LT(jg) Mori Terimoto   

Played by: Jeff Thiessen aeryn@powersurfr.com

I. Personal Data

Name:  	Terimoto, Mori
Rank:  	Lieutenant, junior grade
Post:  	Counselor, USS CONSTELLATION
Race:  	Human (Yoritomo)
Gender: Male
Born:  	SD 630529.0430; Awa Province, Yoritomo (Federation 	
		protectorate)
Age:  	46
Height: 175.3 cm (5'9")
Weight: 69 kg (153 lbs)
Hair:  	Brown, goatee
Eyes:  	Brown
Skin:  	Almond
Relations:
    		Mori Motonari, father, deceased
    		Takahiro, brother, deceased
    		Kenshin, brother, deceased

II. Biographical Data

Note:  Yoritomo is populated by a group of non-Terran humans.  They are 
indeed Homo sapiens, but it is not clear how they arrived on Yorimoto. 
Because of the significant influence of the Buddhist philosophies, 
anthropologists theorize that the people of Yoritomo must have somehow 
been transported from the Asian continent or Indian sub-continent some 
time after the fourth century BC.

	Centuries of war and a strong cultural belief in a traditional 
way of lifeseem to have stunted technological development at a level 
approximately equivalent to that of the thirteenth century AD.

	Appearance:  When off duty, Mori favors the traditional dress of 
his homeworld, wearing a long silk robe and a silk cap.

	Personality:  Mori is a quick witted individual who carries with 
him a love of the world.  While in the service of his daimyo (feudal lord), 
he has seen much death and suffering in the civil wars of his homeworld  
(see background).  One of his main reasons for joining Star Fleet when the 
opportunity presented itself (see below) was to help bring life and peace 
into the world.

	Though from a culture that most humans would find very foreign, 
once one gets past their first impression and trepidation over his culture, 
Mori is an attentive listener.  His varied life experience gives him many 
pearls of wisdom, which he tends to share only when asked, and a different 
perspective that allows him to pose questions which make one think about 
matters from a different, thought provoking, perspective.

	However, it is not always easy to get past first impressions.  
Mori carries with him an air of aloofness and aristocracy.  His manner is 
often mistaken for cold indifference and may deter people from conversing 
with him.

	He holds very strong beliefs in what could best be compared to the 
traditions of feudal Japan.  He is well schooled in these beliefs as 
befitting a member of an elite, samurai-like warrior aristocracy. Moreover, 
his education focused on a variety of martial and non-military subjects 
alike.  This knowledge was often employed in his role as advisor to his 
daimyo, a prestigious role that enforced his own sense of self-importance 
and invincibility.  This air of self-importance has led to conflicts with 
his superiors and instructors.

	However, the same traits which make him difficult to get along 
with on a personal level make him an able negotiator.  While often taken 
for aloofness in a private setting, his conservative and reserved manner 
serve him well at the negotiating table.  Though still too junior as a 
Star Fleet officer to head a negotiating team, on his home planet he was 
one of the key negotiators for his daimyo.  The practical experiences on 
Yoritomo have prepared him well for his service to Star Fleet.

	Mori is extremely traditional.  His quarters are a virtual Buddhist 
shrine.  He has taken grate care in decorating his quarters with the 
likenesses of the great Buddha and other incarnations of his spiritua 
leader.  Anyone who might enter his quarters, should he allow it, would 
be astonished by the sheer volume of paintings and the sculpture that Mori 
has created.  While some of these creations are revolting, most art 
intriguing and thought provoking.

	Of course, his upbringing in a culture torn by civil war where many 
would rather bury a dagger in ones back than shake their hand has made Mori 
wary.  His quarters are his personal and very private sanctuary, one which 
he share only with his closest and most trusted friends.

	While his traditional lifestyle makes him aloof and very private, 
it also makes him fiercely loyal to those he serves.  Whether he likes his 
commander or not is immaterial.  He is a warrior and a warrior serves his 
daimyo, his lord, to the fullest of his abilities.  To do less would dishonor 
both Mori and his lord and without honor there is no life.  Of all his 
servants, his daimyo always knew that at least one, Mori Terimoto, could be 
trusted completely.

	Mori keeps to himself, but is more than willing to help those in 
need. One of his daimyos, Chosokabe Motochika, summed up the man by saying, 
"If you allow him into your heart, he will allow you into his world.  Shun 
him and you will never feel so alone in your life."
 
