Niall Stewart

Political Information

• Affiliation: Starfleet, United Earth Commonwealth

Family

• Mother: Ava Stewart, Assistant Head Teacher, Clarke Academy
• Father: Daniel Stewart (deceased), former Political Columnist, The Times
• Brother (adopted): Ensign Craig Stewart, Engineer, Republic NV-02
• Spouse: Corporal Liam Jenkins, MACO Soldier & Field Medic, Challenger NX-03

Biography

Early Life

Born of mixed Irish-Anglo heritage, Niall was raised by his mother in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland while his father was travelling all over the United Earth Commonwealth. Eventually his father took a job in London when Niall was six. Niall and his mother moved to live with father and as such he was teased while at primary school with his Irish accent. By the time he reached his teenage years he began to lose his Irish twang as it changed to a more English accent. When he was fifteen his parents had decided to become foster parents and took in a foster child, a boy of Niall’s age; Craig. Craig had lost his parents in fire the year before and had been shipped between many foster homes. Many of them refused to have him due to his behaviour issues. Being an Assistant Head Teacher of a middle school, Niall’s mother was determined not to let Craig become a child left behind in the system. Originally the two boys didn’t get on well but when they both shared an interest in soccer they began to bond well. This relationship was what changed Craig and the two of them became close through it all. By the time they were sixteen the two brothers were inseparable. Niall’s parents eventually adopted Craig as they own son and Craig took their surname. Craig and Niall shared a number of interests including their tastes in music and sports. By the time they were eighteen they both wanted to go to university and study different aspects. Craig wanted to study physics while Niall wanted to enter the medical profession. Before the two brothers took their separate routes, Craig jokingly blamed Niall for giving him a slight Irish twang in the way he said certain things!

Niall joined Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent and took on the undergraduate course in adult nursing. He lived in Canterbury for three years before graduating with a first in his degree. After he and his brother had finished their university courses they both applied to join Starfleet. They were accepted straight away.

Starfleet Career

Early Career

In 2150 Niall passed his entrance exams to Starfleet Training Command. Due to the fact he had already attended university he was able to do the fast track course of merging the first and second years of training in one year. Niall was relentless in making sure he would pass and graduate from the course. He wanted to be a Starfleet officer more than anything. He and his brother had both finished their training by 2153 when Earth was attacked by the Xindi. Niall was part of the first emergency teams to lend a hand in parts of Florida that had been affected by the attack. There he was assigned to a local hospital to help out. He joined a number of search and rescue teams also and was commended for his bravery when entering dangerous zones. During all of this Niall had yet to hear the sad news of his father’s death. It took several weeks for Craig to track Niall down eventually though he did. Craig had to break the news to Niall that their father had been caught up in the attack when he had been covering a story in Venezuela. The heart-breaking news of his father’s death hit Niall badly. He returned home to be with his mother for several weeks before returning to duty, sharing his brother’s determination to do their best to not let their father’s death be for nothing. By April of 2153 Niall was assigned to the Voyager (NV-03).

Voyager NV-03

Niall’s appointment to Voyager was short lived as he would be quickly snatched up to join Challenger by the start of 2155. During his time on Voyager though he excelled in his work as an officer. He went out of his way to undertake extra training, allowing him to become the ship’s senior field medic. With this position he was expected to join any landing party when it didn’t require the Chief Medical Officer to attend. Under the tutelage of the ship’s Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Clara Cowell, Niall began studying exobiology.

Voyager was one of many ships assigned to the home territories of the United Earth Commonwealth. Many of their duties included ferrying important cargo to various colonies as well as cataloguing those star systems within the Commonwealth. Niall was allowed to join many of the landing parties when they visited uninhabited worlds to help with studying any local animal or planet lifeforms. After the almost disastrous events that led to the Terra Nova moment taking over the verteron array on Mars, Voyager was assigned to mop up the damage done. Niall was assigned to helping those miners who were injured when the Orpheus Mining colony landed on Mars. On several occasions he was involved in resolving fights that broke out among the miners over what had happened with their leader John Paxton and his actions against Earth. Niall was commended by his Commanding Officer, Captain Madison Burton. Doctor Cowell had noted how professional Niall was with his work and hated saying goodbye when Niall left to join Challenger.

