Sydek was an unusual Vulcan. While he was doing well at the Vulcan Science Academy he found himself appreciating the engineering of things rather than the theories they were based on.

He was also a rare discipline case at the Science Academy. He had an unruly streak that led him to fight with classmates, usually students who were larger or older than him as if he was physically testing himself.

His parents (Haldon and T’pala) were understanding when he dropped out to transfer to Starfleet Academy, but were very disappointed when he graduated and put in for an operational/tactical track instead of science or engineering.

When asked why, he explained that performing battle simulations in the Academy opened his eyes to the possibilities of applying logic and higher thinking to security and starship battle, and that he thought that maybe Vulcans could benefit from being more dynamic and less academic.

As an Ensign he served aboard the USS T’Kumbra as a junior operations officer, but by the the time he made Junior Lieutenant he had transferred to the tactical department.

He learned a lot aboard the all Vulcan ship, but when it was assigned a charting mission he decided he wanted to increase his tactical experience so he put in for a transfer. He ended up on the USS Yeager, fighting Cardassian separatists, Orion pirates and Romulan rebels mostly in The Triangle. Later when there was an opportunity for advancement he applied for an received a Chief Tactical Officer’s assignment on the Lionheart.