Tomas Castillon

Authored by David Shotton

Character Biography

Hair: Bald, but able to grow light facial hair.
Eyes: Black (human)

Born: 2365, Cinera (Moon over Delta IV)
Skin: European

Mother: Viviane (Deltan, 54), Deltan Medical Authority, Cinera Station
Father: Hardouin Castillon (Human, 57), Starfleet Engineer, Cmndr, Posted to Cinera Station

Information on Deltans:
The Deltan people have been in contact with Humans since as early as 2141, and became full members of the Federation in 2259. Physically Deltans are very similar to humans with the major difference being that they normally have no body hair (aside from eyebrows and lashes) and completely bald scalps in both genders. Deltans also tend to be slimmer than an average human, and their facial features are often far more symmetrical, leading them often to be regarded as quite attractive. Deltans tend to have an excellent grasp of the complex spherical trigonometric calculations used in space travel, and can come to conclusions in this area as easily as humans learn the their multiplication tables. Deltans can appear quite reserved and ‘aloof’ at first, but delight in good humour and experiencing sensations with all of their senses, whether it be taste, smell, touch or even other peoples happy emotions. The senses of taste, smell and touch are highly developed, and Deltans delight in the pleasurable sensations they can experience from them.

The Deltan people are both Telepathic and Empathic, in the sense that they are able to accurately sense and experience other peoples emotions, and have an ability via telepathy to absorb and minimize another persons pain, but only if they are in physical contact with them, such as placing a hand somewhere on them. This is sometimes described as “Mind Meld Anaesthesia”, although the Deltan does not have to initiate an actual mind meld. A naturally low birth rate means that they developed strong pheromones that are among the most potent known to Federation Science. In order to attract the opposite sex easier, these pheromones are so strong that they are easily detectable by other humanoid species and act as a natural aphrodisiac. These pheromones are stronger than those of Orions, but do not provide the negative effects on the same sex such as Orion pheromones do.

Their culture developed among Delta IV’s numerous island archipelagos which limited their ability to expand, and led to a partially isolated existence among the small communities. To combat their early isolation Deltan communities adopted a very accepting idea of relationships between outsiders and their settlements. Their accepting culture combined with their natural empathic abilities meant they were naturally inclined to cultural unity and that armed conflict was virtually unknown, as this would decrease the pool of genes available and lead to large scale suffering due to the empathic ability to easily sense and feel another’s pain and suffering. Deltans also evolved a global ideal of nurturing and supportive behavior that found the idea of excessive personal quarrels extremely impolite.

Once they became members of the Federation, they were quite aware of the harmful effect their pheromones could have on other species and adopted the Oath of Celibacy as a promise not to take advantage of races that were unable to deal with the pheromones themselves. This oath was also important due to the fact that close sexual relations between Deltans often took place in the mind as much as the body using the empathic link otherwise used to absorb or reduce someone’s pain, and a different species experiencing this could often be left incapacitated or even risk insanity if the Deltan was not extremely careful. Deltans employ chemical suppressants to diminish their pheromones effect when serving on a starship.

Parents:
Viviane and Hardouin Castillon met while working at the Starfleet outpost on Cinera, a moon over Delta IV. Delta IV itself is restricted to most species due to their inability to cope with the powerful Deltan pheromones so Starfleet post their personnel to Cinera Station, with Deltan civilian support of the facilities. Hardouin was a Starfleet Engineer posted to Cinera in 2363 to assist with Starfleets efforts to repair and maintain the water reclamation system on Delta IV. Here he met Tomas’ mother, a Deltan serving in the Deltan Medical Authority and a junior doctor assigned to Cinera Station. Despite the risks involved the two pursued a relationship, and with medical assistance in 2365 Tomas was born. Both parents still reside on Cinera today, although they are sometimes briefly posted elsewhere as needed.

Physical:
Tomas has a physique which although slender, is naturally more solid and muscular than that of a regular Deltan thanks to his part Human physiology. He spends a little time in the gym, just enough to make sure he is healthy and toned. He has a narrow face and a narrow chin that has a slight cleft in it. His dark eyes and eyebrows serve to frame a face that is easy to look at and ready to smile. He is able to grow light facial hair but it does not grow into a full beard, more of a heavily trimmed or groomed look, and he does have a light growth of hair on his arms, legs and chest. He is normally clean shaven.

Unique Features:
Tomas has the Empathic ability unique to Deltans, whereby he can sense others emotions and provide relief from pain and some emotions by absorbing or reducing it via touch. This ability is somewhat reduced by his part-Human heritage, in the sense that while he easily senses peoples negative emotions such as pain, discomfort, anxiety and grief, he has to concentrate more to sense positive emotions. The ability he has to absorb or reduce peoples pain through touch-telepathy is also slightly more limited, as he generally needs to have direct physical contact with the affected area for it to be effective. This does create the risk to him of losing consciousness, as it is very taxing on his nervous system. Absorbing another’s pain is also a painful experience for himself, but more effective for the patient. He is unable to perform other telepathic abilities such as listening to others’ thoughts or speaking via telepathy. His Empathic range is limited to a small area, such as the room he is in.

Being half Deltan/ half Human he was not required to take the Deltan Oath of Celibacy due to his naturally reduced production of Pheromones compared to a full Deltan. They are still noticeable and have an effect but can be resisted by anyone’s free will.

Personality:
The Deltan upbringing of Tomas’ youth encourages him to be generally more open about sharing his and experiencing the emotions of others, humans often being naturally more guarded. While still having a natural reserve and desire for privacy, he tends to be more accepting of people ‘prying’ into his private life. He is keenly aware of his half Deltan heritage, having experienced both the Deltan and Human way of life and fully accepting that the Human concept of intimacy varies considerably from the Deltan. One thing he doesn’t make any attempt to suppress is what he inherited regarding the Deltan love of experiencing pleasant emotions and using his senses to feel the sensations around him.

Interests:
Tomas likes to experience things that stimulate his emotions and senses. Music, dining, games and pure conversation all provide that experience, among a myriad of other activities that he has an extensive holo collection of.

Flaws:
He retains the Deltan ideal of unity and nurturing those around him, and as he is capable of experiencing others’ pain, is hesitant to engage in combat.

Education:
Tomas underwent his education on Earth as he came into his teen years, due in part because of his raging hormones as a teenager thanks to the Deltan open acceptance of intimacy meaning he needed a more controlled environment. At least according to his mother. Capable but not one of the stars on the sports field, he nevertheless established himself as a competent student of the more academic fields. He finished respectably in his class in Biology and Exo-Biology, and did particularly well in the schools beginning psychiatry courses, finishing his schooling at 17.

Because of his grades in the Biology and Psychiatry classes, and his mothers position in Deltan Medical, he was offered a scholarship to attend a medical university on Denobula, the same one at which his mother trained, which he accepted.

Spending 4 years studying and working at the University, he eventually graduated and was offered a role as a medical research assistant to the university itself. He graciously declined the invitation as he had a desire to travel the stars, experience the sensations of the Galaxy and follow in his fathers footsteps, so he applied to Starfleet Academy, spending the next few years at the Academy itself and on Medical extension courses completing his residency.

Recent Background:
After completing his medical studies at the Academy in 2391, Tomas was posted briefly to Starfleet Medical on Earth, but quickly requested a transfer to a starship. The result ended up being the U.S.S. Europa. He served aboard the U.S.S. Manhattan for a time after that, then the Saracen after his promotion to Lieutenant. Currently, he has been assigned to Outpost 42 supporting Starfleet’s Medical mission on the frontier station.

Medical:
He has had no notable injuries or illnesses.