Portrait

Jun

2017

Portrait of a Character – Robert Lennox

Origins

Robert Lennox had somewhat mixed and strange origins. Because I needed a means of getting Malcolm Reed home during the events of Concord, it took me a while to figure out just how that could possibly be accomplished. Since I had a Colonial story but very little else, I had to figure out a way to make it all work within Star Trek. As a result, I needed a means of traveling through time.

Hence Lennox is a time traveler, and he is a professional one, much like Richard Daniels. And so he works with Monisha Padir and Makan Sinthasomphone.

Portrayal

Ioan Gruffudd as Robert Lennox

Robert Lennox is played by actor Ioan Gruffudd.

I find this Welsh actor not only to be rather handsome, but also striking in period costume. Furthermore, he would have the correct accent for Charlotte, Jim, and Benjamin to believe he (Robert) was a redcoat.

However, the truth is quite different, as Robert’s mission was to observe the NX-01 at the commencement of the Xindi war. Instead, though, he and Malcolm both end up in Concord, Massachusetts in 1775.

Personality

Professional and intelligent, Robert’s mission is solely to observe. However, he probably would have inadvertently changed history anyway, as he tells Malcolm to duck when they face the enemy. Since there is incoming cannon fire, the warning is a wise one. And neither Lennox nor Malcolm are supposed to be there, but Lennox does not know that yet. Furthermore, when Malcolm first arrives, Lennox comments on the smoke and noise.

However, there is no way he could have known that, unless he had been dumped there earlier. Or maybe it wasn’t Robert’s first time in Concord. That presents an intriguing idea; I might write it some day.

Relationships

Robert has no known relationships.

Mirror Universe

There are no impediments to Robert existing in the Mirror Universe, although the later you get in the timeline, the more difficult the odds become.

Good-looking and intelligent people tend to rise to the top of our universe, and the Mirror rewards similar characteristics, albeit mixed with a healthy dollop of violence, sex, and cruelty.

And a smart professional time traveler could have a lot of advantages.

Quote

“I can’t say much. But there was an experiment in time travel. I was to travel in a pod and observe you.”

Upshot

While Robert is unconscious for a lot of Concord, he’s awake long enough for Charlotte and Malcolm to get a decent impression of him. And that might be enough.

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May

2017

Portrait of a Character – Jim Warren

Origins

Jim Warren founds a dynasty. As a part of the Concord book, it made sense to add a character who would be able to do a lot of the heavy lifting at the Hayes farm while Jacob was off to war. Benjamin was really too old, so I came up with Jim. Jim is named for the Huckleberry Finn escaped slave character, although he and his family are not slaves (however, it’s possible their ancestors were brought to the Americas as slaves originally).

Portrayal

Chiwetel Ejoifor as Jim Warren (image is provided for educational purposes only)

Jim Warren is played by actor Chiwetel Ejoifor. Because I used this actor to portray Anthony Parker, that signals the sharp-eyed reader that Jim is Anthony’s ancestor.

Personality

Friendly, upbeat, and with a bit of a wicked sense of humor (see the quote; he’s teaching Malcolm how to milk a cow), Malcolm relies on Jim almost as much as Charlotte does. Malcolm refers to Jim as the farming expert when they work together. And this is absolutely not what would usually happen in an interaction between two men of different races during that time period. Malcolm, of course, is a man of the future, but Jim is certainly not. So does this conversation change Jim and even give him confidence? Maybe it does; that’s an interesting idea and I may write something about that some day.

Relationships

Jim has no known relationships. However, he clearly marries and fathers at least one child, as he is part of the foundational stock for the Warren and Parker families. So he is an ancestor to both Rosemary Parker and Lakeisha Warren, and a more distant ancestor of Anthony Parker. Jim is a key character in the timeline.

Mirror Universe

Mirror Jim Warren

Jim must exist in the Mirror Universe because Anthony Parker is from there. The Mirror is a rough place, and agriculture is not favored. Hence it is entirely possible he would live in grinding poverty unless he took up arms. And this would not necessarily be a race-related issue; I feel it would relate more to class.

