Lieutenant Phelan Zhaan
Name Phelan Zhaan
Position Chief Security Officer
Rank Lieutenant
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Species | As'ean | |
| Age | 30 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6'3" | |
| Weight | 160 lbs | |
| Hair Color | Black | |
| Eye Color | Blue | |
| Physical Description | Lean and well-muscled without tattoos; moves with the grace and ease of someone who is comfortable in their own skin. His hair is black, somewhat shaggy, and tends to be on the longer side. His eyes are blue and guarded; if you shine a light on him in low light or dark conditions, his eyes will (literally) glow. He is indifferent to style for the most part. Physiology: As’eans are primarily a nocturnal race; while their physiology is similar to humans, there are some differences: Lifespan is 200-250 years. As’eans are considered fully mature until they are 25. Blood is based on nickel giving it a very dark, almost black, hue. Trace element of nickel in As’ean blood is 1.5 times greater than that found in human blood On the homeworld, the atmosphere is somewhat denser meaning that As’eans who leave home can suffer from some or all of the symptoms of asthma as a result of the thinner atmosphere. This is treatable by medication/shots. As’ean homeworld has heightened gravity resulting in denser muscle fiber giving them greater than average humanoid strength (2-3 times greater than human average) Extremely poor sense of smell Extremely good hearing - as low as 35Hertz to as high as 62,000 Hertz. Ears are tipped but not as pronounced as a Vulcans. Can hear detail from quite a far distance. Heightened eyesight -- Excellent vision though not as clear during the day. Because theirs is a twilight world, their eyesight is significantly better in low light/dark conditions. Off-world, As’eans wear shielded lenses in bright light to help correct this problem but it doesn't give them the same acuity as homo sapiens. Because they have a larger anterior chamber and lens, as well as a wider pupil, an As’ean's eyesight is six times better than the average Terran's eyesight in extremely dark environments. They also have broadly elliptical pupils that appear round when dilated in darkness, but elliptical in bright areas. Their retina has mostly rod receptors, which are sensitive to low light levels and movement. Cone receptors help make them distinguish up to six million different colors - however, these cone receptors are primarily intended to enhance their vision, causing them to see color in higher saturation in brightly lit areas. The average As’ean has a layered structure called the Tapetum Lucidum at the back of their eye. This mirror-like structure reflects light that has not already been absorbed back into the eye a second time to help produce a brighter image. This causes their eyes to glow in dark environments when light is shone into their eyes. In addition to upper and lower eyelids, As’eans also have a nictitating membrane, which helps keep the eyes moist and removes dust from the surface. Binocular vision enables them to judge distances when jumping. Unity -- a moment of spiritual sharing between two consenting parties whereby they link together on a spiritual level to become essentially one being. It has been compared to experiencing a decade of exceptional sex at once, although the psychological strain of such a link can make it dangerous, suggesting that at least one participant must be trained before attempting such a bond. Can be dangerous - memories can be stolen or as an aid to a body’s failing energy reserves (if too much is taken/given, can result in death). Those who achieve Unity retain a connection. Reaches physical maturity at around 25 years old (though that can vary). . When they are most fertile, an As’ean female emits pheromones specifically attuned to their potential mates (only those of the same physiology) and undergo what is called a season (their mating drive) around every 10 years for anywhere from 5-10 days. These pheromones are stronger than those of the average humanoid species (with the noted exception of Vulcans) and are at their most powerful when an As’ean is in season due to the increased need for a mate during this time. Similar to the Vulcan Pon Farr, it is said that the mating drive concludes with a period of seclusion, often lasting several days, that is said to be intense and where the male will not part from the female. Signs and symptoms of an As’ean undergoing their season include irritability, mood swings, inability to concentrate, headaches, fatigue, and fever. |
Family
| Spouse | None | |
| Children | None | |
| Father | Unknown | |
| Mother | Meridyn | |
| Brother(s) | None | |
| Sister(s) | None | |
| Other Family | Many |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | He is intelligent and hard-working, strongly committed to doing what’s needed but unwilling to make moral compromises. He won’t kill a child just because he’s ordered to do so; he’s very much his own person. A nocturnal being better suited to the night, he has learned to live with the conditions favored by most races. He fights against his weaknesses and his fears until he has not only overcome them but succeeded in what he set out for himself. He is learning to be happy again but the events that drove him from his homeworld have left their mark. | |
| Strengths & Weaknesses | Strengths: Extremely good hearing Good eyesight especially in low light or dark conditions Stronger than human average Skilled in hand-to-hand combat and with a number of weapons Intelligent and good at problem-solving Good leadership skills Weaknesses: Weak sense of smell Treatable asthma owing to the thinner atmosphere of most Federation worlds Required shielded lenses when outdoors in bright sunlight - though he’s more able to tolerate the light now than he was when he first left As’ea. Hates to cook and is considered lethal in a kitchen. Coffee. Give him coffee he’s yours to command. |
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| Hobbies & Interests | Acrobatics. By no means an expert, he likes the challenge and finds the moves to be useful Hand-to-hand combat: He has developed a combined fighting style that makes his moves harder to predict because he doesn’t follow a single discipline exclusively. At the moment, he’s studying kickboxing. Weapons: Enjoys working with unusual weapons such as single stick, quarterstaff, knives, whips, and the like. Reading: Loves to read and has eclectic taste in books Anything to do with water: Loves to swim, free dive, and is learning how to surf. Solving puzzles/mysteries |
