I did a little date math here, incorporating new info from 2x04: Mariner on USS Cerritos: 2380 - onwards Mariner on USS Quito: some date - 2379 (she was on the Quito a year before "Second Contact" and it's strongly implied she came directly from there) Mariner on USS Atlantis: Unknown, but presumably before the Quito Mariner on DS9: At some point between 2372-2376 (When Worf was assigned there, as she broke his Mek'leth and fixed it before he found out) Mariner says she served on DS9 before the Quito, in dialogue that suggests she went DS9-Quito-Cerritos, but in practice there's no reason she HAD to be there. Her time on the Atlantis could be before of after her assignment to DS9. As for her and Riker, we only really know that Riker and Captain Freeman served together at some point, and presumably because Riker called himself Freeman's cha'dich, he was presumably in a senior position onboard their ship. This COULD mean the Enterprise, but could also mean Freeman and Riker served on the Hood (where he was first officer), the Potemkin (where he was a lieutenant) or even while he was on Betazed before that (but presumably not on the Pegasus or at the academy). The SIMPLEST answer seems to be that Freeman was in some position on the Enterprise for a while, separate from her husband for a period of time, and Mariner got to know Riker as an impressionable youth, carrying that contact with her through her academy days and beyond. So with that in mind, I'd submit a completely made-up timeline based on what we know: Sometime between 2364-2370: Freeman is assigned to the Enterprise-D, possibly as a single parent, but with Mariner in tow. Riker is Freeman's mentor in some capacity; Mariner comes to know Riker too. I'd suggest this is towards the end of the Enterprise-D's lifetime and may even have ended at Veridian III. Let's say 2370-2371: Mariner enlists in Starfleet Academy. Freeman goes on to some other assignment(s), possibly as a command officer. 2373: It's implied in "Crisis Point" that Freeman has been in command of the Cerritos for seven years. She may have had commands before then, but none aboard a "captial ship". 2374-75: Mariner graduates from the academy. I'd like to presume 2374 as it means she can get into trouble BEFORE the Dominion War messes everything up. It's possible that she may have graduated early too, because of the war. 2375-2376: Mariner serves on DS9 somewhere in this time. Breaks Worf's mek'leth. 2375-2379: Mariner also serves on four other ships, including the Atlantis and the Quito, with the latter being the most recent. 2380: Mariner serves on the Cerritos. I mean heck, this is arguably more background than we know for lots of TV regular characters, decades after the fact... Mark
I don't think they have technically given Dadmiral's first or last name. I don't think we have been shown him talking with Mariner at all. In terms of the timeline Mark_Nguyen presented, a couple caveats. Mariner could have done more than one stint on the Cerritos. (i.e. Quito ->Atlantis->DS9->Ship #3-->Ship #4->Quito->Cerritos. We know from WYLB that Worf left DS9 to work on Kronos in 2375-76ish. But he certainly could have visited or reposted at DS9 any time after that, and Mariner could have encontered him then.
Don't forget the Dominion War means Mariner could serve on a ship prior to actual graduation. Even if she was part of a more regular Academy experience, the cadet cruise would count as "served on the X".
