Mektari Dumral (KIA)

Personnel File
Name:	Mektari Dumral
Rank:	Ensign
Position:	Assistant Chief CONN Officer
Species:	Cardassian
Age:	27
Gender:	Female
Orientation:	Unknown
Birthplace:	Cardassia III
Height:	5ft 8in / 1.73m
Weight:	132lbs / 60kg
Hair:	Black
Eye color:	Green
Played by:	Rhona Mitra
Writer:	NPC, Formerly SilverShadow
Interests
Desert-based Holodeck Programs Logic-based board games (Chess, Kotra, Kal-toh) Cardassian History & Art Climbing
Education
2360-2373: Cardassia III School of Advanced Sciences 2376-2380: Starfleet Academy
Service Record
2380-2381: Ensign & CONN Officer, USS Cayuga 2381-2381: Ensign & Acting Chief CONN Officer, USS Cayuga 2381-Present: Ensign & Assistant Chief CONN Officer, USS Theurgy
Decorations
N/A

Ensign Mektari Dumral was a Cardassian who grew up through the Dominion War and was later helped by Starfleet. She chose to join Starfleet for personal reasons and their aid through the years, though her own inability to adapt with others had made her begin to consider leaving Starfleet and head home. She took her first post on the USS Cayuga, at which point her concerns about her career decisions were forgotten as the Borg attacked and the crew did their best to handle an exploration trip that was turned into a nightmare.

As of March 2381, Ensign Dumral was briefly the Acting Chief CONN Officer's aboard the USS Cayuga and later joined the crew of the USS Theurgy where she jointly held the Assistant Chief CONN Officer position and assisted in it's battles against a corrupted Starfleet Command in the late 24th century.

Biography

Childhood

In 2354, Mektari was the seventh and last of a long line of children born on Cardassia III to her mother and father, Mektari and Gatuk Dumral. Being the only daughter of the children earned her the namesake of her mother, which also meant she soon gained the nickname of Meki to keep the confusion down in the household. Her beginning years were pleasant. Her father steered her as a traditional Cardassian household would. Expecting her to someday bring many children of her own into the world, he led her toward sciences, following in the footsteps of her mother. She avidly devoured every course, landing at the top of her class in her younger years, showing a real skill at stellar cartography.

But this time didn’t last long. When the Dominion War began in 2373, the family saw lean times, struggling to keep to a normal routine. The house grew emptier by the day, each of her brothers taking after her father and joining Central Command. Soon there was no one left at home but her mother and her grandparents; Each tried their best to ignore the growing numbers of Jem’Hadar that appeared on the daily.

In 2375 the final blow was made and the Cardassians turned on their former allies, turning the tide of the war. The price was high and although they weren’t on the home planet, the effects were felt all the way to Cardassia III. The Jem’Hadar slaughtered Cardassians mercilessly, her family included. Her mother and grandparents stood no chance.It was only due to her mother's selfless efforts to hide Meki away and distract the Jem'Hadar that the young Cardassian managed to survive without being discovered. There was no telling what would have happened if her father hadn’t beamed into their home to sweep her away from danger. He had chosen to desert his post, in an attempt to keep the only family he had left away from harm, for once putting family before the State.

However, fortune was not on his side; Another attack left him gravely wounded before he escaped with his daughter. At that moment he decided to tell her the truth. He wouldn’t live, so she would have to carry his secrets. Laying in the rubble they used for cover, he informed his daughter that he wasn’t truly dedicated to the Central Command, but was instead a spy for the Obsidian Order. He performed Shri-tal, passing on every name and bit of dirty information he had to his daughter. She absorbed every word, all the way to his last breath.

During her first years of schooling, she had been trained to develop an eidetic memory state. It had transpired that she wasn’t particularly talented at having a photographic memory, but something about the traumatic event of watching her father die in her arms made the switch turn on, every part of her wanting to make sure she never forgot a single word.

She was found two days later by Starfleet aid, still clinging to the dead body of her father. Throughout those two days, she didn’t sleep, her mind flashing random bits of information as she desperately tried to find a way to cope. In later years these memories would prove to be both a gift and a curse. Whether she liked it or not, this knowledge would surface in dreams or, more rarely, if she chose to concentrate she could try and find some information she needed. Nevertheless, each time would trigger troubling memories which forced her to relive the moment of when her father had died, often leaving her in a troubled and weak ended state.

She was traumatized, but not hurt, so she was put on the low priority list for treatment as everyone banded together to try and recover from the massacre that ravaged all of Cardassian space. For two months she spoke to no one, shuffled from one temporary shelter to the next until she landed in the hands of Councilor Jack Davis. He took the time to slowly coax her back to the living, carefully working with her until she could once again speak. He managed to get the names of her brothers and the ships they were serving on, allowing him to hunt them down.

