Noel Christopher DelMonde was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on Terra's North American continent. His father was nominally a Cajun shrimper, his mother Creole.
Del was born with extraordinary empathic and telepathic abilities, but no natural shielding. As a result, his childhood was spent in a horrendous cacophony of other people's thoughts and emotions; full of rage when he was around them, full of lost and lonely despair when he wasn't. He attempted suicide at the age of twelve, after the death of his mother. His relationship with his father was not a positive one.
He discovered his talent for engineering soon after that, as well as his musical ability. Left alone with machinery, he could work wonders. Put a guitar in his hands and he could pour out all the emotions in perfect arias. Good with engines led him to the Clave – and the first taste of sapphire. The Haven chemical dulled his telepathic and empathic abilities so that for the first time in his life, he was alone, nothing more than who and what he was. Unfortunately, all the noise and pressure came back when the drug wore off, giving rise to his reputation as a 'foul-tempered son-of-a-bitch.'
At the Clave, Del was known as 'Cajun', a first-class Maker (designer and builder of needles). He built and named Sulu's needle, Kamikaze, and Jeremy's, Cobra.
His uncle talked him into applying to Starfleet, thinking that he had found his calling in engineering. Fleet testing revealed his incredible telepathic and empathic abilities, and he was assigned to a Vulcan to help him develop the discipline necessary for Starfleet. Little progress was made, and he was prescribed medicinal amounts of sapphire - which he supplemented with his own supply.
He met Ruth (see "Ruth Valley") when he was a midshipman, and her keheil abilities immediately detected his own. They had a very passionate, stormy relationship due to his dependence on sapphre and the friction between their telepathy and empathy. Ruth did what she could to teach him Antari methods of shielding, and her aid enabled him to learn to keep himself sane without the constant use of sapphire. While their feelings for each other are quite strong, they both know that a permanent relationship between them is impossible, and sadly accept it for the truth it is.
His roommate at the Academy was Pavel Chekov (see "Pavel Chekov"). Their relationship is - well, let's just say unusual and leave it at that.
Del was assigned to the Hood after graduating the Academy. Jeremy Paget (see "Jeremy Paget") was assigned as his roommate, due to Jeremy's psychological training, which is a closely-guarded secret.
After spending a leave with Ruth during which they shared powerful venus visions, Del began working toward a transfer to the Enterprise. It was finally granted and Del gratefully took the assignment - only to find that Ruth had just married Spock. After a few rocky moments, they attempted to remain friends - until Captain Bastard and Ruth's desperate need. They once again became lovers until Ruth cut it off with as little explanation as she had begun it. When Ruth and Spock finally explained what had happened to Jim Kirk, Del furiously requested an immediate transfer to the Shipyards - and Spock granted it.
Once again Jeremy Paget was assigned to take care of Del's psychological needs, and after nearly a year, Valjiir transfered to the shipyards to finish the Nests. Del immediately returned to the Enterprise - though it wouldn't have been his first choice by any means. After a few disastrous months, Del fell in love with a half-Indiian Starfleet Intelligence agent, Pelori MacEntyre, during an undercover mission. When she died during that mission, he was finally granted a transfer to the Drake, Sulu's ship. He served there until the Nests were completed, and was then asked by Jim Kirk to be the Chief Engineer aboard the Lincoln. There he met and fell in love with an Indiian yeoman, Calaya Wheal. Calaya accepts his love for Pelori, as well as for Ruth, with typical Indiian tolerance.
Del uses music and poetry (and the occasional sensory deprivation cell) to keep emotional pressures from destroying his sanity. His birthday is November 1, 2223, which makes him a Scorpio.
NOTE: All information current up through Standard Year 2253
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