Commander Mariko Tao
Name Mariko Tao
Position Executive Officer
Rank Commander
Character Information
| Gender | Female | |
| Species | Human | |
| Age | 31 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 5' 1" | |
| Weight | 115 lbs | |
| Hair Color | Black | |
| Eye Color | Brown |
Family
| Father | Kentaro Tao, Former Governor (DECEASED) | |
| Mother | Kuyoshi Tao | |
| Brother(s) | Narihari Tao, Governer of Kintochi region Tsuneari Tao Doppo Tao |
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| Other Family | Mitsunari Tao (Paternal Grandfather) Akko Tao (Paternal Grandmother) Genjo Tao (Paternal Uncle) |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | Due to her upbringing and lifestyle as a younger woman on Anbara-sei can be quite a sheltered and stoic woman. She believes in honour, respect and courtesy and will often not speak unless spoken to. On the outside can be seen as an introvert, shy and retiring, and always looking to avoid conflict. However, knows how to handle herself should the need arise and when pushed can have quite a fiery temper. |
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| Strengths & Weaknesses | + High IQ/Intellect, genius level. + Superior retention of information. + Strategic forward thinker/planner. +/- Slight OCD when it comes to cleanliness/tidiness and the preparation of meetings and/or documents. - Struggles to make connections at times. - Limits her emotions in public. - Fiery temper when pushed. |
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| Ambitions | Lead her own missions of diplomacy, and possibly become an Ambassador at a later time in her life. Has thought of starting a family but is unsure if it's the right time. |
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| Hobbies & Interests | Has been practising Kenjutsu and Kendo since a young age as well as karate and jujustu. She regularly keeps up with these and practices techniques both in her quarters and on the holodeck. She is still an avid reader and keeps up with changes to interstellar law so she can be effective in her job. |
| Personal History | Over 150 years or so ago a group of people decided to leave Japan and head out into the stars to colonise their own world. After years of searching, and with a little help from Starfleet, they set up shop in a small system in the Alpha Quadrant near a planet that would soon be identified as Bajor over a century later. Over the century and a half a world was built, japanese styled in construction, japanese in lifestyle and culture. A thriving world that was bountiful in agriculture, art, and one that was left to grow on its own with little aid from Starfleet. Mariko was born early in the morning on a beautifully serene morning on July 11th 2366. The sounds of her cries could be heard throughout the city of Nishu in the Kintochi region of Anbara-sei (peaceful plains planet) her home planet. Her father, Kentaro Tao, was the governor of the large region of Kintochi and his large estate set up in Nishu where his family had governed since the region was formed in the 2260’s. He took over from his own father, Mistunari, who retired to enjoy life with his wife, Mariko’s grandmother, Akko. As Mariko grew the expectation from her family, from her father and grandfather, were to be the model daughter, perfect grades, perfect behaviour and not to speak out of turn against how things were run and challenge the status quo. She was more outspoken than most, even from a young age. It was noticed that she picked up things quicker than those her own age. She walked before them, talked, was writing and doing mathematics at a higher level. As such she started school at the age of 4 and progressed upwards from there. On a warm and stuffy afternoon, the sun was beating down on the old school building when the ground rumbled. The sky grew a little darker as the school yard filled with children staring up at the ships that flooded the sky. It was the Dominion, only they would find that out later. Her father refused to capitulate and challenged their first Jem’Hadar to a fight. He lost and the city of Nishu was ransacked. There was brutal fighting in the streets, bombs that rained down from the sky but they refused to give up and fought courageously. Eventually the ships would leave once most of all that was valuable was gone. Anbara-sei was left on fire. Over the course of many months, after her older brother had taken charge at the age of 17, they put their lives back together and finally were allowed to grieve their losses of both family and homes gone. Narihari Tao became the youngest governor in Nishu history and ruled it much like a young man trying to make his mark. He was strict, he was harsh, and struggled to take advice even from