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[Name: James Walding]

Name: James Walding

Age: 24 (BD 13rd July)
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Height: 5'7
Weight: 141lbs
Hair color: Dark Brown
Eye color: Brown and Teal (changes colour)
Additional features: Handlebar moustache and beard

Family
Charlie Walding: 55, Male, Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander
Jude Walding: 56, female, Science Officer, Commander
Abby Walding: 27, female, chief

Early Life
James grew up on Earth with his older sister and his parents, as his parents where stationed on Earth and Earth dock. A relatively average child, James spent his early years aimless and without much drive, preferring holo-entertainment to sport or education, often forfeiting the later to do it.
His sister on the other hand excelled at education, however despite there significantly different interests they where very close, and there parents, while slightly disheartened that James did not appear to be moving towards a Starfleet career like his sister, in there footsteps, showered them in love and support regardless.

To the shock of the family, Abby, who achieved great grades and results from her education, decided to pursue a dream to open a small restaurant. She started working with her best friend and her father to start the road to one day owning her own place, and while there parents at the start where concerned, after only a few months they where very happy for her.
In contrast James did better than expected and achieved reasonably high grades, and in opposition to his parents expectation applied for Starfleet. While his application went through a heavy review process due to his record of delinquency, he was accepted after a promising interview at the academy.

James,18, at the academy for the interview that would decide the outcome of his application to Starfleet

Starfleet Career

Academy years:
James' experiences at the academy was a starch contrast to his earlier experiences with education. While he still maintained his love for the holo-suite and a slight delinquent streak, he from the get-go was in the top twenty percent of his classes, and worked hard and always caught up on work if he let it slip to have fun with his fellow cadets.

Early on he realised he liked (and wanted to specialise in) security and tactical. While he often struggled with subjects like 'Crises Negotiation Tactics' and 'Transponder Signals and Prefix Codes', he persisted due to his love of weapons technology and starship tactics. While we never reached top of his class' or always exceled at tests and exams, he was well liked by his teachers due to his persistent attitude and desire to learn and grow. Often he would bug other cadets to join him in holodeck recreations of famous battles, in both an attempt to improve and learn but also to have fun by feeling like a captain, as he would often take control and command the other cadets.

After completing his four mandatory years, specialising in the aforementioned security and tactical, he left the academy for a role on Earth Dock.

James, 22, being promoted to ensign after completing his academy training with distinction

Service history:

Earth Dock: James served on Earth Dock for one year to be close to his family, however during his time there he started to regress to his antisocial and introverted ways, which hadn't been present during his time at the academy. He attributed this to the lack of challenge with his role working security on the dock, so, with a heavy heart, requested transfer to a frontier vessel.

U.S.S Challenger: Present

Been away for about a year due to workload, want to reactivate the character so I can participate 

[Outside the Holodeck]

James walked up to the holodeck, and pressed the panel outside the door. "Computer load program James-Beta 2." The computer beeped in acknowledgement, and the holodeck doors opened. James stepped through, and onto the bridge of the Challenger.

[The Holodeck]

He strode towards the tactical console, with a degree of confidence he would never dream of displaying on the actual bridge.  He hadn't even been on the actual bridge of the Challenger yet, he had only been a member of the crew for a few days, and had only actually 'officially' joined earlier that day. He had felt mostly unmotivated since his arrival, due to the fact the ship was docked and it still felt weird for him to be there. Only a few days ago he had still been a cadet at the academy, and now he was assigned to a starship with responsibilities and people's lives tied to his actions. His anxiety had also not been alleviated by him being informed he was now on the front lines of the Federation 'Civil war', chasing after the infamous ex vice admiral Leyton. However, the words of Executive Officer Sukal had struck home "As I said, whatever innovative ways we can come up with to hurt Leyton and his Rebels-we should work on discovering."

Sukals own idea to out play Leyton was in genius, to utilise slipstream drives to back up other vessels who go to Leyton's phony distress calls. This idea, James thought, would surely deter Leyton from continuing that tactic. Sukals idea had put an idea into James' head, as it slightly reminded him of an old tactic he had learned about and utilised during his academy days. It had spurred in him to a desire to attempt to contribute to tactics that could be used in upcoming conflict. "Computer, is this ship capable of performing a remote security overwide on another federation vessel if the correct codes are imputed."   "All federation vessels are theoretically capable of this feat." the computer responded almost immediately. A smile formed on James' face.

In multiple battle simulations during his academy days, he had often used what he and some over cadets had called The 'Ricker' manoeuvre. They named it this due to Commander Ricker of the Enterprise D historically using it in battle exercise when he commanded the Outdated U.S.S.Hathaway against The Enterprise captained by Picard. During this exercise, a Klingon tactical officer Worf used his knowledge of the Enterprises security codes to trick there sensors into picking up another ship that did not actually exist, causing panic and giving them an advantage. James had used this by memorising the security codes of the simulated vessels before simulations, and then doing this against unexpecting opponents who had not experienced this before. James wondered if this, paired with holo technology, could become a strategy they could use in the fights to come. "Computer simulate the Enterprise D with a full crew compliment, a reasonable distance in front of the Challenger." The computer beeped, and James saw the Enterprise came into existence in the centre of the Challengers view screen. "Computer, start battle simulation, add crew to the Challenger with me taking the tactical console."