III. Educational Background

	Mori's broad education on Terimoto served him well in many regards, 
especially in the areas of history, diplomacy, and self-defense. However, 
his upbringing and previous training did not focus much on the sciences.  
As a result, his grasp of subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics is 
limited.  However, his study in sociology, psychology, and diplomacy have 
benefited greatly from his experiences on Yoritomo and he is more advanced 
than many much more senior officer in these areas.  He also has a training 
in herbal medicine, a rather uncommon skill in modern cultures with advanced 
drugs and replication technology.

	His childhood and adolescence on Yorimoto were consumed by the 
broad-based training of a Samurai.  He learned the ways of the sword, writing, 
poetry, an appreciation of the arts and of the natural world, the workings of 
the political structure of his feudal homeland, and the ways of the diplomat.

	At an early age, Mori took more to the art of peace than to war.  While 
skilled in the martial arts of a warrior, he will only use violence as a last 
resort.  One visiting his room would immediately notice his murasame and his 
masamune, won on a diplomatic battlefield rather than in military conflict.

IV. Psychological Profile

Background:  This was taken as an account from several interviews with Mori 
by Counselor T'Far at the Healesville Sanatorium.  T'Far researched the 
history of Yoritomo as thoroughly as possible.  Her notes indicate that the 
discussions with Yoritomo were very enlightening and filled in many gaps in 
the observations of the few anthropologists permitted to observe the protected 
primitive world.  These are excepts from the chronicles which she had logged 
from SD 50312.2312 until Mori's graduation from the academy.

	Mori was born on SD 630912.0430 in a province known only as Awa, the 
youngest of three sons born unto the great daimyo Mori Motonari.  His path in 
life was determined at a young age by the prophecy of his father from his 
death bed.

	The daimyo called his three sons to him.  He broke an arrow into 
three uneven parts and bid them to each draw one part saying, "The one who 
picks the longest part will be the most prosperous," was all his father said.

	First, it was his eldest brother's turn, and he ended up picking the 
middle part.  The daimyo said, "Ah, my child, you will be the successor to 
my kingdom, and fight well for it you will!  But be warned for you shall die 
a very gruesome and ugly death at the hand of our enemy.  Be prepared my son 
to fight hard for what you live for."

	Next, the middle child drew and he picked the shortest.  His father's 
face passed into genuine sadness, "You, my son, will fall into a life of 
depravity and ravaging, I fear a betrayal will be in your midst."

	Last, it was Mori's turn and his father proudly presented him the 
longest part of the arrow saying, "You, my son will become the greatest of 
them all.  You will not lead, but advise the people on what they strive for 
very much, their freedom, and you will do whatever it takes to not lead our 
people but stand alongside the leaders, to our liberty!"

	With that, his father passed away, ending a very slow and agonizing 
death. The eldest son, as predicted, became the daimyo of Awa.  His first 
actions as daimyo were to launch repeated attacks against the neighboring 
daimyos, including Ukita Naoie and Chosokabe Motochika.  The attacks left 
his forced bloodied and weakened and the peasants discontented with the 
hardships forced on them.  He knew he needed an advisor with the skills 
of a diplomat to avert disaster.

	As the eldest brother saw Mori attempting to appease and angry mob, 
protesting the suffering and hardships caused on the peasants by the constant 
battles with Chosokabe and Ukita, he knew that he had found his advisor.  
Instead of responding to the complaints of the crowd with anger or contempt, 
Mori just sat beside the Buddha and began recounting the tales of the 
Motonari's repeated successes against the Inaba clan and of the victories 
which turned back the Oda Clan in the south.  He challenged the crowd, 
shouting, "Yes!  We have suffered defeats, but look at the successes as well!  
We control the West and the South!  The Chosokabe Clan is a powerful rival, 
as are the Inaba!  But we have also weakened their forces enough so that 
they cannot attack us!  What do you say to that?"

	And with that the crowd went silent, no protests were raised, and 
no anger was drawn.  The crowd seemed satisfied by Mori's arguments.  After 
the peasants had dispersed, the eldest brother approached him asking, "Brother, 
will you consent to be my advisor?"

	After a day of praying to the Buddha for guidance, he accepted. This 
enraged the middle son who began plotting his revenge.  He felt that his honor 
had been tarnished by the eldest brother asking help of a mere child rather 
than his own.

	Within a year later, the support of the peasants rebuilt, the Mori 
clan was wonderfully enjoying the wealth of the new lands that it had gained 
by destroying the Ukita clan and the Oda Clan.  Now, its only rival was the 
Chosokabe Clan.  Mori and his eldest brother were planning their strategy in 
Odawara Castle when all of a sudden his middle brother broke into the war room.  
"Ambush!" he yelled.  "The Chosokabe Clan has ambushed our main force and is 
advancing upon the castle!"