Quote

“You gotta do more’n that, sir. You ever had a woman who had a lot up here? And she, uh, maybe didn’t mind if you were a little, um, rough? Do it that way.”

Upshot

As I’ve noted in most of the other biographies from this book, I would love to write a sequel to Concord, but there just doesn’t seem to be a good place to put it.

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May

2017

Portrait of a Character – Charlotte Hayes

Origins

Charlotte Hayes – necessary character, and the driver of the Malcolm Reed-centric story, Concord. Malcolm needed a place to sleep and a hostess. Enter Charlotte Lilienne O’Day Hayes. Furthermore, this story responds directly to the canon letters Malcolm writes during the Shuttlepod One episode. I had always felt those letters signified a person who had trouble letting himself go with anyone. Furthermore, Malcolm, I felt (and still feel) begins his dating life attracted to either inappropriate women (such as Ruby Brannagh, and that is a canon relationship) or are unattainable (Talas, and that is a canon flirtation).

As a result, Charlotte is certainly unattainable, but Malcolm’s experiences in Concord change him, even though technically the whole trip is supposed to have been reset.

Portrayal

Charlotte Lilienne O'Day Hayes, Charlotte Hayes

Naomi Watts as Charlotte Lilienne O’Day Hayes (image is presented for educational purposes only)

Charlotte is played by actress Naomi Watts, as yet another connection to Reversal.

In addition, I wanted Charlotte to connect directly to Lili, not only in temperament, but also in looks.

Personality

Dutiful, compassionate, and somewhat intelligent, Charlotte keeps home and hearth while her husband, Jacob, goes off to war. She relies rather heavily on Benjamin, Jim, and Dorcas Warren. However, Charlotte is still very much her own person. Furthermore, while she and Malcolm ponder existence, she holds her own in the conversation.

Relationships

Charlotte’s only known relationship is with her husband, Jacob, although she flirts a bit with Malcolm.

Mirror Universe

Mirror Charlotte Hayes

Much like Jacob is a necessary component of the Mirror Universe, so is Charlotte, as she is also a direct ancestor of Doug. Furthermore, she is a consanguineous relative of Lili.

In the Mirror, a woman such as Charlotte would be beholden to a man. Due to the existence of their counterpart descendants, Jacob Hayes must be that man. And he could potentially offer her a decent life. Because agriculture is not favored on the other side of the pond, though, they could potentially be somewhat impoverished. So they would depend on any salary he would get as a soldier.

Quote

“The following summer, I was fifteen and we spent the summer together here, but mainly apart as he realized he needed to begin to understand how the farm truly worked, and how to manage it. That was always the plan, for it to be his, and he attended college in order to be better with finances and the like. But he had little practical experience with actually running the place. His vacation was not much of a vacation. And on his last day at home before he returned for his final year of school, we talked together and we agreed that he would graduate and return in the spring and he would bring a ring then, for me.”

Upshot

I really loved Charlotte’s fiestiness. She is, in a way, a colonial version of Lili. However, I have no idea how these characters could ever possibly return for a sequel.

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May

2017

Portrait of a Character – Jacob Hayes

Origins

Jacob Hayes, first of all, is an absolutely necessary character in Concord and even in the overall IBD/HGW timeline. However, Jacob is never ‘seen on camera’ in the story, although his voice comes through in a letter. Furthermore, his wife, Charlotte, talks about him all the time.

Portrayal

Steven Culp as Jacob Hayes (image is presented for educational purposes only)

Jacob Hayes is played by actor Steven Culp and is yet another link to that character. I wanted this actor in order to demonstrate the connection, through time, of Lili and Jay, and Lili and Doug, but also, in general, of the people who would eventually populate the NX-01.

