T'Zora

Lt. T'Zora is the Chief Diplomatic Officer on the USS Odyssey.
== Background ==
Born on Vulcan on Stardate 22698.3, T’Zora is the daughter of V’Tok and his wife T’Vera. During her younger years of life, she was initially tutored by her father V’Tok but was soon moved to the Vulcan Learning Center once she had adapted to being completely logical. During her childhood, she was betrothed to Naatirk, the son of a family friend. She was initially unsure about this tradition of deciding a mate at such a young age, but to her, it would be illogical to question these traditions too much, they were established for a logical purpose and so she had no reason to debate them. Outside of this, she had an average child for a Vulcan, progressing through the various levels of education before deciding on a career path as a legal advocate in the Federation system. By the age of 26, she was a proper legal advocate within the Federation and a year later she was verified not only to practice her craft on Vulcan but also on Earth and Federation Starbases.
Much of her time as a legal advocate was spent convicting those who were accused of crimes, but there were occasions where she worked as a defensive advocate, and this is where she was noted at excelling in her ability to defend candidates and win over the trust of the jury using not only logical fact, but also the precedent that Vulcans are unable to lie gave the impression that the person who she was defending was innocent. This perception greatly assisted her career until she was age 35. When she turned 35, T’Zora experienced a very intense pon’farr that was not remedied by intense meditation like other experiences, it required her to return to Vulcan and taking a mate. She mated with her betrothed, Naatirk. This would begin a calmer phase of her life, Naatirk was a junior officer in Starfleet by this point, holding the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade and serving on Starbase 357 as a medical officer. T’Zora moved to the Starbase with her husband and offered legal counsel for any who needed it while she was carrying her child.  Between her arrival and giving birth, T’Zora oversaw three different legal cases aboard the station. One in regards to a Ferengi marriage contract that was renewed for a second term, but fell out halfway through, she was defending the male in the relationship who wished to acquire a different partner. Another was in regards to defending an accused murderer, this was her first failure to properly defend her client in a criminal case due to overwhelming evidence against her client. The final notable case was defending a client in a civil suit, but it was only notable because, at the end of the case, she began to go through the beginnings of giving birth.
T’Zora gave birth to a daughter who was named L’Nel upon her birth. While looking after her daughter, T’Zora had to take a much more reserved stance regarding her life, she closed her law counselling business and focused on raising her child with traditional Vulcan values, ensuring that L’Nel understood logic and why emotion betrayed the idea of logic. When L’Nel was old enough, T’Zora returned to Vulcan and learned, and appeasing at the Vulcan Learning Center. While she was away, however, a tragedy happened on Starbase 357, during a routine science mission, an officer was severely injured and Naatirk had to go and assist. The anomaly that caused the injury of the officer, killed Naatrik. This was just as T’Zora returned from Vulcan and she was waiting for her husband to return. She was quickly informed of his position near death as he returned to the ship, and in a way of something illogical and emotional, forced herself into the sickbay to her husband to receive his katra in a small bit so that she could forever have a specific part of him in her mind. She was restrained soon after and mourned the loss of her husband greatly, the experience was extremely hard for T’Zora, but she managed to regain her non-emotional standard. After this, she began to occupy herself with her work and her late husband’s work as a Starfleet Officer.
Upon re-opening her legal counselling services, T’Zora began to receive requests to arbitrate and negotiate between various citizens on the Starbase, she was surprisingly very good at the diplomatic aspect in resolving the disputes and was suggested by the permanent residents of the Starbase to be the civilian representative of the Starbase. Elected by popularity to the position, she was effectively a civilian diplomat, even if it was only unofficial, she commonly recommended the needs and wants of the people in a central voice. Some may say it was pity for her situation, others that it was the fact she was a fixture on the station for 12 years before the tragedy of her husband’s death. Either way, this began T’Zora’s career towards diplomacy, and although just a simple beginning with no formal practice. This appointment, along with her husband’s death, turned her onto a new path in life. One that made her seriously consider Starfleet as a career choice.
