Commodore Kate Banninga

Name Kate Banninga

Position Commanding Officer

Rank Commodore

Basic Info
Personality
History
Service Record
Medical Record
Photoalbum

Character Information

Gender		female
Species		Human
Full Name		Katherine Anje Banninga
Date of Birth (Age)		29-10-2363 (33)
Place of Birth		USS Firebrand

Physical Appearance

Height		1.80m
Weight		65kg
Hair Color		Brown
Eye Color		Brown
Physical Description		Kate is slim and toned, with long brown hair, what she has up during duty. She misses her lower left arm, after being taken by the Borg. It's been replaced by a prostetic that looks and works as a real arm and hand.

Family

Father		David Benjamin (Deceased)
Mother		Elisabeth Banninga (Deceased)
Brother(s)		David Banninga (Twin)
Sister(s)		Fiona Banninga-Hawk (Sister-in-Law)
Other Family		Lotte Banninga - Niece (David's daughter) Reeuwke Banninga (Maternal grandfather - Deseased) Harmina Banninga (Maternal grandmother - Deseased)

Personality & Traits

General Overview		Due to the fact that her parents died when she was only 4 years old she has serious trust issues, and a very close bond with her twin brother. Kate can be cold and hard to the crew, but she is a good leader. She would do almost anything for her crew. She can't understand the fields of Science and Engineering, even after many attempts. She was trained in security before she stepped up to command and in her skills you can still see that. She had a higher then avarage skill in handweaponry. Growing up she was quite the tom-boy, climbing trees, playing with her grandparents' animals and exploring the farm on which they lived. She'd always come home covered in mud. Kate has always been a fighter. Not a that she looked for fights, but if one came her way, she wouldn't back down either. Especially if she was protecting someone physically weaker from a bully. She didn't always win, but bullies were unlikely to tangle with her more than once.
Strengths & Weaknesses		+ Fair + Caring + Selfless + Determined - Has difficulty trusting people - Questions her own ability to perform her job to good standard - Is a perfectionist
Ambitions		Kate already surpassed her own ambitions, as all she wanted to reach was the position of Chief Security Officer. Even after switching to the Command Division she still favors the Security field. As for her personal life, all she wants is to be loved and wanted.
Hobbies & Interests		Kate loves the beach and reading, and prefers to combine the two. She is seriously addicted to coffee.
Languages		Federation Standard, Dutch and French

History

Personal History

Childhood USS Firebrand: 2363-2367

Kate and her twin brother David were born on the USS Firebrand where their parents were stationed. Their mother Elizabeth served at the ships Chief of Security and their father Benjamin as its Helmsman. For the first three years their life was just like that of many children living on a star ship, even though she and David were the only children on the ship.

That all changed in 2367, when the Borg attacked the Federation at Wolf 359. Kate and David escaped the battle by being put in an escape pod, which was later picked up by the only surviving vessel of the Hanson taskforce, the USS Endeavour. After the battle they were brought to the Olympic class vessel the USS Hope for evaluation.

Childhood Groningen, Earth 2368-2381

After hearing of the Firebrands involvement in the battle and its demise, Reeuwke Banninga, the twins grandfather headed for the star cluster. Upon arrival he heard his daughter and son-in-law hadn’t survived, but the twins had. After the twins were released, he took them home and raised them at the family house.

While the twins had everything they’d ever need, emotionally their grandfather wasn’t available. He was absent and struggling, having lost his wife years earlier and now also his only daughter. The twins were mostly raised by nannies and caregivers in a very protected and secluded environment, their grandfather’s overprotectiveness feeling very restricted to Kate. Being homeschooled wasn’t really helping in brightening their horizons. The brightest moments were when he would take them on work trips. While Reeuwke has meant them as a way of introducing the twin to the work the family company did, since he expected them to take it over someday, Kate only saw the freedom the trips provided. She’d always longed to travel the stars.

During their teenage years they were really prepared for one day taking over the business. Kate eventually chooses to study Economics at Sorbonne University. While this made her grandfather very happy, that had not been the reason to choose the field of Economics for her future. She genuinely like numbers and trading.

Sorbonne University: 2381 – 2387:

Her university years were the first years of true freedom she experienced. While she struggled in the beginning with that freedom by excessive partying, she quickly realized that without studying she would lose the freedom she had just gained and then had nothing. The first few months were extra hard because it was the first time in their 18 year she and her twin didn’t live together, since he’d decided to study on Alpha Centauri.

She lived in Paris for 6 years in a small studio apartment above an old-fashioned French bakery where she woke up each morning to the smell of fresh baked bread. As the end of her four years at university she realized she was starting to dread having to return home. Not knowing what to do, and also aseeing the usefulness in extending her degree she decided to further her education with two more years to get het Master in Xenoeconomics. While the first 4 years had focused more on the broader field of planetary economic and trade. The master would focus on the way other species economics and how to handle them in trade. Her master also got her back in space, and reminded her of her love for space.

The decision:

After graduating she was expected to return home and start working for the company. While she loved the company and what it stood for, she was noticing that she didn’t want to. She wanted to follow her mothers foodsteps and join Starfleet. That offcourse wasn’t accepted with happiness with her grandfather. Her brother understood her decision, even though he didn’t had the same feelings as her, and supported her. The day she told her grandfather she would join Starfleet was the last time she spoke to him.

