Dr. Tara Daffida

**Dr. Tara De Laine Daffida** ,also known simply as **Dr. Tara Daffida** or **Dr. Plant Lady**, is an antagonist of Mari Solinski and Zandra Niko who is a member of Organization ORKO who sits on The Council of ORKO and is a SUPERSCIENTIST and villain. She mostly associates with her her friend, Dr. Horace Peemosis. Her primary specialty is in botany. having created many biological horrors in her labs. Until the dawn of The Iron Claw she was the de facto second in command of Organization ORKO.

## Background

Daffida's upbringing was one of sheltered overprotection. That said, she was encouraged to pursue a path in the sciences was was given lots of free-reign in her studies eventually choosing botany and plant science as her main focus. Her pursuit of these matters resulted in her being somewhat socially awkward as she was not allowed, nor cared, to be overly social in her public school education.

Despite the disinterest in social interactions, she longed for friendship and companionship. This conflict of desires and personalities resulted in her developing a sort of resentment for those who did have the type of social life she secretly wanted. This made her extremely sarcastic and downright mean. She eventually convinced herself that such social integration was something she could not tolerate.

Her college years saw her extremely dedicated to her studies with only one or two minor relationships. These did not end well and she turned inward. She was recruited by Organization ORKO seeing it as a place where she could belong. Turning away from her few friends and her family, she embraced the Organization ORKO science Directorate and the overall philosophy of the organization. It was at this time she met and befriended the noted, albeit eccentric Dr. Horace Peemosis. Dr. Peemosis is, in fact, the only true friend she has ever had, This is a legitimate friendship, perhaps because Peemosis may have had a similar experience of social awkwardness in his own background. This friendship best resembles the sorts of Middle School and High School friendships people have, lending credence to the idea that the two are simply experiencing true friendship for the first times in their lives.

## Role in Organization ORKO

Dr. Daffida rose rather quickly through the ranks of Organization ORKO eventually rising to the the COUNCIL of ORKO and by 2009 was seen as a *de facto* "second in command." Her dedication to the Organization is rather solid and only gives way when she tries to press her ambitions against those of others specifically Roger Ratnick and Duke Daniel of Zanduh. The prior due to her contempt she has that he will not fully commit to the Organization and the latter because she sees his arrogant manners as annoying.

Although she would be supplanted by Iron Claw, The Dark Duke as Lucien Petty's "second," her expertise is quite valued and she remains a prime advisor to the Supreme Leader. She also has a propensity to go "in the field," and eventually encounters Mari and Niko in a more direct way than one would think.

Initially, she wore a standard officer's uniform consisting of a khaki tunic with red highlights and trim, later she would add minor adornments to this including rank pins and awards. Nothing overly fancy, but just enough to distinguish herself from other high ranking Organization ORKO operatives.

## Association with Mari Solinski and Zandra Niko

Initially Dr. Daffida was dismissive of Mari and Niko as she took them to be mere bystanders who schlepped their way into foiling The Dark Duke's plans in Ruritania (The Prisoner Agenda) and somehow being the "patsies" to Roger Ratnick's plans to steal he Idrissa Stone (The Heist). However, as time went on and Mari and Niko became more and more an annoyance to the machinations of Organization ORKO (such as the events of Candidate Calamity, Dr. Daffida realized that there was more to the matter than just coincidence.

## Appearances

Commercial #1: Mica and Nana's Holiday Sweets

Story Arc # 1: Origins (cameo)

Story Arc #3: The Heist

Story Arc #4: The Druid's Secret

Story Arc #4A: Candidate Calamity