Challenger NX-03

Niall was one of a few officers that were assigned to Challenger by Captain Burton after Captain Karim’s death. Captain Lloyd Burton was the brother of Captain Madison Burton; she was the one who suggested Niall for the position on her brother’s ship. She had said she had never met an officer so eager and energetic to explore deep space and at the same time deal with the common cold like it was nothing. She knew for Niall to develop he needed a better opportunity and Voyager would only give him a slight taste of that. She had also shared the many notes of commendations in Niall’s record from his time helping during the post-Xindi attack on Earth. He was someone who should be assigned to a deep space assignment. Niall settled in to life on the NX-class ship well and made friends with the ship’s Second Science Officer, Ensign Martha Habiba. The two would often spend their off time together.

In March 2155, Niall was assigned to his first landing party with the Challenger and was personally requested by Captain Burton to join the team. During this mission Niall helped colonists who had been attacked by the Romulans. He had objected to being armed during the operation but was quickly reminded he never knew when a phase pistol would come handy when off the ship. While on this mission he befriended MACO soldier Private Liam Jenkins. Their work in helping the injured colonists was a rewarding one. Many of his fellow officers stated how impressive Niall was with his bedside manner in treating so many of the injured colonists. He led the entire medical trauma efforts on board one of the colony ships and was responsible in saving many lives. Niall took Liam under his wing and gave him field experience as a medic and shared everything he knew in treating broken bones, lacerations, fractures and torn ligaments. Niall suggested to Doctor Ben-Ami, Challenger’s chief medical officer, that Liam should be trained as field medic as he showed potential. Ben-Ami agreed to it with Major Yu, the ship’s MACO commander. Niall began Liam’s training after their mission had been successful in saving the colonists and their colony from a Romulan attack. Shortly thereafter Niall began a romantic relationship with Liam. Their relationship became quite intense and serious in a short amount of time, both of them had fallen “head over heels” for one another. They spent a lot of their off time with each other and soon were part of a friendship group that had developed between many of the younger junior officers on board the ship. Their relationship was public knowledge on board the ship, especially after they had been caught kissing in the corridor by Captain Burton. An act Burton asked Major Yu and Doctor Ben-Ami to speak to both men about. He had no qualms in his crew seeing each other off-duty but preferred they considered how any public displays of affection could be seen by others. Both Niall and Liam were embarrassed and horrified at being caught in the act by their commanding officer.

When Challenger was assigned the duty of assisting their Andorian allies in liberating their colony on Docana (later the ship would lead the efforts), Niall would experience how to deal with mass-triage on a starship. Earlier on in their mission the ship received a number of Andorian causalities when a bulk of the Andorian fleet was crippled and destroyed by a minefield (it was later discovered to be Romulan in origin). Fortunately Doctor Ben-Ami had recommended that Niall review all medical information that Starfleet (and the Interspecies Medical Program) had on Andorian physiology and anatomy, as such he was ready to help those who needed treating. Once again he was commended for his efforts and during the crisis Ben-Ami had questioned him on why he hadn’t considered becoming a doctor himself. A question he began to wonder himself. His relationship with Liam got closer and both requested if they could share quarters. Commander Levesque agreed to the request and the two of them moved in to Niall’s quarters.

