Dramatis Personae

The Characters of Accord Fiction

Table of Contents

What are the player-characters of Accord fiction and how do they differ from the real people upon whom they're based?

First, some terminology. The word 'player' will be used to refer to the real person (by analogy with role-playing games); the word 'character' or 'avatar' will be used to refer to the recurring fictional character who most closely resembles a specific 'player', usually a direct reflection of the 'player'. The acronym 'NPC' will be used to refer to entirely fictional characters, and stands for 'non-player character', also by analogy with role-playing games.

That said....

 

Mark Harris Anbinder

Rank
2292-2293 Commander
2293-present Captain
Position
2292-2293 Training Cadre "Accord" Leader, USS Avenger
2293-present Commanding Officer, USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Aurelian's Children"
"Last Chance"
"Lateral Drift"
"Privileges of Rank"
That Which Does Not Kill Us Makes Us Stronger
Detail.
Mark is, personality wise, pretty much the same. After all, he's got a pretty commanding presence all by himself without much help :-) He's older, of course, in the fiction (in his early 50s), but not significantly different temperamentwise. Basically, if you can picture our real Captain saying it or doing it, you're safe.

 

Michael Scott "Uncle Mikey" Shappe

Rank
2291-2295 Commander
2295-present Retired from Fleet. Master Engineer, Triangle Engineering Guild
Position
2292-2293 Refit Chief Engineer, USS Accord, Ohio Orbital Shipyards, Terra.
2293-2295 Executive Officer, USS Accord
2295-present CEO, Wraith Trading Company, Talersha City State, Taler V.
Major Character Definition
"Last Chance"
"Privileges of Rank"
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Detail
Michael Shappe is also pretty much the same as everybody's Uncle Mikey, but in much better physical shape, and with shorter hair and a better trimmed beard. If you've not met him before, you're probably better off setting your story after March 2295. Shappe was a very active XO, and frequently took the center seat when Anbinder was away on diplomatic missions. Fictionally, he retired from Fleet when they tried to reduce his ability to exercise his discretion while acting as CO in Anbinder's stead. Although his character continues to exist in the Accord universe after that, authors should not use him without first reading "That Which Does Not Kill Us..." (not yet completed) or consulting him.

 

Richard Connor Steven "Doc" Kinne-Messick

Rank
2292 Ensign
late 2292 Lieutenant
2293-2295 Lieutenant Commander
2295-present Commander
Position
2292 Communications Officer's Mate, USS Avenger
2293 Science Officer, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-2295 Science Officer, USS Accord
2295-2296 Science Officer and Acting Executive Officer, USS Accord
2296-present Executive Officer, USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Aurelian's Children"
"Lateral Drift"
"Privileges of Rank"
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Detail
Richard Kinne is also largely the same - even down to being a bit more diminutive than the Fleet average. He's actually more similar today (having taken the Ithaca job, a major leap and a major risk in many ways) than he was when his character was first developed. Fictionally, Richard Kinne has been fast-tracked at every possible career juncture, usually by circumstances beyond his control but that he did not fight with much. One running subplot therefore is Kinne dealing with his constantly changing situation, and stretching himself to his limits to do the best possible job.

 

Jennifer Lynne Getty

Rank
2292-2296 Major, Star Fleet Marines
2297-present Lieutenant Colonel, Star Fleet Marines
Position
2292 Communications Officer, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-2296 Communications Officer, USS Accord
2297-2298 Command Training, Star Fleet Academy
(projected) 2298-Executive Officer, USS Morrigan
Detail
Jennifer Getty is radically different from the real life 'Pixel' (by which name the character is never addressed). Major Getty had been a brilliant up-and-comer, an ace fighter pilot and a wizard at crypto and linguistics - one of the few fighter pilots to take an active interest in another specialty. While test-piloting a warpshuttle, the engines misfired badly, hurtling her a considerable distance at Warp Nine before they failed, leaving her adrift. When found after several weeks, the stress had clearly gotten to her, and she spent several years in mental rehab, getting her personality put back together. After emerging from rehab, the Fleet Marines gratefully readmitted her to active duty for her considerable linguistic skills, but grounded her from further piloting duties and kept her assigned entirely to planet-bound operations. That changed when the Accord Training Cadre was formed and Anbinder snatched her up as Communications Officer against Fleet's better judgement.
As mentioned elsewhere, there is a notion that a squadron of Akyazi Class perimeter action ships will be joining Accord on patrol for her second five year mission. At this time, the feeling is that Major Getty's service and progress will be rewarded by a promotion to Lt. Colonel and an executive officer's post on one of those ships.
Major Getty rarely smiles, is close to very few people, but is still absolutely brilliant in her professional duties. Most of the crew are more than a little frightened of her. Her one known 'human' quirk is that she's building a scale model of a cathedral out of Lego in her quarters. For the rest, she presents a facade of professionalism and calm detachment which she clings to as her primary means of professional survival.

