Lieutenant Commander Mesri Dera Kay
Species: Pahkwa-thanh (pronounced Pah-kwa-tahn) Gender: Male Age: 64 Height: 6’5" Weight: 325 lbs. Hair: None Eyes: Yellow Physical Description: At just a little more than 2 meters in height, this scaly saurian officer resembles what Terrans would see as a dinosaur. Dedicated to a more carnivorous diet, the Pahkwa-thanh people are voracious eaters and have the dental capacity for a carnivorous diet which means rows of

sharp teeth which tend to put off and frighten more mammilian species. As most saurian species, Doctor Kay is covered in scales which vary in hue from emerald like green to dull brown, giving him almost a natural camouflage which evolved in his people from his peoples' home planet which is tropical in climate. The other distinctive feature, which differentiates the Pahkwa-thanh from Terran dinosaurs is the forelimbs. Unlike many of the bipedal dinosaurs of Terran's pre history, the Pahkwa-thanh have highly developed forelimbs with four clawed digits at the end of each hand. Each 'finger' has three joints unlike the Terran digit which only has two. Personality Description: While his appearance may seem quite frightening, Mesri or "Kay" as he is known to his friends, is perhaps one of the most gentle and understanding individuals among the crew of the former USS Templar. Though at times he has what Humans and certainly Vulcans would describe as 'barbaric' tendencies, such as eating raw meat utterly unprepared, he is generally civil and does his best to keep his more savage behavior private, often taking his meals in his quarters or eating in private rather than with the rest of his shipmates. Though he is a 'gentle giant' personality type, Doctor Kay is capable and will not hesitate to defend his life or the life of his crewmates. Racial History: The Pahkwa-thanh had a nearly disastrous first contact with the United Federation of Planets. The dense jungles that cover most of the Pahkwa-thanh's homeworld, along with the fact that Pahkwa-thanh cities are subterranean cave complexes made their civilization nigh invisible. First contact was an accident when a group of scientists on a survey team beamed down to the jungles and stumbled in upon a hatchery. The guards who returned afterwards captured the survey team and brought them for questioning and imprisonment deeper in the cave complex. When the survey team failed to report in, the ship sent down an armed landing party, which the Pahkwa-thanh people originally took as an invasion vanguard. Mobilized to strike back against these 'aggressors', it was through the efforts of a far younger Mesri Keth Dera Kay, and Shenti Yisec Eres Ree, both of whom were more inquisitive due to their age. Their questions led to the answers which brought about an understanding of the situation and allowed the Pahkwa-thanh people to make peaceful first contact with the United Federation of Plantes. The Pahkwah-thanh are a warp capable culture, but due to the inhospitability of space, the lack of mapped jungle planets to colonize, and the strict caste based society, it was felt that planetary colonization was probably not the best idea, thus the Pahkwa-thanh people stayed on their homeworld of Pahk. After first contact with the Pahkwa-thanh, the saurian species applied for membership in the Federation. Being a very diverse species, the Pahkwa-thanh were divided at first about joining a heterogenous pool of races such as the Federation, and many of the more conservative elements of the Hegemony of the Pahkwa-thanh culture were very reticent to join. However, more open minded individuals had led to a degree of understanding that allowed the Pahkwa-thanh to realize that joining the Federation did not mean surrendering their culture, but allowed them to add the strengths of the Federation to their own. Among some of the first Pahkwa-thanh to join Starfleet were both Doctor Shenti Yisec Eres Ree who would later serve aboard the USS Titan under Captain Riker, and Mesri Keth Dera Kay. Personal History: In 2319, out of a clutch of seventeen, Mesri Keth Dera Kay was born to the fourth caste of the Pahkwa-thanh society, marking him for a career in the sciences and services such as engineering and medicine. Like others in his clutch, Mesri Keth Dera Kay had been raised from hatchling age with a scientific focus. Kay was given mostly the scientific upbringing until age 14 when he reached adulthood and was allowed like all Pahkwa-thanh to choose their path. The way that he had been raised however, like with all Pahkwa-thanh fairly well made the choices available very limited. Kay chose the life sciences, very intrigued by the inner workings of creatures and plants. He was raised and given the opportunity to study the sciences until he reached the age of 25. In 2344, the first contact between the United Federation of Planets and the Pahkwa-thanh occurred. Kay was part of