William Roj

Summary
William Roj was a long-serviced Starfleet Security Officer, who by the time of the 2370's was serving on the USS Lammerglier. Born in 2316 at the Federation research colony on Dorvan III, to a pair of Starfleet researchers, Willy had the perfect setting to grow up to be anything he wanted. A scientist, inventor, Starfleet captain, the sky was the limit. Unfortunately a penchant for trouble led William instead to an un-decorated, yet storied, Starfleet Career.

Defined by his love of spirits, mischief, and warm company, William found a perfect mote in Security. His trickster's mind, and vast experience with skirting regulations, allowed William a very keen insight into security matters. Coupled with a stomach for the occasional scuff, and a blissful ambivalence about the necessary applications of force for problem solving, William's potential could have had him serving at a much higher level.

However it was this very same love of mischief, that found each opportunity for advancement, either dashed, or indulged only for long enough to be demoted once again. While a naturally charismatic leader of strays, a leader of well regulated men he was not.

His quick hand with a phaser, and in his younger days a fist, left him well equipped to handle the various Starfleet conflicts of the 24th century, in a way that frequently reminded his commanding officers that while rough around the edges, 'Willy' was an effective tool.

As a result of this, he found himself often relegated as a security officer on expeditions that would see him far away from Starfleet brass, many of whom he graduated with, so as to keep him out of sight, but in a uniform, a quiet homage to the parts he's played in galactic events.

History
William Roj was a long-serviced Starfleet Security Officer, who by the time of the 2370's was serving on the USS Lammerglier. Born in 2316 at the Federation research colony on Dorvan III, to a pair of Starfleet researchers, Willy had the perfect setting to grow up to be anything he wanted. A scientist, inventor, Starfleet captain, the sky was the limit. Unfortunately a penchant for trouble led William instead to an un-decorated, yet storied, Starfleet Career.

Will did his studies on Dorvan III, in a closely tutored group of Federation children. He was able to interact with many races and species, and pick up and teach to each of the cultural differences. Never far from trouble, William spent many of his social hours peddling the popular commodities to his schoolmates to make a quick buck. Most often when caught it was clear it was scant for the money, and often for the joy of the transaction; the time and place to practice the gift of the gab. Additionally he'd practice his skills of fireworks, and petty larceny, much to the dismay of his folks.

Just after his twelfth birthday, amid rising border tensions and the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, the Rojs relocated towards a safer posting closer to the Federation center. His mother accepted a research cooperative position on Vulcan. It was here that Will discovered a lasting love of natural philosophy and language, Vulcan, Klingon, Human, and even Cardassian, and how juxtaposed the xeno-alien writings were to his natural feelings, tempered by his experiences. In these times Will was the calmest, and most centered. He applied himself to the keen studies of his peers, and the tempered attitude of the majority Vulcan population left him hard up for partners in crime.

At eighteen he was eligible to apply to Starfleet Academy, but once again the prospect of trouble loomed on the horizon. Captivated by a teen fling with an Orion he had met on holiday with his parents, and stories of the White Wolf pirate, Will ran off three weeks before his testing date, for a two year journey across the stars. He intended to immerse himself in the cultures he had spent the past years reading about.

For two years, sometimes at the head of his beaten freighter 'Lokael', sometimes in the crew and service of this free captain or that, he wandered the galaxy. In a few months his Orion girl was fed up, and gone, but the adventure wind still had grip of William. In this time he saw much and more of the galaxy, drinking with Klingons, sparring with Romulans, and seeing the seediest, most un-talked about places in the charted galaxies.

In 2337 William returned, his hair was long, his spirit was free, he had many stories and many scars. He tested, and his cultural depth of knowledge, made him a natural Starfleet Academy candidate. However, he never truly settled. Spurning the authority of academics that William felt only knew the world through their books, he found himself often in conflict. Eventually he was removed from command candidacy, and then eventually in his second year at the academy, was placed on suspension. It was made clear in his personnel file, that William lacked no particular aptitude, but instead lacked the 'Officer's Bearing and Refinement' and would be better suited for other lines of more practical work.

In 2339, with these details available in his jacket, Roj attracted the attention of another group. Officially he was transferred to a specialized feeder training program for non-traditional Enlisted Security candidates, with an emphasis on cultural exchange, and enhancing Starfleet values. Quietly removed from enrollment, and to a clandestine location off planet, he actually began working with a shadow group, which existed to protect the Federation's galactic interests, when the Federation's conventional arms could not. The shady organization's no-holds bar methodology, and wide perspective was a natural fit for William. The training was arduous, and lasted 3 more years, before he'd see the outside world again. During this time he was drilled on language, survival, independent operation in enemy areas, hand to hand combat, weapons training, and a retinue of various other skills that would suit intelligence work, often performed without support.