 

Marie April Beshures

Rank
Details before 2297 not yet determined
2297-present Lieutenant Commander
Position
Details before 2297 not yet determined
2297-present Communications Officer
Detail
Marie has not yet fleshed out her character. Film at 11.

 

Gerald Emmett Valentine

Rank
2290-2292 Ensign First Class
2292 Lieutenant
2293-2296 Lieutenant Commander
2296-present Retired
Position
2290-2292 Engineer's Mate, USS Avenger
2292 Head of Design, USS Accord Refit Project, Ohio Orbital Shipyards, Terra
2293-2296 Chief Engineer, USS Accord
2296-present Emperor of Erradia
Major Character Definition
"Revolution"
Detail
His Imperial Majesty, Gerry Valentine, Emperor of Erradia, returns us to the realm of those who are fairly similar to their real life selves, except, of course, that the real Gerry Valentine is merely emperor of Gerryland, a wonderful place in the state of mind :-) Fictionally, he, too, has been fast-tracked a bit, although not as badly as Kinne. He's utterly devoted to his engines and his drafting table and loathes bridge duty. He's considered one of the most original thinkers in starship design, which is why Shappe snatched him up when Shappe was assigned to refit Accord. In early 2296, he was finally called home to Erradia and forced to take up the burden of the throne he had avoided for years.

 

Daniel "DQ" Quaroni

Rank
Details before 2294 not set
2294-2296 Lieutenant
2296 Lieutenant Commander
Fate after 2296 not set
Position
Details before 2294 not set
2294-2296 Damage Control and Maintenance Officer, USS Accord
2296 Chief Engineer, USS Accord
2296-present Instructor, Star Fleet Academy.
Major Character Definition
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Detail
DQ has not had his character fleshed out much, but it is known that, as Damage Control and Maintenance Officer under Valentine, Quaroni was ruthless and efficient, able to tell a mis-calibration by sound or even sometimes smell, and driving his teams to an almost frightening efficiency. He actually eased up a little bit as Engineering Officer, but did not hold the position long - his exact fate has yet to be determined.

 

Nathaniel Burbank

Rank
2296-present Lieutenant Commander
Position
2296-present Chief Engineer

 

Ian Weston Ozymandias Smith

Rank
2292 Lieutenant
2293-2296 Lieutenant Commander
2296-present Retired
Position
2292 Operations Officer, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-2296 Operations Officer and First Helmsman, USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Privileges of Rank"
Detail
Ian Smith the character is a bit more serious-minded than Ian Smith the player. Operations requires juggling a zillion details, and Smith manages it all with mostly unruffled calm. When his calm does ruffle, it tends to result in an explosion of either acerbic wit or outright silliness.

 

John "JC" Cohen

Rank
2290-2292 Ensign First Class
2292-2294 Lieutenant, Junior Grade
2294-2295 Ensign (demotion due to court-martial)
2295-2296 Lieutenant
2296-present Lieutenant Commander
Position
2292 Security Guard, USS Accord Refit Project, Ohio Orbital Shipyards, Terra
2293-2295 Security Officer's Mate, USS Accord
2296 Security Officer, USS Accord
2296-present Operations Officer, USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Fountain"
"Privileges of Rank"
"Revolution"
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Detail
JC, the character, represents many of the darker aspects of the real JC's personality. Raised from toddler-hood by Tellarites, he is still re-learning some of the finer points of human discourse. Although in his mid-30s, he appears to be about 10-15 years younger due to the events in "Fountain". These events also led to a court-martial and a busting down to Ensign, from which he has bounced back extremely quickly.