| Personal History | He was born on As’ea Prime, a peaceful society ruled by a theocracy led by the Pa’us (priests) who were members of the As’ean Seek, the dominant religion of the planet. While technologically sophisticated, the As’eans inhabit only a small portion of the planet. Toxic, gaseous emissions from volcanic strata beneath the surface rendered much of the landmass uninhabitable; while plant-life and some insects were able to evolve in these locations, some of which are exotic in appearance, colonization in those areas has had to wait for the gasses to dissipate. The As’ean people believe in the preservation of the planet’s ecology and in fact, are working to reclaim the larger landmasses. They always prefer technology that does little or no harm to the environment. Farming systems are largely automated since the As’eans are nocturnal people. The majority of the world is given over to nature, so much so that a ship running a standard sensor sweep would see very little indication of the vast and ancient civilization that lives there. For many centuries, they were led by the Pa’us who taught peaceful coexistence through philosophy and teaching parables. Like everyone else he knew, he learned the chants; while he might have his doubts about the Maker, he participated in the chants and thought the ceremonies to be lovely. A moon swept grove, the Pa’u with arms stretched, reaching up to the stars, while everyone sang the chant of light. Such moments remained with him, even sustained him in the dark days that followed. If you asked him, he would have said that he had a good life. No, a great one. That is until one Pa’u decided not to relinquish his authority at the end of his tenure; and instead, hired off-world mercenaries. By doing so, he changed the face of the world forever. For him, that marked the change in his life as well. To that point, he was adventurous and possessed of an insatiable curiosity. He was known to be fearless and to be the sort who would fight against his fears until he conquered them (leading to a variety of challenges). Outgoing and enthusiastic, he did well in school and had a wide circle of friends. He had never known his father and was accustomed to the different men that came into and left his mother’s life. His mother was an artist, moderately successful, with a creative soul and a wild nature. Permanent unions were not expected by his people though they weren’t unheard of either. Until Pa’u Littrell, that is. Littrell and his mother became lovers and at first, all was well. But when Meridyn tried to end the arrangement, to move on, she began to discover the man’s carefully hidden darker side. Littrell sought to control all things and he considered Meridyn (and all of As’ea) to be his. He was loath to step down and instead made plans that were carried out in a devastating, blitz attack using mercenaries. When the guns stopped firing, the theocracy was ended and a new regime instituted, one based on absolute obedience. Carefree and happy became words that had no meaning in his life. His mother, as Pa’u Littrell’s (subjugated) partner, tried to use her waning influence in the hope of having a mitigating effect on the worst of his inclinations but with little success. Before long, she was trapped in a life she didn’t want, a source of shame and derision among the people for what she had done. Within a year of the coup, his mother, Meridyn, had committed suicide. The only thing Talyn has of his mother is a charm; he carries it with him always. With his mother’s suicide, he was ejected from his home. Alone, he became a street rat almost overnight; the son of a collaborator had no standing in society. Because the mercenaries could operate easily during the day as well as at night, the people were beaten down. Life changed. For him, it became a problem of survival and escape. His school became the streets. He learned to avoid the mercenaries who roamed the streets and began to hunt for a way off-world. He slept in ruins, in caves, in rough shelters. He learned to be stealthy. He learned how to fight. He became adept at survival. He figured he would die young and then… he got lucky. He managed to stow away on a freighter that was leaving As’ea and was nearly dead by the time they found him in the cargo hold. He had been concerned about getting off-world but hadn’t given much thought at all about what to do once the ship took off. He was brought to Earth and treated by Starfleet Medical. It was the beginning of his new life. As they began to understand his medical needs, treatment was found for his asthma and he was given shielded lenses/glasses to wear when outside during the day. He was placed with a good family and began to rebuild his shattered life. As’eans are nocturnal; now, he had to learn to cope with daylight. He embraced hooded outfits. He wore the glasses they gave him. He studied harder than ever. Felt like an idiot … but he was a safe idiot. No one was trying to kill him. No one called him names and chased him away. Earth became home. The memories of what had happened haunted his dreams and he lost her smile, his laugh, he was no longer carefree. But he was healing. When it came time to think about his life going forward, the answer was easy enough. He wanted to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. He joined Starfleet and he became a Security Officer. And bit by bit, his smile came back. |
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| Service Record | - Graduated Starfleet Academy, Security Major/Intelligence Minor - Assigned USS Theordore Roosevelt, Security Officer - Promoted to Assistant Chief of Security, USS Theordore Roosevelt - Promoted to Chief of Security, USS Theodore Roosevelt USS Theodore Roosevelt He proved himself in his time aboard the "Rought Rider", moving from ‘new’ to ‘seasoned’. Those who doubted his ability to do the job, given his limitations, soon found that he was a capable officer. He was cited several times for courage under fire and over the course of his eight years on board moved up to Asst. Chief of Security. He was instrumental in improving the on-board training regimen for the security staff and gained a reputation for never asking more than what he was willing to do himself. While slow to form lasting friendships, he was always willing to try something new. Basketball was alright, LaCrosse was better. Movie nights were fun, especially the impromptu popcorn fights (a better use than trying to eat the stuff). Shore leave was always better with someone than alone. And just as he thought he had found himself a home, he was transferred to Faltan Station. Back to square one. An Earth idiom meaning progress lost. Begin again. 2394: Assigned to Faltan Station as Chief Security Officer |