Join us for another in a series of interviews with winners of Duty Post awards from our recent 2021 Awards Ceremony. Our goal is to give you insight into how our fleet’s best simmers write and imagine their characters.
This month we’re interviewing the writer behind Lieutenant Lephi playing a female Ferengi Engineer assigned to the USS Chin’toka. She won the Quark’s Bar, awarded to members who are regularly active on the forums and have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall forum experience.
DeVeau: Hi Lephi! Please tell us a little about the writer behind the character — where in the world do you hail from? What sort of interests do you have? Anything you’d like to share with the community!
Lephi: Sure, it’s my pleasure! I’m from the Maritimes in Canada (the actual East coast, not the weird “East” that Ontario considers itself). I’m an 85-year-old woman trapped in a 30-year-old’s body. I love all things sci-fi and fantasy. Oh! And true crime, too.
What drew you to Star Trek? Which series or movie is your favourite and why?
Growing up, Star Trek was an escape for me. I fell in love with the idyllic world of TNG, it was nice to believe such kindness existed. Nowadays, I rate DS9 over the others though. I loved what they did, their diverse cast and interesting storylines. (Also, how cool is it that Armin got to come back and fix the Ferengi?)
How did you come up with the idea for Lephi as a character?What drew you to create a Ferengi?
The Ferengi have long been my favourite “good guy” Trek species, so I knew going into it that if I could, I would play one. Lephi is just an insecure kid at heart, working her rear off to prove to everyone that she’s not a failure, and to prove to herself that her past hasn’t broken her. Partially pulled from experience, and partially pulled from the unwritten pages of a long forgotten fanfic.
What are your goals for Lephi? Where do you see her in the future?
You know, I used to say my goal for her was to be the first Ferengi Admiral. Now, I just want to tell good stories, whatever that looks like.
You received the “Quark’s Bar” award this year. Why do you think it’s important to be active on the forums and discord in a play by email game?
The stories are malleable and impermanent, but the connections and friendships are forever. I’ve been here about a year and a half now, and I’ve met some truly amazing people in my time here, becoming fast friends with a few close ones, and I want other people to have that as well. The community is only as good, and strong, as we members make it.
I’ve asked this about Lephi, but what about you? What do you see in your future with SB118?
Heh. Here’s another one where if you’d asked me even last week, I’d have a different answer. Honestly, I’m never sure what my future here holds. All I know for sure is that I want to be around. In what capacity, and where, doesn’t really matter. As long as I have all of you.
Thanks for your time, Lieutenant Lephi!
You can read more about Lieutenant Lephi on the wiki.
