Lieutenant JG Zane D'Sai
Name Zane D'Sai
Position Assistant Chief Operations Officer
Rank Lieutenant JG
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Species | Mesaani (Mesaain IV) | |
| Age | 38 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6'0" | |
| Weight | 155 lbs. | |
| Hair Color | Brown | |
| Eye Color | Green | |
| Physical Description | Lean and well-muscled with long-brown hair that he wears braided and bright green eyes. He has a birthmark that is often mistaken for a runic tattoo that covers his left shoulder-blade. Physiology > Birth defect, common to all Messaaini, which in his case is present on his left shoulder blade and takes the shape of a runic tattoo. The Mesaaini believe it to be a gift given to them by their Gods. Glows when in contact with water (further reinforcing the idea that it's a spiritual gift). > The interior of his chest has gill-like membranes in place of normal lung tissue, which are adapted to extract oxygen from water. > Under water, has very good eyesight - can see in near abyssal darkness - but on land, his eyes are sensitive to strong sunlight (wears sunglasses) > Can breathe either air though is required to return to the water on a regular basis to remain healthy. Over the years, he's been able to remain out of the water for longer periods of time (up to forty-eight hours). > Able to communicate telepathically (can't read minds) but generally reserves that for when he is underwater and receives intentions/memories in the form of dreams that he records through writing/drawing in a journal. > Lifespan is about 250 years. At 38, he's considered to be very young by his people. |
Family
| Spouse | None | |
| Children | None | |
| Father | ||
| Mother | ||
| Brother(s) | ||
| Sister(s) | ||
| Other Family |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | Has an artistic appreciation of the natural world and is unapologetically curious about pretty much everything. Comfortable in silence, self-reliant, and more than a little independent. He's adventurous, nearly fearless, and always ready to discover what's out there. He values honesty, to the point where he doesn't lie, and has a strong moral code. He's not afraid to speak his mind though he tries to temper his words with respect. Has a strong reverence for history and the preservation of art and cultural artifacts. Under periods of stress, he tends to get quiet (forgetting to verbalize) and has a uniquely silent laugh. | |
| Strengths & Weaknesses | Strengths: > Telepathic communication (can't read minds) > Eidetic memory > Highly analytical mindset/good at spotting patterns > Ph.D. in Computer Science Weaknesses: > Complete lack of humidity causes dry skin issues which, while not life threatening, can become problematic over time > Needs time on his own to recharge the way an introvert does, stemming from the quiet of his underwater home > Needs to spend time in the water to remain healthy |
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| Ambitions | To see ... everything! | |
| Hobbies & Interests | > Water sports of any kind > New experiences - bit of an adrenaline junkie > Holodeck programming (focusing on new ways to experience the natural world) > Reading (a lot to learn!) |
| Personal History | Mesaain III is the homeworld of two distinctly different species, the Ma'Zed and the Mesaaini. Both believe they are the 'true' inhabitants, both have long and rich history, and both are right. Mesaain III is rare in that respect. Of the two species, the Ma'Zed are the more technologically advanced with a history of cannibalizing the natural world to fuel their efforts. They are territorial and have an expansionist philosophy that is in direct contrast with the Mesaaini who place the good of the society as a whole over advancement for its own sake. They revere the natural world as a gift and seek to preserve its beauty. The Mesaaini are a spiritual people who strive to be the best version of themselves, revering art and education, and personal growth. Every child is encouraged to take a pilgrimage, either by land or by sea, to learn the path they want to take in life. Their philosophical differences made cooperation unlikely and while the Mesaaini were happy to leave the Ma'Zed to their own lands, the Ma'Zed did not agree. They turned greedy eyes toward the untapped resources on Mesaaini lands and used satellite mapping techniques to spy on their 'enemies'. The decision was easy enough to make. The Messaaini were determined to be inferior and thus, unworthy of the lands they held. Ma'Zed encroachment on Mesaaini lands led to hostilities and over time, outright war. The peaceful Mesaaini were not as easily defeated as the Ma'Zed had assumed. They proved to be fiercely defensive of their lands and held a distinct advantage. The Mesaaini