Corey Aster

Lieutenant Commander Corey Aster (J.T. Tepnapa) is the chief engineer aboard the USS Excelsior.

Personal History
Aster is a human who was orphaned when his parents, both Starfleet officers, were killed in the Borg attack at Wolf 359. He was raised by his relatives on Earth, alongside his cousin, Jeremy Aster, who was also orphaned when his mother died on an Away Team mission while serving aboard the USS Enterprise. ("The Bonding," TNG) Corey and Jeremy were both accepted to Starfleet Academy.

Aster has exhibited both precognitive and clairvoyant abilities – 22 instances before entering Starfleet service and seven since he was commissioned as an officer. It is not known what the source of these abilities is.

Starfleet Academy
Was roommates with Jason Muñoz, who later acted as Aster's C.O. on the Olympus. Aster also attended the Academy at the same time as Ro Nevin, Brad Rawlins (whom he shared Dr. Peterson's 'Anatomy of Planets' course), Marla Durkos, and Andrew Barrett ("Encke", "In Memory Of"). His areas of study included Starship Engineering, Terraforming and Tactical Operations.

Munoz and Aster schemed various pranks on the Faculty and Staff at Starfleet Academy, including successfully making off with Admiral Brand's pet tribble, planning on returning it to her on her breakfast tray the following morning. But they were caught out by fellow cadet Zak Kebron, while trying to teach the tribble to swim. Aster, along with his cousin Jeremy Aster, beamed two kegs of Romulan Ale onto the field during Commencement after Admiral Brand's speech. ("In Memory Of")

Aboard the USS Olympus
Serving as a junior bridge officer, he manned the Tactical station during an encounter with the Borg and a member of the Q Continuum en route to Starbase 373 from Deep Space 12, shortly after graduating from Starfleet Academy ("In Memory Of"). While serving aboard the Olympus, Aster was temporarily reassigned to the USS Excelsior as a Mission Specialist after the USS Encke disappeared in the Osiris system while on a terraforming mission. ("Encke")

Aboard the USS Endeavour
After completing his assignment aboard the Excelsior, Aster transferred to the USS Endeavour, until a few months later, when he was haunted by a precognitive dream of the Borg attacked the new Farpoint Station in orbit of Deneb IV. He discussed the matter with the counselor of the Excelsior, Myra Elbrey, in some detail. Elbrey also had something to ask of him, and offered him a position on Excelsior, as assistant chief engineer, which he readily accepted.

Aboard the USS Excelsior
Aster served as assistant chief for 3 years, proving himself and making his way to the rank of full Lieutenant before he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and took over as Chief Engineer in 2383, after Commander Lefler's promotion and reassignment as Excelsior's new Executive Officer. ("Heavy Losses") During his time, he has also worked through his unresolved feelings for Lieutenant Ro Nevin, and forged a relationship with Lieutenant Jorian Zen, although this relationship has become strained of late, due to Zen, a formerly unjoined Trill man, becoming illegally joined to the exiled symbiont Dao. During the final days of the conflict between the Federation, the Grey and the Tholian/Breen alliance working with Siroc, Aster and Zen broke up, after Zen gave into his symbiont's feelings for a lover from a former life. Aster reaised that things between the two of them had been changed too much since the joining, and although painful, the split was amicable. Aster remained with the Excelsior during its refit and repair schedule, and also became involved in a relationship with Ro Nevin. 6 months after the conflict was resolved, and the Briar Patch gases had dissolved with the destruction of the Grey Dyson Sphere, Ro and Aster were married in a Bajoran ceremony on Ba'ku.

First Appearance

 * Encke

Other Appearances
Season 3
 * In Memory Of - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'
 * Ashes - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'
 * Voyage of the Defiant - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'

Season 4
 * Grave Matters - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'
 * Crossroads - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'
 * Entanglement, Part 1 4.06 - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'

Season 5
 * Entanglement, Part 2 - J.T. Tepnapa as 'Ensign Corey Aster'
 * Darkest Night - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LTJG. Corey Aster'
 * The Battle is Joined - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LTJG. Corey Aster'

Season 6
 * Homeport - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LTJG. Corey Aster'
 * Beachhead - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LT. Corey Aster'
 * Vigil - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LTJG. Corey Aster'

Season 7
 * Heavy Losses - J.T. Tepnapa as 'LT cmd. Corey Aster'