Bravo Fleet
Summary
One of the few Lutrinae who left their small river rich homeworld to journey into the cosmos, How of How’Rock now adventures to collect stars and planets just as his brethren collect precious stones and gems in their fluvial homes. Often preceded by the sound of jingling pebbles and precious gems that he holds in a small pouch around his waist, How is a wide-eyed young officer, eager to witness every wonder the universe has to offer, up close if possible. Kind to a fault and gracious in his ignorance, How quickly endears himself to new colleagues wherever he journeys and despite his preference for working alone, is a welcome addition to any laboratory, his infectious and persistent wide-eyed wonder suffusing into any project.
Appearance
Appearing at first glance like a particularly large Terran Otter, How is only 3 feet tall when standing in normal gravity, his short arms and legs giving him an odd shuffle as his webbed feet rush to keep up with his colleagues (having learned long ago that moving about on all fours elicited too many pet like responses). It is within the low gravity confines of the combined Stellar Cartography & Cetacean Operations suite that he showcases his true form, his long tan body stretching into a nimble and agile body that swims between the stars, his sharp tail slowly flicking back and forth like a serpentine oar. As he lazily floats in the cosmos his short snout is perpetually split by a grin full of short sharp teeth, framed by long blonde whiskers, his wide brown eyes twinkling brightly with an infectious joy.
Personality
For How, the universe is a wonder and each planet and star a precious gem to be collected, studied and marvelled at. Drawn from his homeworld by the wanderlust of youth and an obsession for the dancing lights above his river home, How is a feature of perpetual joy wherever he goes, bringing a genuine excitement to any project. Solitary by habit rather than choice due to his difficulties operating in a galaxy full of environments designed for humanoids, How can find himself consumed with a project, going unseen for days at a time as he loses track of time in the solitary hours contemplating a problem. Having recently taken the officer conversion course following the decision to commit to Starfleet, How is consciously trying to integrate himself better with his two-legged shipmates and set aside his frustrations at the daily difficulties, because in his own words “It’s more fun to swim in the stars together.”
History
Early Career
His people uninterested in engaging with the wider galaxy despite their technological advancement, he left Lutria with a visiting civilian research group when their project to study the small verdant planet ended. Journeying with the team back to their base of operation at Memory Delta he became an unofficial intern and later lab assistant to the research group as he pursued his advanced education from the Orion Institute of Cosmology, in 2393 the base’s scientific director officially offered the young Lutrinae a formal role and a billet alongside his friends and colleagues to a lecture theatre filled with applause.
Transition to Starfleet – 2395
Following several astrophysics projects at Memory Delta, How was assigned to support Starfleet more directly in 2395, initially based out of Starbase 12 undertaking observations of the nearby Arachnid nebula. It was here that How found himself given greater freedom and autonomy to pursue his research and after earning his petty officer pip, he was able to undertake more independent research. Now able to call upon the starbase’s multitude of capabilities and facilities, How found himself able to adjust his working environment to his own needs, allowing him to focus all his energy on his research. He excelled and quickly became a valued contributor to teams across the starbase. Two years later, in 2397, the cluster’s lead scientist was transferred to the Delta Exploration Initiative based out of Starbase 38, How agreed to his offer to join him before the man had even finished his sentence, the thought of a wormhole eliciting a joyful wiggle of his tail.
The Journey to Officer – 2397
Following several years of enjoyable service aboard Starbase 38 including several sabbatical trips aboard research craft journeying to study the newly secured area at the far end of the Barzan wormhole, How found himself repeatedly drawn to the dynamic adventures of ships that swam through the cosmos. Inspired by his own swimming journeys through the miniature replicas of the universe in the stellar cartography lab, his wonder-lust guided his feet back to the recruitment office of Starfleet. After spending a year aboard Starbase Bravo and attending lessons at the Mellstoxx Academy, his endearing an excitable nature earning him several glowing reviews from his lecturers, How was commissioned fully into Starfleet and assigned to USS Helios as an astrometric specialist.
Given responsibility for the Stellar Cartography lab and with the promise of a new cetacean operations centre in the offing, How now floats through the cosmos in his miniature spacescape, ready to add the next star to his collection.
Service Record
| Date | Position | Posting | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2400 - Present | Astrometics Specialist | USS Helios |
 Ensign |
| 2399 - 2400 | Officer Conversion Course - Sciences | Starbase Bravo |
Ensign |
| 2397 - 2399 | Astrometrics Specialist | Starbase 38 - Delta Exploration Iniative |
 Chief Petty Officer |
| 2395 - 2397 | Astrometrics Specialist | Starbase 12 |
 Petty Officer |
| 2393 - 2395 | Lab Assistant - Stellar Cartography | Memory Delta |
 Crewman |