For the next seven years of her life, T’Zora developed personal hobbies develop. She found interest in music, first learning the traditional Vulcan Ka’athyra, she finds that adapting the songs of other worlds to be played on the instrument to be a logical pastime and relaxing for others who hear it. She also took interest in games of the mind, consistently challenging herself against an adaptive program she had made for her over tri-dimensional chess and the human game of solitaire. T’Zora also practiced law in her spare time while not dealing with diplomatic issues of the Starbase. However, at the age of 54, she came to the Commander of the Starbase with a request, that she would be able to apply for Starfleet Academy. She was endorsed by the Captain and T’Zora brought up her knowledge from studying at the Vulcan Learning Center and worked her way into Starfleet Academy through the entrance examination.
Her first year at the academy was a bit boring, she decided on a diplomatic path before even going through the entrance examination, it only seemed natural considering how she had been the effective diplomat of the station for so long and her natural speaking skills as a lawyer were nothing at all to scoff at. She started by learning diplomacy to expand her knowledge of how to properly negotiate, not just hearing problems but learning the rules of giving and taking, moderation, and appeasing those in deals. She felt that there is a certain finesse that comes with this level of diplomacy rather than just professional haggling she could learn from a Ferengi back on Starbase 357. This helped her develop skills and analyze how she perceived others in negotiations. She also made a few friends during her time at the academy. Two humans, one by the name of Sara, young and bold, she was the first of her family to take an interest in Starfleet and was also in the diplomatic class. And it was Sara who introduced T’Zora to the other friend, a young Bolian man named Lat. Both were surprised by T’Zora’s age and that she decided to join the academy much later in her life and that she had already gone through a successful civilian career. She explained the loss of her husband and how his work in Starfleet was always an interest for her. But she found her skills more suited for diplomacy than her husband's medical career. Overall, her first year at the Academy was enjoyable and she passed with above-average grades.
T’Zora’s second year was quite average for a cadet. She proved an adamant learner in regards to her taking of the interspecies ethics course, understanding the traditions, respects and laws of various other cultures, especially outside of the Federation, would prove to be helpful later in her diplomatic career as to prevent her causing gross offense to Klingons, Ferengi, Cardassians and countless other races. Along with this course, she did some extracurricular reading about the ethics of other species. 
Her third year at the Academy was primarily regarding the course interspecies protocol. Learning more about how to act precisely in negotiations with other species was not only easy due to her readings the previous year, but also very beneficial for her planned career as a diplomatic officer. Other than that her third year at the Academy was not very notable.
Her fourth and final year was spent learning intergalactic comparative politics and intergalactic relations. Both classes were considered dreadfully boring by her human peers, but T’Zora found them entertaining learning about the politics with Klingons, Ferengi, the Dominion and Cardassia. All of it was so much but also so interesting to know about how the Federation interacted with them. This interest caused her to prove herself quite easily to her professor and the Academy brass. Making a name for herself, T’Zora was swiftly wicked by the Captain of the USS Sanguine to be a diplomatic officer. She graduated as a member of the class of 2403 at the age of 58.
Her first appointment as a diplomatic officer on the USS Sanguine saw her primarily making contact and resolving issues as a member of a diplomatic team throughout the Alpha Quadrant. This went on for about two years or so before the Sanguine was called in for service during the Federation-Klingon War. It was a turbulent time, she never saw active service, but after a brief skirmish that left one of her superiors in the department deceased, she was chosen for a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade and to become the Assistant Chief Diplomacy Officer. She often assisted in dealing with the larger issues that the ship encountered diplomatically and also served to resolve smaller issues that the ship encountered. One primary example was resolving an issue between a Ferengi ship, claiming to have rightfully traded one ton of Klingon coffee beans for raktajino for 25 bars of gold-pressed latinum. The issue was over the quality of the beans. T’Zora deduced that the Ferengi had properly delivered the correct product, resolving the situation peacefully. Essentially, T’Zora’s presence was mostly there to reassure the crew and command staff there would be someone to moderate any issues they may encounter, and she always did a good job when it happened.
