Highthorne, Mathias

PRC	STAR FLEET PERSONNEL COMMAND FILE  SECURITY RATING 3, CONFIDENTIAL

RETIRED
Mathias 'Mat' Highthorne
Career Occupation
Position:	Tactical Officer
Assignment:	USS Gettysburg, BC-1863
Rank:	Midshipman
Biographical Attributes
Species:	Human
Gender:	Male
Height:	185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)	Weight:	56.7 kg (125 lb.)
Eye Color:	Slate gray.
Hair Color:	Raven black.
Hairstyle:	Due to an event in his past, Mathias has vowed never to cut his hair again.  As such, it is of an advanced length, reaching as far down as the small of his back.  Due to Starfleet regulations, he keeps it in a tight braid affixed with bands and usually tucks it down the back of his uniform to keep it out of the way.  When he is off-duty however, he prefers to have it in a loose ponytail.
Physique:	Mathias has what some might consider an attractive body type.  Even with his albinism, his skin is unblemished and smooth.  He sports no facial hair and, due to his regimented and sheltered upbringing, has no traces of physical deformity or broken bones.  His soft skin, feminine voice, and long hair lead many to believe him to be a female at first glance.
Complexion:	Mathias was born with a form of albinism that has drained the pigment from his skin.  As such, he is of exceptionally pale pallor.  His case, however, is not complete albinism.  It is ONLY the pigment of his skin that he is missing.  Unlike his sister, Mat’s retinas, hair, and nails are all colored normally.
Voice:	Mathias is possessed of an exceptionally deep and breathy voice.  He rarely vocalizes at all, being of a quiet type, but even when he does it is barely above a whisper.  Even so, he can command attention with it as he speaks crisply and with clarity.
Affiliation:	United Federation of Planets
Birthplace:	New Taipei, Taiwan
Born:	18608.12	Age:	24
Familial Relationships
Father:	Ezekiel
Mother:	Caroline (Xiaoying)
Status of Parents:	Caroline (Deceased), Ezekiel (Serving as a diplomat for Star Fleet).
Siblings:	Winfred (Sister)- 16 years old
Marital Status:	Single

Personal History

Mathias was born the elder of two children to Ezekiel and Xiaoying Highthorne.  Unfortunately for him, all pretense of a normal life ended with that.  Both Highthorne children were born with a rare form of albinism.  In Mat’s case, this lent itself toward an unnaturally pale color of the skin.  Ezekiel, irrationally fearing the scandal that it would bring to his work as a diplomat, refused the urging of his wife and in-laws and neglected to consult doctors regarding genetic therapy.  Other than that, however, all was well for a time.  Ezekiel was a loving, if strict, father and Xiaoying lavished affection on her son.  Things progressed quite smoothly until Xiaoying became pregnant again.  It was during this time that her immune system was wracked by a number of diseases and, unfortunately, she did not live long past the birth of her daughter.

After his wife’s passing, Ezekiel became more and more insular and controlling.  He forbade his children from going outside and tried to control their motions even when he was away.  Their grandparents helped where they could, but neither of them could directly defy Ezekiel’s will.  To make matters worse, Ezekiel began to see his daughter, Winifred, as the cause of his wife’s death.  He never accused her aloud and perhaps he never even realized it himself, but he treated her especially badly.  The effect on young Mathias’s personality was devastating.  He grew up with no friends, no interests other than those specified by his father, and no real goals.  If not for his sister, Mathias would have probably stayed in that environment his whole life.

At the age of 8 years old, Winifred saw the effect that their father was having on her brother and decided she had to do something about it.  She had known her brother had been interested in Star Fleet ships.  He had talked about them to her endlessly.  So, one day, while her father was away on business and her brother and grandparents were busy in the study, she snuck into her father’s office and used his console to fill out and send in a form with Mathias’s information to Star Fleet.  After that, she waited.  She waited until the acceptance notice had arrived before she had confessed what she had done.  Mathias’s face had gone a full range of emotions from confusion to anger to gratitude to worry.  After all, if he was gone, who would protect Winifred from her father’s wrath?  She soothed and consoled him until he had made up his mind to leave.  He had his bags packed and was ready to go when their father came home early.  Mathias told him what he had happened and what he was doing, understandably omitting the part about his sister’s involvement.  Ezekiel tried to stop him.  First he told him he wasn’t allowed.  When that didn’t work, he moved on to shouting.  Then to arguing.  Then finally, to physically force.  None of that prevailed.  And so, a black eye and several thousand miles later, Mathias was ready to begin his journey through Star Fleet.

