Kelly Tophet is the wife of Quincy Tophet and was being held hostage aboard Konstantin Ruskov's ship, along with her daughter Ava.
Biography[]
Kelly and her daughter Ava were kidnapped by Ruskov to force her husband Quincy to work for him in helping to acquire the primordial strain of the Red Flu and Dr. Rachel Scott, his partner. During her time in captivity Ruskov has her stay in his XO Asmik's quarters while her daughter is held in the brig. Ruskov eventually starts repeatedly raping Kelly during her time on the ship.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Season 1[]
When the Vyerni is twenty-one miles southeast of Guantanamo Bay and the Captain of the Nathan James, Tom Chandler, hails them to identify them, Ruskov forces Kelly to act as the Captain of a British ship to allow them to approach. Kelly hails Tom and identifies her vessel as the British vessel the HMS Suffolk and claims they are looking for a place to replenish their dwindling food supply and fix their radar (in reality Ruskov had it turned off to avoid the Nathan James from identifying their vessel as Russian). After some witty banter between the two of them, Tom allows her ship to approach and dock at Gitmo. (“Welcome to Gitmo”)
While the Vyerni is docked at Gitmo waiting for Quincy to deliver everything to Ruskov, Kelly is escorted to Ruskov's quarters with Kelly thinking Ruskov has another job for her. Ruskov pours Kelly a shot of vodka and tells her he ordered Quincy to bring all research samples of the virus and Dr. Scott to him. When Ruskov mentions his mixed feelings about Quincy completing his mission because he enjoys his time with Kelly, Kelly nervously takes a sip of vodka. (“Dead Reckoning”)
Kelly is next seen having dinner with her daughter and Ruskov as he awaits word from his men searching for the Nathan James. Kelly encourages Ava to eat her food when Ruskov subtly threatens to send her back to the brig. When Ruskov demands gratitude for everything he has done for them, Kelly counters by saying she has taken care of "his needs" for what he has done. Ruskov admits this is true while stroking her shoulder in a creepy manner, but adds she doesn't do it out of gratitude. After Ruskov's XO informs him that Chandler is trapped out at sea, Ruskov cuts the dinner short to oversee an operation to find him. (“SOS”)
When Tom is captured, Ruskov has him brought to his quarters where he, Kelly and Ava are having breakfast. Kelly smiles when Tom tells Ava that Quincy wasn't captured as well and is still on board the Nathan James and Kelly tells Ava to hurry back. When Ruskov comments on the Tophets being excellent liars, Kelly tells Ruskov to stop. Kelly witnesses Tom repeat his name and serial number when Ruskov attempts to ask Tom questions on Dr. Scott's progress. After the Nathan James sends a team that rescues Tom and Tex, Tom finds Kelly and Ava in their room and rescues them. Tom sends Kelly and Ava to the extraction point where the zodiac is waiting with Cossetti and Cruz guarding them. After they successfully reach the zodiac, Kelly sends Ava down first with her following close behind. After everyone gets onboard they escape but later witness Cossetti die of a gunshot he sustained in the firefight. After they board the Nathan James, Kelly and Ava and cry tears of happiness as they hug Quincy at being reunited with him. (“Two Sailors Walk Into a Bar”)
When Dr. Scott begins human trials to test the vaccine Kelly helps clear space for the volunteers to line up when Tom checks in on her. (“Trials”)
After Dr. Scott successfully tests the cure proving it works, Kelly helps Chief Corpsman Rios administer it to the crew by taking the names of the people who have received it and later joins the crew in seeing the shore of the US with her daughter. Quincy and Kelly later argue over what Ruskov did to her and Ava because of him and after they are done she takes her daughter back to their room. When Amy Granderson's state troopers start taking over the ship, Kelly and Ava follow the rest of the crew in meeting on the flight deck. (“No Place Like Home”)
Season 2[]
While the state troopers start imprisoning everyone on the ship in the hanger, Lt Comm. Andrea Garnett tells Kelly that she and Ava were vacationing in Jamaica when the virus broke out and were trapped with Bertrise on the fishing boat. Kelly says she doesn't understand and Garnett explains they came to steal the cure and they cannot be related to Dr. Quincy Tophet. She sits down with the crew holding Ava the entire time scared of the state troopers and later moves with them to the mess after the crew intentionally sabotage the engines to make it happen to get an advantage. When Granderson's state troopers find a photo of the Tophets, they realize who Kelly and Ava are and attempt to take them. Bacon and Garnett attempt to prevent this but Kelly volunteers to go with them to prevent further bloodshed and if they leave Ava alone. When Kelly sees Quincy on the ground with a gunshot in his abdomen, she begs him to just give them what they want. Kelly screams in horror as Quincy tears his wound open, killing himself in the process to protect the cure. (“Unreal City”)
Kelly is taken back to the mess hall where she tells Ava about her father and both grieve silently for him. After crew take the ship back Kelly and Ava continue grieving, but this time they cry uncontrollably letting out their anguish. (“Fight the Ship”)
While Tom and Kelly's kids are fishing with Tom's father Jed, Kelly comments on how fast they've all bonded. Kelly says she is leaving to stay Norfolk because she feels she and Ava have had enough of water and ships for a while. Kelly says Tom's children feel safe because he is present and that is all that matters now and leaves when Ava calls her over. After Tom decides to continue his mission, Kelly moved into the house next to Tom's and volunteers to help Jed look after Tom's kids while he's away and they tell each other to be safe. (“It's Not a Rumor”)
After tomahawk missiles destroy the labs set to reproduce the cure, Tom calls his children to make sure they are okay and Kelly mentions it maybe a good idea to move further inland. After Tom reassures them that they only wanted to destroy the labs, Kelly asks why. Jed interrupts and Kelly take Tom's children to another room so Jed and Tom can talk in private. (“Achilles”)