In 2342, the officially rehabilitated William Roj was entered into the Starfleet Enlisted Training program, where with his newly disciplined mind and body, as well as his adjusted perspective, he excelled until graduation.

2340 - 2349
By the early 2340's tensions with the Cardassian Union had reached a xenith, several Starfleet warships having been attacked or destroyed in related events. Placed as an enlisted crewman aboard the USS Haber in 2343, William was involved in a number of operations within the Badlands, investigating missing ships, and the rising tensions. Some of these operations involved clandestine scuffles with Cardassian Obsidian officers over stranded materiel or personnel, and involved their fair share of trade violence. While these operations highlighted Williams skills for language, and sabotage, their carried stress also brought out the worst tendencies in him. Often he abused spirits, and hallucinogens, unknown to his superiors.

William was moved, in late 2346 to the USS Burnham as a security officer, with a new mission provided for his clandestine achievement; To closely monitor the rising tensions between the Klingons, Romulans and the Federation, and to report an unadulterated version of events, as well as discoveries that might be vital to Starfleet's overall tactical position. The high octane environment of danger, frequent surprises, and an anything goes frontier environment during the Hromi survey was a perfect feeder for William. During this time he rubbed elbows with Jackson Palmer, a then Chief Conn Officer, on the high arc of a meteoric rise. By the end of the 4 year survey, William had a reputation of being able to acquire any good, for a price. Whether he smuggled it, stole it, or otherwise, was always a trade secret.

2350 - 2359
At the end of the Hromi mission, his superiors had noticed the irregular behavior, and compromising existence of his substance abuse. He was quickly transferred to the quiet life of Starbase 211, conveniently located near the Cardassian border. Attentions turned to the Cardassians, as ships continued to disappear in the Badlands through the early 2350s. On one mission into the Badlands in 2353, things finally broke for William. Deep undercover, a heavily intoxicated slip led to the discovery of his team, and a botched operation. Only his brave actions and keen phaser skill kept all of the team alive. After an 11 year mission, fit with a double life, Willy was marked as an asset with no further use. Owed only to his heroic actions that saved his team, and more importantly shadowed his true master's involvement, William was offered a quiet security posting aboard the USS Nebula with credentials enough to ensure him status and regard as a security subject expert on threats to the Federation.

Thankful for the quiet change, and a chance for some solid grounding, now in his late thirties William settled in nicely to his team. He left the day to day rapidity of a clandestine life behind, and settled into his passions. In the mornings he meditated, in the afternoons he exercised and read, and in the evenings he worked his voluntary night shifts. The peace was a change for him, and suited him for the next five years. Troubled often by nightmares, he continued to drink, but shied away from harder substances. He started a relationship with a fellow crewer, a half vulcan Ensign named Sara. Through their budding relationship, William was want to say Sara had 'shown him what it was all for' although much less frequently elaborated. He returned fully to society during this time, forming

William was transferred to the USS Canopus, having been promoted to his next grade of Petty Officer, and given charge of a security team in 2359. Owing to hard work, Sara's encouragement, and mostly clean living. He'd continue to achieve and work his way up to a First Class Warrant Officer by his third year aboard the Canopus. He found a pleasure in leading his team, and downloading on his team members, many of whom had fewer than 3 years experience. Many of their missions involved the Ferengi in this time, and William enjoyed getting to know the depths of another culture. It was often remarked that in another life, he might have been an ambassador to the race, seeming to revel in their purely pragmatic business acumen. He volunteered for security details on away missions whenever possible, flexing his credentials where he could for the chance to interface with the foreign culture.

2360-2369
In 2364 Sara was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to the USS Melbourne to take on a 3 year science position, the prospect of leading a research team enough of an encouragement for the couple to take on long distance.

In 2366 William was also transferred to the USS Iriquois, with the new threat of the Borg. Brought aboard as a security expert, and promoted to Warrant Officer, the USS Iriquos would be tasked to survey Borg incursions, and attempt to discover tactical weaknesses. This time was a hard unknown for the Federation, and William was placed in concert with many other security experts, some of whom he knew from another life. Emphasis was placed on understanding, and learning how to defeat, this new threat.