Miraculously four of her brothers had survived the Dominion’s retribution. When they had returned home to find only the bodies of their parents and grandparents, they found hope that they might find Meki alive and began to search for any sign of their young sister. It would have been next to impossible had it not been for the work of Davis; Meki was just another lost orphan with no name until Davis had taken an interest in her. Neither she nor her brothers would forget what Davis and the Federation did for them the day they had their tear-filled reunion.

The surviving family reunited and returned to Cardassia Prime where most of the scarce population of Cardassians gathered their resources to try to survive. Aid was offered continuously from the Federation and with a great deal of help, the family managed to make a home again. A smaller, much quieter home, but a home none the less.

Davis continued to check in on the family over the years, often working closely with them as the whole family banded together to join the cause of rebuilding Cardassia. As she became older, Meki started looking into what she was going to do with her life. The knowledge imparted during the Shri-tal had started to weigh on her, especially as familiar names of former Obsidian Order members began coming her way. If she were a good Cardassian, she would have used this information to blackmail them. The Obsidian Order was shunned in this new shaky government and to have their former life revealed would be very devastating.

But Mektari was sick of the old Cardassia. It had brought oppression, the Dominion and all over despair. She longed for a new and better Cardassia, one that had enlightened values and believed in a free government. The only problem now was if someone from the Obsidian Order found out that her father had performed Shri-tal with her, her life would be in grave danger. These were not the kind of individuals who would give up on their power and Mektari’s concerns continued to grow as she watched old Obsidian Order men and women climb toward higher ranks within the government.

During the time where she was helping her people rebuild, she began honing a most needed skill for her planet and one that would give her a path in Starfleet; piloting. She proved to be very apt at running small shuttles for supply deliveries to and from different planets and spent much of her time talking with Councilor Davis about the possibilities of joining Starfleet Academy. If there was a place that could offer a bit more protection against her supposed enemies, it was the Federation.

Her brothers were vehemently against the proposition. The Cardassian population had dropped so severely that every woman was expected to find a mate and produce children to help repopulate the species, but as she came of age a further tragic blow came to light. During the course of a routine medical checkup, it was revealed that she was infertile. Beyond the terrible disappointment she felt, her condition would have been considered a black mark in Cardassian society before the war, but now? Now it was much worse. Her brothers kept it a secret, but the older she became, the harder it would become to find excuses for why she hadn’t found a mate.

Starfleet Academy

Mektari felt a degree of relief in 2377 when she finally came to her decision. At 23 she travelled to San Francisco, Earth to join the Academy, but it didn’t go as smoothly as expected. A single letter of recommendation from Councilor Davis wasn’t enough to grant admittance to a race so recently viewed as one of the Alpha Quadrant’s worst enemies. She made efforts to convince various admirals that she was genuine, but at the same time, she also kept her own secrets guarded and never told the whole truth. She wanted to see a better Cardassia and she wanted to join Starfleet to help bridge the gap between her people and the rest of the Alpha Quadrant, but she also withheld the other more private motives.

Eventually, she landed at the office of an Admiral Davis, who happened to be the father of Councilor Davis. She told him the same story she had told to many, but he told her bluntly that he believed that she wasn’t speaking wholly truthfully. Until she chose to reveal all of her reasons, they would assume that Mektari kept her secrets for some nefarious act she intended to commit and she would never be allowed in. In the end, she spoke to Admiral Davis candidly, telling him of her infertility and fear of the leftover remnants of the Obsidian Order.

A few days later she was given her letter of recommendation and allowed in the Academy. Her time there was mentally stimulating, but she was quite displeased with all of the physical expectations. Multiple survival courses proved to be a struggle, but she still managed to scrape by. On the other hand, she was among the top of her class in Advanced Navigation, Stellar Cartography and several other flight and science courses, which left her with a tough decision of either being a scientist or pursuing piloting. After much indecision, she chose to focus on piloting because she believed it to be a more engaging career and that would remain a constant challenge for her.

Eventually, the cadet's lack of ability in physical training became the biggest impediment to her chances of graduation and assignment to active duty. After numerous interviews and guidance sessions with academy instructors and counsellors, Mektari was encouraged to sign up to one active physical activity in order to increase her overall level of fitness.

After a dozen or so different trial sessions in sports and exercises, she finally found an activity that provided some sense of competence and satisfaction. Surprising even Mektari herself she actually enjoyed her first attempts at rock climbing, and once she was confident enough to climb without close instruction the solitude of the ascent actually served to focus the Cadet. Most of the few friends she could truly count from her Academy years had come from those peers she met through rock climbing. After six months, her overall levels of physical fitness had improved significantly and she was more in line with the average expected of a Starfleet officer.

