Thomas Forrester

Early Life on Coltar IV (2356 – 2374)

Thomas John Forrester was born on New Years Day in 2356 on the agricultural colony of Coltar IV.  His parents owned a small farm that had been in the family since the founding of the colony and it was expected that, as the eldest child, Tom would one day take over the running of it.  Three years later the Forresters had another son, George, who would complete their small family.

From an early age, Tom was told the stories of how generations of his family poured their blood sweat and tears into the land on Coltar IV.  The young Tom listened intently to these stories, it was these stories that sparked his love of history and the interest in his family tree.  However, while these stories were interesting, they weren’t exciting.  It was what he learned in school that caught his imagination and excited him; the Federation, Starfleet, the Enterprise, the Hood, the Stargazer.

While his father would impress upon him the importance of their work and make it clear that the expectation was that Tom would continue that work, the younger Forrester would seek out news stories from Starfleet, read on his own about the adventures of Starfleet crews throughout history, imagine himself as a Starfleet Captain in command of the Enterprise, like James T Kirk.  Command of a starship was a boyhood dream that he was determined to make real.

Derry initially didn’t mind his eldest son taking an interest in Starfleet and the Federation.  It was understandable that a young boy would be more taken with the exciting adventures of Starfleet.  However as his son got older, he started talking of attending the Academy as if it were a certainty.   When Tom was 13, his father sat him down and explained to him that he expected his son to work on the family farm and as the eldest he would, eventually, take over when Derry got too old.  He forbade him from applying to and attending Starfleet Academy.

This disheartened the young teen.  While he’d enjoyed helping out around the farm as a child and teen, it wasn’t what he wanted to do with his life.  But Tom was driven to succeed, working hard to achieve good grades in school and he resolved that he would attend the Academy, whether his father approved or not.  The decision to defy his father did not come easily to him.  Like all children, he wanted to make his parents proud and to have their support in whatever he did.  But the pull of the stars was too strong for the young Tom Forrester to ignore.

Upon turning 18, the point at which he no longer needed parental approval, Tom transmitted his application to the Academy, behind his parents back.  The outbreak of war only strengthened his resolve to join Starfleet and serve the Federation.  A few weeks later, he received the acceptance letter and the data pack informing him where to report and when.  His father was apoplectic with rage, threw the PADD containing the letter across the living room and forbade his son from attending.

Thomas pushed back and was adamant that he would be travelling to Earth and attending the Academy.    The two men had a long protected argument, with Thomas’ mother and brother trying to calm both down before one said something they would regret and unable to take back.  In the end, Derry told his son that if he followed through on his plan and left to attend the Academy, he would never be welcome on the family’s farm as long as he lived.  This was a gut punch for Thomas but he would not allow his father to tie him into a life that he didn’t want.

With help from a former teacher who had encouraged Thomas to follow his dreams, he was able to arrange passage on a series of transports that would take him to Earth.  Leaving Coltar IV, he bade goodbye to his mother (who tried one last time to convince her son not to go) and brother warmly .  His father refused to speak to him.  He left home with a heavy heart while at the same time excited by the adventure that awaited him.  The first adventure was travelling to Earth; having never been off Coltar IV, he was excited to travel faster than light and to visit the planet that his ancestors had once called home.

Starfleet Academy (2374 – 2378)

The first year at the Academy was a difficult one for Cadet Forrester.  He’d never spent more than a few days away from the farm before and now, here he was, on a whole new planet.  Adjusting to life on Earth and a big city like San Francisco was difficult enough without having to also adjust to a more regimented way of life as an officer cadet. On top of all that was the heartache of being cut off from his family.  The last words his father had said to him cut deep.

Cadet Forrester moved into his dorm room on his first full day on Earth before he began exploring the campus and San Francisco.  His roommate arrived a few days later, an Earth native from the city of Baltimore named Alexander Mitchell.  The two struck up an easy rapport in their first few days as they explored their new surroundings together. Thomas was given the nickname farm boy by his new friend and roommate, which stayed with him for the rest of his time at the Academy.

Alexander, the son of Starfleet Officers, helped Thomas with adapting to life in Starfleet.  He also listened when Thomas needed to talk, consoled him as he cried, let him vent when he was angry.  Just prior to the winter break Thomas considered dropping out, returning to Estelen to attempt to repair whatever damage he’d done to his relationship with his family.  He was beginning to ask himself if this was all worth the sacrifice he’d made.