a science group sent to study the survey team that had been captured and helped them contact their ship. Together with Shenti Yisec Eres Ree, another biologist fascinated with life sciences, the two Pahkwa-thanh and the survey team helped to avert a disaster in the slaughter of the security forces beamed down to the planet that were searching for the survey team. After first contact, Kay continued his studies in the medical sciences and used every method available, including medical discoveries provided by the Federation, their new protectors. While not the first to decide to join the Federation's military and exploratory arm, Kay was among the first to attend Starfleet Academy, being the second Pahkwa-thanh ever to graduate from the academy. Joining in 2366, he chose to concentrate in medicine and excelled in his science and medical training courses. Though his science training was limited more to a broad overview, being that he was a physician and not a scientist. Though he didn't excel in the other areas of Starfleet Academy, he did pass and continued on to through the medical track. In 2370 he graduated the academy and continued on in his study at the Vulcan Science institute, finding both the climate and the the institute's curriculum to his liking. Earning his medical degree in alien physiology and advanced surgical techniques, and a master's in clinical psychology, which he viewed as just one more way to treat an injured crew member, believing in a 'whole person' approach to healing. Kay was deeply troubled when his education ended in the face of the Dominion War. As a Starfleet officer at the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade, he was given the assignment aboard the USS Ulysses, an old Miranda-class survey and supply vessel as Assistant Medical Officer. As the war heated up, the USS Ulysses was part of the Tenth fleet assigned to guard Betazed. The USS Ulysses was one of the first ships to signal about activity on the long range sensors, indicating the Dominion Assault on Betazed. It was however too little too late, and the USS Ulysses was destroyed in the battle before the Tenth fleet withdrew to regroup. For his actions in saving his fellow crew members during the evacuation, Kay was awarded one of the highest honors in Starfleet, the Christopher Pike medal for bravery. Escaping from the USS Ulysses, Kay was reassigned to the USS Arizona, a Charleston-class cruiser as part of the 4th fleet as Chief Medical Officer. The fourth fleet was engaged along the Vulcan front with Dominion forces and it was during that time when Kay was given the opportunity to study the Jem'Hadar in detail along with several Federation doctors. The group of scientists and physicians were able to determine much through the study of several dead Jem'Hadar that were recovered after various engagements, including where and how their camouflage powers worked. This proved very useful in defending Vulcan and other worlds from Jem'Hadar assault throughout the latter part of the war. At the war's end, Mesri Keth Dera Kay was reassigned by his own choice to teach at the Vulcan Science Institute in the field of medical science. He remained there for five years following the Dominion war until 2380 when he transferred back to his home planet on a mission to bring the Pahkwa-thanh further into the Federation's fold. A full 36 years after first contact had occurred found Kay back on his home planet speaking of the benefits of joining Starfleet Academy and further supporting the Federation's agenda. Though a few refused to listen to someone deemed a 'traitor' by a tiny radically conservative minority, many of his people heeded his words. For two years he served with the Federation's Academy wing in helping to educate young Pahkwa-thanh hatchlings in medicine until his reassignment in 2383 to the USS Camelot, an Excalibur-class vessel. Hobbies: Studying Physiology and new medical discoveries. To Kay, getting a new Medical journal is like giving a child a bar of chocolate. Interests: Medicine, Sciences, Cultural practices of other alien species, making lizard and egg jokes which seem corny to others, but he loves to no end Likes: Intelligent discussion, Jokes (though he usually doesn't get them at first, he finds humor to be one of the most beneficial forces in the universe) Dislikes: Racial Fear (mostly of him), Vegetables (As a strict carnivore, he prefers meat... raw) 2366-2370 - Starfleet Academy, Student (Medicine) 2370-2374 - Vulcan Science Institute, Student, (Alien Physiology, Advanced Surgery, Clinical Psychology), Lt. JG 2374-2374 - USS Ulysses, Assistant Medical Officer, Lt. JG 2374-2375 - USS Arizona, Chief Medical Officer, Lt. 2375-2380 - Vulcan Science Institute, Teacher, (Biological Science), Lt. 2380-2382 - Starfleet Academy, Teacher/Recruiter, (Pahkwa-thanh Homeworld), Lt. 2383-???? - USS Camelot, Chief Medical Officer, Lt.