T'Preea

T'Preea was the first permanent Vulcan Captain in Starfleet, commanding the first completely integrated Human/Vulcan starship, the science vessel U.S.S. Venture.

Early Life
T'Preea was born on Vulcan in the city of Shi'Kahr to Solar (So-Lahr) and T'Penna. With a relatively influential family (and her father a member of the Vulcan High Council), T'Preea had many high expectations from birth. There was a decent chance that she and Spock may have been bonded, but due to the slight age differences, Sarek and Amanda chose another highly suitable candidate, and T'Preea was bonded to Setha, a male closer to her age.

As is common for many Vulcan children, T'Preea received excellent grades, and excelled even amongst her highly-intelligent peers. She was a quiet child, docile and logical, although she occasionally leaned toward more passionate playing of the Vulcan lyre than was seen as necessary.

While preparing to enter the Vulcan Science Academy, news began to spread that Sarek's son, Spock, had gone to Earth to join Starfleet, and as T'Preea had entertained similar thoughts, she also began to investigate the possibilities of working with the Federation's more militaristic wing. Motivated by his success, in 2255, after having obtained a degree in Astrophysics from the VSA, T'Preea announced her decision to join Starfleet to her family. Despite some animosity her choice was gradually accepted, so at 20 T'Preea annulled her as-yet unconsummated relationship with Setha and went to Starfleet Academy.

For the first two years she took a special Vulcan Science program, and when that was completed spent two more years studying everything else. After graduating with honors, she returned for a final two years of Command training, finally leaving the academy in 2261.

While at Starfleet T'Preea was often considered a teacher, and in fact taught several classes regularly when substitutes could not be found. T'Preea developed an equal talent for the violin, and often spent her time in the company of many of the school's most renown teachers and professors before finally entering into service.

Family
Although T'Preea is, in many ways, very similar to her parents, there is still an underlying tension between them that has always prevented real closeness. (This is compounded by the fact that they are Vulcans.) T'Preea is her mother's only child, after two stillborn attempts at offspring. Her father, Solar, has a son from his previous marriage named Lorek. They are separated by quite a bit in age, and he is in politics, so T'Preea has never had much contact with him.

(Later there will be an episode involving Lorek, who is being transported by the Venture.)

The closest T'Preea has ever come to a family of her own was her bonding with Setha, which was annulled with little feeling on both sides, as the marriage was unconsummated. TPreea has very little in the way of plans to change her bachelorette standing in the near future, but imagines that she will one day retire and settle with a mate to have children and contribute her knowledge to society.

T'Pau
As her father was on the High Council, he frequently took T'Preea with him, and she spent many hours waiting patiently in the council chambers. Once, when she was young and restless, she wandered and got lost. She was found by T'Pau, High Priestess of Vulcan (and of course Spock's grandmother), who talked with the curious and unperturbed young Vulcan before returning her to her parents. This was accompanied by a request that T'Preea attend T'Pau at a later age. After this, T'Preea would spend time at T'Pau's residence, tending to the matriarch and learning from her. It was no secret that T'Pau favored T'Preea as an inquisitive mind, and even encouraged her decision to go to Starfleet in their discussions of Spock.

T'Pau later expressed a wish that, eventually, T'Preea and Spock would be bonded. (This is noted in The Engagement.)

U.S.S. Intrepid (NCC-1631)
Beginning as an Ensign and rising quickly through both talent, skill, and responsibility, T'Preea eventually became the head of the Science department aboard the Constitution-class U.S.S. Intrepid, a ship of all-Vulcans. (Which means that attaining Science Head was an extraordinary feat for such a newcomer.) Serving aboard the ship for six years, T'Preea found comfort in the ability to test her skills, but eventually decided that she wished to try herself aboard a human ship.

T'Preea had only just transferred off the Intrepid when it was destroyed by the large, single-celled being that the Enterprise later destroyed. This was the first time in her life that T'Preea truly had to grapple with her emotional distance and control, as 400 of her previous crewmates and fellow officers had perished aboard the ship. Despite the blow, she managed to adapt herself to her new duty.

U.S.S. Reliant (NCC-1864)
A relatively new Miranda-class vessel at the time, the Reliant would later play in the events of the Genesis Project. This was the ship where T'Preea served as first officer for three years, seconding as her chief Science officer as well. Despite the blow of losing her last ship, T'Preea performed admirably, and after initial distrust, the crew of the Reliant gradually grew to like and understand (sort of) their new Vulcan First Officer. It was the Captain of the Reliant who put T'Preea up for the position of Captain of the Venture, and they are still in contact.

U.S.S. Venture
After Spock declined the position, T'Preea was recommended as Captain of the U.S.S. Venture, a science vessel and prototype that would soon be launched. She accepted, and in 2270 the ship was launched on her maiden voyage, boasting the first fully-integrated crew of Humans and Vulcans and the first Vulcan Captain.

Spock
As pointed out above, T'Preea's family and Spock's often ran in the same circles, and they had reason to run into one another more than once. Despite Spock's half-human makeup, T'Preea never shied away from him, and they occasionally spoke to one another. Spock's choice to enter Starfleet influenced T'Preea's own life and career choices, and she has very strong inclinations towards him... well, at least for a Vulcan.

In the episode The Engagement, T'Preea showed her first real interest in another Vulcan, Captain Spock, whom she respects and admires despite the fact that their careers will not at present allow them to be logically bonded. It is alluded that they were intimate, and T'Preea admitted that she would 'not be adverse' to a future encounter, and that she finds Spock 'physically stimulating'. When she encounters T'Pring, with whom she attended T'Pau when they were younger, T'Preea admonishes her decision to decline bonding with Spock, calling T'Pring 'illogical'-- a very large insult indeed!

Beta
At the end of the episode 'No Tribble At All', Kent presents T'Preea with a pet Tribble. He badgers her to keep it until she reluctantly agrees, and when he demands that she give it a name, she chooses Beta. (It was part of the name of the planet they were orbiting at the time.)

Beta most often lives in a roomy, oriental birdcage in T'Preea's quarters. (Kent suggested this living arrangement.) He (or she) doesn't reproduce, because obviously she is very good about keeping the little darling on a VERY strict diet.

Although she didn't want him T'Preea takes quickly to the Tribble's soothing charms, and occasionally while alone in her room she will take Beta out and play with or pet him.

Beta is on the smaller side, about as big as an apple, and a dirty, spotted white in color.