 

Joseph Vincent Prisco

Rank
2294-2296 Lieutenant
2296-present Lieutenant Commander
Position
2294-2295 Recreation Officer, USS Accord
2295-2296 Acting Science Officer, USS Accord
2296-present Science Officer, USS Accord
Detail
Joe Prisco has not has his character fleshed out, but what little he has appeared is pretty much the same as the real, zany Pope Zaphod I.

 

Joyce Roberts (NPC)

Rank
2293-present Lieutenant
Position
2292 Medical Officer, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-present Medical Officer, USS Accord
Detail
Joyce's has not been fleshed out much at all, and the real Joyce has completely dropped off our scopes for reasons as yet unknown. As such, her character is essentially an NPC now. Her character continues to be used until such time as some other real crewmember takes on the position of Medical Officer.

 

Aaron Lamont "Rusty" Lloyd

Rank
2290-2292 Ensign
2292 Lieutenant, Junior Grade
2293-2295 Lieutenant
2295-2296 Retired from Fleet. Mercenary Lieutenant, Triangle Mercenary Guild
2296-present Mercenary Captain, Triangle Mercenary Guild
Position
2290-2292 Security Officer's Mate, USS Avenger
2292 Security Officer, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-2295 Security Officer, USS Accord
2295-2296 In training, Talersha City State, Taler V
2296-present Mercenary, Wraith Trading Company, Talersha City State, Taler V
Major Character Definition
"Privileges of Rank"
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Detail
Rusty is a large, dark-skinned warrior type with an almost alarming intellect that makes him a top-notch investigator and infiltrator. No security system - physical or electronic - is safe from this man. Be glad he's on our side. For all that, he's pretty stable, most of the time, and probably the wildest partier to ship out with Accord. In real life, Rusty lives in California, these days, but still keeps in regular touch with Accord folks. His stint in Minnesota with Mikey led Mikey to include him in That Which Does Not Kill Us...; hence his Triangle credentials after his retirement. Word to the wise: if you've never met Rusty, you're probably better off not trying to use him. He has a unique personality that can be difficult to capture.

 

Daniel Casey O'Donovan

Rank
2290-2292 Ensign, First Class
2293-2295 Lieutenant, Junior Grade
2295-present Lieutenant
Position
2290-2292 Security Guard, USS Avenger
2292 Security Officer's Mate, Training Cadre "Accord", USS Avenger
2293-2295 Security Officer's Mate, USS Accord
2295-2296 Security Officer, USS Accord
2296-present Intelligence Officer, USS Accord
Detail
Casey has been assumed to be pretty much the same as in real-life. In the actual chapter, Casey spent a brief stint in 1996 as Communications Officer. Because it was so short a stint, however, it's assumed that fictionally, Major Getty left later, and Casey instead became an intelligence operative based on Accord.

 

Brian Cameron

Rank
2296-present Lieutenant
Position
2296-present Security Officer

 

Alexander "Snarf" Schwartz

Rank
2292-present Captain, Star Fleet Marines
Position
2292-present Tactical Officer and Marine Officer In Charge, 771st Marine Strike Group, USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Last Chance"
"Where Loyalty Lies"
Detail
Snarf the character is a little crazier than the real Snarf, believe it or not. Like Major Getty, Snarf is considered a bit of an extreme character with perhaps too much of a taste for violence. He wears both an old-fashioned side arm (Browning Automatic) and a sabre on regular duty. Snarf's domain is the Tactical Bridge, where he generally sits in that cabin's command seat and directs Accord's space battles and ground forces. He has a direct, periscope-like link to the top megaphaser turret during all space battles over which he presides. He has an extreme disdain for the flying wings under his command, much prefering capital-ship combat and ground actions.