Cultural differences were also a considerable issue as she studied. Mektari found not being surrounded by her own people and customs deeply disconcerting. As a result, the Cardassian chose to isolate herself, which in turn caused her to experience distrust and paranoia around most of her fellow cadets. In her early years, it became so uncomfortable that she was seriously considered whether she should just return home and simply face the issues she might have there instead of living among all of these aliens and foreign ideals. Eventually, general familiarity with her peers and long sessions with the Academy councillors helped Mektari come to a compromise that worked for her. She would be polite and friendly in conversation with her peers, but she had come to terms with the distrust she expected other Starfleet personnel to harbour toward her. That way, it was a pleasant and unexpected surprise when the opposite occurred, but she never felt her hopes dashed if it did not.

In 2380 she graduated, landing her first post on the USS Cayuga.

USS Cayuga

Much of her time on the Cayuga was spent as it was in the Academy. She rarely spent time around others, assuming the worst intentions when others tried to get close to her. She also requested late shifts when there would be the least amount of people to interact with. Still, she did her job to the best of her ability. Her reports were always on time, she was often early for shifts and she showed skill and precision in piloting, but still she spent her time in isolation. With little changed, she had begun to consider a change in path, and perhaps even resignation, until disaster struck.

Panic and terror ravaged the crew as the Borg appeared seemingly out of nowhere to assimilate the Cayuga. Mektari struggled but succeeded at keeping her composure as one crewman after another was assimilated, including the two CONN officers that outranked her on the ship. As they were left adrift in the Azure Nebula, Mektari was given the role of Acting Chief CONN Officer, heading a department of surviving NCO shuttle pilots, a responsibility she wasn’t sure she really wanted to take.

Stranded in the Azure Nebula, the Cayuga was in dire straights when their emergency signal was unexpectedly answered by the Federation starship USS Jamestown, which was in the nebula as part of a task force searching for the rogue vessel USS Theurgy. Mektari was chosen as part of a delegation to travel over to the Jamestown to meet with its commanding officer.

Whilst they visited the Jamestown, both vessels came under fire from Asurian saucers. During the attack, it was revealed that the Jamestown was, in fact, the USS Theurgy.

Personality Profile

Mektari was a hard one to read. Always there seemed to be a smile on her face, but just how genuine was it? For those that would get to know her, they would find it extremely genuine. Light hearted and filled with curiosity, it was obvious to anyone that she had a fascination with the unknown waiting to be discovered in the stars.

But she couldn’t stop being who she was; a Cardassian through and through. While she didn’t follow the crude, militaristic style that most of her race was known for, she did seem to have a lot of secrets. Personal questions were always deflected, a strong guard seen as she encased herself in a shell of hospitality. She could charm and pleasantly talk her way in and out of most any situation while still revealing little to nothing about herself. Often times her motive was questioned for just how guarded she was, but for those that worked past her guards and knew her well, she was as kind as she could be.

She had a very hard time trusting or earning other’s trust. She was known for having a solo attitude and while never mean about it, she often tried to talk her way into working by herself. Adhering to all of Starfleet’s rules was also difficult. The many needs for back ups and safeties was frustrating for her, especially since she treated death with a nonchalant attitude. She could often seem heartless when she calculated creatures as nothing more than numbers, never minding throwing a large number of possible deaths into an equation and taking it as a normal risk of life instead of an avoidable situation.

Physical Profile

Mektari was what one would expect of a Cardassian. Pale grey skin accentuated the jet black hair that, when left loose, hung heavy down to the small of her back, but was often tightly wound into a tight bun at the back of her scalp. The alien markings that her species were known for were the most striking features on the smooth, young face of the female. Strong ridges followed her jawline, fine circles of similar shape encircling her eyes and the most prominent feature, the upside-down teardrop ridge coloured a vivid blue upon the centre her forehead. Scales fanned outward along her neck, creating the notable wide ridges that her species were so well known for. As often happened with many females of her species, one of those neck scales shared the same blue colouration that matched perfectly with tone on her forehead.

She was of an average build and although no great musculature showed on her, the years of training on the climbing walls and rock faces had built up some tone in her arms and legs. She was deceptively strong for her slender frame. While some found her very species formidable by look, Mektari certainly wasn't the first one you would call on to help you in a fight.

When not wearing her uniform, Mektari chose tasteful clothing mostly consisting of dresses, tights, and simple high heels. Varying colours made up her ensemble of casual clothing, but she often stuck to vivid chocolates and brown colouration that she always felt accented her skin.

Physically she had a very difficult time with the cold. All starships and bases felt chilly, but it would become dangerous and even life-threatening if she were to venture into very cold climates unprepared.

Special Notes

Her father gifted/cursed Mektari with Obsidian Order information before he passed. The intensity of the moment triggered her eidetic memory, allowing her to absorb it all, but she wasn’t trained thoroughly like most Cardassians are. She couldn’t recall the information at a whim like some, but instead had to access it through dreams. This often lead to nightmares or daydreaming that could occur at inopportune times, but the knowledge passed was a lifteime’s worth and while shaken at the rememberance episodes, she could sometimes leave with a wealth of useful knowledge.