Sito Jaxa (Sutherland)

An individual who has enjoyed both great joy and tremendous heartache and tragedy, Lieutenant Sito Jaxa was assigned to the USS Sutherland as the assistant tactical/security chief in 2374, during the early phases of the Dominion War, after being certified as fit for duty following a lengthy recovery from her prolonged imprisonment by the Cardassians following her capture as a result of her participation in a covert operation in 2370.

Early Life
A refugee from the Cardassian occupation of her homeworld, Lieutenant Sito's youth was spent in a variety of different refugee camps. While the constant movement from camp to camp made the formation of close ties very difficult for the young Sito, her naturally affable and friendly personality very quickly made her popular wherever her travels took her. Also, the frequent need to scrounge for resources encouraged her to be adaptable and flexible. Her parents having been killed by the Cardassians and separated from the rest of her family, Sito went from foster family to foster family until finally being, at age thirteen, she came under the foster care of a Starfleet couple who kept her until her admission into Starfleet Academy.

Educational Years
During her early years, Lieutenant Sito's education was sporadic and erratic, depending on the camp in which she found herself in and the relative availability and competence of both resources and instructors. It was only when she came under the foster care of her Starfleet guardians that she was able to gain a measure of stability in her education. Once she had attained that stability, she proved to be an apt and quick learner, excelling in math, agility, and leadership skills, all of which stood her in good stead when she applied for Starfleet Academy.

Starfleet Academy
It was at Starfleet Academy where Lieutenant Sito enjoyed her first great triumphs and her first fall. Excelling as a first year cadet, Sito earned a place in the elite Nova Squadron alongside Nick Locarno, Josh Albert, Jean Hajar, and Wesley Crusher. In 2368, as a fourth year cadet, while attempting with the rest of her squadron the Kolvoord Starburst, an incredibly dangerous maneuver that cadets were forbidden to carry out, Cadet Albert was killed in a collision. Her role in the subsequent attempted coverup of the incident resulted in her credits for that year canceled, forcing her to either resign or repeat that year. (TNG: The First Duty)

Choosing to bear the consequences of her actions, Cadet Sito chose to repeat her final year in 2369, excelling in her courses while at the same time quietly bearing the scorn of her fellow classmates, with one exception--Cadet Sam Lavelle--who, through persistent effort, succeeded in breaking through her feelings of guilt and humiliation, beginning a long and close friendship between the two that would see both of them through great highs and lows. Graduating near the top of her class, the only ones who stood with her as she accepted her commission were her foster parents and Lavelle.

Service on the Enterprise-D
The newly commissioned Ensign Sito Jaxa, was surprised to discover that her first assignment in 2370 was to the USS Enterprise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard had personally intervened to have her assigned to his ship as he wanted her to have a fair chance to redeem herself and she does not disappoint him. During her period of service as a security specialist, she earned numerous favorable evaluations from her immediate supervisor, Lieutenant Worf, ultimately earning from him his recommendation for promotion and assignment as night duty officer.

While on the Enterprise, she renewed her friendship with Sam Lavelle and also developed friendships with Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, Ensign Taurik, and the Ten-Forward waiter Ben. However, the legacy of her actions at the Academy continued to haunt her as Captain Picard severely criticized her character and service on his ship. Rallied by her friends and Lieutenant Worf, Ensign Sito confronted Captain Picard, insisting that he judge her by her current actions and not by her past sins. It was at that point that Picard admitted that he had been testing Sito to determine whether she had the strength of character to carry out an extremely hazardous mission--to pose as a Bajoran terrorist in order to help Cardassian double agent, Joret Dal, in his attempt to re-infiltrate Cardassian space. Agreeing to the mission, she was supposed to be jettisoned in an escape pod just as Dal was being recovered by the Cardassians and rendezvous with the Enterprise. However, the Enterprise, upon reaching the rendezvous point, was only able to detect scattered debris and Ensign Sito was presumed killed in action. (TNG: Lower Decks)

Cardassian Imprisonment
Ensign Sito, however, was not killed. Instead, she was captured by the Cardassians under whom she suffers over a year and a half of horrendously brutal treatment and torment. While imprisoned, she was subject to psychological torture, beatings, and rape on a constant basis. Soon falling into the hands of Gul Rejak, Sito's torments grow even worse as the rapes and beatings continue until she finally breaks, becoming Rejak's consort. While his consort, Gul Rejak introduced the now completely physically and mentally broken Sito to a variety of recreational drugs, the most dangerous of which being Corillan acid--a highly physically and psychologically addictive psychotropic drug that has, amongst its effects, hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac properties.

A video of Ensign Sito's captivity fell into the hands of Lieutenants Lavelle and Ogawa who then, along with Lieutenant Commander Worf and Ensign Maria Django made plans to carry out a rescue of their old friend. Lavelle and the others, with the assistance of Taurik, now acting as a double agent within the Romulan Empire, and Commanders Christopher Hobson and Data succeeded in freeing Sito from her captivity. During the escape, Nurse Ogawa was forced to perform emergency surgery on Ensign Sito when a pain device that had been implanted within her was deliberately overloaded by Gul Rejak. Pursued into Federation space by the Cardassians, Ensign Sito and the others were saved at the last minute by the intervention of the Sutherland and Defiant, forcing the Cardassians to withdraw. (Ties that Bind)

Taken to Deep Space Nine, Ensign Sito begins to undergo an extensive process of physical and psychological therapy that is continued on Bajor. She is also informed that she has been promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, with Captain Shelby promising her that, once she has recovered and if she wishes, that a position on the Sutherland would be waiting for her. While her physical injuries were readily treated, the psychological scarring is likely to prove much more lasting. (Vigil)

Recovery Period
Coming soon

USS Sutherland
In 2376 she is a full lieutenant and the security/tactical chief of the Sutherland, participating in breaking the Alshain Blockade of the Briar Patch. (Star Trek: Gibraltar)

Family and Personal Life
Her immediate family was killed during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, leaving only extended relatives who played only a small part in her recovery from her period of imprisonment. The Starfleet couple who served as her final set of guardians also still plays a role in her life, aiding immensely in her recovery. However, her former guardians were killed in the War, leaving her essentially without family. Now, her family is the Sutherland.

Due to her period of incarceration, Lieutenant Sito has undergone drastic psychological and physical changes. Her long hair now cut severely short, Sito sports a tattoo of a bleeding dagger on her right arm and another tattoo, that of the Bajoran pictograph for vengeance, on the small of her back. She spends a great deal of time in physical conditioning, resulting in her possessing a lean, physically hard and well conditioned form. She is very cautious around strange males in particular and will not willingly allow any strange individual into her personal space. She is also very suspicious of both Cardassians and Orions, having sworn a blood oath against Gul Rejak and any others who were responsible for her harsh treatment--with the definition of 'others' being a very broad one. During the war and its aftermath, she earned a reputation for ruthless behavior against both Cardassians and Orions that bordered on cruelty.

Relationships

 * Sam Lavelle-Friend
 * Alyssa Ogawa-Friend
 * Taurik-Friend
 * Worf-Former superior officer, mentor, and friend
 * Jean-Luc Picard-Former commanding officer
 * Maria Django-Friend
 * Gul Rejak-Enemy and target of vengeance oath

Memorable Quotes
Coming soon

Background Information
Different Worlds
 * This character, seen in the TNG episodes, "The First Duty" and "Lower Decks" was played by Shannon Fil and is now in the Star Trek: Sutherland fanfic series. It can be found here: