Physical Appearance: Lieutenant Rico reflects her numerous generations of
ancestors of her family of indigenous Chamula Mayans of southern Mexico on
Terra. Her skin is olive and her hair a dark auburn-brown. She has a slim, toned
body kept in shape by a rigorous kar-van regimen she learned from a
Vulcan classmate at the Academy. Although diminutive in stature, her strength is
on a par with those much taller. Her roughened, dry hands betray her vocation as
an engineer.
Personality: The child of two scientists, it was almost a foregone
conclusion that Angel would apply herself to such studies. Her mother is a
biologist in Mexico City, and her father a hydrologist whom Starfleet contracts
to do surveys on Federation colony worlds, hence from an early age a connection
to Starfleet. From her mother she acquired the natural inquisitiveness of a
scientist. From her father she developed the meticulous, methodic traits of an
engineer. Combined with a strong-willed, outgoing and generous nature, Rico had
no problem getting into Starfleet Academy. Her fellow classmates at the Academy
found her bubbly and almost always upbeat. However, being such an intelligent,
precise person, Rico often has little patience for fellow officers who fail to
grasp a situation as quickly as she does, and that can lead to her being
critical.
Other Pertinent Data: Although she excelled in all physical fitness and
defense training at Starfleet Academy, Rico had no interest in pursuing further
martial or sports training after she graduated other than the yoga like kar-van
discipline. Her primary interests are dilithium crystal theory and plasma flow
regulation. Her motto among fellow engineers: "Do anything you can to keep the
ship running."
History: Although Rico spent what is usually considered a "normal"
childhood with a brother and a sister, she definitely stood out among her
friends and siblings as a sometimes serious young person. As a teenage one of
her keen interests was reading Engineering Logs of Federation Starships, while
her friends were enjoying typical teenage pursuits, Rico often spent summers
indoors reading. Because her career ambition developed earlier than those her
age, Rico eventually felt somewhat detached from her peers. This made a critical
attitude towards those her age a natural result.
Rico breezed through Starfleet Academy, although she was by no means the best
and the brightest. Her competent, diligent approach to her duties was always
appreciated by her senior officers, but was not a standout service in Starfleet,
which contained exceptional officers from dozens of other Federation worlds.
Rico’s first posting was the Engineering department of Starbase 111 near
Orion III. After two years, regular crew rotation saw her posted to the USS
Bombay (NCC-4467), a Constellation-class vessel. After two years
aboard Bombay, and still the rank of ensign, Rico was put out that she
failed to make promotion to lieutenant jg. She therefore put in for a transfer
for "more challenging duty...someplace that will test my limits as an engineer."
She got her wish, transferred to the Excelsior-class USS Ventrikov
(NCC-9115). The Ventrikov was ultimately tasked with other ships to quell
the infamous Colony Wars in the Beta Trianguli system. Her selfless and
courageous service on the Ventrikov – which was lost in the last battle
of the inter-colony war – finally earned her recognition. In two years time she
went from ensign to full lieutenant. After the destruction of the Ventrikov,
she was transferred to the newly commission USS Phoenix. Her diligence
and renewed confidence in her Starfleet career soon earned her the notice of the
Chief Engineer who assigned her as senior engineer on Phoenix.