Lorian

Summary
Lorain is a 64-year-old Vulcan Starfleet officer, serving as the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Lammergeier in Task Force 11. Born in ShiKahr, the northern region of Vulcan, he is a member of the small polar tribe. Growing up in a semi-nomadic family, he developed a curiosity for exploration at an early age.

Having first become an apprentice to one of the local healers, Lorian attended the Vulcan science academy to study medicine and later specialize in exobiology. Practicing at the academy himself for almost a decade, he eventually joined Starfleet after being approached for one of his theses on xenobiological similarities, through the interspecies exchange program.

For a while, after being drafted into rank, he also taught exobiology at the academy in San Francisco, before entering active duty on the USS Hampshire.

History
Lorian grew up in a traditional, nomadic family of the norther tribe on Vulcan. A lifestyle his lineage had pursued for generations - dating back to the times of Surak – to find clarity among considerable isolation. Despite that, his clan was astutely aware of the progress and evolution of matters all over Vulcan and the galaxy. Thus his education from a young age was a holistic one, believing that true and complete understanding only came from true and complete knowledge.

Being a gifted and intelligent child, always curious, Lorian soaked up all the information he could find, quizzing each member of his tribe on their individual wisdoms. Spending a sizeable amount of time with the tribe’s healer, it became clear rather early on, that his true skill and interest lied with biology and medicine. He was fascinated and intrigued by the stories of species beyond the perpetually dusty sky of Vulcan. All so different and complex.

So, it came to no surprise but his own, that his parents had actually sought for him to get educated at the Vulcan Science Academy. Something not only a privilege to Vulcans in general, but a huge exception for members of such an isolated community. They had made a particularly practical case on his behalf, that his heritage and curiosity were the perfect fit for an institution that promoted equality and logic. Thus, at 15 years of age, he left the northern region and joined the Vulcan Science Academy, living in their dormitories with other students.

It was an adjustment, to say the least, being confined to such a closed environment with so many different people he didn’t know. It was a strain on his mental discipline, at first. But discovering a fancy for meditation techniques and Vulcan martial arts, the young man quickly found balance, alongside excelling in his studies. Specializing in xenobiology, the studies of lifeforms not based on traditional Vulcan physiology. Eventually, becoming somewhat of a luminary on the subject, Lorian started teaching the subject at the Science Academy for almost a decade, after graduating with honors himself.

In this time, he also ventured on his first off-planet assignment, to a scientists’ summit on Andoria. Where he spent an inordinate amount of time studying the local populous, much to the dismay of their individual personal spaces. Returning to Vulcan he made it his hobby to collect biological data on the various known species of the galaxy, eventually publishing a study on their similarities, that put him on the radar of Starfleet.

Finding the possibility to live and observe among a different species was so fascinating to Lorian that he jumped at the offer to study at Starfleet Academy and moved to San Francisco on Earth. Naturally, as a Vulcan, already almost 35 years old, a dozenth on Vulcan himself, studies at the Academy were not very challenging. He basically breathed through the courses, soaking up everything he didn’t yet know, applying it immediately. And at the same time, learning to deal with something he had not yet fully experienced: several species so liberal with their emotions. Throughout his entire time on Earth, that was probably the most challenging subject, getting used to the proclivities of Humans, Ferengies, Rigellians, Trill, Betazoids, and many others. It was also in this time, that he discovered that he preferred people’s rather straightforward biology, over their psychology.

Eventually, once again, graduating with honors, Lorian was immediately offered a position as an instructor for exobiology – the studies for other humanoid life – one of his favorite subjects, and not too different from his xenobiology lectorates on Vulcan. This assignment lasted for two years.

2349 - 2353
Starfleet was looking for a skilled xenobiologist to accompany a scientific mission on the USS Hampshire, under the lead of Dr. Paul Manheim. The basic premise was to find a suitable location for the doctor to practice his studies of temporal science and multi-verses. To that effect, a biologist was tasked with evaluating the impact on eventual life on such a world, and Lorian acted as their assistant.