Personality

Most noteworthy, Jacob is one of the few characters I have ever written whose personality is generally unknown. While Charlotte is ever faithful and certainly loves him, she also confides to Malcolm that he (Jacob) does not always help with the dishes. He is one of the first people in Concord to volunteer and join the militia,. His patriotism is never in question. And he is utterly committed to, if necessary, dying for American independence. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to, although he is wounded in action.

And then after the war, when Charlotte finally conceives and their son, Patrick Laurent is born, I see him as a devoted father. However, given the average life expectancy of that era, an older father would not be expected to live to see his only child marry.

Relationships

Jacob’s only known relationship is with his wife, Charlotte. He clearly loves her a great deal and wants very much to return to her as quickly as possible. While he volunteers for the sake of patriotism, he makes it clear that he misses her. Furthermore, he trusts her with Malcolm, even though he does not know Malcolm at all (and Malcolm is ostensibly the enemy, a somewhat neat prefiguring of Harbinger).

Mirror Universe

There are no impediments to Jacob existing in the Mirror. And in fact, he is a necessary part of both the Mirror and Prime Universe timelines, as he is a direct ancestor of Jay in our universe. And his counterpart is Doug’s direct ancestor.

Because I write so many MU soldiers, Jacob most likely would be one on a regular basis, just as Jeremiah (Doug’s father) is. That is, beyond being a volunteer in the militia, an MU Jacob would most likely take up arms as his formal profession.

Quote

“War is brutal, and I am glad to be done with it. Our cause is just, but too many youth have perished already. I cannot wait to return to your faithful arms, and pray you will be the Sarah to my Abraham.

I remain, as ever,

Your Jacob”

Upshot

While I would love to write a sequel to Concord, I am not so sure there would be too much interest in it. This is because the anchor character (Malcolm Reed) cannot be there. Furthermore, it would not have much of a science fiction bent at all, as the time travel element would already be wrapped up. And that’s a pity, as I love the story and I enjoyed writing that time period.

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Apr

2017

Portrait of a Character – Freela

Origins

Because Gina and Gabrielle Nolan were alone, and the seven stages of grief were finished, I decided I wanted their lives to go on in a somewhat unexpected manner. As a result, Kittriss and Freela were born. Freela was a linchpin character in the story line. Without her, Gabby and Gina never hear a crying child, and Gina and Kit never meet. So Freela is important to the series.

Portrayal

Saoirse Ronan as Freela (image is provided for educational purposes)

Freela is played by actress Saoirse Ronan. And this talented Irish-American actress is a two-time Academy Award nominee, as of the writing of this blog post. Much like is the case with Kittriss, I wanted Freela to not be the big, dominating warrior-type Klingon.

Personality

When we first meet Freela, she is an artistically talented first grader who commemorates her mother’s death in the Dominion War with an eerily accurate painting. And this eventually leads her (presumably) to drafting and then eventually to study engineering. So this talented and sensitive Klingon will not become a warrior; instead, she will become a builder and a designer.

However, she also expresses some anti-Breen prejudice, even as she fully accepts Gina and Gabby as new members of her family.

Relationships

Freela has no known relationships.

Mirror Universe

A Mirror version of Freela is impossible, as the Dominion War does not seem to have happened on the other side of the pond.

Quote

“You know, capital buildings and bridges, but also public monuments. There’s, um, there’s a monument to the honored dead from the Breen Attack on Earth. It’s being built on Keto-Enol. We’ve been studying it; it’s a steel and glass structure made to look like thousands of birds flying up into the sky.

The bottom is tall and wide enough for a class to fit underneath. Under it, the names of the honored dead are to be etched, and they can be highlighted either randomly or as the observer wants to see. So, if you wanted to only read human names, you could, or the victims who were in Paris or the like. And the whole thing is to be made of debris from San Francisco and Beijing and even from ships that crashed that day, that sort of thing. Mother’s name will be etched underneath, as will that of Michael Nolan, Gabby’s Dad.”

Upshot

Although she demonstrates some anti-Breen prejudice in Wider Than the Sargasso Sea, Freela is essentially a decent person. Furthermore, she is the only sister Gabby really has. And the two women love each other as much as biological sisters often do.

