Lieutenant JG Opaka Jo'el   

Character Information
Name		Opaka Jo'el
Rank		Lieutenant JG
Position		Master-At-Arms
Second Position		VIP Bodyguard
Gender		Male
Species		Bajoran
Age		27
Physical Appearance
Height		5’ 10”
Weight		167 lbs.
Eye Color		Violet
Hair Color		Crimson
Physical Description		Jo'el wears his hair slightly longer than regulation. His Bajoran heritage lends him a certain amount of leeway with dress code (earring and all). Jo'el carries himself proudly, but he often grabs the bridge of his ridged nose in times of embarrassment or frustration. His body is well toned from a combination of childhood malnutrition and an extensive weightlifting/martial arts regiment.

Personality & Traits
General Overview
As an orphan, Jo'el reacts bitterly when people complain about their families. He feels that family is something to be cherished under any circumstances. Jo'el is deeply spiritual and spends a great deal of his free time in exploration of his Pagh. He enjoys playing earth funk music on the electric bass guitar. He is also a rabid poker player, going to far as creating his own holo-simulation of an all-star game featuring the galaxy's greats: Amarillo Slim, Daniel Negreanu, Capt. William Riker, Solav of Vulcan, and Grand Nagus Jedgel, among others. Jo’el was an accomplished utility infielder and played two seasons on the Pike City Pioneers for Kornelius Yates. While Jo'el is single, he deeply longs to find the one who will make his Pagh complete. He has suffered heartbreak on Bajor, DS9, and Cestus III, the last of which sent him away from a promising baseball career in search of the Prophet's will.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths: Faith, Loyalty, Determination, Physical Prowess Weaknesses: Women, Trust, Fear of Abandonment, Defensive, Shy
Ambitions
To walk with the Prophets. If that walk leads to the Captain's chair, so be it.
Hobbies & Interests
Baseball, Poker, Swordplay (Klingon & Japanese), Scripture Study, Bass Guitar, Italian food
Languages		Bajoran, Federation Standard, Klingon, Spanish, Italian
Family
Father		Unknown
Mother		Unknown
Brother(s)		Unknown
Sister(s)		Unknown
Spouse
Children
Other Family		Raised by Opaka Sokia (surrogate mother)

Formative Years--The Occupation

Born in 2358, Jo'el lived the first seven years of his life during the tail end of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Both of Jo'el's parents were murdered in the Kendra Valley Massacre, and he was raised in an orphanage by Kai Opaka Sulan's niece, Opaka Sokia. Because of this, his forgotten family name was replaced by the adopted the name Opaka. While the name was a symbol of pride for him, it caused many misunderstandings and awkward moments during his formative years.

Post-Occupation Years--

By the time Jo’el was 12, the occupation was over and he booked passage to Deep Space Nine, where he was able to find work cleaning and washing dishes for Kaga at the Klingon restaurant.

When Qo'noS went to war with the Federation in 2372, Jo'el was left out of a job and a mentor. Jo'el took a part-time position at Quark's as a holosuite cleaner and busboy upon the exit of Nog to Starfleet Academy. Kaga returned in 2373, and Jo'el gave Quark his notice, going back to work at the Klingon Restaurant.

When the Dominion-Cardassian Alliance wrested control of DS9 from the Federation later in 2373, Jo'el worked as an operative in Kira's new resistance in honor of his birth parents who were killed in the original resistance. After the Federation regained control of the station, Kira told Jo'el that his parents would have been proud of him.

Over the course of his years at DS9, Jo'el met and befriended Jake Sisko. Jo'el learned the sport of baseball and excelled at backing Jake up in the infield. Jake dubbed Jo'el "The Airlock" due to his errorless play at second base and shortstop.

After the Dominion War, Jo'el briefly returned to Bajor to research his family history. With the help of the Cardassian records, Jo'el researched his genealogy based on his DNA. While those records were destroyed at the end of the Occupation, Jo'el was able to find the name of his parent's village in Kendra Province. Jo'el eventually met his paternal grandmother, who remarked that Jo'el favored his mother. Jo'el also helped in the construction of Kassidy Yates-Sisko's house during her pregnancy in 2375-2376.

Baseball Career--

Kassidy Yates-Sisko expressed her gratitude to Jo'el by recommending him for a starting position on the Pike City Pioneers. After two seasons, during which he was named Rookie of the Year and received two Golden Gloves as second baseman, Jo'el returned to DS9 in 2378. Jo'el was severely depressed after a painful break up with a human woman on Cestus III, though he told Coach Yates that his departure was due to two consecutive seasons as runner-up to an all-Gorn team in the Cestus League World Series.

Academy Years--

Upon returning to Bajor, Jo'el successfully petitioned the Vedek Assembly to experience the Orb of Wisdom. Following this experience, Jo'el returned to DS9 for exactly three months, long enough to qualify for and pass the Starfleet Academy entrance exams.

Jo'el attended the Academy from 2378 to 2382. Jo'el held a particularly fond spot in the heart of one professor for being the only Academy cadet to ever assemble cadets from 7 different worlds for weekly spiritual assembly. Boothby appreciated Jo'el and his small group's efforts to keep the gardens free of litter. Jo'el respectfully refused to rescue the crew of the Kobayashi Maru due to Starfleet regulations; he is the only cadet on record who has spent the remaining moments of the simulation praying for the souls of the ship's crew.

Post-Academy--

Upon graduation, Jo'el returned to DS9 to attend the Gratitude Festival and give thanks to those who helped him in finding balance and direction in his life. He quickly accepted a post as Assistant Tactical Officer on DS9 in 2382, where he remained until reassignment in late 2385.

 

Starfleet Academy 2378-2382
Assistant Tactical Officer, DS9 2382-2385
Master-At-Arms/VIP Bodyguard, DS5 2385-Present