & Refinement division) sent a recommendation to the Director of Starfleet Personnel, stating that, given Abigail's exemplary service to Starfleet and her nine years of piloting experience, she should be offered a position in a Fighter Squadron as a civilian pilot.

After reviewing Abigail's case, the Director of Starfleet Personnel came to agree with Commander Barino's assessment of the situation, but unfortunately could not assign a civilian to a Fighter Squadron. Thus, if he wanted to keep Abigail's talent within the Starfleet sphere of influence, he was faced with two choices: ask her to complete four-years of Academy training, or give her a provisional rank based upon her extensive experience.

Fortunately, he chose the latter option and managed to get Abigail into the advanced flight school programme run at Starfleet academy. As well as attending the flight school, Abigail also had to complete and pass the Starfleet academy entrance exam, which meant studying hard. Given her desire to fly full-time, she relished the challenge. After spending nine months at the flight school, she graduated and passed the entrance exams in the top ten percent. She was given the provisional rank of Ensign and given her first assignment, finding herself transported to Serenity Colony where she was to be assigned to a StarFighter Squadron at the discretion of the Colony's Federation Governor.

Special Abilities

Empathy, Ultra-sharp reaction times, ability to think outside the box.

Hobbies & Interests

Abigail lives for the immediate physical gratification of piloting a StarFighter at extremely high velocity. The thrill of the ride; the exhilaration of speed; the push and pull of gravity; the rush of adrenalin; and the potential of bodily harm (if not death) all add to that gratification. Piloting is her reason for being and consequently her life, including her hobbies and interests, revolve around this.

With the above in mind, every aspect of Abigail's life fits in purely to complement her love of piloting. Her hair is cut short to avoid it falling in her eyes during flight; her taste in fashion is dictated by its practicality in a confined cockpit (and hence all of her clothes are plain and tight-fitting); and her apartment is bare, given that she uses it only as a place to sleep (the rest of her time she is either flying while on-duty, or tweaking her fighter while off-duty).

Player Name

Emma Edington