During the middle of 2155 the ship was ordered to make official first contact with the Deltan species on behalf of the Earth Commonwealth and its allies in the Coalition of Planets. Initially the first contact went well with both side exchanging ideas peacefully, but the ship was dragged in to an ongoing conflict the Deltans were having with a neighbouring race known as the Carreons. In the open battle between both sides, Challenger was forced to leave its orbit of Delta to avoid being destroyed by the Carreons. Unfortunately Niall, along with many others were left behind on Delta. He had been visiting the planet with Ensign Habiba with her colleagues from the science department. Commander Nicolette Levesque, the ship’s first officer and science officer, had been on the planet too when their ship had left. The Deltan government gave the stranded crew accommodation in a high class governmental residential bulding that was used for VIPs. Those from Challenger that were left behind became agitated at their situation and almost helpless at not being able to do anything. Niall had recommended to Commander Levesque for them to carry on the diplomatic mission that Captain Burton had been assigned to do. They were safe on Delta, for now, and collecting as much information on the race would keep them all focussed on something. Levesque liked the idea; however Martha (who was Levesque’s right hand woman opposed it. She didn’t think studying the Deltans and engaging with them would help them and could create higher risks to their survival. Martha felt they should adopt the Vulcan’s stance on non-interference as it wasn’t their place to get involved in the Deltan-Carreon conflict.  She became quite vocal in her opposition and this resulted in her own isolation from the others in the group. Martha’s opinion on their situation developed in to a fall blown argument between her and Niall. It resulted in the two of them ending their friendship and being unable to speak to each other when in the same room. Levesque turned to Niall now as her most senior officer and he became her confidant (she jokingly made him first officer, seeing as she was now their commanding officer). Niall was assigned the duty of studying the Deltan’s powerful pheromone that heightened their sexual attractions. He worked with their scientist in creating a mild inhibitor that would help them, however he discovered that their own immune systems would eventually create a defence against it – nulling the inhibitor’s ability to prevent the humans from being overwhelmed by the Deltan pheromone. While on Delta he became good friends with the captain’s yeoman, Petty Officer Jamie Harris, who had been on the planet too. The two of them would share a room and Jamie would work with both Niall and Nicole in their interactions with the Deltan government. Nicole would take Niall with her to many of her meetings with the Deltan leadership and gained his thoughts on sharing what tactical information they had on the Romulans when it was discovered they were somehow involved in the current conflict with the Carreons. His relationship with Commander Levesque grew and the two would spend many evening meals together. The strain of not being with Liam soon hit Niall and he broke down in tears in front of her. He revealed to her that before Challenger had left, he and Liam had brought engagement rings on Delta. The two planned to ask Captain Burton to marry them later in the year. Niall wondered if they would ever leave Delta and see their shipmates again – a question and a hope she shared with him. When Challenger eventually returned (over two months later) he assumed duties as Acting Chief Medical Officer, due to Doctor Ben-Ami being off the ship when Captain Burton ordered the rest of the crew to abandon ship. Once again Niall was commended by Captain Burton for his actions in ensuring their crew survived on Delta and with helping Commander Levesque in her attempts in maintaining good diplomatic ties with the Deltan government. Unfortunately the Deltan military attempted to use the ship in bold last ditched attempt to take out a Carreon armada by detonating its warp core through the use of a computer virus. The Starfleet crew were able to eject the warp core before it destroyed them. When Captain Burton was injured during their attempt to stop the Deltan’s plans from happening, Niall had been able to treat him and was forced to place him in to a coma so he could recover. Fortunately the IGS Avenkerev, an Andorian ship, was nearby to rescue them and help them with treating the captain. Commander Anthi of Avenkerev gave Niall full access to their infirmary which allowed Niall to save Captain Burton’s life. Commander Anthi’s own surgeon noted on how talented Niall was and suggested to Captain Burton that he should allow Niall train to become a doctor.  In due course the entire crew were rescued when Captain Burton and the others entered orbit of Ardana, the Minshara planet they had used for shelter. They came with help with the Andorians and with a few days of hard work the entire crew were returned to Challenger.  Niall was ecstatic to see his fiancé and was one of the first to visit the planet. Both of them agreed they could no longer wait and planned to marry one another once they returned to Earth.

On their arrival home, Niall and Liam started their bachelor ‘tours’ with their respective friends before getting hitched several days later. Their wedding ended up being the celebration and party that the crew needed to boost morale. Only a few days later, Captain Burton promoted Niall to the rank of lieutenant junior grade in recognition of his work and achievements during the Deltan-Carreon conflict. After the ship was repaired and returned to active duty, it ended up saving survivors from the starship Armstrong NCC-100 and one of the survivors was Doctor Hillary Payne, the second medical officer. Stewart suggested to Ro-fa Ben-Ami that with the war on, it would make sense to have another fully qualified doctor on board. Knowing that it would mean he would lose his seniority within the medical department, Niall was happy to see Ben-Ami agree to his idea. Nevertheless the CMO, insisted that Niall started his training to become a doctor. Something she had wanted him to do sooner, he agreed to her terms.