| Louise Chirac-Hopkins | |
|---|---|
| |
| Species: | human |
| Gender: | female |
| Born: | 2344 |
| Hair: | sandy blond |
| Eyes: | blue |
| Affiliation: | Federation Starfleet |
| Assignment(s): | chief engineer |
| Stationed: | USS Eagle |
| Rank: | Lieutenant |
Louise Chirac-Hopkins was the chief engineer on the USS Eagle. Hopkins was one of the youngest Starfleet officers ever made chief engineer on a heavy cruiser. She was an incredibly competent young woman, who nevertheless lacked self-confidence when outside her domain. (The Star Eagle Adventures)
Early life[]
Louise Chirac-Hopkins was born on October 25, 2344 in Ottawa, Ontario on the North American continent on Earth. She was born to Jeanne Antoinette Chirac, a city administrator and Charles Edward Hopkins, a professor at Ottawa University. Louise spent much of her childhood with her uncle who was an engineer and an inventor. She became fascinated with engineering and by the time she entered middle school she was well versed in concepts such as warp field design and electro plasma distribution. Her teachers quickly found that she was well ahead of her classmates in all technical classes and recommended her for early graduation.
She enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology but soon found that her main interest focused on warp engines and starship technology.
Starfleet career[]
Louise Hopkins entered Starfleet Academy in 2363. She excelled at all technical challenges and produced respectable grades in other fields. It was her engineering skills that continued to attract great attention and in 2364 she was approached by the prestigious Daystrom Institute. Determined to finish her Academy training and going into space, she rejected the scholarship and graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2366 with high honors in technical fields and a number of recommendations.
While at the Academy she became roommate with Nora Laas. The two women were extremely different and they had difficulty getting along initially. While Nora was outgoing and combative, Louise was shy and introversive, uncomfortable with people she did not know. Louise and Laas however began to learn from each other, the Bajoran realizing how to show more restraint and Louise losing some of her coyness. They became close friends.
After graduating Starfleet Academy she decided to lose her mother’s last name, even though it remained her official full name she found it easier if people addressed her by her father’s last name only. Louise Hopkins was assigned as a warp specialist on the heavy cruiser USS Galaxy where she continuously impressed her superiors.
In 2367 she received the Special Citation for Technical Ingenuity and a year later she invented a warp core safety module that was quickly adopted throughout the fleet earning her a citation for advanced technical thinking. Additional improvements to the Galaxy attracted the attention of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers which in 2369 awarded her with the Award for Technical Brilliance. She was promoted to the deputy chief engineer of the Galaxy but faced difficulties being taken seriously because of her young age. Even though a brilliant engineer her leadership abilities were less well developed.
She nevertheless proved herself in her new position earning her the respect of the chief engineer as well as that of the captain. When Louise Hopkins and Galaxy’s chief engineer received the Daystrom Award of Technology in 2370 for designing a new and improved warp core design it became clear that she was being held back on the Galaxy.
On a suggestion from Nora Laas, the newly appointed chief of security of the USS Eagle, Captain Michael Owens requested Louise to be USS Eagle’s chief engineer. Starfleet turned out to be reluctant to give the relatively inexperienced Louise Hopkins the position at first but was eventually convinced by Owens. In 2371 at the age of 27, Louise Hopkins became one of the youngest chief engineer's in Starfleet history on the USS Eagle.