Alaina McKenzie

Alaina was born the second child, her father worked for Starfleet and her mother was a teacher. Alaina’s early years were filled with love and laughter. She has many memories of family outings and playing with her older brother, Matthew. Life seemed to be filled with sunshine and happiness. Her parents showed their children love and instilled, even early on, the difference between right and wrong.

When Alaina was just seven years old, I. April 5, 2385 the Attack On Mars happened. Alaina would always remember that day, the moment her mother saw the Starfleet officers walking up to the door and the terrible screaming. Alaina had not known what had happened bit she knew it was bad. It wasn’t long before Matthew found out their father had been killed. It had been emotionally debating for their family. Alaina and her brother were scared not knowing what would happen to their family.

The days following the Attack on Mars, their fathers funeral, the decision to move in with their Aunt and Uncle and for about two years, Alaina and her brother lived in the shadow of their fathers death. Alaina handled the changes much better than her brother. Matthew was quiet and withdrawn.

Their mother barely let them go to school, she lived in fear that something would happen to them. Their entire lives centered around the loss of their father and though they both missed him terribly, at some point life did have to continue. It was like living in a prison. Alaina reached out to her brother and after some time he responded. The two of them would sneak out to the treehouse in the back and sit and talk. Alaina found it helped them both to share how they were feeling.

Finally, at the insistence of their uncle, their mother started seeing a counselor. Things did not change over night but slowly, over time, they started to see some changes. Their mother smiled again. More and more she started to heal and their lives got better. Alaina would talk to her mother about her problems. She found she liked listening to others and tried to give them the best advice she could.

As Alaina grew older, she became fascinated with helping people. Alaina’s best friend in school, Veronica’s parents got a divorce. Alaina was there for her friend listening to her heartbreak and pain. Alaina didn’t really feel like she did all that much but Veronica insisted she helped her in so many ways.

As Alaina went into high school she met Avery Summers. The two of them liked each other and began dating seriously. Alaina thought they would be together forever and then their senior year came and Avery had doubts about what he wanted to do after graduation. When Alaina told him she wanted to be a counselor and join Starfleet he immediately decided to join. Alaina sensed that wasn’t what he wanted but he was going to settle to be with her. They talked a lot about the future and Alaina helped Avery realize that he had to make himself happy. Even if it meant they would go in different directions.

After graduating from high school, Alaina had a tearful goodbye with her mother. Matthew was off in college but much to her mothers dismay Alaina had been accepted at Starfleet Academy and was going to study counseling. Her school counselor, teachers and friends had encouraged her as they had seen first hand her unusual abilities.

Alaina studied hard and found the classes challenging and difficult but with a lot of hard work she did well. Alaina shared a dorm with four other cadets, they were all studying different careers but they developed a good friendship. Alaina would sometimes go out with them on a Saturday night but she put her studies first. She also found she became the dorm unofficial counselor. Whenever anyone had a problem Alaina was the one they came to. She listened, helped out where she could and never repeated what they told her. Alaina felt like it was pre graduation training.

Her second year, Alaina found that not only did her roommates come to her with their life challenges but so did their friends. Alaina would do what she could but she prioritized her classes and studying. Alaina knew this was her calling. She had had a lot of emotions run through her between her fathers death and finding out the true reason for the attack on Mars. It took a strong person to deal with these things. It helped to have someone to talk to that you could trust.

Her third year at the academy, Alaina did her residency on the USS Delray. Alaina was excited and nervous at the same time. She was fortunate to have a mentor who took her under her wing and put Alaina to work, assigning her a few patients of her own.

This was new for Alaina. Some patients did not want to seek counseling but had been ordered to. Alaina was challenged to get them to talk to her and help them heal so they could get back to their lives. She learned invaluable tools and was grateful for all the training.

It was April 12, 2401 when the Battle of Frontier Day took place. Alaina, like all the other young people had been assimilated but she was trapped in her office to protect others from harm. She had a hard time dealing with her emotions and what she went through. Alaina is inherently a peaceful person, those feelings were foreign to her before now. Especially when she was informed that their Chief Counselor, Charles Drent had been killed during the attack. The emotions and what she went through helped her to become empathic to others feelings and issues. Alaina could understand more on a personal level.

With so many lost during the battle, crews were low and decisions made quickly. The Assistant Chief took over as department head and Alaina was promoted to Assistant Chief. The captain told her he had had his eye on her already hearing nothing but good things about her. She was now the Assistant Chief Counselor. They were big shoes for her to fill and she jumped right in, busier than ever. With some of the crew being simulated, they came to the chief in her when they needed to talk.

Alaina left the USS Delray, accepting a transfer to the USS Paso Robles as an assistant chief there. She had originally been selected to be transferred but command had waited and decided with all the issues with the Vaadwaur it was the best assignment for her. Alaina boarded the Paso Robles ready to help the crew.