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Apr

2017

Portrait of a Character – Mark Stone

Origins

Mark Stone is a part of the shenanigans going on during Intolerance. I wanted someone who would be out of the heterosexual romantic sweepstakes. Mark Stone fit the bill nicely. Furthermore, he is the last of the guest characters (except, I believe, for a Vulcan seen in communications only) from that book.

Portrayal

Hugh Grant as Mark Stone (image is presented for educational purposes only)

Mark Stone is played by actor Hugh Grant. While I like this seemingly charming, handsome actor, he’s really too old for the role. And I didn’t even necessarily ‘hear’ Mark’s voice with a British accent at first.

Personality

Brittle, privileged, and arrogant, Mark has no time for the likes of Pamela Hudson or even Blair Claymore. However, his studious nature does not get him to the top his class; that honor belongs to An Nguyen (this is established in The Cure is Worse than the Disease). Mark is also the son of Emily Stone. Sharp-eyed readers will recognize her from Achieving Peace, where she works as an ambassador, alongside fellow ambassador, the Xindi sloth, Chara Sika. Furthermore, Emily’s assistant is Laura Hayes. However, let’s get back to Mark.

Relationships

Mark has no known relationships. Because this is a gay character, his options are rather different from heterosexual characters’. Maybe he hooked up with Frank Todd, or Preston Jennings, or Dave Constantine, or Luke Donnelly while he and his class were on board the Enterprise. That’s a pretty good idea and I might pursue it at some point in time.

Mirror Universe

Mark exists in the Mirror Universe and becomes Empress Hoshi’s Chief Medical Officer, succeeding Cyril Morgan (in the Prime Universe, I don’t follow through on Mark’s career, although he loses out on the Columbia CMO job to An). Because Mark is gay, that shields him from the Empress’s advances – for the most part – and often from her wrath. Since she does not see him as a potential sexual partner, she can remain intrigued with a good-looking man without getting tired of him.

Medical care in the Mirror is primitive at best. Hence Mark ends up handling a far more mundane but absolutely necessary task – helping to rid the Defiant of the mice that have bred since the end of Reversal. As a result, he keeps snakes in cages. During the last few HG Wells stories, the cages are opened, and the ensuant chaos helps Mark, Aidan, Susan, and others assert themselves against the Empress.

Quote

“You are not gonna screw up my career.”

Upshot

When I write these blog posts, I often consider new ways to write characters. And this post and this character are not exceptions. After all, this was essentially the ‘odd man out’ character in Intolerance, and he proved a convenient character for the Wells series. However, he might be strong enough for his own novel.

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Mar

2017

Portrait of a Character – Sarek

Sarek Origins

Sarek the character is, of course, canon.

Sarek Portrayal

Ben Cross as Sarek (image is provided for educational purposes only).

As in canon, Sarek is played by Ben Cross when younger and, when older, by Mark Lenard.

Personality

Relationships

Amanda Grayson

The Sarek and Amanda marriage in TOS is perhaps the best-realized love relationship ever in the history of Star Trek. Even though he is emotionally unavailable to Spock (and probably also to Sybok), the same cannot be said of Amanda. Because Vulcans have touch telepathy, and they are often touching, they must be sharing their thoughts nearly all of the time.

Perrin

After Amanda’s death in the prime timeline, Sarek eventually weds Perrin, another human. Because he is older, she is a lot more protective of him and, perhaps, a little too much so.

Mirror Universe

Sarek must exist in the Mirror Universe because Spock does.

Mark Lenard as Mirror Universe Sarek (actually, this is an image of the actor as a Romulan Commander; image is provided for educational purposes only).

Like most denizens of the Mirror, he is tougher and is probably more emotional than a Vulcan should be. The idea is interesting and I might write it.

Quote

Mark Lenard as Sarek (image is provided for educational purposes only).