Everything changed for William in 2367 when his wife was killed aboard the USS Melbourne at the Battle of Wolf 359.

Struck by grief, and the presence of a new enemy, William hardened. Regressed into his old habits, he requested immediate transfer to anywhere fighting the Borg. For his own good instead he was denied transfer, and to remain aboard the Iriquois. Against this William railed, self destructively harming whatever relationships he could in that time. He intended to cause as much nuisance as possible in the mean time, to have his way and be off the Iriquois. Eventually he ran afoul of the first officer, and was busted in rank and position for malfeasance. He was taken off all of his tasks, having been returned to a Petty Officer First Class, and submitted for transfer.

In 2368 he had his way and was transferred to the USS Tian An Men, tasked with blockading the Klingon-Romulan Border during the Klingon civil war. William was placed in another security team, this time acting as the ground extension of the blockade effort. His only responsibility here, was to do his job, and follow orders. The crew of the Tian An Men traded many off the record scuffles with Romulans, and William was thankful for something to throw his simmered rage into. The then 52 year old volunteered for many missions, ground and shuttle. He had the opportunity in this time to use the honed skills of his past life, to slake his pain.

2371-2379

Moved from conflict to conflict, the Tian An Men was soon enough fighting the Dominion, believed to be destroyed in 2373. However the ship was stranded, and the crew forced to survive against salvagers and Cardassians alike until the ship could be recovered. Few of the crew survived, and those who did credited William's methods with their survival. Given a medal of commendation, likely the only positive mark in his file, he stayed with the USS Tian An Men through the thick of the fighting at Chin'toka.

Re-assigned once again in late 2374 for 'personality conflicts' to the newly re-commissioned USS Seattle, under the guise of the USS Tian An Men's repairs, William stayed in the thick of it through the war. Ultimately injured during the battle of Rashanar, he escaped the ship's destruction with many of the crew aboard a lifeboat. Being taken to a medical station, he would spend the rest of the war.

Released for service after some well needed R&R in 2376, William spent the next three years as a security expert aboard Starbase 222. Given the obscure nature of the station, William's expertise was sought after, and his actions with the Tian An Men rewarded with a comfortable promotion to Warrant Officer. An exciting station for its origins and ongoing upgrades, it was a sleepy posting for the then 60 year old security officer. Relegated to the chaperoning of scientists, William returned to his quiet routine. Whatever anger remained for the Borg was well hidden away, flames dampened by the bloodshed of the Dominion War. He returned to his routine of meditation, reading, and in the evenings he still worked his voluntary night shifts. Occasionally meditation was substituted with quiet and private conversations with his long-dead Sara, and sometimes quiet evenings with mischief.

By 2379 the USS Lammergeier had been refitted, and was in need of personnel. The prospect of working with another storied Dominion war craft, especially one captained by a familiar face was an attractive one to William, and when available, he requested transfer to the vessel to be posted as a security officer.

Appearance
A scrappy and wiry man, into his early sixties the withering of time has begun to take hold. Often William carried at least 1 days stubble, in addition to a full mustache, as well as his telltale long dirty blonde hair. He was below average height, roughly 5'9” and wiry, no more than 165lbs. By the time of his service aboard the Lammergeier his face carried the lines of age, and the weathering of a hundred sunny days beneath a hard sun, but the telltale marks of a man fond of laughter. His eyes were the most striking feature of his face, a deep green, set in slightly sunken eyes that gave the impression of both predator and prey.

Alarmingly fast for his age, and unusually dexterous, William was a natural sticky-fingers, and dangerously quick out of the phaser holster or for a sneaky sucker-punch. Owing to his carefree nature late in his career, his uniform is often unbuttoned at the shirt, sometimes wrinkled, and sometimes missing in favor of an undershirt, or a replicated 1970's band tee-shirt, usually complete with stains and holes. Sometimes the vaguest whiff of Blantons can be smelled on him, but he'd always deny it.

Motivation
At this point in his life, William is seeking a place to download some of his impressive resume, while making one last impact in his career. He seeks to mentor the younger Starfleet officers, and let his mischievous nature lighten the mood where he can. In these pursuits he can hope to forget the pain of his past in routine, and meaningful exploration and mentorship.

The additional opportunity to live and work aboard another ship so deeply involved in the Dominion war, captained by a main he previously had served with, is a tantalizing prospect to William. Being aboard his new posting, exploring untread ground, provides an insight into a life that might have been his, had been able to shake off his demons.

OOC Notes

 * Although no official record exists, William's training and orders were controlled by Section 31