Eric McDermott

Eric V. McDermott
Name:	Eric V. McDermott
Rank:	http://www.startrekfreedom.com/images/pips1/yellowensign.jpg Ensign(sg)
Awards:
Gender:	Male
Species:	Human/Betazoid
Age:	26
Position:	Assistant Tactical Chief
Ship:	USS Nimitz (NCC 75878-E)
Status:	Active: To Skin a Cat

"You expect Loyalty yet you have none. You demand integrity yet the very concept of that word is alien to you. You expected me to come to you on bended knee and swear fealty to you. The one thing I will swear to you is this: One day you and I will meet face to face and it will be you who is on your knees.."

— {{{2}}} McDermott in a letter to Rodrigo Doenitz.

Childhood:

Eric Vitellius Devries was born to Wilhelmina Devries on August 4th 2380 on Arega IV where Devries was serving a term of imprisonment for smuggling stolen archeological artifacts. While Federation officials tried to convince Devries to give the young boy up for adoption when she was released a year later, Devries refused taking the boy with her.

Much of Devries' early years were spent in space on one broken down freighter or another that his mother managed to acquire, steal or obtain a position on. Wilhelmina was a brutal woman who has been nothing more than a career criminal all of her life. She has outstanding warrants for extortion, blackmail, smuggling, theft, espionage, and hijacking as well as for several murders.

Devries grew up in an environment in which brutal beatings for the smallest of failures was commonplace. As such he learned to stay out of sight, show no signs of weakness or emotion of any type and to complete any task assigned to him quickly and completely. At the age of twelve while staying in a cheap apartment on Earth during a layover, Eric made the mistake of trying to defend himself during one of his mother’s rages and was nearly beaten to death in the process. It was only the intervention of a neighbor that allowed him to be beamed to a Federation Medical facility and the medical treatment that saved his life.

Devries spent the rest of his childhood in an Earth Boarding School known as the Seattle Tavis Academy where teachers and councilors tried, with little success, to help the boy come to terms with his past and put it behind him. It was also during this time the boy began training almost obsessively in both Aikido and Kendo.

Just before the Eric’s sixteenth birthday investigators finally discovered the identity of his father, a Star Fleet Commander by the name of Roderick J. McDermott. Unfortunately Eric’s father was killed only weeks before a meeting could be arranged between the two.

As soon as Eric came of age he legally took his fathers last name, becoming Eric Vitellius McDermott and after several months of working odd jobs decided on college.

An Uncertain Future:

Eric McDermott attended one year at Midwestern University of Archeology Ohio and two years at San Francisco State University (Computer Science). While Eric maintained a 3.9 GPA he dropped out of both schools without explanation. While Eric enjoyed his three years in college and achieved a high standard of performance in both schools he eventually quit both. In each instance he felt as though “something” was missing in his life and his choice of training. It was only through a chance meeting with an off duty Star Fleet Captain at the Naval History Museum in San Francisco that eventually guided Eric to the Academy in order the he might follow in his fathers footsteps. Captain Stanford A. Evers was a colleague and shipmate of Roderick who took it upon himself to sponser Eric to the Academy and help the young man get settled into his new career.

Relationships of Note:

Since McDermott’s posting on the Nimitz he has established a rather cautious relationship with the ships Assistant Counselor, Ensign(sg) Cecilia Bruce but only time will tell on how this relationship develops. At this point there have been numerous misunderstandings between the two mostly due to Eric’s own inexperience and failure to understand his own feelings or Bruce’s.

Despite this, a definite and powerful bond had developed between the two and despite repeated attempts to avoid her and keep things on a professional level; McDermott has been unable to do so. His confusion has been compounded by incidents in which he has experienced empathic and telepathic events that seem to have coincided with the development of his relationship with her.

Starfleet Academy:

Star Fleet Academy, San Francisco, Earth

While in the Academy McDermott Majored in Tactics and Strategic Operations while achieving honors in Military History; Advanced Tactics and Strategies; As well as graduating with top honors at the Federation War College and graduating number 3 in his class.

McDermott is very much a student of military history and his abilities and scores in tactical simulations are nothing short of astounding. He seems to have an intuitive grasp of strategy and how to best make use of whatever resources or weapons he has available to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents. While his battle plans are extensive and cover almost every contingency, he has an uncanny ability to compensate and adjust when everything goes wrong without so much as batting an eye.

