Tora Zalos
Cardassian Female

Place of Origin: Lakat City, Cardassia Prime

ora is a curvaceous young Cardassian woman with dark gray skin and scales, Cardassian scale ridges stand out prominently on her head. Her eyes are a deep, shade of amber and seem to constantly be gleaming with playfulness and intelligence, which tends to draw people in whenever she looks at them.

Her uniform is always well kept and neat wherever possible, with her chestnut brown hair tied into a neat ponytail when on duty. Off duty, however, she prefers to keep it loose and flowing down her shoulders.

Speaking of off-duty attire, she is partial to attention-grabbing dresses and outfits that show skin and curve while remaining within the realm of modesty, a holdover from her days spent as a dabo girl. She is partial to red, yellow and orange (one wonders if this is by coincidence or not) and minimal accessories, preferring to let the rest of her do the talking, so to speak. That being said she does keep her old outfits worn while she was still a dabo girl; those that get to see her wear them are especially lucky.

Tora used to be the most popular dabo girl in her old boss’ bar for a good reason. Well-read as she is about a wide variety of topics and with a sharp mind and wit to match, she is capable of intelligently engaging almost anyone in conversation while striking a delicate balance between that and the subtle seduction a dabo girl employs at work – which continues into her working life as a Starfleet officer, drawing people in like moths to a flame.

Her genuine curiosity about and care for people and their stories only adds to her charm; she is an excellent listener and will happily lend her ears to those with things to share with a warm, inviting smile on her lips, making them feel heard and valued, which only makes her more effective as a diplomat.

Elsewise Tora is a rather carefree individual that appreciates the pleasures of life in all its forms. She takes pride in her appearance and knows well the impact she can have on others – though she is quite partial to playful teasing and flirtation with those she finds attractive, always in good fun. So long as she’s managed to make someone’s day better, that’s really all she needs to feel good about herself.

Tora was born just a few years before the Dominion War on Cardassia Prime, living a normal Cardassian childhood until the war itself broke out. Her parents joined the resistance movement against the Dominion spearheaded by Legate Damar and were susequently killed by Jem’hadar while she was taken in by her uncle, a Union military veteran. She would not learn of her parents’ death till she was sixteen years old.

Determined to keep her protected as his brother would’ve wanted, Yuvar and his wife moved with her off world during the after-war repair efforts to Risa, where he was certain they would be safe.

Living on Risa could only mean that Tora was immersed in the planet’s rich culture of pleasure and hospitality, and the diversity of people that came to its shores for relaxation. Adapting to this new lifestyle that encouraged self-discovery, hedonism and inclusiveness was somewhat difficult for her to adapt to, being a near complete inversion of her life on Cardassia before then; she did eventually adapt, however, with the help of her Risan classmates, who treated her as one of their own without exception. Perhaps it was their influence that eventually made her the woman that she was.

Her time on Risa spent interacting with visitors to the planet fostered a sense of adventure and a yearning to explore the wider universe beyond the pleasure planet’s boundaries. Guests to Risa came from practically every nook and cranny of the universe, bringing with them a plethora of stories and cultures that she found herself thirsting to learn about. Tora’s thirst for knowledge and understanding grew, inspiring her to seek opportunities for personal growth and intellectual stimulation. As such she took up reading in the resorts’ extensive libraries, eagerly absorbing any all information that she could get her hands on any and all topics she fancied while her new adoptive parents kept their textiles business alive.

Eventually, Tora’s thirst for knowledge and new experiences led her to leave Risa and seek opportunities beyond the pleasure planet. Eager to experience the wider universe firsthand, she set her sights on Deep Space Nine first and foremost. There her personality, intelligence, and of course looks caught the attention of Quira, a Ferengi woman looking to start her own bar, who offered her the chance to work as a dabo girl. Not only would she get paid and be able to live largely on her own terms, she would also get to meet a variety of people – what wasn’t to like?

She would spend the next few years of her life working for Quira at her bar set up on Deep Space 7, though she continued to study and gain knowledge during her spare time. During this time she would pick up a love for science, especially biology. Eventually, inspired by the Starfleet personnel she interacted with on a daily basis she decided to apply to Starfleet Academy, much to the disappointment of the patrons of Quira’s bar. She approached the station’s commanding officer and expressed this desire to her as well in the hopes of obtaining a recommendation letter, only to find that she’d already heard much about her from her subordinates and their teams. Tora’s reputation for conmecting to people and making them feel appreciated preceded her, in fact, and captain Judy Templeton was more than happy to give her the opportunity to use that skill of hers for something bigger than herself. She even encouraged her to train as a diplomatic officer rather than a scientist, so that she could put her communication skills to good use in negotiations.

While she would hardly describe her time spent at Starfleet Academy as easy, she did find it enjoyable. For one, learning about the other races and planets that shared the galaxy with her was one of the most fascinating parts about her education. She drank in everything that was taught to her; it was like studying in the libraries of Suraya Bay’s central resort again, only this time she knew she could put all this knowledge to good use.

She would go on to take up swimming and a few other sports as ECAs in order to maintain her personal fitness in addition to her diplomatic officer’s studies and training. She would eventually graduate with an handsomely passed first class degree in xenoanthropology, an achievement she is proudest of, and be assigned to the Hou Yi for her very first shipboard assignment.