Lieutenant Anthony Cardel
Name Anthony James Cardel
Position Encryption Specialist
Rank Lieutenant
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Character Quote | “I tell myself I’m still here because I believe in it. Some days I wonder if I just don’t know how to leave.” | |
| Species | Human | |
| Age | 36 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6’0” | |
| Weight | 180 | |
| Hair Color | Brown | |
| Eye Color | Brown | |
| Physical Description | Anthony Cardel has an unassuming, professional appearance. He looks like someone who spends more time at a console than in a gym, though he remains within Starfleet fitness standards. His posture is practiced rather than rigid, and he often appears more focused on his surroundings than on making an impression. There’s nothing especially striking about him at first glance, which tends to work in his favour. |
Family
| Spouse | None | |
| Children | None | |
| Father | Matthew Cardel, civilian logistics coordinator for Luna Colony municipal supply systems | |
| Mother | Tania Cardel, civilian archivist for the Luna Historical Registry | |
| Brother(s) | N/A | |
| Sister(s) | N/A |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | Anthony Cardel is a thoughtful and often underestimated guy. He listens more than he talks, not because he lacks confidence in his ideas, but because he wants to be certain before offering them. He’s good at his job and knows it, but he’s never been great at telling his superiors. He tends to assume that solid work will eventually be noticed, even though experience has taught him that this isn’t always the case. He has a strong instinct for spotting inconsistencies and patterns that don’t quite line up. Once something feels wrong, it stays with him. He struggles with confrontation and due to a professional mistake a few years ago has accepted professional stagnation rather than pushing back against it. Lately, he’s been wrestling with the sense that his career has stalled and that he may be partially responsible for letting that happen. |
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| Strengths & Weaknesses | Strengths: Careful analysis, strong intuition for irregularities, patience under uncertainty, emotional awareness, and reliability Weaknesses: Avoids confrontation, struggles with self advocacy, internalizes mistakes, accepts being overlooked too easily |
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| Ambitions | Earlier in his career, Cardel believed advancement would come naturally if he did his job well enough. That belief has faded. Now, he wants to feel useful again, not just competent. He remains in Starfleet partly out of loyalty to its ideals and partly because he isn’t sure who he would be without it. His current posting has forced him to confront whether he’s staying out of purpose or habit. | |
| Hobbies & Interests | Classical Earth music, history and attempts at cooking food in the replicator. |
Character Background
| Personal History | Anthony Cardel was raised on Luna Colony in a civilian household shaped by routine responsibility rather than Starfleet tradition. His father worked in municipal logistics, ensuring supply systems ran smoothly. His mother maintained historical and administrative records. From both of them, Cardel learned that important work doesn’t always earn recognition but that you can find meaning in the work you do. As a child, he gravitated toward puzzles and systems that rewarded patience and logic. At eighteen, he entered Starfleet Academy without family pressure or grand expectations, believing it would allow him to contribute meaningfully without needing to command attention. At the Academy, he focused on cryptology and secure communications. He wasn’t the most vocal cadet, but his instructors trusted his work and consistency. He graduated with solid evaluations and was selected for Intelligence Division training, where his analytical approach fit encryption work naturally. His career began during the unsettled years following the Dominion War. Cardel served aboard starbases and starships where information security was critical. His role centered on verifying encrypted traffic, isolating corrupted data, and identifying subtle anomalies. During one assignment, Cardel entered into a personal relationship with a direct supervisor. The relationship was consensual but inappropriate under Starfleet regulations. When it was discovered, both officers were reassigned. The matter was formally closed without court martial, but its effects lingered. Any promotions quickly vanished from him and his career stalled out. Even years later, Cardel wonders how much that decision cost him and whether his career ever fully recovered. Later, a separate operation involving compromised encrypted data delayed action during a firefight. A shuttle craft was shot down before the discrepancy was identified. Cardel followed protocol, but the outcome stayed with him, and he never forgave himself for what happened. Now assigned to the USS Elysium, Cardel approaches the posting with mixed expectations. He will do the work thoroughly and without complaint, but there’s a sense of resignation beneath it. Another ship, another console, another stretch of time wondering why he’s still here and what it would take to finally move forward. |
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| Service Record | Starfleet Academy Cadet 2378–2382 Focus on cryptology, secure communications, intelligence analysis Encryption Analyst, Starfleet Intelligence Headquarters - Chicago 2382–2384 Sol system assignments involving encrypted traffic verification and internal data audits Encryption Specialist, Starbase 234 2384–2387 Sector intelligence support related to piracy and signal interception along Federation trade routes Encryption Specialist, USS Kestrel 2387–2390 Deep space patrol assignments with responsibility for classified communications monitoring and anomaly detection Encryption Specialist, Starbase 375 2390–2393 Counter intrusion analysis and encrypted data recovery during elevated border tensions *Personnel note added regarding inappropriate personal relationship with supervising officer. Matter resolved through reassignment and counseling. No recurrence noted.* Encryption Specialist, USS Halcyon 2393–2397 Encrypted traffic analysis and secure communications support during extended deployments Encryption Specialist, USS Elysium 2397–Present Current assignment |
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| Languages | English, small amounts of Spanish | |
| Academy Graduation Year | 2382 |
Medical and Psychological Information
| Medical Review | Medical Status: Cleared for full duty Psychological Review: Officer demonstrates strong self-awareness and emotional control. Continues to carry regret related to past professional and personal decisions. Expresses concern over career stagnation and uncertainty regarding advancement. Remains dedicated to duty, though motivation has become increasingly reflective rather than aspirational. Unlikely to be a good candidate for further promotion. Revisit during next round of professional reviews. |