Vasili Tabaichakov

Vasili Tabaichakov was a Starfleet officer in the 24th century. He was best known as the veteran tactical officer of the USS Takeda Shingen, before his brief retirement and return to service as the commanding officer of Deep Space 17. He was well-remembered for his approachable and paternal leadership style. (Eighth Fleet RPG)

Early life

Vasili Grigorivich Tabaichakov was born in Vladivostok in 2320.

Academy

Tabaichakov enrolled in Starfleet Academy in 2338. His time at the academy was marked by many minor and harmless pranks, and he was once brought before the Superintendent, with questions about his ability to maintain discipline. However, he was allowed to continue since his devotion to classwork and his discipline about his studies were both excellent, despite his tendency to cause trouble among his fellow-classmen. Tabaichakov graduated with honors in 2342, despite his sense of humor.

Career

2340s

Ensign Tabaichakov's first assignment was as an operations officer aboard the USS Symon Semeonis (NCC-2996), where he quickly gained a reputation for being something of a paradox. He was diligent and devoted to duty, yet seemed often very much at ease, spending his off-duty hours drinking and carousing with his fellow officers. Those that knew him on duty commented on his quick wits and able fingers, while those that knew him off-duty would say that he never seemed to work, at all.

In 2345, after three working for years in Ops, Tabaichakov elected to transfer and train with the tactical division, working more with the Semeonis weapons and ammunition stores. He began to display a very natural and paternal mode of leadership towards the younger Ensigns and some of the assigned midshipmen.

In 2347 Tabaichakov was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade). He was given somewhat wider responsibilities, proving even this early that he was capable of being responsible for a small group of younger officers and cadets. He formed a very capable team of engineers and young tactical officers, and organized them in shifts and by their duties; for instance, seeing that phaser and photon torpedo control groups were always manned with at least two engineers to help them when they needed it. He developed a pattern of informal efficiency at this point, a trait that came to be very much a hallmark of his work over the years.

In 2349, Tabaichakov was promoted once again, to full Lieutenant, being awarded the Legion of Merit for his seemingly uncanny ability to work with any division and form tactical or medical treage teams of unlike individuals with complimentary histories and skills.

2350s

In 2351, he was given the chance to serve as the Semeonis chief tactical officer and a promotion to Lieutenant commander. His abilities also merited a sponsorship from the Semeonis ' Captain Bradstreet to the Advanced Tactical Training Program, an honor which he actually refused. He continued a degree of much more conventional training, though he seemed more interested in grooming young officers under his command to move onwards to better and newer ships than in actually advancing his own career.

In 2359, the Semeonis participated in a battle, one of many during the Federation-Tzenkethi War and was heavily damaged, losing most of her crew. She was towed from the Tzenkethi border back into Federation space for repairs. It was later decided that the ship was to be decommissioned, and the remaining crew were reassigned.

Later that year, Tabaichakov enrolled as an instructor at Starfleet Academy, teaching future officers of the fleet the value of diverse teams and the tactics of small units.

2360s

In 2361, he was asked to serve aboard the newly-commissioned USS Takeda Shingen (NCC-63646) as the tactical officer, a position he would hold for twenty years. He and the Takeda Shingen saw service during the Federation-Tzenkethi War, from his arrival to the end of the war in 2362.

2370s

In 2373, the Takeda Shingen and the rest of the Eighth Fleet were deployed as reserve for the Seventh Fleet. In 2375, Tabaichakov and the Shingen participated first in the Battle of the Three Suns and later in the Battle of Cardassia. During the latter, many of the Shingen's security and flight personnel were lost when the main launch bay was breached. After the war, the ship was returned to Utopia Planitia for refit, repairs and took on many new crewmembers, who were trained by Tabaichakov.

2380s

In 2381, in response to what he believed (correctly) to be the rise of a growing conspiracy in the Eighth Fleet's command structure, Tabaichakov retired from Starfleet, and returned home to Vladivostok.

In 2382, after the removal of Admiral Johnson, he was approached by Admiral Hayashi, and given a chance to return to the Fleet and command the remotely-stationed Deep Space 17, which he took.