Shayhiloosh
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| Shayhiloosh the Arborian | |
| Name: | Shayhiloosh |
| Rank: | Ensign (jg) |
| Gender: | Asexual |
| Species: | Arborian |
| Age: | Youthful at 100 human years |
| Position: | ACSO |
| Ship: | USS Nimitz |
| Status: | Active: For a Friend |
Character Info
Character's Full Name: Shayhiloosh
Species: Arborian
Gender: Asexual
Age: Youthful at 100 human years
Place of Birth: Arboria Prime
Height: 7-7.2 feet depending on current foliage
Weight: 175 pounds
Eyes: 3 Blue eyes on vine-like stalks that can extend approximately 1.5 feet in any direction from the inside of main branch crotch.
Skin: Brown black
Blood Color: Golden Amber
Hair: None but leaf color is silvery green
Physical Description
Tough, durable, rubbery, skin, slightly wrinkled brown black skin similar to that that found on dolphins or elephants covers Shayhiloosh’s body and limbs. Despite hir’s treelike characteristics, s/he does not have ‘bark’ as does a tree. S/he has many root legs, which join together at a ‘trunk’ in an area approximately equivalent to the middle of the thigh on the average human. Hir upper part is composed of branches, with round, silvery ‘leaves’ with tiny jagged looking edges, the ends of which come to a point, similar to those of a quaking asp, that shake and rustle when speaking. Hir main trunk is roughly 2.5 feet. Shayhiloosh has 5 main branches that project from hir’s trunk at about 90- 135 degrees when at rest. Hir three blue, almost human-looking eyes are extended from his main upper branch crotch, about five feet from hir roots, on thick vine-like stalks about 2.5 feet long. S/he has three self-grown, hand-like appendages in hir upper branches. These appear as twigs up above hir main arms, and consist of three flexible “fingers” with a flexible opposing twig which serves as a thumb.
Family and Background
Shayhiloosh was raised in a nursery or young ‘grove’ of sorts, where he was planted in rich loamy soil. Rooting hirself in soil at night and looking at the starts at night after hir studies were done for the day became a favorite pastime.
Hir was one of the few Arborians that enjoyed talking and interacting with Federation ambassadors and other off world visitors. After hir species was contacted and a Federation Embassy established, Shayhiloosh was chosen by the Arborian elders to go out and gain experience within the context of the Federation, to encourage understanding and gain perspective on other species. Enrolling in Starfleet seemed the most obvious way to learn and gain experience with other cultures, and to explore and see what else was in the universe.
History, Education and Skills
As for many Arborians, Shayhiloosh was taught by local elders. His people have a natural predilection for understanding of the ecological sciences. After completing the highest level of education his people could offer, he was immediately enrolled in Starfleet, where he majored in Science with an emphasis on xenobotany. Hir also enjoyed studying stellar cartography and astronomy.
Pre-Starfleet History: In hir youth, as a part of hir training, Shayhiloosh spent a decade or so traveling extensively within Arboria’s solar system along with one of hir elders, old Hannahlish, taking surveys of the system’s sun and analyzing solar activity. During that time, Shayhiloosh conducted many experiments to study the effects of sunspot activity upon various species of plant growth. S/he also helped to set up the Starfleet Embassy on Arboria, where hir specialized in security.
Medical History
Species: Shayhiloosh and other Arborians have both plant and animal characteristics. Chemically and physiologically Arborians resemble yeast with chlorophyll. Overall height at full growth can reach approximately 7 feet tall, but an individual might look a bit taller if in proper full leaf. Individual Arborian’s ‘leaves’ can be found in a variety of shapes, and the appearance of one individual compared to another is often far more pronounced than in humans. They can, if they wish, grow extra appendages, but it takes time and energy, and most do not consider the effort necessary.
Arborians need rich loamy soil with plenty of mineral content. They ‘eat’ through the root tips on their ‘feet’, which can open or close via large pores. Without adequate species-appropriate nourishment, they may potentially suffer from a variety of health problems, including leaf wilt, leaf loss, swelling of joints, general withering of the body, and loss of vision. They require a few hours of exposure to UV rays in which to rest, root, eat, and conduct photosynthesis each day. Natural sunlight is preferable, but ship-generated UV rays suffice under normal conditions. A horticultural or botanical area would be perfect quarters for an Arborian.