Eventually, Alexander listened and told him that following his dreams was the right choice.  Thomas would forever be grateful to his roommate and friend and believed that without Xander’s friendship and support during that first year, he would never have made it as a Starfleet Officer without it.  His brother George was light years away on Estelen but somehow, this man he’d only met a few months before had become his brother.

While he struggled during the first semester outside of the classroom, inside he had no such problems.  Thomas applied himself to his studies, as he always had, and managed to score well during the exams at the end of the semester.

Thomas’ mood, which was already sour, began to sour further as they neared winter break.  Most people began to talk about how they were looking forward to visiting family.  That wasn’t an option for Thomas, his father had made that clear.  All he had to look forward to was remaining on campus.  Alexander, who didn’t like the idea of leaving his friend behind on campus, insisted that Thomas accompany him back to Baltimore.

Initially hesitant to intrude upon the Mitchell’s during the holiday, that quickly evaporated as Thomas was welcomed warmly by Alexander’s parents and siblings.  More often than not during the next four years, he would spend his holidays in Baltimore and the Mitchell’s quickly became his adoptive family since he was largely cut off from his own, with the exception of an occasional letter from his mother or brother.

During the course of the second semester, Thomas began considering his options.  Alexander would train to be a pilot, that was what he’d always wanted to do.  For Thomas, the choice wasn’t quite so clear cut.  His dream was to command a starship and there were a number of career paths that could take him there.  Eventually he settled on the Tactical/Security route.  His scores at the end of the first year were in the top 15% and he went into the summer with a new found confidence.

The summer between his first and second year was spent mostly in Baltimore with the Mitchell family, except for a few weeks when Alexander took him on a trip to see all the wonders that Earth had to offer. Cadet Forrester returned to the Academy in August 2375 to begin his second year.  He was only on campus a few weeks when the Breen, the Dominion’s latest allies, launched a bold attack on Starfleet Command.  The cadets were quickly mobilised to assist with the search and rescue operations.  

Thomas was better able to control his fear than some other cadets as they searched through the rubble in search of anyone lucky enough to survive.  While his team found plenty of bodies, none of them were alive.  It was several days before the enormity of what happened hit him and he broke down in tears in the privacy of the sonic shower.  The fear and anger he’d felt during those days would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Thomas found life at the Academy easier during his second year, having finally settled into life on Earth and at the Academy.  He continued to apply himself to his studies, achieving good scores in most of his classes.  While he struggled in his xenolinguistics class, Thomas achieved the marksmanship certification with Type-II & III phasers.

Left to his own devices, Thomas would have allowed his studies to consume him.  Thankfully, Alexander wouldn’t allow that to happen.  A man fond of a party, Alexander would make sure to drag Thomas from his studies and enjoy his time at the Academy.  These parties would allow Thomas to expand his circle of friends a little and he occasionally wound up hooking up with someone or other, which worked well for him because he had zero interest in dating or relationships.

With the Dominion War over,  travelling around the Alpha Quadrant was a less dangerous proposition and Thomas, Alexander and a few other cadets planned a trip to Risa during the summer between the second and third year.  Thomas loved the summer break because it gave him a chance to really decompress and unwind between school years.

While on Risa, Thomas became close to one of the other cadets, an unjoined Trill named Tejin Direv.  There was something different about Tejin.  Thomas’ normal hesitancy about getting involved with someone flew out the window with the Trill.  The two eventually fell into a holiday romance, which continued even after they returned to Earth.  Thomas had never had feelings like that for anyone before, something that both excited and scared him.  However, as the beginning of their third year got closer, Thomas began to prepare for the coming school year and grew ever more distant from Tejin.

Despite Tejin’s attempts to convince Thomas that they could make a relationship work without negatively impacting their studies, plenty of people did it, Thomas wasn’t convinced.  When Alexander’s attempt to nudge his best friend in the direction of continuing the relationship failed, Tejin knew he was beaten and the pair broke up on the eve of the new school year.  They tried to remain friends but slowly drifted apart over the course of the first semester until they were no longer making the effort to hang out with each other.

Academically, Thomas struggled more in the third year than in years previous.  This caused him to spend less time socialising, over the protestations of Alexander, and more time on his studies.  That didn’t mean he didn’t still go to the occasional party but he went to fewer parties.  In the end he maintained his average from the previous year and would go into his final year at the Academy in good shape.

