STARFLEET CAREER

 

38735 [2361]

enters Starfleet Academy

 

42419 [2365]

graduates Starfleet Academy, promoted to ENSIGN; security officer USS Mustang

 

42821 [2365]

trains at Starfleet Marines Command Academy on Andor

 

43865 [2366]

graduates Starfleet Marines Command Academy; acquires rank of FIRST LIEUTENANT

[Marines Command]

 

43869 [2366]

22nd Expeditionary Marine Regiment

 

43872 [2366]

takes part in Naturra Campaign during hostilities with Cardassia

 

43895 [2366]

awarded Starfleet Award of Valor

 

44012 [2367]

awarded Starfleet Medal of Honor

 

44120 [2367]

awarded Medal for Outstanding Courage Under Fire

 

44123 [2367]

field promotion to CAPTAIN [Marines Command]

 

44622 [2367]

security officer Deep Space Two; promoted to LIEUTENANT J.G.

 

46870 [2369]

promoted to LIEUTENANT; deputy chief of security USS Magellan

 

48678 [2371]

chief security officer USS Eagle

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

 

Nora Laas was born on December 19, 2343 (SD 24982.2) in the Rakantha Province on Bajor. She was separated from her parents shortly after she was born when she was smuggled out of a forced labor camp to which her parents had been confined. Instead, Laas was raised by her older sister Nora Leena who at the age of thirteen was already involved with the Bajoran resistance movement and fighting the Cardassian occupation force. Laas joined the fight as soon as she was old enough to hold a weapon. Over the years she distinguished herself as an exceptional fighter, survival specialist as well as a natural leader. At the age of fifteen, she was already a leader of a resistance cell made up of adolescents. She had great success causing damage to Cardassian institutions and became instrumental in saving many Bajoran lives from the Cardassian onslaughts.

 

Fighting the Cardassians made her a tough warrior but she found no time to practice religious beliefs. Like many freedom fighters, she did not have a typical childhood or much time for a social life. She was shortly attracted to a young man, also a member of the resistance but this infatuation ended prematurely when he was killed in a Cardassian raid. This experience would leave Laas psychologically scarred and she shied away from romantic relationships in the future.

At seventeen her sister convinced her to help her attempt to leave Bajor in hope of being able to live a life away from war. Laas agreed after a number of devastating attacks killed many of her friends and cell members.

 

While Laas and Leena tried to get off Bajor their transport was intercepted by a Cardassian ship. A firefight ensued, killing all of the Bajorans on the transport vessel, including Leena. Laas managed to escape as the sole survivor.

 

For the next few months, she drifted from one refugee camp to the next but quickly became frustrated with the bad conditions and the resigned attitudes of the refugees. While visiting the Bajoran refugee camp on Valo II, Nora came across a Starfleet away team from the starship of Farragut led by Krystine Leone. After assisting the away team to capture a wanted Cardassian criminal she followed Leone’s invitation to join Starfleet. Thanks to Leone’s sponsorship, Nora Laas was accepted into Starfleet Academy in 2361.

 

At the Academy, she met fellow cadet Louise Hopkins who was assigned her roommate. Officials teamed them up on purpose, hoping that the shy Hopkins would have a positive effect on the often hot-headed Laas. The gamble paid off, the two became close friends and remained so even after graduation.

 

Physically the Academy did not challenge Laas. It was the academic part of her training that proved to be difficult at first. She had to learn new concepts she had never encounter while fighting the Cardassians such as moral responsibility and unquestioned value of all life. She managed to graduate in 2365.

 

Her first assignment was as a security officer on the light frigate USS Mustang. After only a few weeks on the Mustang, she realized that she was not challenged enough on a starship. She needed little extra motivation when she learned that the Starfleet Marine Corps was looking for new recruits to fight the Cardassians in ongoing border clashes with the Union. She swiftly signed up to train at the Starfleet Marines Command Academy on Andoria and graduated near the top of her class in 2366, acquiring the marine rank of second lieutenant.

 

Laas was assigned to the 22nd Expeditionary Marine Regiment and was swiftly dispatched to the Naturra system in which Federation and Cardassian forces were involved in a conflict for a number of border worlds.

 

She excelled as a fighter during the campaign. She received the Medal of Valor in 2366 after rescuing the crew of a crashed support vessel from Cardassian forces and lead a special forces unit to destroy a Cardassian depot.

 

Her courage remained unquestioned when a few days later she lead her unit against a Cardassian outfit of superior numbers and prevailed, taking numerous prisoners. Her actions saved a vulnerable civilian outpost from destruction. The Federation rewarded her yet again, this time with the Medal for Outstanding Courage Under Fire. Marine Command also recognized her accomplishments by awarding her a field promotion to the rank of captain.

 

The Naturra Campaign came to an end a few months later with the Federation forces victorious and soon after a new truce was signed.

 

With no more immediate need for the Marines, Laas returned to Starfleet, accepting a posting as a security officer on Deep Space Two. While serving on the space station she met So’Dan Leva and found that they had much in common. They became close friends.

 

In 2369 Laas transferred to the cruiser USS Magellan to become the ship’s deputy chief of security. She excelled at her new position but was nevertheless looking for ways to further her career.

 

In 2371 Captain Owens of the newly commissioned USS Eagle asked her to become chief security officer on his ship following a recommendation by his new tactical officer So’Dan Leva. She gladly accepted his offer.

 

On Eagle, she eventually lost her inhibitions concerning intimate relationships and became romantically involved with the ship’s first officer Eugene Edison.