could breathe underwater while the Ma’Zed, with their denser musculature, could only drown. Over time, the Ma'Zed, who had both the technological edge and the advantage in numbers, wore them down. The war was brutal and when it ended, the Mesaaini were all but wiped out, saved for the elderly and three of the young ones, who had been removed early on to underwater cities, and those few warriors who retreated under cover of darkness. The Ma'Zed celebrated their victory and moved into Mesaaini lands. With the war over and the world theirs, they returned to the great work for the Ma’Zed believed that the entire system was theirs. They completed the last tests for their warp-powered ship and within months of achieving their first warp-powered flight, petitioned the Federation for membership. However, their victory was not without its problems. There were inexplicable accidents without pattern or explanation. The Mesaaini it seemed had decided to continue the fight though they were much harder to find now that their bases were underwater. Development of devices that could extend their reach into the planet’s oceans was given a higher priority. If the defeated could not be content with the scraps left to them, then the Ma’Zed would remove them as well. For Zaire, those were long and often lonely years. The underwater city, known as the Last City, was beautiful and filled with as many treasures as the people could rescue from the Ma’Zed. The old ones seemed happy amongst the memories of the past and spoke to the three boys about how it would be like once their lands were theirs again. For Zaire, it felt as though he were living in a tomb. The future, when it was mentioned, existed only as some hazy ideal – driving the Ma’Zed out once and for all, restoring the land to what it was, but how that could happen when the people were gone, no one said. By the age of ten, Zaire was a thief who stole artifacts from hidden places to bring back to the Last City. Parts of the old city, where the treasures were stored, were completely underwater as a last defense against the Ma’Zed because that was their reality. Already, strange mechanical devices had been caught attempting to infiltrate their borders. Zaire expected to die young; a child forced to grow up too son with little hope for the future. And then a Starfleet away team arrived on Mesaain III to begin the preliminary evaluation for membership. While taking water and plant life samples, three young men came up out of the water, the youngest of them being Zaire. All were Mesaaini and all had been part of the group fighting against the Ma’Zed through guerilla tactics intended to halt Ma'Zed progress without taking lives. Introductions were made and the Mesaaini, who spoke Ma’Zed, explained their side of the situation. As proof of their claims, all news to the Starfleet team, the young men took the team to their most sacred places, showed them temples and libraries, sanctuaries that were thousands of years old, and more. Interference in the politics of Mesaain III was forbidden; and while Starfleet could and did recommend that the planet not be considered for membership, they could not also leave the Mesaaini to certain genocide. The Federation, therefore, arranged for an embassy in the Last City, one where scientists could come and study Messaini culture and artifacts that were thousands of years old. Starfleet made it clear to the Ma’Zed that they would defend the Last City and their embassy. There was to be no further attacks against the Messaaini. For the three boys, the decision was finally, painfully, made to allow them to begin their pilgrimage. And that led Zaire to Earth and the beginning of his education. There were weekly talks with his grandfather but the old man’s attempts to keep the cause of the people alive in the boy’s heart didn’t have the power it once had. Zaire didn’t want to die on a hopeless quest. He wanted life and adventure. He began putting off the idea of returning to Mesaain and the cerebral, too quiet, life of the elderly who lived in the sea. When it came time to decide his future, the choice seemed clear. He wanted to join Starfleet, to help other worlds and peoples, the way the Federation was trying to help his own. Surprisingly, his grandfather, and really all of their small community, thought it was a good idea. Show the peoples of the universe what the Mesaaini are. Do not let us be forgotten. |
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| Service Record | 2380-2386: California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), Ph.D. in Computer Programming 2386-2390: Starfleet Academy, Operations Major/Computer Minor 2390-2395: Operations Officer, USS Bretagne 2395-2400: Assistant Chief of Operations, USS Faraday 2400-Now: Assistant Chief of Operations, USS Valkyrie |