 

Buddha Michael Dylan Buck

Rank
2293 Midshipman First Class
2293 Ensign
2294 Ensign First Class
2294-2295 Lieutenant, Junior Grade
2295-present Lieutenant
Position
2293-2295 Scientist (Computer Area), USS Accord
2295-present Science Officer's Mate (Senior System Administrator), USS Accord
Major Character Definition
"Aurelian's Children"
"Lateral Drift"
Detail
Lieutenant Buck is pretty close to the real Buddha (no, not the religious figure! That's his real, given name. Cope with it.) Like many of Accord's officers, there are oddities in his background, but in this case, they're there to mirror Buddha's real life. Whereas most Accord officers have been to the Academy (including Kinne, tho' he was fast-tracked), Buddha instead attended Rochester Institute of Technology, and used the Star Fleet ROTC program to pay his way. After graduation, Kinne (Buck's significant other) called in a favor to get Buck posted to Accord for his Midshipman's Cruise, and he stayed after his commission came through. Buddha, the character, fills a niche not currently needed in the real club; he's the senior system administrator for Accord's many computer systems.

 

Alexander Leon Rosenzweig

Rank
2284-2286 Commodore
2286-2292 Rear Admiral
2292-2295 Vice Admiral
2295-present Admiral
Position
2285-present Commanding Officer, USS Avenger
2288-2294 Commandant, Seventh Fleet, Star Fleet
Major Charactor Definition
More Avenger Fiction stories than can easily be named
"Lateral Drift"
That Which Does Not Kill Us...
Details
Both fictionally and in reality, Alex Rosenzweig is one of the longest serving commanding officers in Star Fleet - more than twelve years in command of USS Avenger, with six of those years spent doubling as the Seventh Fleet Commandant. He is an acknowledged and accomplished administrator, strategist and tactician who clings cussedly to single-ship command because he just can't really imagine any other job that would suit him so well, and Fleet allows it because he continues to get results. Although no longer Seventh Fleet Commandant, Rosenzweig still serves Fleet Operations in numerous capacities as the situation demands, sometimes involving covert missions (including involvment with the planning stages of Accord's mission when it was still secret). Rosenzweig also has tendrils sunk into Fleet Intel, although, by the very nature of such an association, no one really knows how deeply.
As CO of Avenger, the ship which hosted the Accord Training Cadre and was the previous posting for many of Accord's initial command staff, Rosenzweig has something of a special bond with Accord and her crew, and thus, his name pops up from time to time, and he himself can make appearances if the situation is right (keep in mind that Avenger's stomping grounds, and those of the rest of the Seventh Fleet, are far away from Accord, most of the time). He appears as a real character in both "Lateral Drift" (a goodly chunk of which takes place on Avenger) and That Which Does Not Kill Us...

 

Carolyn Pratiwi Adiwoso

Rank
2294-present Lieutenant Commander
Position
2294-2295 Science Officer's Mate, USS Accord
2295-early 2297 as yet unrevealed
2297-present Intelligence Liaison Officer, Star Base 52 (detached duty aboard Accord)
Major Character Definition
Shadowstar Fiction: "Belonging"
Shadowstar Fiction:"Pomp and Circumstantial Evidence" (unfinished)
Details
Carolyn is one of the fictional avatars of Rahadyan Sastrowardoyo, one of the loonier folk ever to hoist a few with Accordians ;-) Carolyn shares several traits with the real Rahadyan (as opposed to the fictional Rahadyan, who is missing and presumed dead after his shuttle ran into some quantum black holes - another story entirely), including a 'gregarious loner' mentality, a steel-trap mind for the obscure, and a quirky, wicked sense of humor.

 

Who are the non-player characters established so far in Accord Fiction?

Accord Crew

Marine Lieutenant Peters

Seen in "Last Chance" as the flight controller for the fighter squadrons. Not seen since, but could easily be used again.

 

Ensign Koothran

Gunner in "Last Chance". Probably since replaced by a Marine gunner, but the character is probably still on board.

 

Petty Officer Wosq

Altairan. Large creature with four arms and four fathers. First appears in That Which Does Not Kill Us...

 

Warrant Officer Tainer

Fighter pilot from Alabama. Very proud of his drawl. First appears in That Which Does Not Kill Us...

