Ty

Tyvan was born and raised on Earth, in the city of Houston, in a community of El-Aurian refugees that had settled there half a century before. His parents’ union was a temporary one and he was raised primarily by his mother, though his father did share in his life often during his younger years. A bright and ambitious child, Tyvan proved better at academics and competitive sports than he did in making friends, yet his relative lack of social progress to his peers was never a concern to his parents. El-Aurians were a private people even before they’d lost their home, so it seemed only natural that their son would be the same way.

Like many his age at the time of the Dominion War, Tyvan was galvanized to join Starfleet as soon as he was able, so he spent his teenage years focused on this goal while the brave members of the fleet fought and died to defend them. Still struggling with his social life, Tyvan became a withdrawn though dutiful young man. With a natural aptitude for science and mathematics, a lot of hard work, and his physical fitness, he managed to excel in his studies enough to earn a recommendation to the Academy.

Academy life was challenging for Tyvan, not the least of which due to his difficulties interacting with other people. He still showed a willingness to work hard and with a lot of guidance from his instructors and support from his peers Tyvan slowly began to learn the benefits of teamwork, and the leadership skills of the officers they were training to be. Joining the Academy’s Velocity team at the suggestion of one of his mentors had a positive influence on him, as did the cadet missions he participated in during those years. By the time he graduated, Tyvan was considered to be an intelligent and capable young leader, if still somewhat reserved.

His first posting was on board the USS Hathaway, a Nebula Class vessel assigned to support and defence of colonies in the Beta Quadrant. Under the tutelage of the ship’s chief engineer, a wise old Bajoran man with a wealth of experience to share, Tyvan expanded the knowledge and training he’d been given at the Academy. Always keen to go above and beyond what was expected of him, he earned a promotion to a junior lieutenant after three years on board, as well as the respect of the other engineers for his willingness to learn from them regardless of their rank. Their missions afforded him a number of chances to join on away missions and demonstrate his ability to lead small teams when required.

By the time the Hathaway was called into battle six years later to defend Starbase 900 from the Borg, Tyvan had been promoted in position to his chief’s assistant. Though not his first battle, it was the most desperate and personal he’d ever engaged in, as tales of his people’s own conflict with the Borg had been a part of his heritage growing up. Despite the best efforts of the ship’s crew and captain, the Hathaway was critically damaged, forcing them to abandon ship before she was destroyed.

Tyvan spent several months on medical leave following the battle on Helios Colony, recovering from severe physical injuries he’d sustained though it was the psychological trauma that left the deepest scars. He began to grow more distant and sullen once again, acutely aware of how close they were to his people’s lost planet, and the powerful, terrifying influence the Borg held over not just his kind but the galaxy as a whole. The experience cost him deeply, not just in pulling away from people once more, but also with a loss of confidence in himself. A dangerous idea formed in his mind that if he could find the El-Aurian homeworld, somehow he could figure out what it all meant, and maybe find a way to prevent others from suffering what they had.

When he was declared fit for return to active duty, Tyvan requested to remain in the Delta Quadrant rather than return to what remained of his original task force. With his qualifications, years of service, and conduct during the Battle of the Round Table, Tyvan was granted a promotion and assigned to the position of Chief Engineer of the newly-restored USS Saturn.