Personal: Nothing of note. Shayhiloosh is normally in good general health as per his species. S/he did take the time to grow extra branches, as s/he felt that two were not enough to do the specialized tasks required by hir service in Starfleet, but that more than three extra hands were too many. S/he can use hir stong prehensile roots to grip or pick up things as needed.
Starfleet History
The first day of Shayhiloosh’s first assignment was a major catastrophe. The USS Boudicca, to which s/he had been assigned, was attacked and boarded by enemy marines from the USS Exeter. Shayhiloosh attempted to protect hirself and hir collogues in sickbay, only to discover belatedly that these Marines were provided with “superman” BDU body armor. S/he was severely injured in the attempt, and was subsequently deposited on Starbase Geneva to receive care. When hir condition was assessed, s/he was sent to Cait to recover, due to the excellent quality of medical care available there, and the need for a naturally sunlit environment in which to heal.
Skills
Due to hir off-planet experience, Shayhiloosh has become more adaptable than is the norm for hir species. S/he is quite clever when it comes to meeting hir special needs in a shipboard environment.
Hand-to-root-and-branch combat is hir specialty. S/he is not especially martially oriented, but when threatened at close range, s/he is a formidable opponent, if properly prepared for the nature of the attack. S/he can carry several weapons at once in hir multiple limbs, and use them all simultaneously. Also, considering both the training s/he received as a security consultant while setting up the Starfleet embassy on hir home planet, together with hir three flexible eyestalks, s/he is very difficult to take by surprise.
Other Information
Hobbies: Shayhiloosh enjoys singing, Arborian styles of dance, and rooting hirself in interesting places.
General Notes: Correct pronoun usage for an androgynous species such as Shayhiloosh is as follows: s/he as subject (S/he is walking), ‘hir’ (pronounced as heer) as the possessive, and ‘hirself’ (pronounced heerself). Examples below.
Speech: Arborians use their leaf-like bladders in a breathy, breezy almost whispery voice which rustles.
Hearing: Arborians can hear by detecting vibrations through touch and through the air. They can detect and generate tones and sounds outside human hearing range, including subsonic and ultrasonic ranges. These can be used to communicate long distances. No ears are visible.
Sitting: Though Shayhiloosh can bend easily and curve hir trunk, hir natural stance is to remain upright. Hir preferred method of ‘sitting’ is to gracefully spread out hir roots, in a manner like what humans call doing the splits. After sinking down in this fashion, Shayhiloosh then curls up hir ‘feet’ or root ‘legs’ in a nice neat circle around hir lower trunk. S/he finds this preferable to bending hir trunk, as would be required to sit in a manner common to humanoid species. Hir is then short enough to access tables, consoles and any other equipment built primarily for humanoids. For better stability, if there is room, Shayhiloosh can and will spread hir roots out as far as they will go, regardless of the surface.
Psychology: Arborians have a strong code of ethics, and will not cheat, steal, murder, or lie. They will act to defend themselves in instances of life threatening danger, and are dangerous when provoked. They can prevaricate and omit the truth when the situation deems necessary for secretiveness and discretion. They tend to be resistant to change.
Shayhiloosh personally feels that most species are a bit on the small side, and have far too few limbs. S/he is also unusually open-minded, as Arborians go.
Special Traits: When at rest, usually for at least a few hours each daylight cycle when Arborians are able to conduct photosynthesis, they share a type of group telepathy. Arborians are able to access something they refer to as the Dreamplane. For the uninitiated, the Dreamplane can be a dangerous place as besides mirroring whatever happens in reality, it can manifest people’s sorrow, fear, joy, and anger.
Shayhiloosh Finding Hir Can Be a Covert Spy
Mission: Reflections of van Helsing and the Dragons, Day 4
Mission: Available Light, Day 16
Stardate: 2407.02.10
(USS Boudicca – Sickbay – Botanist Ensign Shayhiloosh (jg) – 1538)
Shayhiloosh drifted in and out of consciousness, barely aware of Dr. Jahlen attending to his wounded parts. Hir was in agony and was weak enough that at one point hir became vaguely aware hir was propped up against a wall in Sickbay.