McDermott consistently scores at Marksman level with hand held weapons and has achieved a 3rd degree black belt in Aikido and has earned his second degree in Kendo. Preferred weapons are either two (One in each hand), Type 2 Phaser’s or a Type 3 Phaser rifle. He is also a dangerous duelist with either a katana or with his preferred weapon, an Hrathen Razor Saber.

The Greatest Conspiracy of Our Time:

At the beginning of McDermott’s second year at the Academy he became concerned about rumors of a rift within Starfleet. Putting the skills he learned at the University to good use McDermott began poking around in various Starfleet databases looking for information.

It took him nearly a year of cautious probing but eventually he was able to crack the security and access databases in a system coded “The Templar Files.” While McDermott was only able to break into the system once, it was a life changing experience. During the nearly forty minutes that he was able to study the files before being forced to terminate the connection to avoid being caught, he learned things that would change his entire career.

During the unauthorized access, McDermott learned of the rise of Rodrigo Doenitz and the disappearance of Rondar Nell. He was able to study the details of the Battle of Andoria, the strikes against Betazed and Tellar and finally details of the battle at the Gamma Sigma System.

It took McDermott some time after this event to discover the leader of the opposition was Admiral Robert LoDona who led the 52nd Exploratory Fleet which was operating out of the Beta Quadrant.

During the rest of his time at the Academy, McDermott did his best to learn more about LoDona and come up with a plan that would allow him to join the 52nd fleet. During that time his natural sense of caution protected him as security became tighter and tighter at the Academy.

During his last year at the Academy, McDermott became convinced that he was being watched. While he was never able to prove who was behind it on several occasions he found monitoring devices in his quarters and among his belongings. While McDermott believed that he was suspected of having been responsible for cracking the security of the highly sensitive Templar Files, he was later informed that it was due to his performance and capabilities.

During the last few months at the Academy McDermott was contacted a number of times by a female officer whom he was never able to identify. It was she who informed him that he was under watch by security forces loyal to Doenitz.

The officer claimed that Doenitz had made it a policy to keep a close watch on promising young officers who could become dangerous adversaries to him and ensure that they were loyal to him, or terminate them if they were not. She warned McDermott that due to his performance at the Federation War Academy, that he had come to the personal attention of Doenitz, who was considering the young man for a position as a junior member of his staff.

It was at this point that McDermott knew that he needed to escape, deserting if he had to. During his last months at the Academy he concentrated almost as much of his attention on escaping to the Beta Quadrant as he did on his finals. A week before graduation he received provisional orders assigning him directly to the Presidential Staff of Strategic Operations as a junior adjutant.

Only three days before his final exams and with Doenitz’ net tightening around him, his unknown benefactor acted on his behalf and he received new orders assigning him to the USS Nimitz which was one of the premier vessels of the 52nd Exploratory Fleet. McDermott was warned that as soon as it was discovered that his orders had been changed Doenitz security would come down on him immediately and that he would need to leave immediately after graduation.

Twelve minutes was all the time Cadet McDermott required to take and pass his final exam and within twenty-three minutes of receiving his commission and final orders from the Academy Commandant, McDermott had left Starfleet Academy behind. He did not wait for the graduation ceremony, he did not attend the reception after that graduation and within two hours of receiving his commission to Ensign, Eric McDermott was on a long-range shuttle heading for Beta quadrant.

It was almost fourteen hours before Presidential security discovered the ruse and a search of McDermott’s quarters found only a hand written note addressed to Rodrigo Doenitz that was short and to the point.

“You expect Loyalty yet you have none. You demand integrity yet the very concept of that word is alien to you. You expected me to come to you on bended knee and swear fealty to you. The one thing I will swear to you is this: One day you and I will meet face to face and it will be you who is on your knees.

Eric Vitellius McDermott.”

First Assignment: USS Nimitz NCC 75878-E

McDermott was assigned to the USS Nimitz upon graduation from the Academy as its Assistant Tactical Chief.

On Stardate 2407.02.16 McDermott was promoted to Ensign(sg).

USS Nimitz NCC 75878-E

Mission one: A Taste of Hate.

McDermott became caught up in a terrorist attack instigated by Humans for Humanity on Starbase Geneva in the form of a bio-engineered virus on Stardate 2407.02.09 before he was even able to report to his first duty station, the USS Nimitz.

