CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY SHEET

 

Name: Captain Tanya Elizabeth (T. E.) Lawrence
Position:  Commanding Officer
Birth world:  New California, Venus
Age:  48 Standard Earth Years (2270)

Personal Data:

Height:  5’9".  
Weight: 145 lbs.
Sex: Female
Hair: Midnight Black
Eyes: Aqua-Blue
Race: Human

Immediate Family:

Mother: Enid Lawrence (Deceased)
Father: Sean Lawrence (Deceased)
Marital Status: Single
Children: None

Physical Appearance: Captain Lawrence is tall and slender, with an athletic build that she maintains by strenuous workouts. She wears her thick, black hair shoulder length. Her brilliant aqua-blue eyes are clear and piercing. When angry at a subordinate, her eyes alone can flay the guilty. Her hands are delicate and slim, with a surprising strength.

Personality: T.E. has never forgotten her security training on Venus. She demands that her subordinates know "the book" from cover to cover. They had also better know when to throw "the book" away. She may forgive a failure, but she will never forget one. A junior officer once described his experience with Captain Lawrence following a mistake on his part as "being dissected by startling blue eyes and pounded into hamburger meat by a soft voice." She has never outgrown her love for animals and will often "turn a blind eye" to a pet living aboard her ship.

An acquaintance in later years described her method of captaining as one in which she looked upon her crew as her family. Her style engendered a feeling of trust. Her judgment was seldom questioned.

Other Pertinent Data: Her favorite drink is hot chocolate. When T. E. is feeling especially evil a large helping of whipped cream will top her cup. She likes to visit the Observation Deck before retiring. It helps her to unwind from the day’s duties.

History: In 2270 TANYA Elizabeth was born to Sean and Enid Lawrence. They resided in the city of New California, a city evolved from one of the original Terraforming settlements. Dr. William Slater had introduced animals into the lush vegetation that had replaced the dreariness of the Venusian landscape. Dr. Sean Lawrence, who traced his lineage back to Dr. Slater, was also concerned about the animal population of Venus. He was one of the foremost veterinarians on the continent. T.E. as she was usually called in those days, often was required to assist in the care of her father’s charges, especially the younger ones. Over time she developed a caring attitude toward animals, one that continues to this day. As T.E. was Sean and Enid’s only child, one that had arrived late in their lives, she was groomed from an early age to take over the business a responsibility that she was not completely convinced was her destiny. Being the lone child of a stern (though loving) taskmaster, T.E. had little chance to protest her father’s decision. She willingly went through the long training period required by her father. At twelve she was qualified in most administrative jobs, by age fourteen, she could have been a full partner.

It was at this time in her life that her horizons were expanding. She became more aware of other happenings in New California and the outer world. She learned that applications were being accepted for the Venusian Grenadiers: a minimum age requirement was sixteen. That immediately became a short-term goal. When she turned sixteen, she vowed to be one of them!

The freighters and an occasional starship calling at New California’s spaceport caught her eye, especially the starships. The crews relaxing on shore leave became her targets. Though it was difficult because of her introverted nature, the skinny kid with the jet-black hair and aqua blue eyes would approach the Starfleeters at every opportunity. Questions would follow questions. What did they do? Where had they been? Where were they trained? Where were they going? How could she join? Who should she contact? Though she told no one, she knew that one day she would captain one of those ships!

The next two years were the busiest years of her young life. The day after her sixteenth birthday she joined the Venusian Grenadiers. Their training requirements were strenuous. She excelled in some subjects, those that required dexterity. She easily became the phaser marksman of the force as well as easily placing in the top ten in hand-to-hand combat. One of her contemporaries called her "a lean, mean fighting machine", noting that her movements were "more cat like than human". The "Force" training would be considered full time for the average person, but for T.E., it was but one of several interests. She also continued her veterinary duties as well as preparation for the Academy entrance exams.

A tragedy occurred shortly before her eighteenth birthday that cemented her destiny. The Venusian Grenadiers had been away from home on survival training in the northern hemisphere - near the ice cap. The terrible news greeted the force shuttlecraft as it neared the city. A mysterious explosion obliterated the southern third of New California. Both her parents were killed in the blast, as were most of the animals in the hospital compound. At eighteen, she found herself alone but far from being destitute. Her parent’s estate provided her every want.

While the Training Academy was tough, she still had time (made time, that is) to study for the entrance examinations for Starfleet Academy. She took them, passed them and, based partially on the glowing recommendation from General Ian Tennille, the Commandant of the Venusian Grenadiers, and was accepted.

Surprisingly, Starfleet Academy put her into the Security, a departure from the Academy’s usual method of ignoring past experience. It wasn’t what T. E. wanted. Every semester, she would meet with the Academy counselors and lobby for a change to Command track. It didn’t happen. After graduation, Ensign Lawrence was sent to the light cruiser USS JETSOR (NCC–1425) as a Security Officer. Although she was an exemplary Security Officer and was rapidly promoted to LTJG, her heart wasn’t really in it. Every moment of her off-duty time was spent talking and studying with the Command officers on the ship. Her transfer to USS HANNIBAL (NCC–512) as the Chief of Security (she had again been promoted, this time to Lieutenant) put a dent in her study time. It wasn’t long before she had the Security Department running like a clock and was able to get back to her books.

It wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be. If it hadn’t been for a fellow officer, Lieutenant Eric Kristiansen, she wouldn’t have made it. His tutoring in every subject got her through Command School, barely. Her first ship out of Command School was another destroyer, the USS GERANIMO (NCC–535) where she served as the Assistant Operations Officer. After that, she was the Operations Officer on USS XIA (NCC–1435), a light cruiser; the First Officer on USS CONFEDERATION (NCC–2143B), a dreadnought; and USS YOUNG (NCC–1965), a through-deck cruiser, where she served as Commanding Officer.

It wasn’t long before she was given command of USS EXCALIBUR (NCC-2005). After a very successful tour aboard the EXCELSIOR-class Heavy Cruiser, T. E. went to Third Fleet Headquarters to serve on Admiral Daniel Evans’ staff.

When the Commanding Officer of USS PHOENIX was killed during a mission, Captain T. E. Lawrence was given her third assignment as a Commanding Officer.