The search for a suitable location took two years and eventually landed the Hampshire in the Vandor system. Where, over the next year, a laboratory was established on a lifeless planetoid. A downtime for the xenobiology staff, that the Vulcan used to accustom himself a little bit with temporal mechanics, under the guidance of Dr. Manheim.

The Hampshire moved on in late 2352, leaving the Manheims behind with their experiment, backtracking to an earlier discovered planet in a neighboring system, that did harbor uncatalogued primitive life. They would study these species for the coming year, until returning to Earth to complete the mission.

2353 - 2359
Originally desiring to accompany the Hansen family on their exploratory journey to study the Borg, due to his extensive background in xenobiology, Starfleet was not willing to let Lorian resign his duties in order to join a civilian mission. Instead, he was assigned to the USS Takoma to supplement their medical department. The Takoma, at the time, ferried Starfleet’s most biologically diverse crew, and thus proved to be a great fit for the scientist. To this day, Lorian has not harbored any sort of resentment, loss or even gratitude, for not having been able to join the USS Raven on its ill-fated mission. That would’ve been illogical.

In 2356 the Takoma was ordered to the Alcyone system where, at the time, the last known Tarellian ‘Plague’ Vessel was destroyed. The crew was to catalogue the wreckage and take stock of the biological materials, in agreement with the Alcyone government. They subsequently studied the remains of the Tarellian crew in much detail, but could not reproduce a cause, nor cure, for the plague. However, the issue had become a pet project on the side – a hobby if you will – for Lorian to pursue the coming years, while he remains in possession of one of the last, highly secured, samples of the plague.

Additionally, in 2358, the Takoma aided in an outbreak of the Mendakan pox in the Aureli system. Though not fatal, the observations were important in terms of spread and incubation vectors. A detailed pathology report was later added, as a guideline, to the Starfleet disease control protocol.

2359 - 2372
Following his exemplary work aboard the Takoma, Lorian was promoted to the rank of full Lieutenant, and assigned to the newly commissioned USS Lammergeier, under special request of Captain Jackson Palmer himself. Though a scientist at heart, the Vulcan adjusted quickly to the new turn his career had taken, seeing it as a logical progression, to apply his knowledge practically, instead of only theoretically. And he had a good time to get acclimated during the first few slow months along the Cardassian border.

All that changed with the attack on Setlik III, where the Lammergeier was among the second wave of responders, and the first ship with a full complement of medical staff. Though the number of survivors eventually turned out to be shockingly low, the medical facilities of the Lammergeier were filled almost to capacity by the second day. As more and more ships arrived, stabilized patients would be transferred and eventually shipped to nearby Starbases for final treatment. Business aboard the ship, especially in the medical department, took over two months to return to normal.

The following years of patrolling the border were not met with much action and the duties of the chief medical officer were reduced to cataloging average work injuries. It was time well spent by Lorian to further educate himself on xeno-viruses and temporal science. An interest renewed by the success of Dr. Manheim’s to open a temporal rift in 2364, although with catastrophic results. He studied the reports vigorously, though entirely out of personal desire, not letting it interfere or take any time away from his duties as CMO. Something that greatly impressed his CO, as the intelligent scientist could've had his fair share of picks to transfer to, time of his career aboard the Lammergeier.

With the signing of a new peace treaty, subsequently, the tensions between the Cardassians and the Federation seemed to calm down, but a new aggressor soon evolved. For two years, the Lammergeier was tasked with controlling Maquis movements and attacks, though it was a fight against ghosts. Despite - or because of - not having much success, the ship was eventually reassigned to a support role in the Bajoran system.

2372 - 10/2379
During a heroic rescue mission into the gamma quadrant, the USS Lammergeier successfully deterred three Jem’Hadar attack craft, single-handedly, and rescued the crew of a stranded freighter. The ship and its crew were subsequently commended for their valor, and most of them received direct promotions, including Lorian.