 

Star Fleet

Commodore Robert Edward Vosseller Jr.

Commandant of the Seventh Fleet and Captain of first the Constitution Class USS Challenger and then its Excelsior Class successor. Wafflehead is Captain Anbinder's administrative superior. Considered an NPC, even though Bob Vosseller and Challenger really exist, because Challenger Fiction takes place in TNG's era. This is therefore assumed to be a "different" but remarkably similar Bob Vosseller :-) First appears in Accord "Privileges of Rank".

 

Commodore Aiylen

Commandant of Star Base 52, and an old friend of Captain Anbinder's. First appears in "Last Chance", but hasn't been used since. Aiylen is Captain Anbinder's operational superior, since SB52 is responsible for the New Colonies.

 

Fleet Admiral McGinnis

Commander, Star Fleet in 2295-96. Although there was a real Dan McGinnis who was Starfleet President in 1995-96, this character is not intended to directly resemble him; only the name is used. First mentioned in That Which Does Not Kill Us....

 

Admiral Nikolai Barstow

Commandant, Space Station Salem One, and one-time executive officer (in the 2250s) of USS Accord.

 

Lieutenant Shiras

Operations Officer's Mate, Space Station Salem One. First appears in That Which Does Not Kill Us...

 

Wraith

All Wraith NPCs first appear in That Which Does Not Kill Us...

 

Regin Tomas

Master Merchant and shipyard owner on Taler V. Astute businessman with a straightforward manner and sense of humour.

 

Qorl

Regin's Klingon partner.

 

Kalla Tomas

The youngest human Master Engineer in the history of the Triangle Engineers Guild, Kalla is in her mid-20s, medium height, blonde and absolutely brilliant. Co-owner (with Shappe) of Wraith and daughter of Regin.

 

Berit Ropin

Andorian Master Merchant of advanced age and tremendous reputation. Combine the few Andorians we've seen with William Hartnell's protrayal of The Doctor in Doctor Who. Share's Shappe's fondness for whisky.

 

Aril Hamet

Ropin's human Journeyman. Apparently shy and ill at ease with people, he's probably a faster talker even than his master. Between the two of them, nobody's money is safe.

 

Harry Connor

Mercenary Captain, responsible for planning Wraith's mercenary missions. Tall, thin, fragile looking (but he's not).

 

aruQis (also Arukris)

Klingon electronics and communication expert. aruQis was responsible for the integrity of the Klingon Imperial Data Net in the early 2290s (before Khitomer) when a major infiltration run (spearheaded by Rusty Lloyd) brought it to its knees. Although she was not officially disgraced by these events (it was considered a fair contest in which she was only just barely bested), she chose to resign and leave Klingon space. She bears Lloyd no personal malice, but will constantly challenge him in one way or another. She and Lloyd are pretty much evenly matched.

Vincent "Little Vinnie" Capozza

Got a problem? Little Vinnie can fix it. Bearing a remarkable physical resemblance to Doc Kinne, Little Vinnie is almost always sharply dressed, usually in a three-piece suit of an old enough style to be distinctive, looking like nothing so much as a one-man Diminutive Mafia. Much of this is a schtick, a gimmick; it's not even entirely clear that Vinnie is really Italian; but if you meet him once, you'll definitely remember it, and that's the point. He does have what can best be described as a relaxed attitude toward the law, but a strong sense of personal ethics. He'll arrange anything you need arranged, provided it doesn't involve him directly killing anybody and it doesn't contradict an existing commission. Not formally part of Wraith's crew, but frequently retained by them for odd jobs.

 

Other

Richard Lerz aka Kyle Rimski

Richard Lerz was a friend of Richard Kinne's from school. When Kinne got fast-tracked throught he academy, Lerz turned out to be his drill instructor. Lerz' wife Debbie was killed by a member of the Klingon diplomatic corps, and, when the Federation government swept it under the rug, Lerz went AWOL. Several years later, he turned up on Hth'ran VII, posing under the name Kyle Rimski and agitating for the eviction of the colony's Klingon population. Lerz appears in "Lateral Drift" and "Privileges of Rank".