Vanessa Lofton

Authored by Nathan Miller

Character Biography

Physical Appearance:
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue

Vanessa’s nickname growing up was “Snow White” - a fact her Academy compatriots did not let her live down after discovering. She has a very fair complexion, with raven hair, usually pulled in a bun. Now starting her 4th decade, she is developing laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, only further establishing the first impression most get that she is friendly and - to quote a former shipmate - “just good people”.

Personality
From an early age Vanessa has been outgoing and effusive, never afraid to speak to new people, always curious about everyone she meets. She instantly makes friends, and she soon learned her ability to garner trust quickly was uncommon, and something she could use to help people. She laughs easily, but truly, and loves comedy. She has a bit of a sweet tooth and will try any new dessert almost without question.

Family
Vanessa comes from a large family in New Orleans, North American Confederation, Earth. She is one of six children, the youngest of two girls. The siblings are close, and maintain contact even across light-years. It has been 2 years since she last saw them in person, but they’re planning a reunion soon. They tease her about being the only one unmarried amongst them - even her youngest brother is married!

Thomas - father 62
Wendy - mother 61
Rebecca - sister 34
James - brother 32
Robert - brother 27
Matthew - brother 25
Victor - brother 23

Hobbies
Vanessa reads voraciously - from early Earth authors like Shakespeare and Pope, to modern Vulcan poets and philosophers; she reads Klingon epics, Andorian fairy tales, Betazoid morality plays (all in translation of course); and late-modern fiction as well. “I like holodecks,” she told a friend, “but the moment you see a character with your eyes instead of your head, it’s locked in place. It will hold less strength in your imagination.”

A small woman, Vanessa started training in martial arts as a girl, and still trains, as much for exercise as for defense - the calories from those sweets won’t burn themselves. She was on the Academy Women’s Judo team, though these days she focuses on Hapkido. She laughingly credits growing up with four brothers as helping her with these skills.

As much as she likes sweets, she has tried her hand at cooking and has found she is an abject failure. She keeps trying, though, and is constantly looking for test subjects.

Vanessa is an avid fan of aromatherapy and its effectiveness when used in conjunction with standard therapy methods. She loves scents of all kinds, and has tried her hand at making scented candles and soaps.

Education and Career

Vanessa received her degree in counseling from Loyola University in New Orleans before entering the Academy. She did a two-year residency on Starbase 202, then was assigned to the USS Olympic for several years. She looks forward to her new posting as new venture in her life. She speaks passable Vulcan, which she took as foreign language at the Academy.

The painting that hangs in Vanessa’s office.