Raymond Garrett

From FEInfobase

Revision as of 20:21, 24 September 2011

Raymond Garrett
Garrett in 2410
Species:	Human
Homeworld:	Earth
Gender:	Male
Born:	2368
Eyes:	Blue
Hair:	Black
Height:	6'2"
Weight:	176 lbs.
Affiliation:	United Federation of Planets
Assignment:	Deep Space Five
Position:	Chief of Strategic Operations
Rank:	Lieutenant Commander
Insignia:
Player:	Cath
Status:	Active
[ Source ]

Lieutenant Commander Raymond Garrett is the Chief of Strategic Operations on board Deep Space Five. A veteran of the Borg War, his record is peppered with service split between strategic operations and Starfleet Special Investigations. Despite excellent service in the war and as a strategic planner in the recent conflict with Vulcan, most who have associated with him remember best two dark spots on his record. The first is the shadow cast over him by the deaths of his entire family, including his parents, wife, and children, in the Battle of Sol.

The second is his controversial decorating during SSI's assumption of authority during the 2405 Presidential Elections, where he was accoladed for making difficult decisions that kept the peace in a charged and volatile time. This has been challenged by the press and fellow officers alike, since the events in question included armed security officers opening fire on a crowd of civilians in an incident that led to several deaths.

Personal Details

Appearance

Imposing, well-built, and stern of face, Garrett is the sort of figure one might find on a recruitment poster if such individuals were never expected to smile. He is a man of crisply-pressed uniforms and an fastidiousness to match even a military expectation of professionalism. By now his features have been weathered enough to be comfortably described as ‘craggy’, and his voice is tinged with a drawl of an accent that gives away his home country.

Family

• Father: John Garrett (deceased, aged 64)
• Mother: Helen Garrett (deceased, aged 61)
• Brother: Jason Garrett (deceased, aged 35)
• Wife: Lydia Garrett (deceased, aged 33)
• Son: Kevin Garrett (deceased, aged 5)
• Daughter: Jane Garrett (deceased, aged 3)

Professional Details and Background

Service Record

• 2386 - 2389: Starfleet Academy; Officer Candidate (Cadet)
• 2389 - 2392: USS Bulwark; Security Officer (Ensign)
• 2392 - 2396: Starfleet Special Investigations; Team Member (Lieutenant JG)
• 2396 - 2399: Starbase 24; Chief of Strategic Operations (Lieutenant)
• 2399: USS Fox; Chief of Security (Lieutenant)
• 2399 - 2402: Starfleet Special Investigations; Team Leader (Lieutenant)
• 2402 - 2405: Starfleet Academy; Security and Strategic Operations Instructor (Lieutenant Commander)
• 2405 - 2406: Starfleet Special Investigations; Team Leader (Lieutenant Commander)
• 2406 - 2410: USS Lancaster; Senior Advisor, Vulcan Sector Strategic Operations (Lieutenant Commander)
• 2410 - Present: Deep Space Five; Chief of Strategic Operations (Lieutenant Commander)

History

Raymond Garrett was born in Texas, Earth. Younger son of a cattle rancher, it was his brother Jason who was expected to take over the family business, and as such his father took a minimal interest in young Ray's development. Even as Ray exceeded at school, in academics and athletics, outshining his brother at every turn, this won his family's ire rather than their approval. Tradition required Jason to take on the family business, even if he was, for all of his efforts, the less capable of the two.

Embittered by trying hard and receiving little in return, Ray followed the advice of a recruitment officer who visited his school, and applied for Starfleet. When out from the limitations of his father, he notably flourished. He excelled in his Academy courses in security and in strategic and tactical operations, and captained the Academy football team. His proficiency, and the urgency of the Borg War, had him graduating a year early, assigned to the USS Bulwark as a security officer.

Within three years he was identified by the brand-new SSI, and offered a place in their ranks. Garrett accepted. It was here that he would meet his future spouse, Lydia Hart, a defence lawyer who routinely clashed with the organisation. Theirs was a whirlwind courtship, eventually ending with their marriage some time before the escalation of the war saw the downsizing of SSI.

Leaving his wife, and by then their two children, on Earth, Garrett accepted a posting on Starbase 24. From here he monitored strategic operations of the last lines of defence before Sol as the Borg descended further upon the heart of the Federation. But ultimately Starbase 24 was destroyed, and Garrett joined the officers returning to Earth to make ready for the final defence.

He served on board the USS Fox, manning the tactical station through the Battle of Sol. The Fox was notable for surviving the battle intact, and Garrett highly commended for playing no small role in keeping the ship safe and together.

His life was not so lucky. In the various bombardments of Earth, two targets were struck. The first was his parents' cattle ranch, reduced to nothing more than a smouldering crater. The second was the district of Melbourne where his wife and two young children were staying.

Garrett learned of his parents' death almost immediately after the conflict, for their isolation made it easy to confirm. It took another week of agonisingly helping the aid teams in Melbourne before the formal declaration was made that his wife and children ought to be considered dead. To this day, the remains of the district have been too devastated by the attack for any confirmed remains to have been found.

He was offered a discharge from Starfleet on compassionate grounds, and almost took it. But instead, SSI approached their old comrade and brandished at him their increased power and purview in the aftermath of the war. There was more work to be done, they said, and the galaxy was a more dangerous place than ever before. They needed not good men, but men who would do what was necessary.

Committed to saving the galaxy but no longer believing he had a place in it, Ray Garrett accepted the posting. For three years his records gave little detail of his service until he resurfaced into more 'respectable' circles. It was unknown why he left SSI to become an instructor at the Academy, but nobody observed a particularly improved disposition on his part.

When SSI enacted martial law across Earth upon the 2405 Presidential Elections, Garrett was drummed into service. Unable to refuse Admiral Callahan's request, he was made a team leader. As foul luck would have it, he was set to supervise the peacekeeping operations in Melbourne, where he had never found his family's body.

Matters were charged there as the issue of presidential succession worsened. Despite attempting to enforce a fair and just election, SSI were turned on, seen as oppressors rather than defenders of liberty. When a riot broke out, it was anticipated that this would sweep across the city, become a powder-keg that would render stability impossible. Garrett was commended for his management of the situation, which hinged on his instructing SSI officers to open fire on a crowd of civilians to suppress them. There was a heavy death toll, but it worked. Now enshrouded in an even darker reputation, Garrett continued to serve SSI through the rest of the crisis and the aftermath, but when he judged the matter to be over, in no uncertain terms put in for a transfer.

He was assigned to the front of the conflict on Vulcan as a strategic operations advisor. Responsible for arranging strategic and tactical policy, he shaped Starfleet's war for several years. Nevertheless, when the orders came for him to leave the longest assignment he had served at for years, there seemed no regret from Garrett, no sign that he had made any emotional or professional attachments.

He simply packed up his bags and made for Deep Space 5.