their grandfather, the previous governor. Mariko found it a constant struggle but generally the males ruled the roost and it had been so for over 1000 years. Things were obviously more modern and women had more rights and their lives essentially their own but the true power still belonged to the men of their world. As Mariko grew, the trauma of the Dominion attack faded. It never disappeared, just faded and the loss of her father affected her more than she realised. Still, she pushed herself into her studies and graduated high school at the age of 15. This seen as a great achievement she went on to study at one of the planet’s most prestigious universities and graduated with a degree in interstellar law at the age of 18. Her eldest brother, Narihari’s, gift to her was to find a suitable marriage to her, so as to strengthen their bond with a neighbouring family. Mariko politely declined as she had already accepted entrance into Starfleet Diplomatic Corp to train as a diplomat/peacekeeper. She had always felt a strong sensibility to keep the peace ever since reading about the many wars Starfleet and the Federation have been through in just the last 100 years alone. Coupled with personal experience she felt doing what was right, fighting for injustice and the ‘little man’ was her calling. Her time in the academy was agreeable and uneventful. She was a bit of an introvert and could be seen to be socially awkward due to her experience being in university at such a young age. Being with young adults when she herself was still a young teenager left her social skills to be somewhat underdeveloped. Still she made some friends, excelled in her classes and graduated in 2387 and was posted as a diplomatic attache Qu’nos. She felt this to be an opportunity to learn from a culture that was similar to her own in terms of honour. Ambassador Pemberton was an ailing gentleman and often had a knack for saying the wrong thing or pissing the wrong Klingon off. Mariko often smoothed out the creases with tact and grace. After leaving Pemberton’s charge once he retired Mariko spent 2 years on Deep Space 9 in the hopes of furthering Bajor and the Federations interests together. She made some headway but still a stalemate was in play. In 2392 she moved up to become an assistant department head on the famed Enterprise-F and assisted Lieutenant Commander She’ra in de-escalating a potential conflict with the Ratonians due to some detailed research and contact making. In 2394 Mariko impressed the Captain by guiding him through a first contact with a new species, the Mathadians. They had a small empire in the Beta Quadrant and through a series of talks and special dinners a trade agreement was agreed with a view for possible entrance into the Federation at a later date. She was put in for a commendation for her performance. Mariko became head of the diplomatic department on Starbase Hope in 2395, a base situated near the Romulan influx of refugees still so long after their planet was lost. A small peace was established but still it required finesse and wit. She had learned from her grandfather, her mother and those on her own world that you need to think 3 or so steps ahead of someone to gain an upper hand, and even then it is best to let them make the first move. Let them make the first mistake. To a certain degree this kind of forward planning, strategic thinking and sometimes even subterfuge could be said to be quite Romulan in nature. Mariko took part in many high profile talks, some important mediations and to this day is quite highly thought of amongst the Romulan Republic… not so much those in the Tal Shiar (not that it's proven to exist). Always the bug in her ear Mariko’s mother whispered about moving onto something more, something bigger, and in truth Mariko would be lying if she hadn’t wanted a bit of a change. However, she wasn’t ambitious outside of her own world, her own head. Diplomacy had been her career so far. Ironic that her position put her in the most social of environments when she herself hated that. Now she thought, could she cope with something different? She would find out when posted to the USS Artemis as its First Officer. This not of her own choosing but that of her older brother and mother's influence and that of Admiral Ford, a long time friend of Kuyoshi (her mother). |
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| Service Record | 2384 -> 2387 - Starfleet Academy, Diplomatic Corp specialisation. Fast tracked. 2387 -> 2390 - Diplomatic Attaché to Ambassador Pemberton, Qo’nos 2390 -> 2392 - Diplomatic Officer, Deep Space 9 2392 -> 2395 - Assistant Chief Diplomatic Officer, USS Enterprise-F 2395 -> 2397 - Chief Diplomatic Officer, Starbase Hope 2397 -> PRES - Executive Officer, USS Artemis |