In yet another edition of the Lower Decks, we bring you Ensign A’ern Zerxes from the USS Tiger-A. Having already been a member of various RPG groups in the past, the writer had wanted to come back to the scene for some time, and has finally found a home here with us.
The writer for Zerxes, Jess, hails from Southern Virginia. Among simming here with us, he enjoys a throng of other forms of literature creation including poetry, creative writing, fiction, and he is also the lead writer for a Dallas Cowboys fan/news site. The foreshadowing in the previous statements hints to us that he also enjoys sports, specifically basketball and football. His love for Trek started back in the early 90’s having watched TNG, beginning during the third season. He specifically recalls the “Best of Both Worlds” episode: “Having [the episode] come so quickly in my viewing experience was probably what sealed the deal for me as a life-long fan. I have since followed DS9 and Voyager, and have seen all the feature films.” Like many of us, he’s done quite a bit of homework.
But when it came to doing research on just where to rest his simming feet, he had only experience there to rest upon as well. He began his simming career in the 8th grade, finding joy in sharing RPG experiences with a friend through a magazine subscription. It wasn’t until almost seven years later that he began to wander about the net, imagining what this RPG thing might’ve morphed into in the time he’d spent away. He wasn’t disappointed with his results. “I scouted several different sites, and this one stood out. I liked the amount of depth and detail put into the design and structure; the forums seemed to have a fun spirit.” There always seems to be one name that stands out when it comes to internet searches in this area: Starbase 118.
Jesse signed up last September and has been on the road to creation ever since. Filling the role of Security on the USS Tiger-A, A’ern Zerxes is an Al-Leyan who’s just coming to the end of his first mission. When asked about what went into the creation of Zerxes, Jesse writes: “The first thing was to consider what kind of story I wanted to tell. Rather than have some deep-rooted pain from childhood tragedy, I wanted someone who came from a place of privilege out of a genuine desire to serve the greater good.” He went on to say that just the very nature of those statements might’ve suggested that the character fall into a goodie-two-shoes category, so he did well to change things up a bit. “I made sure to preserve the arrogance and entitlement that came from his background. I also threw in the wrinkle that his first life course, as the heir to his father’s thriving business, didn’t work out well, as he didn’t have the mental acumen for it.” From there, his character would go on as a star athlete, only to turn to Starfleet after a life altering event.
“Outside of that basic construct, I’ve decided to let the story shape the man. He’s only 24, and still has so much room for learning and growth. He’s basically abandoned a past life to be remade by Starfleet, so he’s only a few years into this new era of his existence.” As it were, Zerxes is doing just that aboard the Tiger-A. “The Tiger’s mission is to Bilire IV has given Zerxes a few chances to shine. We became separated from the superior security officers on several occasions, leaving me chiefly responsible for safeguarding the Captain and my crewmates. I aided in the evacuation of colonists during a massive storm and helped fight off a group of Klingon marauders.” The crew is now nearing the end of their mission, but would not have made it that far if it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the Ensign. Through a calculated maneuver that would aid the enemy long enough to uncover the truth, Zerxes was rendered unconscious by a fellow crewmate, who wasn’t aware of the plan by him. Only now has he reawakened to find that his plan actually worked, and helped to foil the real enemy plot. Nice work Ensign!
As for the future, the writer for A’ern was unsure about just where he might end up. “Everything is still so new, it’s hard to project. He seems to have made good first impressions about his capabilities as a fighter and guardian, though his lack of diplomatic and strategic skills may cost him promotions. Zerxes barely knows most of his crewmates yet, as he just got to the Tiger as this chaotic mission was beginning. He has forged a friendship with one of the medical officers, Dr. Aribelle Tagren, and would like to get to know her better once they have the opportunity.” Hey now, there’s one for the gossip column!
As it turns out, Jess and his character are on the right path. Who knows what the future holds for A’ern, or the Tiger, but one thing is for sure, it’s going to be exciting to read about. Until next time, carry on Ensign!
Lower Decks: Ensign A’ern Zerxes
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