Luca Vaccaro

Luca Vaccaro was born in Sorrento, Italy, Earth, in 2371, the middle child and youngest son of Vincenzo and Elena Vaccaro. He was born and raised in a very different Federation than had existed for a century prior. In his early childhood, he experienced the collapse and reincarnation of the Federation-Klingon alliance, the second Borg incursion into Sector 001, and the Dominion War, which included the Breen attack on Earth. Though he was young, his early childhood was marred by the persistent threat of invasion or destruction. These experiences, some latent, would have a lasting influence on his development and future desire to serve the Federation as a Starfleet officer.

Despite the background tension across the Alpha Quadrant, Luca was raised in a happy home. His family had ties to the same region in Italy going back generations, and his father was regarded on Earth as an architect and urban planner. By contrast, his mother was a cultural anthropologist and professor at the University of Bologna specializing in variations in the proto-Vulcan species, including modern day Vulcans and Romulans. She, herself, had served in Starfleet, albeit briefly, as a science officer from 2359 to 2365, resigning her commission in order to complete her PhD, a research faculty appointment, and raise a family.

After the tumult of the 2370s, Luca and his family experienced several years of post-war prosperity. However, following the fall of the Romulan Senate in 2379, Luca’s mother was selected for her expertise in Romulan culture. It was a mission that did the unthinkable — taking her family aboard a Federation starship across the galaxy to the Romulan homeworld. It was an extended assignment that latest for nearly 18 months, and though the family lived aboard the starship, it was the most influential part of Luca’s development. He discovered that he had a love for space travel, a strong desire to learn how to fly, and a keen interest in the delicate sociopolitical balance of the galaxy. Moreover, he found he, like his mother, had an interest in Romulan culture and society. From that point forward, Luca could hardly be kept on Earth. From advanced placement courses as part of his secondary education to Mars or to honors courses at Jupiter Station, Luca found home in the most unlikely of places — against the dark, glittering backdrop of space.

Only seven years later, when Luca was 16 and already beginning to think about his future career in Starfleet, the Hobus supernova destroyed the Romulan homeworld. The fallout had lasting implications throughout the galaxy, including the Federation and for Starfleet. For Luca, though, the impact was personal. He was devastated, but in the midst of his existential grief for the Romulan people, he channeled his anger and sorrow in a positive way. Luca sought early admission to Starfleet Academy, and to the mixed emotions of his parents, he was accepted at the age of 17 on the basis of his strong performance. Truth be told, in any other year, he might not have been accepted to the early admission program, but Starfleet’s reaction to the Hobus supernova pushed recruitment. Luca got one step closer.

Luca had enrolled in Starfleet Academy because he felt such strong drive to respond to the need in the galaxy, particular for the Romulan people. Of course, it wasn’t that easy. Luca had four years of study before he would find himself really doing what he wanted to do right away. The academic piece came easy; even the physical conditioning and discipline required seemed to bring order and purpose to his life. It was the hierarchical piece where Luca surprisingly found himself struggling. With high academic marks and exceptional performance in flight courses, Luca found himself with deficits in leadership development, particularly in assertiveness. It was difficult to not take the feedback personally, as academic skills represented knowledge, but leadership development represented a core capability of his personality. Nevertheless, Luca persisted and made his way through.

Following graduation in 2392, Luca received his first assignment as a flight control officer aboard the Nebula-class USS Bonchune. Though the Nebula class was somewhat dated, it remained a backbone of the fleet, with a range of mission profiles and a sizable crew complement. As a junior flight control officer on a ship of that size, Luca immediately settled in and became comfort with his work on the gamma shift. Strong performance allowed him to move to the beta shift rotation only nine months into his role, and he quickly became accustomed to interacting with the ship’s senior officers. After a difficult transition from the Academy into the field, it was just the assignment he needed to gain confidence in himself again.

Two years later, Luca had received a promotion to lieutenant (junior grade). Shortly thereafter, USS Bonchune’s received new mission orders that he thought he would love. The ship was deployed deep within the boundaries of the former Romulan Empire to bring “greater presence” to the region. In other words, Starfleet needed more “muscle” in a hotbed of activity. Luca had started to admire the center chair more and started to revisit the idea of pursuing command as a long-term career objective. He was doing better with own leadership development when disaster struck — an uprising of conflicts coordinated between cooperating mercenaries attacking vulnerable Romulan targets and Federation supply ships. Across the eight-week period, Bonchune came under attack or came to the defense of others 32 times. During 18 of the incursions, Luca was at the helm of the Bonchure; another 6 including action in auxiliary craft with Luca in the pilot’s seat. It marked one of the bloodiest periods of concentrated, non-wartime military conflict in Federation history. Starfleet eventually brought the mercenary assaults under control in the region, but the Bonchune remained as lead ship in the region for 15 months.

Luca, now decorated and recognized for his skill as a combat pilot, emerged from the conflict a different officer — and a different person, really. He was more resolute; battle-hardened; less “shy”, but more analytical and cautiously observant. It was then that he also started working with the ship’s counselor, not only to deal with the post-traumatic stress of the sustained conflict but also to begin processing some deep-seeded personal issues that were both a source of strength and yet silent, hidden barriers to his own success. Though the process has been slow, Luca has gradually begin to find his own way and has, in recent years, experienced a successive developments, like being promoted to assistant chief flight control officer, that have allowed him to advance personally and professionally.

Most recently, Luca has been assigned to the USS Apollo as their chief flight control officer. This will Luca’s first senior officer appointment, and he knows he will have to stay resolved and continue to develop as a leader to be successful in the new role. Given his recent history, though, he is looking forward to the challenge and remains cautiously optimistic about the journey ahead.