Ellis Pennington

At 21 years old he is by far the youngest member of the USS Valley Forge’s senior staff; the Risan, Ellis Pennington, serves as the Chief Helmsman aboard the Excelsior II vessel. That such a junior officer inhabits such an important position speaks firstly to the state of attrition Starfleet finds itself experiencing in the aftermath of the devastating events of Frontier Day, but also to the fact that Ensign Pennington completed his graduating year at Starfleet Academy Minos Korva with the highest score as a Helmsman.

The Risians are known for their sexually permissive culture and Ellis has already garnered quite the amorous reputation amongst the men and women of the USS Valley Forge and has been the focus of several disputes that have led to disciplinary actions for those involved.

Ellis Pennington is a typical Risian, in that he curates a genuine and enthusiastic reputation for hedonism, but this is tempered by a desire to push himself as a pilot and despite his relatively young age and lack of experience, he has proven to be a remarkably able Helmsman – so much so that his first posting is to a Heavy Cruiser – a deployment that some officer take years to work up to.

Ellis exhibits a sort of wan innocence that is alluring to both sexes but has a justified reputation for rambunctious partying and is often at odds with his superiors and would have realistically spent more time in the Brig, if not for his tenacious piloting skills and the fact that his excesses can be put down to his genetic and cultural makeup.