During the time of the ensuing Dominion War, the Lammergeier served a multi-purpose role among the Ninth Fleet. In this capacity, the medical department was regularly host to victims of the conflict. Injuries of clumsy technicians were replaced by plasma burns and severe concussive traumas. It was a trying time for the young team, but also, as Lorian would attest in typical Vulcan fashion, a very educational environment. Both in stress and skill. Overall, these times brought the entire crew closer together, and it would hold most of them for the coming years, as Palmer fostered a sense of family, among his subordinates. One that, despite the illogicality of it, Lorian secretly appreciated. It reminded him of the bond among the northern tribe he originated from and thus, of home.

Two years after the war had ended, then, the Lammergeier was once more reassigned, this time to a region of space called the Maelstrom. Despite the mission being one of damage control and political agendas, the medical department spent a great deal of time cataloguing undiscovered lifeforms and plants, they randomly came across, on their path through diplomatic red tape and almost destruction. However, the discovery of the Kessok, a silicon-based species unknown to Starfleet previously, was also an incredibly welcome side-traction from the impending conflict. Lorian spent much time compairing and contrasting data they analyzed to what was available on the Horta in the Starfleet database. Making him realize that silicon-based life had a far greater potential for diversity than carbon-based. Knowledge that would later serve him exceedingly well in his career.

This mission was eventually concluded with a reassignment to earth and a major overhaul and refit of the Lammergeier, almost twenty years in continuous service by then. Lorian found it peculiar how leaving the ship – to accept a guest tenure at the academy for a few months – and returning, proved to be such different concepts. While the ship had changed superficially, in the fixings and displays, it still felt considerably the same. Which he put down to the logic of it still ‘being’ the same.

By the time the ship was recommissioned, the ‘family’ of original crew members had diminished. Many having sought out different assignments in the time the Lammergeier spent in drydock. The majority of the senior staff, however, had waited out the overhaul and returned gladly to find not so much had changed after all. Lorian did, despite of it all, appreciate the refit of the sickbay and laboratory environments to standards derived from the Intrepid class.

So, with a new coat of paint and refreshed crew, the Lammergeier joined Task Force 11 at Starbase 157, starting a fifty-five-day journey into the Narendra Sector, where the ship was to act as an escort for scientific exploration of the Shackleton Expanse, under Admiral Alexandre Silva. Although having been offered a transfer to the fellow task force science ship USS Providence, to better suit his background, Lorian was confident that he would get his fair share of xenobiological research done from a more ‘familiar’ environment, and thus remained with Captain Palmer.

Appearance
Generally being of tall, athletic build, Lorian displays his species characteristic pointed ears as well as inclined brows. But also the northern tribes distinct epicanthic fold, an evolved measure against the harsher climate of the polar regions on Vulcan. Typical black hair accompanies a gently sand-colored skin. Dark eyes and no further body hair complete the Vulcan physiology.

Sporting the general looks of a 30 year-old human male with excellent posture, paired with his statuesque and towering physique, Lorian acts as the pillar to any room and the support to any precarious situation. His calm demeanor and intent movements not only serve him well when a steady hand is required but also when dealing with inter-departmental issues of personal vanities and emotions.

Motivation
Lorian’s motivation to join the Shackleton Expanse Exploration Force are two-fold, really. For one, he appreciates the familiarity of his work on the Lammergeier, and the colleagues he has so long served with. While potentially being an emotional reaction, his logical assumption is that more time can be spent on his duties, if not having to acquaint himself with a new ship, crew and command style, for such an important mission.

Secondly, of course, his xenobiological background begs for the diversity and novelty to be found within the expanse. A true treasure trove of unexplored systems, planets and species, this is the last uncharted frontier in Starfleet’s reach. Together with the fact that his long-lasting CO and his ship were drafted to accompany this scientific journey would, if he believed in such a concept, be considered almost impossibly good luck.

So, what more motivation does a logically inclined, xeno-scientifical mind need?

Episode 01

 * Day 01 | 0000 hrs. | Thread Title with Character 01, Character 02, Character 03