“I see the humans are mostly on one side, and my fellow Vulcans are on your own side. Yet this dinner, and this week, they have been set aside for you to meet one another. And you are not doing so. And I have been speaking with two persons who were wrongfully sent to Canamar Prison. And you apparently rarely speak with them as well.

“I understand that there is an Earth saying. It is something like this – beggars cannot be choosers. …

“And my understanding of what that signifies is that we are a small band. And we have few options for meeting others. The humans and our other allies have done what they can in order to accommodate and assist us. For without them, we would be most vulnerable. And our species, I am certain, we would die out. For our natural processes, they are slow. I have heard humans refer to Vulcan customs about marriage as moving at a glacial pace. And that is true. But the glaciers, they must be rushed. And wombs must be rented. And we must live in places such as this, for our own safety, and to make friendships among our people. And to, perhaps, meet new mates….

“My understanding is that this is a holiday for family. And our families have all been sundered. And so we must make new ones. And they might have red or blue blood, rather than green, in their veins. They might have emotions. They might eat meat. But consider this. …

“This is my child! He is a Vulcan! And it is he who will help to rebuild our race. He and thousands like him are our future! And these good people, they are, they are no replacement for the ones who are gone. But they are my family now, if they will have me.”

Upshot

As an indispensable part of JJ Abrams universe, this character is also a necessary component of Eriecho’s world. He might even go to her wedding.

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Mar

2017

Portrait of a Character – T’Pring

T’Pring is a cypher and a blank slate. Everybody seems to want to put their own spin on her. I have seen her portrayed as a Federation traitor and as a lesbian. I like the idea of a different take on her.

T’Pring Origins

Arlene Martel as T’Pring (image is provided for educational purposes only).

Portrayal

As in canon, T’Pring is played by actress Arlene Martel. I have no idea who would play her as a young girl; it would have to be someone with similar exotic looks and ice queen appeal.

Personality

Emotionless and perhaps cold, T’Pring is a classic Vulcan woman. She knows what she wants and she is not afraid to go out and get it. This is her plan, no matter the cost.

Relationships

Spock

As in canon, T’Pring and Spock are promised to each other. They barely know each other. For a half-human, that should be intolerable, but it is not Spock who initially objects to their union; it’s T’Pring. And so she carries on what is essentially an affair until she can be freed from her obligation.

Stonn

In These Are the Destinations, T’Pring and Stonn know each other earlier. As a part of that story line, they are to get together (except I have not yet finished that story!).

One question I have about canon is – just how complicit was Stonn in the Amok Time scheme to either kill Spock or Kirk? Is she just evil, or was he her willing co-conspirator?

Mirror Universe

T’Pring could, I feel, exist in the Mirror Universe.

Arlene Martel as Mirror Universe T’Pring (image is provided for educational purposes only).

I write Mirror Universe women as being as ruthless as she seems to be in the prime universe. She would be in need of someone like Stonn. Or maybe she really does become Spock’s bride in the MU. That is an intriguing idea, and I just might write it.

Quote

“This is going to be so dull.”

Upshot

T’Pring would be an especially interesting character to explore in the Eriecho/JJ Abrams universe. I have tried to stay away from ‘small universe’ syndrome there, where everyone is related or close or there are far too many coincidences to be believable. Hence it might be a little much for T’Pring to exist there. Then again, if I pair her up with Sybok, that could really get things rollicking.

Now that is one hell of a plot bunny.

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Mar

2017

Portrait of a Character – Christopher Pike

Christopher Pike is a terrific character in any timeline.

Bruce Greenwood as Captain Christopher Pike (image is provided for educational purposes only)

I am still trying to figure out if I want Shelby Pike to be related to him. But why the hell not?

Hell, maybe she should be.

Christopher Pike Origins

In the Original Series, he is a handsome, intelligent captain . He is just as impulsive as Kirk. But Pike has a tragic accident yet gets a kind of illusory happy ending. In the JJ Abrams universe, he dies heroically.