	With that, Mori and his eldest brother donned their armor, girded on 
their weapons, and headed to the courtyard.  What they saw was chaos.  There 
was blood on the walls and smoke was everywhere.  The walls had been 
breached in several places.  The smell of death hung in the air.

	Suddenly, through the smoke-filled courtyard, the eldest brother 
was attacked by a samurai.  The assailant was quickly dispatched, however, 
when suddenly a blast of gunpowder separated Mori and his eldest apart 
from each other.

	What Mori saw next would haunt him for the rest of his life.  His 
middle brother stood over the broken and bleeding body of the eldest brother.  
He laughed, said something in their native tongue that Mori could not hear 
over the din of the battle, and slew the eldest brother.  Tears stung Mori's 
eyes.  Full of rage, he took his murasame and charged his middle brother, 
only to be severely wounded and left for dead on the battlefield.

	When the battle had ended, Odawara Castle was no more.  A pile of 
rubble replaced the once proud castle.  Nothing was left save the blackened 
stones and the smell of death.  His middle brother left reveling in his 
triumph.

	Though wounded, Mori yet lived.  He took his eldest brother from 
his place of death and buried him alongside their father.  Swearing vengeance 
for his brother's murder, he headed to the Chosokabe Clan.

	Using his skills at herbal medicine, Mori was able to bring himself 
back to physical health during the journey to Chosokabe.  However, the 
welcome for a ronin from Clan Mori was anything but friendly.  He was 
arrested, imprisoned, and questioned.  With his former lord dead, Mori 
Terimoto agreed to enter the service of Clan Chosokabe as chief advisor 
in the hopes of finding and destroying his traitorous brother.

	The decisive battle occurred in a place known as Ashikeigahara, 
a small but very strategic village on the Kanto Plain.  Both armies 
easily numbered 50,000 people, a battle of tremendous scale for Yoritomo.  
Mori's brother, knowing his brother's strategies well, played the battle 
off to a stalemate, leaving both sets of troops exhausted and Daimyo 
Chosokabe dying from an arrow wound in his side.

	Mori knew that the final outcome of the battle hinged on his 
actions. Under a flag of truce, he sent a messenger to inform his 
brothers forces that Chosokabe was dead, yet his forces would not 
surrender the field.

	Mori Terimoto made good use of the lull in fighting to rally his 
troops with his words.  He informed them of the death of Daimyo Chosokabe.  
Some of the troops despaired and wished to surrender the field saying, 
"There is no dishonor in defeat when our lord has fallen as well."  He 
told them that Chosokabe was watching the battle from afar and that their 
daimyo was very pleased with the results.  He said, "There is no honor 
save in serving your rightful lord and Chosokabe is still with us in 
spirit.  We must win this day for his honor, the honor of the clan, and 
out own."

	Then, while the troops were preparing for their final charge, Mori 
took some clay and molded it in Chosokabe's image, then he placed it in 
the middle of the battlefield.  This broke the morale of the opposing 
troops and rallied Mori's troops.  In the insuing battle, many died, but 
when the battle had ended, Mori stood victorious and his brother was a 
prisoner.

	To save what little remained of his honor, Mori's brother chose 
death by his own hand and committed Seppuku on stardate 61130.1427.  
Because of this act of atonement, Mori, his middle brother alongside 
his eldest brother and their father.

	The story of how Mori came to Star Fleet.  (Modified from a 
post)

	His thoughts continued on the issue of lords.  He smiled when 
Chosokabe came up.  Mori remembered when he was a young lad so chock 
so much to rage against his brother and slay him, he wanted to take 
on the entire Mori army.

	Yet Chosokabe stayed him and told him to wait until the time 
was right. It happened at Ashikeigahara, five years into his service 
with Chosokabe. There had been much bloodshed on both sides of the 
war and may failed offensives until finally the moment was right.  
Ashikeigahara was set as the battlefield.

	He remembered seeing Chosokabe being shot with the arrow and 
watching him fall.  Again, the feeling of vengeance had come over him, 
but he recalled Chosokabe's lessons and patience and clear thought 
prevailed.  He made the announcement of the death to both armies and 
declared that he would not yield the day.   He erected a clay figure 
of Chosokabe on the battlefield and advanced his troops.  They won the 
day.

	His last act as a member of the Chosokabe Clan was to hand his 
brother over to the authorities.  He then watched as his brother 
committed seppuku, and then buried him with the rest of his family.

	Mori sighed, he had led a sad life, full of death.  And, somehow, 
he felt responsible for all of it.  He had hurt those he loved and 
cherished.  The only person he had not hurt was Oda "Bull" Nakano.