As well as spending time with his adopted family in Baltimore, Thomas travelled to Bajor during the break between the third and fourth years with Alexander and the same group of cadets who’d travelled with them to Risa.  It was more awkward this time around because Tejin was now dating a Bajoran cadet named Jara Vobrin.  The relationship seemed like it was serious because Vobrin was planning to use the trip to introduce his parents to Tejin.  Though he would deny it to anyone but Alexander, Thomas was jealous and some small part of him regretted ending their relationship when he did.  As a result, Thomas spent less time with the group and more time exploring Bajor on his own.

Thomas’ final year at the Academy began in the fall of 2377 and everyone seemed to have less time for socialising, which suited him just fine.  This final year included a three month cadet cruise toward the end of the first semester.  Thomas wound up being assigned to the U.S.S. Illustrious, an old Ambassador-class heavy cruiser.  This was his first real taste of life in Starfleet and he loved it.  This brief experience spurred him on in his studies.

By the end of his final year, Thomas managed a grade that placed him in the top 20% of his class.  Most cadets would have been happy with this result but Thomas had been aiming for the top 10% and so was a little disappointed.  That disappointment soon evaporated when he was commissioned an Ensign and received his first assignment as a Starfleet Officer; Security/Tactical Officer on the Sabre-class U.S.S. Swigert.

For the first time in four years, Thomas would be without his best friend by his side.  The idea terrified him.  Not only had Alexander been instrumental in Thomas surviving his first year, he’d also kept Thomas from becoming a total recluse.  He would no longer have that going forward.  Alexander, however, was less worried and promised that he would continue to nag him via subspace.

U.S.S. Swigert (2378 – 2380)

The newly commissioned Ensign Forrester arrived onboard the Swigert full of enthusiasm and ready to get started on his first adventure.  He quickly discovered, however, that the life he imagined himself living as a Starfleet Officer was very different from the reality.  His day to day duties were monotonous; stand duty in the Brig (whether the cells were occupied or not), conduct security drills, practice on the phaser range.  At least the training simulations the Chief of Security ran provided a little excitement and variation and standing duty as a relief officer on the Bridge, even though it was on the night shift, allowed him to be near the centre of the action, or at least the centre of the night shift monotony.

This by no means meant that Thomas slacked off in his duties.  Whether monotonous or not, he worked hard to prove himself capable of taking on more.  That’s not to say that there weren’t a few exciting adventures to be had during his two years on the Swigert; being part of a security detail on an away team, the capture of a Starfleet deserter, an unforeseen journey through time that saw Thomas as part of a team that had to beam down to Regency England to name just a few.  These incidents, however, were few and far between but despite the reality not living up to what he thought it would be, Thomas loved his job.

U.S.S. Okinawa (2380 – 2386)

After two years on the Swigert, Thomas was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade and received orders transferring him.  Hoping that his new assignment would be a larger ship scheduled for a deep space exploration mission, Thomas was excited to find out where he was to be sent.  It was something of a kick in the teeth to find out that he was being transferred to the Okinawa; an ageing Excelsior-class Refit.

Thomas felt this was a backward move and struggled to understand it.  He’d worked hard during his two years on the Swigert and felt he was being punished for something (despite the fact that he’d just been promoted), though he couldn’t figure out what.  He was determined to double his efforts and work hard to ensure that whatever his next assignment would be, it would be a step forward.

The Okinawa was assigned to milk run duties within the core territories of the Federation.  Ferrying passengers, carrying important cargo, responding to the occasional distress call.  If life onboard the Swigert had been mundane,  life on the Okinawa was downright boring.  One small comfort was the fact that when Thomas was assigned to the Okinawa, he was made the duty tactical officer for gamma shift, meaning that he would get regular experience serving at the tactical station on the bridge, in addition to his duties as a security team leader.

After 3 years of hard work, Thomas was rewarded with a promotion to full Lieutenant and to the post of Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer.  This was a forward movement in his path to command and after his perceived backward step, it felt good that his career finally started moving in the right direction.  The Okinawa’s assignments didn’t get any more exciting, however, but it allowed him to take a larger leadership role within the department and he would continue to work hard and to learn.

In 2385, the Okinawa was part of Admiral Picard’s Task Force to evacuate Romulan planets in the projected path of the impending supernova.  That mission came to an abrupt end following the synth attack on Utopia Planitia in April of that year.  A few of Thomas’ friends from the Academy had been working at Utopia Planitia that day and were among the casualties.  The Okinawa was ordered to return to the Sol System to assist with the situation while her crew consoled and supported one another.

