Lieutenant JuniorGrade Talyn Nyx

Character Information

Gender		Female
Species		As'ean
Age		30

Physical Appearance

Height		5/7"
Weight		120 lbs
Hair Color		Blonde
Eye Color		Gray
Physical Description		Lean and well-muscled, Talyn moves with the grace and ease of someone who is comfortable in her own skin. Her ears are slightly tipped, though not as extreme as a Vulcan; her hair is blonde and falls to mid back. She has little interest in curls and ornamentation. It’s either down or it’s bundled back into a ponytail, occasionally even a braid. That’s about it. Her eyes are gray and guarded; if you shine a light on her in low light or dark conditions, her eyes will glow. 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 (with 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 nictating 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 was 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 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. Though there are similarities, it’s nowhere near as intense as the Vulcan Pon Farr. 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

Personality & Traits

General Overview		Talynn is intelligent and hard-working, strongly committed to doing what’s needed but unwilling to make moral compromises. She won’t kill a child just because she’s ordered to do so; she’s very much her own person. A nocturnal being better suited to the night, she has learned to live with the conditions favored by most races. She fights against her weaknesses and her fears until she has not only overcome them but succeeded in what she set out for herself. She is learning to be happy again but the events that drove her from her home world 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 she’s more able to tolerate the light now than she was when she first left As’ea. - When around a mateable As’ean, can begin to excrete pheromones, which affect only As’eans; there are some similarities to the Vulcan Pon Farr - Hates to cook and is considered lethal in a kitchen. - Coffee and chocolate. Give her both and she’s yours to command.
Hobbies & Interests		** Acrobatics. By no means an expert, she likes the challenge and finds the moves to be useful ** Hand-to-hand combat: She has developed a combined fighting style that makes her moves harder to predict because she doesn’t follow a single discipline exclusively. At the moment, she’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		Talyn 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 land mass 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 preservation of the planet’s ecology and in fact are working to reclaim the larger land masses. They always prefer technology that does little or no harm to the environment. Farming systems are largely automated since the As’eans are a 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 she knew, Talyn learned the chants; while she might have her doubts about the Maker and didn’t say the chants as often as she should, she participated and thought the ceremonies to be lovely. A moonswept grove, the Pa’u with arms stretched, reaching up to the stars, while everyone sang the chant of light. Such moments remained with her, even sustained her in the dark days that followed. If you asked her, she would have said that she 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 Talyn, that marked the change in her life as well. To that point, she was adventurous and possessed of an insatiable curiosity. She was known to be fearless and to be the sort who would fight against her fears until she conquered them. Outgoing and enthusiastic, she did well in school and had a wide circle of friends. She had never known her father and was accustomed to the different men that came into and left her mother’s life. Her mother was an artist, moderately successful, with a creative soul and a wild nature. Permanent unions were not expected by her people though they weren’t unheard of either. Until Pa’u Littrell, that is. Littrell and her 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 control in all things and he considered Meridyn (and 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 her life. Her 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, her mother, Meridyn, had committed suicide. The only thing Talyn has of her mother is a locket; she carries it with her always. She was ejected from her home. Alone, Talyn became a street rat almost overnight; the daughter 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 Talyn, it became a problem of survival and escape. Her school was the streets. She learned to avoid the mercenaries who roamed the streets and began to hunt for a way off world. She slept in ruins, in caves, in rough shelters. She learned to be stealthy. She learned how to fight. She became adept at survival. She figured she would die young and then… she got lucky. She managed to stow away on a freighter leaving As’ea and was nearly dead by the time they found her. Talyn had been concerned about getting off world but hadn’t given much thought at all about what to do once the ship took off. She was brought to Earth and treated by Starfleet Medical. It was the beginning of her new life. As they began to understand her medical needs, a treatment was found for her asthma and she was given shielded lenses (sunglasses) to wear when outside during the day. She was placed with a good family and began to rebuild her shattered life. As’eans are nocturnal; now, Talyn had to learn to cope with daylight. She embraced hooded outfits. She wore the glasses they gave her. She studied harder than ever. Felt like an idiot … but she was a safe idiot. No one was trying to kill her. No one called her names and chased her away. Earth became home. The memories of what had happened haunted her dreams and she lost her smile, her laugh, she was no longer carefree. But she was healing. When it came time to think about her life going forward, the answer was easy enough. She wanted to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. She joined Starfleet and she became a Security Officer. And bit by bit, her smile came back.
Service Record		Service Record 2226: Born on As’ea 2240: Stowed away on a freighter leaving As’ea 2240: Arrived on Earth. Treated by Starfleet Medical and placed with a foster family 2244: Entered Starfleet Academy, Security Major 2248: Graduated Starfleet Academy, Assigned to the USS Dayan as Security Officer USS Dayan Talyn proved herself in her time aboard the Dayan moving from ‘new’ to ‘seasoned’. Those who doubted her ability to do the job, given her limitations, soon found that she was a capable officer. She was cited several times for courage under fire and over the course of her eight years on board moved up to Asst. Chief of Security. She was instrumental in improving the on board training regimen for the security staff and gained a reputation for never asking more than what she was willing to do herself. While slow to form lasting friendships, she 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 she thought she had found herself a home, she was transferred to the Musashi. Back to square one. An Earth idiom meaning progress lost. Begin again. 2256: Assigned to the USS Musashi as Chief Security Officer