Megiddo Fleet – Gamma Taskforce: 2387 – 2390

As her first posting she got a position in the Security department of the USS Atlas, a Vesta class starship. The Atlas was serving as part of the Megiddo Fleet in the Gamma Quadrant. Starting out as an ensign, she eventually made it to division head of the Rapid Response Team. After serving on the Atlas for almost two years, Kate was offered a position as Chief Security/Tactical on the USS Sentinel, which she accepted. Eventually she moved up to the position of Executive Officer.

Early 2391 Kate was called back to Earth for a family emergency. Her grandfather had passed away, which came at the same timing as the draw down of the Gamma Quadrant Task Force. She went home for a few months to handle everything involving his death, mostly the company she now co-owned with her brother. While they’d already had planned for David to take up the day-to-day workings of the company, Kate would be the silent partner/advisor.

USS Endeavour: 2391 – 2392:

That decision became even more final when Kate was called to Starfleet Headquarters and offered the command of the Nebula class vessel the USS Endeavour. The very same ship that rescued her and her brother. On the Endeavour the ship got caught in a subspace vacuole sending them to subspace. They discovered another Starfleet vessel had crash landed on a planet in the system, killing all occupants. They salvage any important data of the USS Merin before destroying anything left. The planet they crashed on wasn't warp capable jet. No matter how careful they were, they did make first contact with the local inhabitant. They managed to leave to normal space by a way that looked like a miracle.

A year later Kate was kidnapped by the Borg during a rescue mission where they made her their Queen, Locosta. A rescue mission was set up with a number of ships, under the guidance of the USS Portland to save the quadrant from a new Borg invasion. Doing so, they also rescued Kate.
After most of her injuries were healed in the Endeavour's sickbay, Kate decided to go back to Earth to recover fully.

Recovery on Earth: 2392-2394

As a way of healing she helped her brother with the family company and worked for them when she was needed.

Langley Station A: 2394-2396

At the end of 94 Admiral Washington approached Kate with an offer she couldn't refuse and she didn't. She accepted the command of Langley Station. A Regula class space station near Cardassian space. Early February Kate was called to sickbay because a baby that had been abandoned on the station shared a DNA link with her. After more testing the little girl turned out to be her niece, her twin brother's daughter. In the months it took David to arrive Lotte stayed with Kate.

Service Record

==Education==
2381-2385: Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) in Macroeconomic, University of Paris-Sorbonne
2385-2387: Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Xenoeconomics & Interplanetary Resource Management, University of Paris-Sorbonne
==Starfleet==
2387: Officer Candidate School, San Franscisco
2387-2389: USS Atlas, Security Officer.
02-2388: Promoted to Ensign.
04-2388: Promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
2389-2390: USS Sentinel, Chief Security/Tactical.
02-2389: Promoted to Lieutenant.
2390-2391: USS Sentinel, Executive Officer.
01-2390: Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander.
2391-2391: USS Endeavour, Commanding Officer.
04-2391: Promoted to Commander.
05-2391: Promoted to Captain.
10-2392: Kidnapped by the Borg and made their Queen under the name Locosta.
2392-2394: Recovering from her injury's at Earth.
2394-2396: Commanding Officer of Langley Station.
04-2396: Promoted to Commodore.
2396-present: Commanding Officer of Langley Station A.

Medical Record

Medical Records

**USS Firebrand - 16-06-2366**
She had been diagnosed with the chicken pox. A mild sedative was administered along with an antipruritic topical cream. Her twin brother was also diagnosed with the disease

**Starfleet Headquarter - 05-01-2367**
Kate wasn't injured during the attack by the Borg, or in the aftermath. I do however recommend her visiting a counselor, to process the trauma. She has seen too much for a girl her age, and lost both her parents in the same event.

**USS Atlas - 02-06-2387**
I presume that the cadet's medical records are incomplete. The last entry is from more then 20 years ago. There is some evidence of an old break upper right arm, which was expertly set and healed resulting in no loss of movement. According to the cadet it was caused by falling out of a tree at the age of 13. Cadet is in perfect health.

**USS Atlas - 03-03-2388**
Ensign Banninga has multiple contusions, a busted lip and several cracked ribs that were sustained during an away mission in a fire fight with a Klingon.

**USS Sentinel - Counselor - 28-02-2389**
Lieutenant Banninga has been assigned to me because of the loss of a crewman under her care a few months back and displays an inability to deal with the situation. Also refuses to talk about her parents and the effect it has had on her life. Have made multiple appointments with her for intensive counseling.

**USS Sentinel - Counselor - 21-03-2391**
Kate has made good progress, although not all topics have been addressed. I don't think I've even met a patient that is so closed as she is. She seems to be happier, although I am not able to determine the cause of this. Counseling will continue.

**USS Endeavour - 29-10-2391**
Her injuries are extensive, as expected. We've been able to remove most of the implants, except for two. Her lower left arm was severed by the Borg. Most of the physical damage has been healed with a dermal regenerator. The emotional damage is still present and a counselor has been appointed. For further physical healing we've referred the Captain to Starfleet Medical on Earth.

**Starfleet Medical (Earth) - 15-11-2391**
The Captain has arrived for advanced reconstructive surgery. The initial assessment from the USS Endeavour was correct, though the internal damage is more systematic than first reported. During the "Queen-cycle" assimilation, her reproductive system was targeted for resource redirection; a total hysterectomy was necessary today to remove the failing Borg thermal-core housing. We are fitting her with a temporary biosynthetic prosthetic for her left arm. Long-term hormonal therapy will be required to compensate for the loss of natural endocrine function.

Photoalbum

Kate with her parents and twin brother at age 5.
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