Jaela Velar

Jaela Velar is an energetic Trill astrophysicist, Botanist and Biologist, currently assigned to the U.S.S. Veritas as head of Astrometrics.

# Assignments

* 2415: Science Officer – U.S.S. Verdant
* 2415-2418: Science Officer – U.S.S. Achilles
* 2418-2420: Acting Chief Science Officer – U.S.S. Achilles
* 2420-2421: Science Officer – U.S.S. Dawn Treader
* 2421-2423: Head of Astrometrics – U.S.S. Veritas

# Dates of Rank

* 2408-2415: Ensign
* 2415-2418: Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
* 2418-Present: Lieutenant

# Biography

## Early Life

Jaela Velar was born Jaela Duvaris Parahn Dolann in Tisiar, on Trillius, to Vladannis and Parahn Dolann. From an early age she showed a keen interest in the animal and plant life in the woods around the suburbs of Tisiar, often preferring to spend time there instead of near civilization. It’s likely due to this that she has a rather eccentric demeanor, an endearing quirkiness paired with a vibrant energy and excitement towards flora, fauna, and the unknown. She holds a close relationship with her cousin, Jeleen Aelae, whom she has looked up to for as long as she can remember, and was a large part of her drive to join Starfleet as soon as she was able. She holds her respect and love for life as an extreme, maintaining a lifestyle of veganism as a mainstay of her policy of never harming a species or ecosystem in any way she can actively avoid.

## Starfleet Career

During her time at Starfleet Academy, she embraced her studies of astrophysics, botany and biology with a passion, to follow her dream of serving on an exploratory ship and finding the unfound. Alas, during her final year at the Academy the Iconian War hit, forcing her first assignment, the U.S.S. Verdant, to hit the frontlines. It would later be destroyed in an ambush by an Iconian fleet, the few survivors forced to survive on the deserted surface of Caleb IV. Her botany skills come in handy for helping the crew survive, but her refusal to hunt for meat and inability to stomach the sight or smell didn’t make her any friends. It was during this time that the Verdant’s first officer, Commander Ardin Velar, succumbed to his wounds. In a desperate effort to save the symbiont, the ship’s chief medical officer implanted the only other living Trill crew member: Jaela Dolann.

Jaela struggled greatly with adapting to the additional memories provided by the Velar symbiont initially, finding herself a source of amusement to the crew as the part of her which was Ardin attempted to bark orders. Some of them were followed, before being countermanded by the medical officer ordering her to rest. Unfortunately, Jaela found herself sleepwalking, and the next morning was lost to the woods. Search parties were sent out, and eventually found her snuggled in a cave with a bear mother and her cubs. However she woke up and realized what happened, managing to sneak out of the cave before security teams raided it for her safety.

By the time they had been recovered by the U.S.S. Achilles, Jaela was crippled with Ardin’s guilt over the loss of the Verdant, a feeling which had driven her apart from her crew. She was comforted by a friendly face from her graduation class, a fellow ensign named Adaline Crawford, who was happy to help her through it with a warm smile, combined with many exchanged letters from Jeleen. As this newfound friendship unfolded, she opted to remain on the Achilles after her trip back to Trill for examination by the Symbiosis Commission. She would eventually earn the respect and admiration of LCDR Thanavarrish sh'Charren upon her transfer to Achilles after the war.

In the years since, her hobby of genetic plant alteration has been credited in the creation of seventeen new medicinal treatments, forty-two new species of edible plants, three new poisons, and one accidental takeover of Achilles’ science lab and surrounding deck by overgrown plants. Despite the departure of CMDRs sh’Vaara and sh’Charren, and LCDR Crawford’s departure from the Achilles, she maintains frequent contact with them all. Crawford remains a dear friend, whilst sh’Vaara and sh’Charren she sees as mentors. All speak fondly of her infectious personality and devotion to her work.

## Service Record

* **Stardate 92979.7** (17 May 2415): Graduates from Starfleet Academy. Assigned as Science Officer, U.S.S. Verdant
* **Stardate 93235.6** (18 August 2415): U.S.S. Verdant is destroyed during the height of the Iconian War. Several survivors are stranded and wounded. Commander Ardin Velar, First Officer of the Verdant is badly wounded and eventually declared KIA. The symbiont is passed to Jaela prior to the crew’s recovery by the U.S.S. Achilles.
* **Stardate 93243.9** (21 August 2415): Jaela Velar takes a permanent position among the Achilles’ science team, and a field promotion to Lieutenant(JG).
* **Stardate 96301.4** (11 September 2418): Promoted to Lieutenant.
* **Stardate 98488.1** (18 November 2420): Transfer to U.S.S. Dawn Treader due to extended drydock of the Achilles.
* **Stardate 99382.9** (13 October 2421): Transfer to U.S.S. Veritas' Astrometrics Department.