During the incident McDermott intervened in an assault against a female Larosian civilian, stopping the assault, despite personal injury to himself. All four attackers were later apprehended when they tried to acquire medical aid for the injuries they received at McDermott’s hands.

McDermott continued to work on Geneva enforcing station security during a general lockdown until he succumbed to the virus himself on Stardate 2407.02.11.

For his actions during the crises on Geneva, McDermott was promoted to Ensign(sg) by Captain Devan Sash. McDermott was finally able to assume his duties aboard USS Nimitz as Assistant Tactical Chief on Stardate 2407.02.16.

Mission Two: For a Friend.

IKS Hegh'delar

On Stardate 2407.03.07 McDermott joined Captain Devan Sash and various members of the Nimitz Crew in the unauthorized rescue of Lieutenant Dru Tagon from a Doenitz Prison facility of Djorn Major. The team, using a borrowed Klingon Bird of Prey intended on using it's cloaking ability to allow them to infiltrate the prison facility and affect a rescue of Lt. Tagon.

During this mission McDermott began suffering from a series of telepathic and empathic episodes, which seriously affected his abilities to function. Due to the condition McDermott was ordered to remain aboard the IKS Hegh’delar while the rest of the team boarded the prison facility to rescue Lt. Tagon.

As it turned out this series of events proved to be an unparalleled opportunity for McDermott as during the course of the mission, the Defiant Class Starship USS Vindicator discovered the cloaked Hegh’delar in close proximity to the station. In the resultant clash which was McDermott's first battle, Eric took command of the Hegh'delar and commanded his first starship engagement, with a crew of only three on a ship that none of them were familiar with.

Despite being overmatched, McDermott succeeded in crippling the USS Vindicator making use of a modified version of the Picard Maneuver, which would later come to be called McDermott’s Sidestep. After the Vindicator was disabled the Hegh'delar was able to pick up the rescue team and Lt. Tagon without further incident.

Despite the fact that the mission was unauthorized, McDermott did not face charges or sanctions upon returning to the Nimitz.

Mission Three: To Skin a Cat.

No further information is available at this time.

Hobbies:

McDermott is a voracious reader. He enjoys running various combat simulations as well as playing Stratagema in which he has achieved the rank of second level Grandmaster. He spends time everyday on the Holodeck running physical fitness programs that have frightened more than one onlooker.

McDermott is also fascinated with archeology although that interest has gotten him in trouble from time to time. He is also a gifted computer hacker something that has not gotten him into trouble…yet.

His greatest weakness is in socializing with or trusting others. His childhood experiences have left him uncomfortable in social situations, which he tries to avoid. He is most comfortable around Vulcans and Klingons whom he can relate well too. He is uncomfortable around Betazoids because he is not comfortable with anyone knowing what he is thinking or even worse in his point of view, what he is feeling. His recent relationship with Cecilia Bruce is forcing him to rethink this distrust but at this time he is still struggling to come to terms with it.

McDermott’s only saving grace socially is his enjoyment of playing the Piano at which he excels preferring to play Jazz or classical pieces.

Medical History:

While Eric suffered numerous childhood injuries, there are no impairments, scars or permanent ailments.

On Stardate 2407.02.11 Eric contracted a bio-engineered virus that turned out to be the result of a terrorist attack on Starbase Geneva. Despite serious internal damage requiring surgery, McDermott recovered fully.

On Stardate 2407.03.09 Eric received a shrapnal injury to his left shoulder from an exploding console during battle aboard the IKS Hegh'delar. The injury required minor surgery, McDermott recovered fully.

Notes:

McDermott's inability to function socially with others has made him somewhat of a recluse. As such he has very little experience in dealing with people, emotions and social situations. Until recently he has had no real experience with women and while he has been powerfully attracted to certain women in his past, he has been unable to act upon that attraction. He has also missed out on numerous chances for relationships because he has been unable to respond to what to others would be obvious advances.

It is for the above reasons that Eric was very nearly dismissed from the Academy as the Star Fleet Psych-Profiling indicated he was only marginal at best for adjusting to Starfleet lifestyle. In the end however it was decided that there was not enough cause to dismiss him although a recommendation was made for him to be observed and monitored at his first command to ensure he was able to cope with life in Star Fleet.

Since his posting on the Nimitz, McDermott had begun to develop a cautious relationship with the ships Assistant Counselor, Cecilia Bruce. With her help he is slowly and painfully beginning to come out of his shell.

Awards:

None at this time.