I think fan fiction often exists because people just haven't gotten enough of the characters they fell in love with. It shouldn't be an enormous surprise that a lot of the stories here are based on Chris Pine's Kirk and Zachary Quinto's Spock - vibrant portrayals but really not a lot of screen time. 

           For me, I just can't get into anther writer's skin to write the characters they created - except for cameo appearances. It's fun to bring them in as touchstones - what are these people doing now?

Will Riker - I have no idea what he is doing, but for a brief cameo he is commanding the Enterprise. Whether this is a permanent assignment or he is just running a one-off mission, I don't know. I am also deliberately vague about his rank - captain? admiral? I don't know. I just have this wonderful idea that in his twenties, fresh out of Star Fleet Academy, a young cad of a Will Riker cut a broad swath and among all his conquests.... one night... he fell prey to the federation's greatest seductress. Lucky guy...

Julian Bashir - One of the most brilliant minds in Star Fleet because he was genetically engineered. I like the idea that not only did he allow himself to be recruited into Section 31... It makes sense to me that he might have bought into it... In fact, changed his profession from medicine to law just so that he can position himself not just near the top of Section 31... After Slade's death, Section 31 does need a new leader...

Elim Garrik - At the end of DS9, Garrik moved back to Cardassia - so why would he go back to being a tailor on DS9 after Julian has left? I don't have any idea - but I need him there for comic purposes... And a touch of horror. 

Kira Nurys - I didn't include her in the story. she took a promotion back to Bajor so that I could put Colonel Norma Bacys in charge of DS9. And she brought her philandering husband, Norma Garr, along for the ride...

Wesley Crusher - Easily the most despised of all Star Trek heroes. But easily the most important since Picard discovered that warp drive was destroying spacetime. Who better to come up with a new warp system that not only doesn't destroy spacetime - but actually repairs it? I plan to bring not only several versions of a grown up, hippie Wesley, but the Traveler as well into this story in a big way toward the end of Season 2.

The Traveler - The Traveler is a favorite walk-on alien character - so much of a fan favorite that he was brought back to escort Wesley out of the Star Trek Next Generation series. He is listed as a "Tau Alphan" but STNG never made it clear what his species was. Therefore I felt free to list him as a subspecies of the Progenitors. I borrowed a trope from Stargate Atlantis with the idea that the Traveler is so old that he cannot remember his name. So Wesley has taken to calling him "Bob."

The Doctor - I have all kinds of fun and big plans for the Doctor. Since cannon did not give him a name, I gave him two. He is listed in Star Fleet Personnel Records as Doctor Robert - a name given to him by Star Fleet Chief of Staff, Admiral Jamaal El Fadil. Later, he earns the moniker Doctor Prometheus from Wesley Crusher.

Third of Five (Hugh) - I also have big plans for 3rd of 5 - the liberated borg given the name Hugh by Geordi LaForge. I borrowed a trope from the cartoon series Futurama and added the surname Mann. Hugh Mann. 

Chancellor Martok - Martok has been in the background all along, keeping the Klingon Empire at peace and rebuilding its shattered fleet. Now the oldest klingon on record, his inevitable absence with hit this story like a killer asteroid...

Alexander Rozhenko - It just made sense that the ambassador from the Klingon Empire to the Federation would be Worf's son, Alexander. He puts in a cameo.

Worf - Still Martok's champion. I have something seriously heroic for Worf to do.   Heghlu’ meH QaQ jajvam!

Admiral Alayna Necheyav - Star Fleet's creepiest admiral. You have to hate her... because she's generally right. I needed her, in the role of Director of Star Fleet Intelligence, at the end to expose just how manipulative Section 31 is throughout the story. Of course the DSFI is a member of Section 31 - almost by definition...