U.S.S. Independence (2386 – 2390) 

In mid-2386, Thomas received new orders; to report aboard the Diligent-class U.S.S. Independence as her new Chief Security/Tactical Officer.  By this time the synth attack on Mars a year previously had caused the Federation to largely withdraw from its role on the galactic stage, a decision that Thomas disagreed with.  But the objections of one Lieutenant would not sway the Federation Council or Starfleet Command so he kept his head down and mouth shut and continued with his duties.

Nonetheless, Thomas was excited to be serving in a senior officer billet on such an advanced and capable starship.  The Independence was engaged in anti-piracy operations along the Federation-Romulan border.  With the Roman Empire splintering, a rise in piracy throughout the border region forced Starfleet to respond with a show of force and the Independence was one of the ships assigned to the task.  It wasn’t the adventure of a deep space exploration mission that Thomas had wanted when he joined, but it was an adventure all the same and he relished the opportunity.

There was a surprise waiting for Thomas when he arrived on the Independence; the Chief Engineer was none other than Tejin Direv.  Their working relationship was professional but cool.  It pained Thomas that his decision had caused the total collapse of their friendship but he maintained a respectful distance for the first few months.

Alexander transferring in as the Independence’s new Chief CONN Officer changed things.  Since he’d maintained his friendship with both men, he would regularly share meals with one or the other and eventually the three of them began eating together on a regular basis.  Thomas and Tejin gradually fell back into their old rhythms but both were very wary of letting things go beyond friendship.

After working hard for a year to establish himself an effective officer on the Independence, Thomas was promoted once more.  Making Lieutenant Commander at the age of 31 was right in line with where Thomas wanted to be in his career and felt that a command of his own was about a decade away, possibly less.

A small party was thrown by the Independence’s senior officers to celebrate his promotion to Lieutenant Commander, Alexander and Tejin’s idea of course.  Thomas appreciated their support and was glad of the chance to relax with his friends and colleagues.   During the course of the party he drank a little too much and woke up the next morning with a massive hangover, no memory of the events of the previous night and his ex-boyfriend in bed beside him.

Needless to say, things were awkward between them for the next few days and they avoided one another as much as their duties allowed.  Eventually, Alexander locked them in a room together and promised to only let them out once they’d had a proper discussion.

For the first time since they were at the Academy, Thomas and Tejin had a completely frank discussion.  Tejin told of the hurt at the way Thomas had withdrawn before finally ending their relationship, the jealousy he felt when he heard of Thomas hooking up with someone at a party, of the love he still felt for him.  Thomas admitted to feeling jealous himself, seeing Tejin with Vobrin, his regret at ending their relationship, his obsession with earning command of a starship (which was hardly a secret) and of the love that he still had for Tejin.

Tejin suggested that they just allow things to develop and see what happens.  Thomas agreed, but was at pains to make one thing clear; his career came first.  If he felt that their relationship could get in the way of the one thing he’d dreamed of above all else, then he would end it again.  Tejin hesitantly agreed, perhaps thinking that he could change Thomas’ mind .

All was good for a time.  Alexander transferred to the Hypatia in 2389, leaving Thomas and Tejin behind.  Within a matter of months, the news came through that the Hypatia hadn’t arrived at K-17 on schedule.  There was no sign of her.  The Independence was assigned to search the area she’d last been travelling through but with no success.  The Hypatia had vanished without a trace.  Thomas had lost his best friend, his brother.  He was heartbroken and not even the loving embrace of his boyfriend could comfort him.

To make matters worse, his relationship with Tejin was beginning to become strained.  Tejin had begun to speak of marriage and children.  Thomas wasn’t against the former but he worried that the latter could hold him back.  Tejin had made it clear that he wanted children, it was a deal breaker for him.  Eventually, Thomas announced that he couldn’t give Tejin what he wanted.  This resulted in an explosive argument during which both of them said things they later regretted.  The next day, Thomas requested a transfer to anywhere.  Less than a week later he was on a shuttle, leaving the Independence for the last time.

U.S.S. Trafalgar (2390 – 2399)

Thomas took a few weeks leave and spent some time on Earth, visiting his adopted family.  The Mitchell’s were, understandably, devastated by Alexander’s disappearance.  Xander’s younger brother, James, was particularly heartbroken and Thomas tried to spend as much time as possible with him.  After attending a memorial service for the crew of the Hypatia, Thomas boarded a Runabout heading for his new assignment; the Akira-class U.S.S. Trafalgar.

Also onboard that runabout was the ship’s new CO, Commander Christopher Branson.  Thomas took the chance to get to know the Captain one-on-one during the few days it took to reach the Trafalgar.  Both men developed a respect for one another as well as a burgeoning friendship that would endure for years to come.  He quickly established himself as a capable officer and an indispensable asset to Commander Branson and the Trafalgar.