The crew appeared and James changed the ship to red alert. The blaring of the alarm started and orders started flying from the simulated captain, as both ships started to move. James raised shields, just as a spread of photon torpedoes impacted. The ship rocked, the shields dropped to 70%, but James got no reports of internal damage. In retaliating he fired the available Phaser turrets and a small spread of photons, all reaching there mark but none getting through the shields. The ships where moving towards each other now, and as such more fire was coming from the Enterprise, as the vessel moved at an optimal attack angle, allowing more of its weapons to have the dwarfed Challenger in there arc of fire. However the Challenger was not doomed. The Enterprise was a considerable older vessel, and the Challenger was near enough fully up-to-date when it came to its equipment and its armaments. The Challenger was giving back as good as it was getting, phaser beams dancing between both vessels, illuminating them in a red hue. The bridge of the Challenger was busy with the bustle of combat, orders being bellowed at the officers and crew scrambling around at their stations. James held onto his console with one hand as another round of torpedoes rocked the bridge, his other hand a blur of activity. The vessels past each other, both turning for another attack run. Both ships shields where holding, neither ship yet damaged from the encounter. They came in for another pass, somehow with more ferocity than before, the attacks having a less ordered and more animalist aura. James was wrapped up in the spectacle of it all, so much so he it took him a few seconds to realise the Challengers shields where failing. He rushed to keep them raised, him struggling almost, he felt, against the ship itself to find power to divert. Almost like the Enterprise could sense his struggle, the enemy vessel launched another full spread of photons and all its phasers, the sight of the incoming wave of fire filling the bridge of the Challenger with bright red and orange light. The shields held against the first few hits, but could not withstand the barrage. Multiple photons impacted on the ship's hull, shaking it more violently that before and causing consoles to spark. The helmsmen was thrown from his console, his burnt corpse landing near the captain's chair, James himself was pushed back from the console by the force of the blast, but quickly managed to regain his balance and grip on the unit in time to see another crewman rush to take the helm. "Now!" James said, as he realised now was an as good time as any to test his tactic, imputing the Enterprises security code and entering the false signal. He slammed two fingers down on the button to send it off, at the same time jerking his head up from the console to look at the view screen, staring at the Enterprise for a few seconds.James expected the Enterprise to temporarily stop its barrage of the Challenger, allowing him time to raise shields and for the ship to reposition to a better position, to this effect he looked back down at the console and started to reraise the shields, continuing to fire at the Enterprise. It was a massive surprise to him then when before he could do so the ship was again racked with fire, this time causing the engineering station nearby to explode, killing multiple crew members around that console. James looked up in shock to see the Enterprise continuing its attack run, relentlessly raining hell onto the unshielded vessel. "Computer why has the Enterprise not reacted!" Shouted James, with a mixture of panic and bewilderment in his voice. "The crew have perceived that signal correctly as a distraction, and have not reacted accordingly" replied the computer, its calm voice being difficult to hear over the cries of pain and shouting of commands filling the bridge. "Shit this isn't working." James said, slamming his fist into the console as a gesture of disappointment. He stood there not moving as the ship continued to shake in response to the phaser fire and torpedo impacts, fires continued springing up over the bridge, as more and more of the simulated crew where becoming causalities of James' experiment.

Then it hit him like a falling crate of Romulan ale. "Computer, simulate a slipstream jump of a friendly vessel to the same coordinates as the fake vessel signal." James watched a intrepid class ship jump into the system, bang on where the fake signal was supposed to be. The Enterprise did not react, still continuing its attack run even as the vessel started to move off from the jump point. "They still think it's an illusion" James thought, a sense of relief washing over his body. Just as the enterprise was about to fire what would have probably been the killing blow to the crippled Challenger, the intrepid class vessel opened fire.

The Enterprise started to turn, attempting to react to the new threat, as The challenger and the just arrived vessel continued to fire. The Enterprises shields fell, but it still fired on the incoming vessel, however it did not manage to penetrate the vessel. James finally raised the Challengers shield and the crippled ship started limping towards the enemy ship, firing everything it had left. The combined and sustained fire power of both ships proved too much for the Enterprises shields, photons started to impact the hull, debris flying off the mammoth vessel. James launched everything he could and, looking up at the view screen, he watched as the allied ship completed its attack run, flying over the Enterprise just as the Galaxy class vessel exploded, blinding James and forcing him to raising his arm to shield his eyes.

"Computer save and end program."James said, wiping the sweat of his forehead and stepping back from the console. The scene of the intense battle dissipated, the plan holodeck walls could be seen again, no trace of the epic clash that had just unfolded. "Looks like I have alot to talk to Lieutenant Sukal about" He thought, standing up straight, and, with a smile, straightening his uniform.

"Well that was fun."

Character(s) affected: Academy supervisors
Assigned ship(s):Shadow Fleet Academy
Period of time absent: 5 days
Date of last period of activity: July 15th
Date returning:July 20th

Any relevant comments:Practice for OTC level 2