Rio Canção

Political Information

• Affiliation: Starfleet, United Federation of Planets

Family

• Mother: Aimeian (deceased)
• Father: Rorilian (deceased)
• Husband: Jamiest (deceased)
• Husband: Santiago Canção (deceased)

Biography

Early Life

Rio was born on an unknown world in the Delta Quadrant. Her parents were merchants that visited a range of worlds and this was the life she would know growing up as a child. She never visited her homeworld, El-Auria, but heard many stories about it from her parents. By the time she was in her twenties, she was helping her parents onboard their vessel and knew it like the back of her hand. Her father, an engineer by training, taught her everything she needed to know about engineering. She became a good pilot, thanks to her mother sharing the tricks she had learnt over the years. By the time she was in her thirties, she was flying their vessel and as their business became profitable that they were able to trade their vessel in for an upgrade. They were also able to bring in more crew, other El-Aurians who were interested in not just trading opportunities but exploring the galaxy. Joining them was a young archaeologist, Jamiest, a fellow El-Aurian who exposed Rio to the wonders of historical findings and ancient civilisations. Though she was old enough to make her own choices, with her parents’ blessings she left their ship with her craft with Jamiest to explore the galaxy to find out what they can about ancient civilisations, with one race in mind: the Iconians.

In 2283, the two had married but were on their way to rendezvous with her parents’ ship when they found it under attack by the Borg. Attempting to flee the scene, her vessel was attacked and in the middle of implementing their escape, Jamiest was injured while trying to restart their warp core. He was successful and got them out of harm’s way, but would die from radiation poisoning sometime later. Now without anyone, she piloted her vessel and joined a caravan of escaping refugee ships. A decade later, they made their way into the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Rescued by Starfleet in 2293, the refugees were on their way to Earth on board the SS Lakul. Where she was one of the forty-seven individuals saved by the USS Enterprise-B when their ship got trapped in the Nexus. She experienced being in the Nexus, and for a moment she found herself back with Jamiest and her parents before being pulled away from it.

Eventually, she became a Federation citizen and lived on Earth attending a university to get a degree before getting a doctorate in archaeology. Though she started to join various digs across the Federation, she eventually decided to join Starfleet. She passed the entrance exam without any issues and was offered the chance to go through a fast-track course to gain her commission, but she politely declined.

Starfleet Career

Starfleet Academy

Joining Starfleet at the height of the golden era of exploration, Rio whizzed through the four years at the academy. While there she studied the fields of astronomy and cosmology. Being a mature student had its bonuses but Rio found herself not always involved in the social aspect. Nevertheless, this did not stop her from trying as well as working hard. She graduated in 2308 and was eager to start her long career.

USS Cornwall (NCC-2017)

Assigned to the USS Cornwall, an Excelsior-class starship, Rio would live on it until 2345. Initially, she started as the ship’s archaeology and anthropology officer. Rarely did she find herself involved in the ship’s primary mission, but when they were exploring and came across a new civilisation she was involved in studying it. While on the Cornwall, she became romantically involved with one of the ship’s doctors, Santiago Canção. They married in 2321, a year after she was made a lieutenant commander and second officer. Rising through the ranks at a steady pace, Rio would finish her time on the Cornwall as its Executive Officer in 2345 when she was offered command of a brand new ship. Santiago agreed to join her as her new chief medical officer.

USS Harmony (NCC-2993)

The Harmony was a Constellation-class ship and was launched from the shipyards in orbit of Andoria. Undertaking deep space exploration assignments and patrol border duties, Rio came into her own as one of Starfleet’s many finest captains. Her career becomes distinguished by the ship’s involvement in helping the Klingon outpost on Khitomer after the attack by the Romulans in 2346. The Harmony remains in the system to help those who are trapped under collapsed buildings, even when Klingon Defence Forces arrive and insist the Harmony leaves the system (along with other Federation ships), Rio is able to convince them to give them another day to help. The following year, she commends the Harmony into battle against a Cardassian warship on their way to Setlik III. Though the ship is victorious in the battle, their delay to Setlik is one of the causing factors towards the Setlik III massacre. The Harmony stays in the system for some time to provide aid and prevent a second attack by the Cardassians.

USS Astrid (NCC-26538)

Remaining on the Harmony for another few more years until 2351, Starfleet decides to reassign Rio to another new ship, the Ambassador-class ship USS Astrid. The Astrid is sent to patrol the Alpha Quadrant frontier on the edge of Federation space. Her husband, Santiago, is assigned to a starbase near to the Tholian border. Two years later, he dies when the starbase is attacked by the Tholians. The Astrid is too far away to help and the news reaches Rio several days later. Devastated at the news, she takes a six-month leave of absence. She eventually does return, determined to do her best in her career. Several years later, the Astrid is ordered to defend Federation territory along the border with the Talarian Republic. The ship is heavily damaged and the crew loses many souls when the ship attempts to defend the Galen colony. The sacrifice of so many enrages Rio, who is also injured during the conflict. The ship is towed back to the nearest starbase for extensive repairs while the crew recuperate from the battle.

Rio would remain in command of the Astrid until Starfleet decided to decommission her after twenty-one years of service. However, a few weeks before she is meant to be scrapped, the vessel is assigned to the fleet to defend the Federation against the second Borg incursion. Though her return home was meant to be a celebration, the vessel engages the Borg cube with the rest of Admiral Hayes’ task force. Determined not to let the Borg do what they did to her race, Rio is firm with her convictions during the battle. Sadly though, the ship receives too much damage and just as the Borg approach Earth, Rio orders her crew to abandon the ship after setting the auto-pilot to ram the enemy vessel. The Astrid goes out in a ball flame as it causes massive damage to the exterior hull of the Cube. Rio and her senior staff watched from escape pods the moment the cube was destroyed after the arrival of the Enterprise-E.

USS Oxford (NCC-73817)

Not wanting to stop, Rio agrees to take command of the Sovereign-class starship, USS Oxford, several months later. The possibility of war looming with the Dominion on the horizon requires everyone in Starfleet to become ready for the upcoming conflict. Though the Oxford is kept close to the core territories of the Federation when war is eventually declared, the Oxford is sent to the frontlines and for the entire duration of the war finds itself in almost every major battle. Rio remained captain of the Oxford for another nine years and after attending the signing ceremony of another world joining the Federation, decides she wants to leave active starship duty.

Starfleet Academy

Returning to Starfleet Academy on Earth in 2381 and becoming a professor of archaeology, Rio found her work as a teacher one of the most rewarding in a long time. Not only did she teach archaeology, but she also was engaged in coaching the younger cadets and being responsible for small units during the field training. Up until 2390, she enjoyed her work and found herself catching the eye of other divisions within Starfleet that wanted to use her expertise and experience as a well-decorated officer. When Starfleet Academy was expanding one of its orbital campuses, she was offered the chance to become the head of one of its faculties, which she agreed to. Leaving Earth, she moved to Mellstoxx III where she led and managed the archaeology department there. While there she was able to contribute to a number of research articles and be involved in many digs. Something she loved.

USS Triton (NCC-80106)

In 2399, Starfleet sent one of her friends, James Preston McCallister to convince her to return to active starship duty after almost two decades away from the centre seat. He asked if she would take command of his former command, the Luna-class starship USS Triton. Triton had just finished a massive overhaul and needed a new captain as it was preparing to be sent to the Delta Quadrant. Eager to return to her former home territories, Rio didn’t need much convincing from James.