(Reply Jahlen)
Upset that the hostile Marines had hit one of the doctors hard enough to send her flying across the room, Shayhiloosh had been reluctant to obtain much care, hir concern for the bloodied doctor who was being threatened outweighing concern for hirself, but the grave extent of hir injuries soon gave hir little choice. He had lost a lot of ichor and was having difficulty remaining alert due to the throbbing agony from hir many wonds. Hir main branches began to droop and leaves began to wilt, and in bleak despair hir fled, seeking solace in the Dreamplane of the ship.
(Reply Jahlen, any in Sickbay)
(Dreamscape – The Grey Plain – Botanist Ensign Shayhiloosh (jg) – 1539)
Again, as before, Shayhiloosh found hirself on the dull grey metal plain, hir pain a pulsing throb but a more bearable background to the scene before hir. Hir entire trunk was trembling with weakness, and the scene that greeted Shayhiloosh gave no comfort.
S/he watched as large dark shapes scuttled across it, busily hurrying elsewhere. One approached and Shayhiloosh shuddered as the dark enraged looking insect-like shape scurried through hir ephemeral self. A muted roaring buzzing sound filled the atmosphere.
Shayhiloosh had hoped to draw solace from the eternal stars, but found much of the overhead vastness to be covered by a large shadow. Studying it warily, s/he realized this must be the enemy ship. As s/he watched, smaller shapes descended from ropes or tendrils from the gargantuan shape that blocked most of the star field. ~They must be the hostile forces, boarding the Boudicca.~ Wondering if he could effect anything here in his weakened state, Shayhiloosh could only watch helplessly as more climbed down from the ship.
As more of the large, dark, scuttling things scampered past, s/he remembered the small scruffy creature with concern. It was aware of hir, knew hir and might even feel safe with hir. S/he could use the company as s/he didn't feel too brave right now either. Leaf bladders shaking with fright, s/he felt fear welling up as a sinister shadow inside, threatening to overwhelm.
S/he began following, shambling along unsteadily, after the dark shapes. S/he couldn't hope to stop them, but maybe s/he could contact someone who could. Hope gave Shayhiloosh more courage once again and s/he drew against that, in an effort to marshal hir strength.
Moving with the thin scattered tide of dark creatures, Shayhiloosh worked to reach whatever point they were all moving toward, dreading what s/he might find. The plain wasn't so barren. Now it was littered with debris; a large piece of stone here, a large conical shape there, bits of smaller rock and shattered pieces, of what Shayhiloosh could not guess. S/he suspected it to be parts of the ship's consoles, furniture, or even bodies, and knew hir mind must be protecting itself from grief and shock in an effort to stay strong enough to function, so Shayhiloosh did not investigate the rock-like objects closely. Instead s/he moved past them, carefully going around or avoiding them altogether, attempting no tactile contact.
Perched atop one large rock was the little scruffy being, frightened, trying to make itself small and hide. It trembled in fright and was hunched in a ball of fear, radiating terror. So far the dark creatures around them seemed unaware of them as they scurried about moving generally in one direction in their unstoppable tide.
Shayhiloosh stopped beside the large rock. ::Hello again, small one. I see you are frightened. I am frightened too. Would you like to stay with me?::
Until now, amidst all this trouble and pain, s/he had no idea how much s/he missed home. Home, with its peaceful vales and hills, meadows and lakes was so quiet and happy by comparison with the present situation. Arboria Prime with its muttering elders, classes of younglings, and gentle rains, seemed incredibly, wonderfully, joyous and idyllic, compared to the place s/he was in now.
The creature looked up blinking large round dark eyes wide with anxiety, whooped with loud relief, and sprang eagerly toward Shayhiloosh's upper trunk. It didn't hurt much to have the creature leap like that; it was relatively small and light. Shayhiloosh felt hir could bear it as long as hir wasn't alone. He scuttled about to sit on one of hir main branches, clinging tightly with long fingers.
