Lieutenant Tavian Merkos
Name Tavian Merkos
Position Chief Operations Officer
Rank Lieutenant
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Species | Ardanan | |
| Age | 39 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6'2" | |
| Weight | 170lbs | |
| Hair Color | Brown | |
| Eye Color | Blue | |
| Physical Description | Tavian is tall, slender but with an athletic build that shows his interest in sports and dance. His features are fine and slightly angular, and there is a natural elegance to the way he carries himself that becomes particularly noticeable when he moves. He has blue eyes that can go from soft and warm to cold as ice, depending on the situation and his mood, and brown hair with a natural wave that he tends to wear a little longer. |
Family
| Spouse | None | |
| Children | Nonr | |
| Father | Tare Merkos | |
| Mother | Nemyna Merkos | |
| Brother(s) | None | |
| Sister(s) | None |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | Tavian’s a man who has a sophisticated air about him and he is quite aware of this fact. He is a dedicated Starfleet officer who believes in the principles of the Federation, in exploration being one of the best ways to grow and that new civilisations and cultures can teach you many things. He knows his job well and works hard at it. On the other side of the same coin is a man who values his own intelligence, who can come across as arrogant and has a taste in the finer things in the universe. He enjoys sensation and conversation and yes, he likes being right. He is also a good friend, a good colleague and can be, with the right crowd, quite the flirt. | |
| Strengths & Weaknesses | Strengths: Tavian has a good memory for a vast amount of facts from across the Federation worlds, although one could argue that none of them are really necessary for his work. He holds a cool head in a crisis and can be very compassionate. Weaknesses: Tavian likes being right and does not take it particularly well when he is proven wrong. He can be arrogant, especially when he thinks someone has not thought something through, and when irritated he has a tendency to become cold rather than angry. He also barely passed his phaser certification and while he is qualified to carry one, he remains a poor shot. |
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| Ambitions | Tavian does have his eyes, one day, on the Captain’s seat. Although he believes it needs to wait until he has a certain gravitas to go with it. | |
| Hobbies & Interests | Tavian is an accomplished dancer, having done it as a hobby growing up and even taken part in some amateur competitions. When at the Academy he also got into fencing, something he does almost daily in his spare time, work permitting. He enjoys good stories, good conversations, good drink and good food. He enjoys the decadent things in life, from luxurious baths to clothes. He enjoys learning new things, whether facts or even small crafts. While not hobbies, knowing he has done them and can talk about them with authority soothes something in him. |
| Personal History | Tavian was born on Ardana in 2346, the only child of Tare and Nemyna Merkos. He could trace his family back generations, both as Stratos City-Dwellers and Troglytes. Growing up, like many of his generation, history was something that was fact and learned from. The two castes had by now united, intermarried and society changed with it. Even so, the art and beauty of life and nature was embraced. Tavian grew up in a comfortable post-scarcity world, as a citizen of the Federation. When he was nine he went to dance classes, had a private tutor and felt like his future was whatever he wanted it to be. His teenage years were surrounded by what his planet had to offer, with exposure to other cultures that came to Stratos. But it was meeting these people, many of them Starfleet officers, that made Tavian want to join Starfleet. He believed in what the Federation stood for: after all Starfleet had uncovered the shame of the Ardanan people, and therefore given them the chance to change things. And it did help that the uniforms looked impressive. He could easily see himself in them. So he studied hard, took the time to learn what he knew he’d need. The entrance exam was hard, but he managed to get into the Academy. There Tavian found himself surrounded by people who were just as intelligent and driven as he was, something that took a little getting used to. He did well academically and eventually found himself drawn towards Operations, enjoying the mix of technical knowledge and problem solving that came with it. He liked knowing how the different parts of a ship worked together and what was needed to keep it all running. The Academy years were good to him, he felt he got a lot out of it and made friends. He was social, easy to get along with for the most part and found things to pour his energy into. One of the hobbies he picked up was fencing. He found himself good at it, and what person does not enjoy having a natural talent for something? Of course, one could not be great at everything as Tavian soon experienced when he was handed a phaser and proved less than a great shot. He did somehow pass his certifications, although some of his peers claimed it was because the instructor liked him. After graduation, Tavian was assigned to the USS London as an Operations Officer. He settled into shipboard life quickly and proved himself capable, particularly when it came to keeping track of the numerous systems and requirements that fell under Operations. Like most of his generation, he served during the Dominion War. The USS Musashi was a ship that saw a lot of action during the war and it meant that Operations were always trying to draw, direct or conserve power. It meant that Tavian found himself stressed, dirty, and honestly…it was all rather an unpleasant experience. Once the war ended, he remained on the Musashi for a few years. Thankfully, things were getting better. A bit murkier and greyer, a lot more tension…but it was an improvement from the war. In 2378, he transferred to Starbase 101 and he enjoyed the change of pace, and space. He became known for his decadent dinner parties while on Starbase 101 and for arranging some lovely picnics on shoreleave for his friends. His career was a steady one rather than spectacular. Tavian became known as someone who knew his job, kept a cool head when things went wrong and could usually be trusted to find a practical answer. He spent time both aboard starships and on a starbase, something that broadened his experience with everything from ship systems and logistics to visiting crews and civilian traffic. By his mid-thirties he was serving in senior Operations roles and regularly taking bridge watches. In 2385, with seventeen years of Starfleet service behind him, Tavian accepted the position of Chief Operations Officer aboard the USS Helvetia. For him it was the natural next step rather than the culmination of some grand ambition. He liked Operations, he was good at it, and being given a new ship to learn, and in interesting times...well that was all he required. |
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| Service Record | 2364-2368 Starfleet Academy, Operations 2368-2372 USS London, Operations 2372-2378 USS Musashi, Operations 2378–2380 Starbase 101, Operations Officer 2380–2385 Starbase 101, Assistant Chief Operations Officer 2385-PRES USS Helvetia, Chief Operations Officer |