Jennifer Su

Captain Jennifer Su, full name Su Jennifer Jae-yang (수 제니프 재양), formerly Jennifer Sarin, born May 4, 2367 in Pyongyang, United Korean States, was a Starfleet officer, and commanding officer of the USS Calhoun. (Frontier Fleet)

She is three quarters Human and one quarter Klingon, her father's mother being Klingon.

History

Born the third of three children, Su had a happy, carefree childhood on Earth, although her father -Commander Kevher Su, first officer on Deep Space Five- taught her and her brothers the values, beliefs, philosophies and practices of Klingon culture.

She undertook a command course while at Starfleet Academy, and was assigned as assistant chief helmswoman to the USS Calhoun as her first posting. She remained on that ship, rising through the ranks until she attained the captaincy.

Su's first husband was T'afek Sarin, with whom she had two children: Ling-Mei and Selek. Sarin was killed while on assignment in Kazon space. Su had taken her husband's family name, but later reverted to her maiden name before marrying Christine Roberts. Her wife then took on Su's family name rather than the reverse.

Su speaks fluent English, but her native languages are Korean and Klingon.

Memorable experiences

During the span of her career, Su has had a number of uncommon experiences, in addition to the exploration, discoveries, diplomacy and first contacts which are part of a Starfleet captain's expected duties.

In February 2391, she encountered her double from a parallel universe. (1x12, "Through the looking glass") This alternate Su was a violent woman who had become sadistic through living her entire life in a universe plagued by war. The two women would meet again when the 'alternate' Su kidnapped her counterpart and attempted to steal her ship and take her place. (1x26, "The Mirror Crack'd") Their third encounter, much later, was an indirect one, when the 'alternate' Su assisted Su in finding her infant stepson, who had been kidnapped and taken to the parallel universe. (prior to 2x05, "The Relief of Becker IV")

In April 2391, she led expeditions through an ancient portal leading to distant galaxies, and thus became one of the first Humans and Klingons to travel outside the Milky Way. The portal was later destroyed, as it had been used by the Xivam to travel from a distant galaxy and attack the Borg. (1x18-19, "The Network, part I" & "part II")

A few weeks later, she was transported against her wish into early 21st century Pyongyang. After being rescued by a timeship, she assisted in retrieving other stranded crewmembers, thus journeying through dozens of periods in Earth's history. She also became, retroactively, one of the first two people to set foot on Earth's moon, thousands of years before Neil Armstrong, when she travelled into its past to rescue a crewmember who was about to be transported there without a spacesuit. (1x20, "Changing Times")

In June 2391, she was captured after crashing on Ah'tinni Second. Her memories were overridden by local authorities, and she was given a new life and memories as Ayeen ta-Kelld, a relatively poor taxibus driver in a busy city. Su's memories of being Ayeen remain with her to some extent, particularly since, as Ayeen, she had resisted the relinquishing of her Ah'tinnian life. (1x22, "What Might Have Been")

Memorable quotes

"I'll be sure never to cause you trouble."

— Su to Ambrose Harris, in response to the latter's comment that "As engineers, it's either hit your fellow crew or swear at the lady causing you trouble." October 2390.

"She? This station is also a she, then? Haven't you ever considered varying the genders a little?"

— Su to Ambrose Harris, October 2390.

Name

Su's name, and those of her relatives, may appear a little complex to the unacquainted. As a Korean, she places her family name (Su) ahead of her given names (Jennifer Jae-yang). She was given an English name simply because her Korean mother liked it; her mother spells and pronounces it 제니프 (Jenipŭ). When in Korea, Su usually goes by her Korean given name, Jae-yang (재양). When she married T'afek Sarin, who was half-Vulcan, half-Romulan, she changed her full name to Sarin Jennifer Jae-yang (사린 제니프 재양).

She and her husband called their first child Sarin Ling Mei, giving her her father's name, while respecting the Korean tradition of placing the family name first. Their second child was simply named Selek (with no family name), a Vulcanoid name. Su's stepson, Callum, kept his own mother's family name (Roberts), despite his mother changing her family name to Su upon marrying Jennifer.

Su's father combines a Klingon given name (Kevher) with his own Human father's family name (Su), but places his family name after his Klingon name. Su's mother has an "ordinary" Korean name (Ri Min-hea). She has maintained her maiden name, as is traditional in Korea.

Episodes

Su first appeared in episode 1x02, "Maiden Voyage". She appeared in every subsequent episode except "Below Decks" (2x03). She appeared as a minor character only while on maternity leave, in episodes 2x04 ("And a Star to Steer Her By") and 2x05 ("The Relief of Becker IV"), before regaining starring status.

External link

• Biography on the Frontier Fleet website