USS Minoru


Biography



Crew Biography - Paran th'Daras


Vital Information

Name: Paran th'Daras
Rank: Captain (Marines)
Position: Marine Detachment CO
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Species: Andorian

Physical Description

Paran is short and stocky by Andorian standards. He stands 5'8" and weighs roughly 200 pounds. His muscular blue frame bears the scars of battle. He wears these scars despite the ease with which they can be removed. Icy blue eyes stare out from behind heavy-lidded eyes. Paran's stare can be unnerving at times, though he seems to be unaware of this. His antennae sit just in front of his hairline, at the top of the forehead. His hair is nearly pure white now, though it was more silver earlier in his life.


Personality

During to his long convalescence, Paran spent much of his free time studying to be a pilot. He had feared that his career in the infantry was over due to a difficult time adjusting to the use of his biosynthetic limbs, so he began cultivating an alternate option as a pilot. As a man who lives for his work, he tends to spend an inordinate amount of his free time on work related matters, though he does enjoy historical simulations on the Holodeck.

His favorites include custom programs that he has written himself which allow him to take the role of a commander in history's greatest battles. To date, he has written Charles Martel at The Battle of Tours, Arminius at The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, Nelson at Trafalgar, and William the Conqueror at The Battle of Hastings. He has also been writing secret subroutines that allow him to take the role of Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi at Tours, Varus at Teutoburg, Pierre de Villeneuve at Trafalgar, and Harold II at Hastings.


Background

Paran was born in 2344 on Andoria Prime, the third of six children, his father was a member of the Andorian Imperial Guard. His father was killed in the line of duty when Paran was a child. He was raised by his mother and aunts.

From an early age, Paran idolized his father and his father's untimely death only galvanized that idolization. When he was old enough, Paran applied for and was accepted into a prestigious military academy. Though he did well, he was not considered a top command prospect and was assigned to his initial unit. He progressed up the ranks, eventually becoming a non-commissioned officer.

Not being from an influential family or having a powerful patron, his prospects for advancement within the Andorian Imperial Guard, were almost non-existent. Because of this, he made the decision to enroll in Starfleet Academy.

Upon arriving on Earth to begin training at Starfleet Academy, Paran had a relatively easy time adjusting to the regimented life of a cadet. During the course of his education, he showed significant leadership abilities and grasp of battle tactics, though lacked the necessary grasp of science and diplomacy necessary for a starship captain. He received advanced training in ship security, though never truly enjoyed it.

On the suggestion of an instructor, he transferred to the Starfleet Marines, where he rose through the ranks and commanded a battalion of marines, 2nd Battalion 30th Marines (Unofficially: The Victorious Thirtieth) at the start of the Dominion War in 2373.

His batallion was stationed with the fleet at the Second Battle of Deep Space 9 and he saw his first true action in war there. By all accounts, he and his marines performed admirably. In the lull that followed this battle, he and his battalion were stationed on ships of the 5th fleet. During the recapture of Betazed, late in the war, he was nearly killed when his headquarters was overrun by Jem'hadar. Nearly his entire battalion was wiped out and he was court-martialled for disobeying a direct order and dereliction of duty. Though the court martial found that there was insufficient evidence to sentence him to prison, he was demoted to Lieutenant.

If forced to tell what happened, Paran will describe happened as follows: When he and his unit landed on Betazed, they were responsible for assaulting a forward Jem'hadar base. Despite taking significant losses, they captured and held the base through the counterattack. However, the other elements of the 30th that were deployed outside the base were steadily pushed back by a two-pronged assault around the base.

Here is where the dispute occurs: Paran received an order to hold the base against an anticipated assault. Because of this order, Paran brought up his only remaining reserves into the base, in preparation for the assault. Starfleet's official action report states that Paran was ordered to abandon the base and pull back and that he acknowledged the order, but made no attempt to pull back and ordered his reserves to advance to his position.

What happened next is not in dispute. The captured base containing most of Paran's battalion was caught in a dangerous salient and despite the efforts of marines outside the base, the Jem'Hadar were able to complete their pincer attack and enclose Paran's battalion in a pocket centered on the captured base. Despite the best efforts of the remaining marines outside the base, they could not break through the Jem'Hadar to allow the marines trapped in the base to escape.

Understanding the futility of his situation and the near certainty of death, Paran ordered his marines to fight to the last, hoping against hope that the tide of battle would turn in the Federation's favor and they would be relieved. This did not happen. The Jem'Hadar assaulted the base and as Paran's command company was being overrun, he personally detonated a series of explosive charges that had been placed around the base, knowing that he and his marines were certain to die, and only hoping to take as many Jem'Hadar along with him as possible.

Through luck or a guardian angel, Paran managed to survive both his battlefield injuries and the demolition of the base around him and was pulled from the rubble of the base 36 hours later when the Federation retook the remains of the base permanently. Paran was unconscious, though still tightly gripping his combat knife and phaser, covered in Jem'hadar blood upon being pulled out. His entire command staff had been killed and only 50 of the 300 marines in his battalion survived, all outside the base at the time of the detonation.

Paran spent the next 4 years in a coma. His injuries were severe and doctors were not sure that he would ever come out of it. While under, the doctor's were forced to amputate his legs and left arm. These were replaced with biosynthetic limbs and he has spent the last two years in intense physical and psychological therapy to deal with the physical and mental trauma that he experienced. He was assigned to the Minoru after having completed his therapy and been certified by Starfleet Medical as fit for duty.


Minoru Banner