I think she was probably on the Quito multiple times. Her flashback to the Quito (when docked with DS9...) has her as an Ensign, but we know she transferred from the Quito to the Cerritos (and was on the Cerritos since 2379, having served at most a year prior to 2380). There's talk from her dad about getting her back on the Quito, so I think her constant demotions and transfers might be tied to that ship as well. The Quito is also an Olympic class.. It's interesting that she may have started her career on a hospital ship during the Dominion War. Probably saw alot of horror, and, in addition to her stint on DS9, is clearly a veteran of some crazy stuff. Her knowledge of all things TNG and DS9 makes more sense when it seems she experienced some of these "episodes" firsthand. Potential Mariner background: 2351 - Birth 2350s-64 - As a child, she lives with her parents on the USS Hood (Ship 1), where her mother cavorts with Riker and he becomes her mentor. 2364-2369 - Mariner transfers with her mother and Riker (and Geordi) to the Enterprise-D (Ship 2), where she first meets Worf and experiences six seasons of adventures (but is off the ship by the events of Descent). 2369-2373 - Attends Starfleet Academy. Does incredibly well because of her years on the Enterprise. Probably becomes "Mariner" to separate her from her now-famous father (an Admiral or Captain by this point). Assigned to the USS Quito (Ship 3). 2373 - Psychological PTSD from the Niko incident on the Quito gets Mariner transferred to Deep Space 9, where she remains until the station is abandoned at the end of the year. 2374-2376 - Assigned to the USS Atlantis (Ship 4) through the end of the War and beyond. Goes on crazy adventures and participates in Grey Ops (but not Black Ops) missions that get her briefly imprisoned in Klingon space (or was that part of the Op?). Highest rank is Lieutenant, but that all ends tragically when half the crew is lost to space lice. 2376-2379 - Reassigned by her father back to the Quito. Her PTSD from the Niko incident and now Atlantis kicks in and she begins acting up, refusing senior staff appointments and quickly getting demoted to Lt. junior grade and then Ensign. Instead of getting drummed out of Starfleet, her father (now a four-star Admiral in high command) pulls strings and has her assigned to the USS Cerritos (Ship 5) until she works through her emotional issues. 2379-2381 - Mischief and mayhem on the Cerritos.
From "Moist Vessel" - Carol Freeman served with Durango on the USS Illinois. They had known each other for 15 years, so they might have first encountered each other in 2365 or thereabouts. The Atlantis has no "U.S.S." prefix, as seen on the pad.
I didn't get a good look at the PADD. I like to think that she conflated her service by adding in ships she served on as a civilian child, but with three ships now (Quito, Atlantis, Cerritos), that's probably a non-tenable idea. Ship 1 might be her Academy field assignment, Ship 2 the Quito as an Ensign, and Ship 4 might be a vessel after the Atlantis but before the Quito reassignment. She may have moved with her mother in 2365 to the Illinois, only living on the Enterprise-D during its first season (if at all). Perhaps, it would make more sense for her mother to be on the Potemkin (when Riker is a Lieutenant) and to imagine some Lower Deck-like adventures going on for child Mariner to see before he gets promoted and transfers away (the first of many). Maybe her fascination with the Enterprise is just her vicarious relationship with Riker (pen pal?) as she is stuck on these third-tier ships with her underperforming mother. Her statements from Episode 1 placed emphasis on just knowing Worf ("my man, Worf") that could just be from her DS9 days now, and not familiarity from the Enterprise itself.
She could also be trying to look cool by name-dropping famous officers she's barely met. Never underestimate the silly things people will do to be liked.
She could also be exaggerating (i.e. lying) about actually Knowing Worf. She may only know him in passing and that entailed the broken mek'leth incident. (which she even admits she fixed it before he found out) ninj'd
I'd hesitate to say that the five ships Mariner "served aboard" would include the Hood and/or Enterprise. She wasn't a member of Starfleet at the time, more just a passenger or resident. It's not like Jake Sisko "served" aboard DS9 unless he was subbing in for Nog at Quark's. Mark
I predict we will find out she was a child on the Enterprise D, left to go to Starfleet Academy, then returned to the ship for Cadet field training.
Fair comment - just feels like the discussion between Adm and Cpt Freemab about Mariner is more in line with a biological relationship than a step dad but that doesn't preclude it as it is just my interpretation.
The implication to me when Captain Freeman yelled "she's your daughter too" at Admiral Freeman was that he is indeed Mariner's biological father.
He was called Admiral Freeman onscreen. And indeed it would make sense for her to change her name if both parents were high ranking officers. She was still Mariner when not serving on the Cerritos.
The name change - if there was one - happened even before her Starfleet service. We saw last week that her former associates on the station knew her by that name and she "lived there for a bit as a teenager".