Cayle Veld: Difference between revisions

The Veld family, while one cannot say is one of Star Fleet's oldest, has emerged as one of Star Fleet's most prominent. Cayle's grandfather, Charles, retired a Vice Admiral; her father, Conrad, is the current-serving Commander-in Chief,

Gold Fleet. Cayle's mother, Melinda, also served in Star Fleet until her marriage to Conrad; retiring eliminated the question of a personal conflict coming into play while the then-CAPT Conrad Veld was CO of USS ODYSSEY.

While Cayle has no brothers or sisters, she does have a a few cousins who currently serve in Star Fleet: CDR Samuel ("Sam") Carstairs (who, ironically, replaced Cayle for a short time after her abduction as XO of DS13 and now serves as CO USS LEVIATHAN) and his brother, Richard Jr., son of Melinda Veld's brother Richard; and Callista ("Cal"- OPS on USS KIROV) Veld, daughter of COL Kenneth Veld (deceased) of the Star Fleet Marine Corps.

Cayle is also the goddaughter of ADM John R. Brooks, former CINCSF and current CINCBLUE. The Brooks and Veld families have enjoyed a closeness since the days when the elder Veld was a midshipman in the Academy. In fact, it was Brooks who, as CINCSF, gave Conrad his first flag appointment as Commander, Public Affairs.  However, their familial connections date back to 2260, when CAPT Johnathan "Jack" Veld commanded Science Officer Augustus Brooks on the USS ''Constellation.''

* Star Date (24)050221: Commissioned as Ensign (O-1); Assigned NAV, USS SEVASTOPOL

* Star Date (24)060918: Promoted to rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2); named Strike, USS SEVASTOPOL

* Star Date (24)061022: Named Acting TAC, USS SEVASTOPOL

* Star Date (24)070631: Tour of duty on USS SEVASTOPOL ends; returned to SB DELTA for reassignment

* Star Date (24)070708: Promoted to rank of Lieutenant (O-3); Assigned Chief Tactical Officer, USS PENRITH

* Star Date (24)091231: Tour of Duty as TAC, USS PENRITH ends.

* Star Date (24)100301: Assigned as Chief Operations Officer, USS AKAGI

* Star Date (24)100805: Breveted rank of Lieutenant Commander (O-4); named aXO, USS AKAGI

* Star Date (24)101231: Tour of duty as aXO, USS AKAGI ends.

* Star Date (24)110105: Assigned XO, DEEP SPACE 13.

* Star Date (24)141208: Reassigned as Mission Specialist for SECIS, USS SERAPIS.

* Star Date (24)141231: Mission on board SERAPIS ends.

* Star Date (24)150817: Promoted to rank of Captain (O-6); Assigned CO, USS CIRCE/COMTACRON13.

* Star Date (24)201231: Brevet confirmed; reassigned as CO, USS DIOMEDES/Task Force 105.

* Star Date (24)320701: Reassigned as CO, Task Force ''Serenity''.

* (24)120720.0000: Medal of Valor- For actions which resulted in the recovery and ultimate rescue of USS RAMSES during operations against Gorn Hegemony forces in the Tybiiran Complex at extreme risk to her own life.  

Cayle has lived the bulk of her life aboard a starship; she was born while her father was the XO and her mother was a councellor on the USS RUTLEDGE. When she was 4, her father assumed command of the USS ODYSSEY, a Galaxy-class starship, where her mother took a posting on the same ship as COU. The Velds would spend the next 14 years on the ODYSSEY- this is where Cayle's formative years were spent. When she was 18, she applied to and was accepted into Star Fleet Academy. It was around this time that her father retired from Star Fleet rather than accept promotion to RADM- he didn't feel his talents would be best served behind a desk. Cayle's mother retired several years beforehand, while she was beginning her adolescence, so as to devote more time to the raising of young Cayle.

Though initially viewing DS13 as simply a "stepping stone" to a future command, she would grow to cherish her role as station XO- not in the least bit due to the fact that, as station XO, she got to head up most away missions which, of course, meant commanding USS SPITFIRE, DS13's attached warship. In fact, it was her exploits as SPITFIRE CO which would ultimately shape her career.

Given DS13's proximity to the Gorn Hegemony, Cayle was frequently sent out to help protect Federation interests from Hegemony exploitation. Usually, she was successful- which made her a particularly nasty thorn in the Gorn Hegemony's side. However, as troublesome as she was to the Hegemony, she, along with Major Molly Sharpe was even more so to a small group of renegade Star Fleet Marines. These Marines ultimately engineered Cayle's abduction from a dying SPITFIRE underneath the eyes of USS LEVIATHAN and RAMSES in the Tybiiran Complex, which effectively ended Cayle's active career in Star Fleet proper. She would be

rescued by her friend Sharpe, but the torture at the hands of the Marines had been enough to scar her deeply.  

Caylebreth (prefers to be called "Cayle") is an extremely emotional and excitable person, which, like most things, is a double-edged sword. While her emotionalism leads to a stronger connection with the crew and thusly serves as her primary motivating factor, she sometimes can react to situations based strictly on her emotions. She relies on her "gut" to help solve problems for her, and her intuition has served her well thus far- for the most part. Indeed, following her instincts played a key role in eventually landing her last posting, that of Acting XO on the AKAGI. Serving initially as OPS on the AKAGI during a classified diplomatic mission, the UFP mediator lost control of the situation and the AKAGI found herself in the middle of an interplanetary war.  The AKAGI lay between both warring factions, separating the two fleets.  Eventually, one side fired on AKAGI in an effort to eliminate the mediators and end the dispute in one, final action. In this volley, the AKAGI's XO was

As things turned out, the SERAPIS mission ended up bringing some sort of closure to her in terms of her abduction. Therefore, much of the open cynicism and malaise that had darkened her soul after her abduction has faded...but not all of it.

"To say that Lieutenant Cayle Veld played a 'vital role' in the ultimately successful diplomatic mission on Star Date 100805.1900 is, to be blunt, an understatement. Her quick thinking in a crisis situation in assuming the XO's duties upon his death may very well have saved the ship; her subsequent impassioned speech to both warring factions struck a cord with them and allowed the peace process to move forward once again. Without LT Veld's actions, it is doubtful the AKAGI would have returned from her mission- successful or, more likely, otherwise."

"Commander Cayle Veld has been indispensible as XO of DS13. Her performance was always exemplary in station administration, but her absence will be felt most on away missions. Her achievements as CO of the SPITFIRE were of the highest order, true to the ideals of Star Fleet, despite being under constant pressure. Star Fleet has lost a fine officer."

At current, her hobbies revolve mostly around drowning herself in her work.  However, she is a gifted tactician and is therefore a student of naval history, mostly Terran but has expanded her interests outside those narrow boundaires.  She is also has a love for music; this interest has again expanded to include many forms of rock and roll and jazz.