Portrayal

As in canon, this character is played by Bruce Greenwood and, after he suffers his disability, by Jeffrey Hunter.

Personality

Christopher Pike, Disabled

Like most of us, Pike does not consider what might happen if the unthinkable were to occur. But it does.

So in the prime universe, he is rather badly injured. Just how conscious and aware is he? I write him as being heartbreakingly conscious of the world around him. Plus this is so much so that he flashes Morse code. And it is better than any therapy when Nyota Uhura understands him.

Relationships

Pike’s only known canon relationship is with Vina, from The Cage and The Menagerie. However, given the illusory nature of the setting, that ‘relationship’ seems a bit unreal, too.

Mirror Universe

There are no impediments to Christopher existing in the Mirror Universe.

Mirror Christopher Pike

Like many Mirror Universe men, I would have him sporting the Y Chromosome Skew. Hence this would make him more powerful . Furthermore, he would be much more interested in women, but also a much better father.

Quote

There was a series of beeps. “He says,” Nyota explained, “that’s he’s very happy to have such beautiful company.”

Upshot

Pike, like the main character in Johnny Got His Gun, deserves to return.

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Mar

2017

Portrait of a Character – Rita Spinelli

Rita Spinelli was originally a complete throwaway character and did not have a name. Once she had one, though, I decided I liked her, and I wanted to keep her.

Origins

Christina Ricci as Rita Spinelli (image is provided for educational purposes only)

I needed a character who would be an odd symbol of hope.

In the midst of the violent aftermath of the Third World War, during Colonel Phillip Green‘s reign, the multiverse is smashed together by an enemy called the Chilo. Heroes from several universes were summoned, in this epic crossover, to defeat the enemy. Some would be on ships (including Levi Cavendish and Branch Borodin), and some would be on the ground. That included Otra D’Angelo. But there also needed to be natives. Beyond Donald Janeway, Jared Riley, Liesl Green, and Cameron Petraeus, there would be one symbol.

Enter Rita.

Portrayal

Rita is ‘played’ by actress Christina Ricci. I love how she can speak in a monotone and almost be like a trauma victim, and then turn on a dime and be cutting. Rita keeps her feelings close to the vest.

Personality

Angry, damaged, and nine months pregnant, Rita leads a small resistance division against Green. But the Chilo are unlike anything she has ever seen before. When screwup Seymour Sonia practically falls into her lap, she treats him poorly, but still takes care of him, as she watches him becoming a coulamine (candy) addict. After he delivers her daughter, Speranza Memoria (Sky), Rita takes pity on Sonia and helps get him clean.

Relationships

Donald Janeway

Sky’s unnamed father is dead. Donald, who had done computers work for Green, also falls in Rita’s lap. Like her, he has demons in his past. But in her he sees an opportunity to try to rise above it all, or at least to have a future. Nerdy and overly formal, he is the stability she needs. He is the only father Sky will ever know, and they are ancestors of Kathryn Janeway.

Mirror Universe

I write Mirror Universe women as being beholden to men for their happiness and safety.

Christina Ricci as MU Rita Spinelli (image is provided for educational purposes only)

She could potentially be much more delicate. She is a smart character, and so that could be a rather calculating move on her part, to play to helpless coquette in order to snag a higher class of man.

Quote

“Listen, we’re not selling fuckin’ Girl Scout cookies here! Now there are these big rainbow-y, uh, things out there, and they are taking over people. Sonia called ‘em Chilo. But the candy keeps ‘em away.”

Upshot

For a character without much of a future, Rita becomes a rallying point for a damaged world. I just wish we had finished that story!

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Portrait of a Character – Robert Lennox

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Jim Warren

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Charlotte Hayes

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Jacob Hayes

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Freela

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Mark Stone

Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Mirror Universe

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Portrait of a Character – Sarek

Sarek Origins

Sarek Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Perrin

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Portrait of a Character – T’Pring

T’Pring Origins

Portrayal

Personality

Relationships

Spock

Stonn

Mirror Universe

Quote

Upshot