Branson quickly recommended Thomas take the Bridge Officer’s exam, which he did.  Thomas knew this was an important step on his way to a command billett and that the Commander, knowing of Thomas’ dreams, was preparing his new Chief Security/Tactical Officer for a command billet.  Upon passing it, Commander Branson assigned Thomas additional duties as officer of the watch during gamma shift.

Thomas found himself contemplating how far he’d come in the more quiet moments.  As a newly commissioned Ensign on the Swigert he found life in Starfleet to be largely mundane with a few moments of excitement puncturing the boredom.  But now as a Lieutenant Commander on the Trafalgar his life was filled with a lot more excitement.  

A question he’d periodically asked himself since his days at the Academy kept recurring with a greater frequency.  ‘Was it worth the sacrifice?’  Yes, he would tell himself quickly.  Almost too quickly, like he was trying to convince himself instead of actually believing it.  He hadn’t seen or spoken to a member of his family since before he left for the Academy, other than swapping letters a few times a year.

And then there was Tejin.  He’d never felt for anyone the way he felt about Tejin.  The things they’d said to each other during their last argument were terrible.  That the last time they’d talked had been that argument was a bitter pill for Thomas to swallow.  He’d prioritised his career at the expense of being with the man he loved.  Was the possibility of Captaining a starship really worth that sacrifice?  His answer was the same every time. ‘God, I hope so’.

After three years on the Trafalgar, Thomas was promoted to Commander and the position of Second Officer.  This was the next step on his path to command and he relished the new opportunities and challenges that this presented to him.  He’d learned a lot from the various leaders he’d previously served under, particularly from Captain Branson.  The Trafalgar continued to be assigned some of the more difficult tasks and Thomas enjoyed the challenges that these missions presented to him.

Captain Branson was reassigned to Starfleet Command in 2395 and Starfleet assigned Trafalgar’s XO, Commander Andrea Sanders, to command the Akira-class starship.  Commander Sanders was given free rein to choose her Exec and immediately chose to promote Thomas to the position.  He’d finally made it; he now got to wear the red uniform of command.

Having spent two years as Second Officer, Thomas adjusted to his new role easily, though the first few months were spent looking over the shoulder of the new Chief Security/Tactical Officer.  He found it difficult to give up his old role.  It wasn’t until Captain Sanders had a private word with her new Exec that he finally let go of his old job completely and focus on his duties as XO.

Thomas spent the next two years as Captain Sanders right hand until Captain Branson requested her for a new assignment and recommended Thomas replace her as Commanding Officer of the Trafalgar with a promotion to the rank of Captain.  This was the moment that Thomas had been working toward his entire career.  His mother and brother responded to the news with letters that expressed their joy and pride in his achievement.  There was no response from his father but his mother assured him that his father was proud of him, in his own way.

Having finally realised his boyhood dreams, the question that had plagued him for much of the past decade continued to pop up from time to time but rather than engage with it, Thomas quickly shoved it back in its box and locked it tight.  That kind of introspection was better suited for another time, like after he’d retired.  For now he had a job to do and that was where he believed his focus should be.

In January 2399, the U.S.S. Hypatia reappeared in the exact location she’d gone missing.  Thomas couldn’t believe the news when Judith and Nathan Mitchell contacted him to tell him the news.  He immediately took some of the leave he’d saved to return to Earth for Alexander’s homecoming.  It was an emotional reunion to say the least.

Thomas kept an eye on his best friend’s recovery and as soon as Alexander was cleared for duty in May 2399, he requested his friend be assigned to the Trafalgar as her Chief CONN Officer.  Alexander arrived just in time for Trafalgar’s three month deployment to patrol the Federation-Romulan border, which was quickly followed by another three month patrol of the Federation-Gorn border.  Following the second patrol, Trafalgar returned to the San Francisco Fleet Yards for a 12 month refit.  Captain Forrester, along with Alexander, Commander Tal Neeta, the XO, and Lieutenant Thalev zh’Charia, the Chief Security/Tactical Officer, were reassigned to the Galaxy-class U.S.S. Challenger, which was docked at Earth Station McKinley.  The rest of Tafalgar’s senior officers accepted reassignment elsewhere.

U.S.S. Challenger (2399 – Present)

Captain Forrester and his crew arrived aboard the Challenger in October 2399, ready to take the recently upgraded starship forward on her new adventures.