STF

Gravel Mardusk

Authored by James Sinclair
Biographic Information
  • Position: Chief of Security on USS Atlantis
  • Rank: Lieutenant Commander
  • Species: Orion
  • Weight: 428 lbs.
  • Height: 7'2"
  • Age: 28
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Character Biography

Parents: Admiral Serchena Mardusk (Mother)
Donoak Sarensen (Father, Deceased)

Siblings: None

Spouse: Cara Esmé O’Farrell - https://www.star-fleet.com/core/character/1336/

Service Record:
Star Fleet Academy - General Security Training; Enhanced Training – Ship Boarding, Hand to Hand Combat; promoted to Ensign
USS Culloden - Security / Tactical Officer; Additional Duties – Ship Boarding and Inspection Team Leader
Starbase 54 – Security Officer; promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade
USS Avalon - Security Chief
IKS Ghol – Liason Officer; promoted to Lieutenant
Current Assignment – USS Atlantis, Chief of Security

Languages Known (F = Fluent, no accent; PF = Fluent, accent noticeable to native speaker; P = Can Read / Write, accent dicernable; P2 = Read Write = Limited Speaking; P3 = Read / Write, Non-speaking; L = Passing familiarity, cannot Read / Write):
Federation Standard - F
Orion - F
Vulcan - F
tlhlngan Hol (Klingon) - F
Cardassian - PF
Romulan - F
Ferengi - P2
Andorran - F
Hirogen- P3
Breen - P3
Various Others - L

Physical Description:

Gravel Mardusk is a huge specimen of the Orion species, standing well above average and possessing a build more akin to industrial machinery than physiology. This grants him above average strength for an Orion, which is far above that of the human norm. His skin is a brilliant green, somewhat typical for his species, and his eyes match. He possesses little to no body hair, typical for the race.

Medical History:

Multiple Phaser burns, lacerations, and broken bones
No known chronic illness / injury

Psychological History:

Mardusk is a complex and often contradictory subject. His devotion to the rules and regulations of Star Fleet is at odds with an inherent distrust of authority and authority figures. He performs his duties to an exceedingly high standard, but supervising officers and Command Staff who have earned his respect get the most from him. Officers who fail to earn such will see simply a competent Security Officer, while those he respects will find him to be unwavering in both duty and loyalty. Officers who earn his disdain, however, will see an immovable and uncooperative bulwark of stubbornness and regulatory expertise trying to thwart them at every juncture… regardless of rank. Taken a step further, to the point of animosity or hatred, and the subject has been known to react with physical force; albeit not to a lethal level.

All of this is wrapped around an exterior projection of off-duty humor and easy-goingness that serves to hide a sharp and calculating mind. He may come across as being somewhat… “goofy” … for lack of a better term; but this is pure façade meant to hide his true self. To illustrate this variation in demeanor, the following are direct quotes from various letters added to the subject’s personnel file:

“Mardusk is shrewd, competent, and knowledgeable. I have seen no finer Security nor Star Fleet Officer in all my years. I would proudly serve alongside him in any endeavor, against any foe.” – Captain T’Kor Drakenol, Commanding Officer, IKS Ghol
“A more stubborn and hard-headed officer I have yet to meet. While his abilites to perform his duties are without complaint, his attitude lacks the cut and polish of a true Star Fleet Officer.” – Lt. Commander Brian Gralham, Security Chief, Starbase 54
“He is a brute with a strong back, a beast. He will be nothing more.” – Captain Micah Crowell, Commanding Officer, USS Culloden
“A greater asset to the cause I have never gifted before to the Fleet.” – Admiral Sharia Londel, Commanding Officer, Star Fleet Academy, Security School

Biography:

Born to a Star Fleet officer mother and civilian father, Gravel was raised by his mother alone when his father died of illness when Gravel was still a youth. Gravel was moved from posting to posting, so never really had any one place to call home.

Gravel’s mother wanted to make sure that she didn’t coddle him, and as such may have been a bit harsher than necessary. Her strict rules of study, exercise, and training in military drills caused the young Orion to rebel in the small ways he could and strained their relationship to the breaking point on more than one occasion. One of the most surreptitious ways this rebellion manifested itself was in his discovery of his father’s music; a collection of Twentieth and Twenty-First Century music called “punk rock”. He listened to these recordings without his mother’s knowledge and embraced the sense of anti-authority message common in that genre and time. This led to more altercations with his mother, who viewed his actions as disrespectful and sometimes dangerous not only to him, but to her career. These acts were intensified by his massive frame filling out with muscle and sheer physical strength, and him now towering over his parent.