Throughout the war with the Klingons, the USS Sanguine was constantly seeing action in supporting larger ships in operations, with diplomacy being a key part in that, resolving issues with locals on planets and peacefully overseeing captured Klingons, T’Zora’s work in this was very useful. So useful in fact that she was requested to be the aide-de-camp to the admiral that was leading negotiations with the Klingon Empire after the year-long stalemate with the Federation. She assisted in recommending negotiation tactics that would be logical in dealing with the Klingons. Logic doesn't always work though, especially with Klingons, so she provided some solutions to adapt to their concepts of honour and loyalty and so forth. Playing into this, she assisted in convincing the Klingon diplomats that a peaceful ceasefire with no official change in the borders would be best for both sides. Admitting the Federation was wrong in not believing the Klingons when negotiations were stopped to deal with an attacking Undine fleet, T'Zora got the ability to better plan out what could happen in the future regarding the discussions. When the Undine fleet was defeated and Qo'noS, T'Zora was called back to assist in negotiations with the Klingons and using this new common enemy, she convinced the Klingons that a ceasefire was now best.
For her actions in helping negotiate a ceasefire, T'Zora was given a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant and the Federation Medal of Valor. She was assigned to be the Chief Diplomatic Officer on the USS Mitchell. Her time there was spent in relative peace and tranquillity and the exploratory nature of the ship allowed her to go through a few first contact procedures. Other than that, it was a very average tour of duty. She decided to take a brief break in her service for two years after serving on the Mitchell for three years. During this time, she lived on Vulcan, taking her time to recuperate and enjoy her time alone. Becoming an expert of the Ka’athyra and indulging in her hobbies, was a welcome break from Starfleet. But she felt like she had to go back into service, returning to Earth, she was recommissioned as the Chief Diplomatic Officer of the USS Odyssey.
== Appearance ==
T’Zora looks like an average Vulcan, she stands at 1.83m and her build is average. Her eyes are blue and round-shaped. Her hair is black and medium-short length with straight bangs. Her lips are bow-shaped.
== Personality ==
T’Zora is generally kind to those around her, although unemotional and logical, she still understands caring for others and would not let a fellow crew member come to harm if she could help it. She typically will spend her time meditating in her quarters rather than going to the officer’s lounge but understands that interaction with the crew is very important. She is always willing to make new friends and to discuss topics, although she rarely does actively go out herself to do so.
During diplomatic negotiations, she will prefer to listen to the argument of the other side first, listening to what they want and beginning to think of what it is she can give them in her position that would create a good balance to benefit both sides. She always keeps the position of the greater Federation in mind and will go to any length to ensure that their values are held in the highest regard.
== Psych Evaluation ==
She will often consider keeping her emotions in check as something very important as to not be a threat to the crew. She has realized that the suppression of Vulcan emotions over hundreds of years and that indoctrination has made the emotions that are shown so much more passionate, for the better or the worse.
== Medical ==
T’Zora is in good health, however, this is a year where she will encounter the issue of pon’farr and is preparing herself for when it happens and having to be on a new Starship for it.
== Other information ==
* T'Zora's daughter, L'Nel, is 35 and serves as an agent for the V’Shar under the Vulcan High Command.
* She has a holographic image of her husband in full Starfleet uniform that is displayed in her quarters as a memento to him.
* T’Zora will learn and play any song on her ka’athyra if she is asked to nicely and respectfully.
* T’Zora spends most of her off time meditating in her quarters to mentally fortify herself for any challenges she may encounter.
Likes:
* T’Zora has a strong affinity for music, her skill at playing the ka’athyra and her love for the instrument makes it one of her greatest passions.
* Learning about various cultures and peoples has always been a passion for her. Languages are always interesting to know how they shaped a culture. Specifically an example of a species that speaks entirely through metaphor.
* She enjoys tri-dimensional chess and solitaire as her pastimes, friendly competition against the ship's computer, but she is fine with a nice game against a fellow crewmember.
Dislikes: 
* T'Zora personally finds Klingon food to be repulsive, she will eat it if she has to, but will make no attempt to on her own.
* Although not something she hates, she doesn't like the over-endearing expression of emotion from other species. It ends up becoming annoying to her to constantly see displays of love or hate.
* Dishonesty is something that she despises, she did not lie during her time as a lawyer and would never do so just to get her client free from a sentence.
Category:Former Characters