An odd thing occurred. Shayhiloosh, already unsteady, brushed against the stone with some of hir roots. S/he froze in astonishment as the rock like shape opened to show a room with a brown haired human female holding the hand of a tiny youngling. Startled, the Arborian pulled away. The scene of the room disappeared.
The creature, gripping Shayhiloosh tightly wrapped its limbs around the branch and stared with fright into one of Shayhiloosh's eyestalks. ::Bad things,:: it told him. ::We are together and we will help each other:: Shayhiloosh told the little creature. S/he very privately, deep inside, hoped that it was true.
(Reply none)
(Posted by Sheila Mayer)
Shayhiloosh Rooting Trying to Get Well
Mission: Reflections of van Helsing and the Dragon, Day 4
Mission: Available Light, Day 16
Stardate: 2407.02.10
(USS Boudicca – Ship Dreamplane – Botanist Ensign Shayhiloosh - 1650)
Drowsing under the quiet beauty of the stars overhead in the majestic sky, Shayhiloosh became aware that the little scruffy creature was cuddled up sleeping on one of hir studier and fortunately uninjured main branches. S/he had too many aches and pains all over, but they had receded and were more bearable.
The brilliant colorful world of the Arborian Prime Dreamplane contrasted strongly with this dull grey metallic plane, possibly because of the Boudicca's metallic structure and content, and the fact that a single Arborian was here with only this small creature for company. It was possible that more shared perceptions together could create a less barren and vital Dreamplane here, but Shayhiloosh knew no way of doing that unless they began housing more graduates of the Academy that were Arborians.
Peering with gratitude through hir branches at the little fellow who had shown such bravery, Shayhiloosh noted sadly that hir branches were now bare; s/he would be mute and it would be a day, maybe several, before more leaf bladders could grow large enough to allow hir a voice. But with sustaining so many injuries, hir wasn't sure how long it might take. If s/he could concentrate on only growing a few, that might allow him better assignment of energy to heal the rest of hirself. But hir voice would be softer and more difficult for most humanoids to hear. S/he sighed mentally in resignation to that.
As long as s/he could communicate, s/he would not feel so alone. Other than hir present companion, the ship Dreamplane seemed bereft and empty, a desolate place, but one that presently afforded Shayhiloosh quiet to recuperate. Again Shayhiloosh missed the hills, meadows, valleys, and lakes of home. But most of all s/he missed hir people. Perhaps they might stop by hir planet for a visit so the elders could meet the crew and understand for themselves more about the conflict the rebels were fighting. It would afford some time for Shayhiloosh to visit with hir people and bask in the Dreamplane of hir planet.
Shayhiloosh hirself had always understood what the rebels were fighting for; freedom. S/he had begun to fully understand that concept better all the time. S/he felt that freedom to have one's opinions that might differ from the elders, ancient and revered though they might be, should be a freedom for all sentient species across the galaxy, as long as it refrained from hurting or taking advantage of anyone else. Freedom to trade safely, to make internal decisions without interference, and to uphold the individual rights of sentient beings were concepts fundamental to the original foundation of the Federation. Though these concepts were new to Shayhiloosh, they were not difficult to entwine in one's roots.
Though Shayhiloosh knew that the tradition based culture that hir had been brought up in allowed for great beauty and wisdom, it did not always allow for adaptation to changes. Shayhiloosh knew that survival for hir people and planet would require growth to accommodate new concepts and ideas, instead of being mired in the sticky muck of habit and convention. Just because an idea was new did not mean that it should immediately be discarded. To Shayhiloosh that was the same as flinging away the good soil with the rocks. One might miss out on some extremely tasty part of the soil, just as hir people might miss something that they really would need, to deal with the changing situations of the interplanetary community.
Shayhiloosh mentally rustled hir branches and stretched out hir roots, and knew that one day on the Dreamplane would not solve all the problems for hir culture. But eventually s/he hoped to realize and dream better choices for the Arborians. Hir settled back to drowsing under the calm and silent stars, hope for the future and hirself settling in hir roots, trunk and limbs.
(Reply Winston, any)
(Posted by Sheila Mayer)
Credits
Completely made up by herbalsheila with a nudge or two from my spouse Jim who plays Thom Hania and GrannyGM who plays Brianna Frazier.