It was while listening to this vast collection of music that he happened upon a file that wasn’t music. It was an audio recording from his father to him. Apparently, he knew that he was dying and wanted to leave a message for his son. Before he could tell his wife about it, he passed, so it laid unknown for almost two decades. The recording was a message to his son to not be too hard on his mother, as she was as scared at being left alone as he was, and to help her and make them both proud. Hearing his father’s voice for the first time had an unparalleled effect on the young man. He immediately went to his mother’s office, now the office of a Rear Admiral, and in his excitement stormed into a meeting without warning or permission. When his mother reprimanded him in front of the gathered officers, she then braced for the typical retaliation from her son. Instead, he simply said “Of course. I am so terribly sorry to interrupt. Please accept my sincerest apologies, ladies and gentlemen.” And he turned and left. So stunned was his mother that she dismissed the officers and called him back. He played the file for her, and they both sat in silence for a long a time. Finally, the years of heartache and distance between them faded and they spoke as a family for the first time. This led to a much more nurturing and supportive relationship in both directions that continues to this day.

Despite Gravel’s rebellious and anti-authoritarian demeanor, he excelled in school. At his mother’s urging, he applied to Star Fleet and was accepted on the first application. Gravel asked if she had anything to do with it, and she assured him truthfully that she did not. In fact, she gave him her word that she would not hinder or help his career in any way. She knew he had it in him to make it on his own terms and would be proud to see what kind of officer he would become.

He finished in the top ten percent of his class in the General Course and was first in the Security School. He excelled in boarding procedures, hand to hand combat, and languages; but his massive frame was both a hindrance and an asset. He was so intimidating physically that he received lower scores in diplomatic-type simulations, a necessity for any Security Officer. Even so, his mind was sharp, and he graduated at the top of his class.

His first assignment was the USS Culloden. He immediately came into conflict with both the Security Chief and the Commanding Officer, as Gravel found them to be too self-serving and arrogant… traits he simply could not abide by. While his evaluations were fine and his assessment scores were above average, his personal reviews were tainted by the inter-personal conflicts. He was transferred off the ship before the end of his tour.

Stationed at Starbase 54 next, he again found himself to be under the command of an officer he found to be lacking. Fortunately for Gravel, the same opinion of the Security Chief was held by the Station’s Commander, and while Gravel performed his duties well, his evaluations were low. This was addressed by the Station’s Commander, and his new evaluations by the Commanding Officer’s hand enabled Gravel to apply to be a Liaison to the Kilngons… the only posting available to get him out from under the Security Chief at the time. It was here that Gravel truly came into his own.

As the Star Fleet Liason Officer, Gravel was required to brief the Klingon Command Staff of the battle-Cruiser Ghol on how Star Fleet may or may not interpret actions, policy, diplomatic status with other races, and so on. Not a job most junior officers would take on. But for Gravel, it was the perfect assignment.

Upon his arrival on the Ghol, he was ‘welcomed’ by some of the junior bridge officers. When he materialized on the transporter pad, their demeanor immediately shifted at seeing the hulking frame and rippling muscles of their new liaison officer. Gravel had studied Klingon psychology in his preparations for the assignment, and knew he had to make a point as soon as he arrived. Stretching to his full height and cracking his neck, he then extended his arm in the Klingon greeting gesture and grasped the largest of the officers by the forearm. In perfect tlhlngan Hol he said “Truly, I am honored to be greeted by such fine warriors!” and slapped the Klingon on the shoulder hard enough that Gravel had to help him stay on his feet. This met with a glare from the officer, and a roar of approval from the rest of the gathering. From that point on, Gravel had little to no issues with the crew. This level of approval would be increased during his tenure on the Ghol as Gravel demonstrated a knowledge of Federation and Star Fleet polices and procedures as well as diplomacy and, in one particular instance, tactics and weaponry.

The Klingon vessel had intercepted a known pirate operating in a remote system. As the Ghol began to pursue, the pirate was joined by several other vessels. Outnumbered, the Ghol began to fight in true Klingon fashion, but was getting damaged faster than they could inflict casualties on the other side. Gravel was on the bridge when a torpedo hit knocked their tactical officer unconscious. Taking the station, Gravel began returning fire and disabled two vessels. Seeing that the leading vessel had lost shields but was still otherwise operational, Gravel took a boarding party of Klingons and led them onto the pirate vessel and, in the words of one of the Klingons with him, “… fought with the fury of Kilgons from ages past and with the gleam of righteous fury in his eyes.” The boarding party took control of the vessel and used it to shield the Ghol and assist in subduing the rest of the pirates in the area. Crediting with saving the crew of the Ghol and assisting with the capture of the remaining pirate vessels, Gravel was inducted into House Noggra, the Great House of the Ghol’s Captain, where he quickly became a close personal friend, ally, and informally-adopted son of Lord (and Imperial Klingon Navy Admiral) T’kor. From the Federation, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

When his tenure on the Ghol was over, Gravel was in a transition state for a few months. He spent this time with his mother on Earth, and did some training at the Academy. He then received orders: Chief of Security, USS Atlantis under the Command of Captain Kelly Shultz.

While on board the Atlantis he met Cara O’Farrell, the ship’s Counselor. The two sparked, and started dating not long after her arrival. Over the course of their relationship, they grew closer and closer, and eventually married in a ceremony at her family’s residence in Ireland with Mardusk’s mother in attendance.

Theme Song: Middle Finger - Dropkick Murphys

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