Bran Kindle

Early Life (2376 – 2395)

Bran Kindle spent most of his childhood in Bloemfontein, a town in what used to be South Africa. Growing up, Bran was deeply involved with the wildlife preservatory center where his parents worked, considering the staff there as an extended family. His days were filled with caring for various animals, mostly indigenous to Earth, though occasionally an extraterrestrial creature would find its way to their shelter. One such memorable creature was a Moopsy, the cutest furball Bran had ever seen, and he immediately felt sorry for it. His young mind couldn’t grasp why something so adorable needed to be confined behind three layers of force fields. He soon learned the reason in a hard lesson about appearances.

One day, while visiting the Moopsy with his younger brother Joel, Bran held the latch open as Joel tried to enter the cage through the feeding hatch. Unfortunately, Bran’s underdeveloped muscles gave way, and Joel got stuck, his arm caught between the metal edges of the hatch. Bran quickly called for help, and while Joel was eventually freed, he lost his right arm in the process. Worse yet, Linder, a caretaker at the facility, lost his life as the Moopsy sucked his bones dry right before Bran’s eyes. This traumatic event taught Bran that looks can be deceiving.

Grief-stricken and remorseful, Bran withdrew into himself, becoming more reserved and anxious. Although Joel’s arm was replaced with a state-of-the-art prosthetic and he seemed unbothered by the loss, Bran’s guilt lingered for years. During this period, Bran’s interest in the cosmos ignited. He spent hours in his room, engrossed in studying everything he could find, from the Paulson Nebula to the Briar Patch.

Starfleet Academy (2395 – 2399)

At 18, Bran applied for the Xenobiology Program at Starfleet Academy, confident his background would secure his admission. However, he was rejected due to his psychological profile. After nearly a year of intensive therapy, Bran came to terms with his past and realized that while biology was his parents’ passion, his interests lay elsewhere. At 19, Bran reapplied to Starfleet Academy, this time for the Astrometrics Program, and was accepted.

Bran’s first year at Starfleet Academy was a challenging adjustment. Despite growing up on the densely populated Earth, his life at the preservatory had been relatively secluded. The bustling campus life on Mellstoxx III was overwhelming at first. However, after his second semester, Bran’s social life began to flourish. He was selected for a special research program led by Professor Selene Arden, a guest lecturer from the Daystrom Institute. The program lasted only a few weeks, but Bran formed close bonds with his peers that lasted for years. The rest of his time at the Academy went smoothly, culminating in his graduation.

USS Regal (2399 – 2401)

After the Academy, Bran was assigned as an Astrometrics Specialist on the USS Regal, a Springfield-class starship. His professional life flourished on the Regal, surrounded by like-minded individuals. Bran steadily climbed the ranks to Lieutenant. Everything was progressing well until he received a transfer order sometime after Frontier Day.

USS Io (2401 – Present)

In 2401, Bran was transferred to the USS Io, where he was reunited with his old mentor, Selene Arden, who served as his department head. This new assignment marked another significant step in Bran’s career in Starfleet, where he continued to grow both professionally and personally.