Personality Profile

Academy Major(s): Astro-Navigation, Exobiology, Military Tactics.
Academy Minor(s): Starship Engineering
Hobbies and Pastimes: Mathias leads an exceptionally active lifestyle.  He likes to be physically and mentally active at all times.  Some of his activities include fencing (both western and Chinese wushu-xian), acupuncture (he’s an expert on Humans and Vulcans and has begun to study Klingons but his expertise currently ends there in the realm of pure theory), and reading Academy textbooks simply to learn.
Short-Term Goals: Perfect his acupuncture knowledge in regards to Klingons.
Long-Term Goals: Become an Admiral of the 1st Fleet.
Personality: Mathias is a quiet man in every sense of the word.  He doesn’t speak much, makes little noise when he moves, and prefers the holo-library to the bar.  He’s uncomfortable around people, especially women and gets annoyed when men mistake him from one.  When roped into a conversation he’s polite, if somewhat distant.
Sense of Humor: Mathias would make a Vulcan proud.  He rarely laughs, though you might urge a chuckle out of him now and then.  He does have a particular secret weakness for the brand of 20th century humor known as slapstick.  He has dozens of recordings of the Three Stooges stashed in his room.
Phobias: Being the center of attention.
Likes: Peace and quiet.  Classical music.  Being at the helm of a ship. Staying active.
Dislikes: Loud noises. His father.  Being noticed.  Boredom.
Pet Peeves or Gripes: He hates it when people refer to him as 'her/she'.
Bad Habits or Vices: Pacing back and forth when bored or anxious.
Achievements: His number one achievement in life is his mastery of acupuncture.  His grandfather, his teacher, referred to him as a genius in it.  Being a nearly extinct form of medicine, he’s more than a little proud of his knowledge.
Disappointments: Mathias’s biggest disappointment was finding out that his father had disowned him when he had 'escaped' to Star Fleet.
Illnesses: In addition to his albinism, Mathias had also grown up with a weakened immune system and his father, being too frugal and suspicious for gene therapy, depended wholly on his father-in-law’s alternative medicine for help fighting off infections.  He has received treatments since then to augment his immune system, but to make it comparable to a normal person would require the equivalent of total genetic restructuring.  A process completely illegal in Federation space.
Strengths: Mathias is intelligent, loyal, and hardworking.  He picks up on new things quickly and is willing to do whatever it takes to improve himself.
Weaknesses: Despite his training in the martial arts, Mathias is an utter wimp in regards to real combat.  He prefers the term 'pacifist' but coward might be more accurate. In a situation of flight or fight, he would more likely sprout wings than claws.

Fears: Mat is intensely afraid of confronting his father again.  The two parted under less-than-ideal circumstances and Mat would do almost anything to avoid seeing him again.
Fears: Mat is intensely afraid of confronting his father again.  The two parted under less-than-ideal circumstances and Mat would do almost anything to avoid seeing him again.
Prejudices: Mathias has a particular vendetta against people who talk too much.  His fist impression is that the person in question is an idiot.  Failing that, they must not have enough in their life to keep them occupied.  How sad.
Off Duty Clothing Tastes: Mathias has rather exotic tastes for a human from a rather frugal background.  His clothing of choice is a long purple and gold silk robe made in the antique Xiaolin style.  It was a gift from his maternal grandparents and he takes meticulous care of it.  Other than that, he prefers long sleeved shirts and jeans.
Distinguishing Features: As has already been stated, Mathias has vowed never to cut his hair again.  As such, it presents itself as his most identifying marker.  Other than that, his albinism will certainly make him stand out in a crowd.
Friends: His sister, Winifred.

Personal Paradigm Shifts

Best Time: Mat’s moment of sheer joy was learning he was accepted to Star Fleet Academy.  Just the knowledge that he’d finally be free of his domineering father was enough to bring a full smile to his face.
Most Crucial Experience: Mathias’s most critically life-changing experience is actually one that he barely remembers.  His mother died giving birth to his sister, who is eight years his junior.  On her death bed, she complimented how handsome he’d be with long hair.  Though he can no longer remember her face clearly, nor can he hear her voice, he remembers those words and treasures them deeply.  As a personal vow never to fully forget the one who gave him life, he refuses to cut his hair.
Role Model: Geordi LaForge, for overcoming a critical disability and becoming a Star Fleet exemplar.

Career History

Stardate 21010.12 - Graduated Star Fleet Academy, Star Fleet Academy
Stardate 21010.12 - Promoted to Midshipman, Star Fleet Academy
Stardate 21010.12 - Assigned as Tactical Officer, USS Gettysburg, BC-1863

Contact Information

E-Mail: tempestarcher@gmail.com

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