	He chuckled at the name, Oda was his best friend on Yoritomo.  
The two had met when Mori had joined Clan Chosokabe.  Oda had earned the 
nickname "Bull" because he didn't think.  Mori grinned.  'Maybe that 
isn't the proper words is it Buddha?' he thought.  Maybe it was because 
he leapt head first into everything.  The two of them made ideal 
companions.  Oda's impulsiveness was held back by Mori's thought, and 
vice versa.  Their bond was so strong that they had conducted the 
Haromachi ceremony, forming a lifelong spiritual bond between them.  
The ceremony at last healed the deep wound left by the death of Mori's 
eldest broth.  Mori had connected with the Haromachi with Takahiro, and 
when Takahiro had passed on, the connection was severed, and Terimoto 
went into a deep state of grieving.

	To this day, the bond with Oda was still strong.  So whatever 
Oda was doing with his life, Terimoto knew that he was alive and well.  
He then chuckled at the adventures the two of them shared, but, of all 
of them, the one which led them to Star Fleet, was the one that he would 
never forget.

	Terimoto had made his decision to leave the Chosokabe Clan and 
had proposed with Oda to become a ronin as he was.  Oda gracefully declined 
but told Mori that he would join him on his travels on occasion, so as long 
as he could find his way back home.  Terimoto agreed, and then proposed a 
'quest' to Oda, the first since Mori had left the Chosokabe Clan.  Oda 
agreed to it, and the pair travelled west across the Kanto Plain and 
directed themselves towards Musashi Castle.

	Along the way, Mori and Oda had to cross the Kirabed Swamp.  
Knowing full well that there was poison mildak plants in the swamp, they 
made sure that they had leather boots to protect their feet, for if they 
stepped on one with unprotected feet, death would be instantaneous for 
the both of them.

	Carrying on through the swamp, Oda yelled he had spotted something, 
and sure enough, there was a dead man, that they would later learn had been 
a Star Fleet Officer, claimed by the poisonous plants.  Upon further 
investigation, they found a shuttlecraft that had landed there.  Mori and 
Oda, ever curious, entered the shuttle to investigate.

	Once they were inside the shuttle, Mori and Oda were astounded at 
the sight.  They had never seen so many different things with so many 
different buttons and knobs.  They all of a sudden felt like two children 
who had a new toy to play with.  Mori sat down, and pushed a lever down, 
with that, the shuttle lifted itself off the ground, then with Oda 
fiddling with the knobs and switches, the computer chimed, Autopilot 
engaged. and then headed up and up and up towards the solar system and 
the stars.

	The shuttle was intercepted by a starship.  The situation was 
explained to Mori and he heard about many strange things, including a 
"Federation of Planerts" and a thing called "Star Fleet."  He was a 
ronin, a samurai with no lord.  And these people from "Star Fleet" had 
rescued him, so he pledged his service to them, leaving the Chosokabe 
Clan and his way of life for the past 42 years forever.
 

V. Star Fleet Record:


	At Star Fleet Academy, he was a very quiet student, being the 
eldest ones in the class.  Past the normal age of admittance, Mori was 
allowed to attend the Academy because of his unique background.  Being 
from a world few had even heard about made life difficult, but he 
proved to be very adept at the classes he took.  Most accepted him as 
a fellow, if somewhat unusual student.  Others made fun of his 
differences and backwards traditions.
 


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Letters Of Recommendation:


To whom it may concern,

	Mori Terimoto is one of the strongest students I have ever 
taught.  He would be a valuable to asset any negotiating team.  He has 
an instinctive feal for his opponent's goals and practical experience 
from his life before Star Fleet that goes far beyond his present rank.

Yours Truly, 
LCDR Arnold Belweitzer Ph.D in Diplomatic Relations 
Instructor at SF Academy 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------



To whom it may concern,

	Mori Terimoto has a quick mind and is an astute observer.  
Upon talking with him I learned many valuable things about him, 
and, surprisingly, discovered that he knew a lot about me.  He has 
a very disarming nature and it was a great pleasure to have him as 
a student. His problem solving abilities are excellent.  It would be
 a great pleasure to have the opportunity to work with him in the future.

Yours Truly,
Professor Angus Ng Psychology
Instructor at SF Academy


-----------------------------------------------------------------------



To whom it may concern,

	Mr. Terimoto is a very strong-willed with a determination to 
suceed in all of his endeavors.  This work ethic indicated that he 
will likely have a sucessful future.  His skills of observationn and 
his diplomatic prowess make him well suited to the role of ship's 
counselor.  He is mentally sound and fit for duty as a Star Fleet officer.

Yours Truly
Counselor T'Far
Healesville Sanatorium


-----------------------------------------------------------------------