Chumani Maka

Character History

Born on Dorvan V, a world settled by humans of Native American descent in the late 22nd century, Chumani Maka chafed at the semi-pastoral life of her homeworld.  While she became well-versed in her tribe’s history and traditions, her gaze was ever-turned towards the stars.  When she came of age, she insisted on taking the entrance exams for Starfleet Academy, and her parents reluctantly acquiesced to her wishes.   Much to their chagrin, she was accepted on her first attempt.

Chumani performed well at Starfleet Academy, graduating in the top ten percent of her class with a specialization in Medicine.  She was a serious, diligent student though still found time to make a few close friends, particularly within her “Quad.” She also pursued a secondary specialty in xenobotany, with an emphasis in potential medical uses.  It was, in her words, a nod to the holistic medical traditions of her people.  Upon her graduation, she was granted her Medical Degree and assigned to the USS Sherman as a junior medical officer (effectively the deputy chief on such a small ship).  It was here that she met and befriended (and occasionally dated) a young Lieutenant Andrew Park.

Dr. Maka had no small personal stake in the outbreak of hostilities with the Cardassian Union, given her homeworld’s relatively close location to that particular polity.  She was aboard the USS Sherman during the battle where Lieutenant Park distinguished himself, effectively running the sickbay as the Chief Medical Officer had been injured.  While the incident solidified their relationship, it also led to their separation as the war continued across the next several years.

Dr. Maka followed a fairly traditional path for a Starfleet medical officer, with alternating assignments between shipboard duties and starbase assignments, though she vastly preferred the former, stating that “I didn’t join Starfleet to stay rooted in one place.”  She found herself assigned with Andrew Park across multiple assignments (at first by luck and later by his request as he rose through the ranks).  She gained a reputation as a highly competent medical officer across a variety of sub-fields, but particularly as a trauma surgeon and xenobiologist.  She also became infamous for a brusque bedside manner, largely developed in response to losing many friends to Starfleet’s various conflicts, and from dealing with stubborn Starfleet personnel who detest downtime for recuperation.

Maka’s homeworld was absorbed by the Cardassian Union prior to the outbreak of the Dominion War.  She was quietly devastated when her people chose to remain in place on Dornan V under Cardassian rule rather than relocate.  Contact with her family became nearly impossible, and Starfleet itself became rather justifiably suspicious of where her loyalties may lie when the Maquis crisis began to unfold.  As such she was an easy pick to serve as the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Sherman during Captain Park’s “special project.”  She did briefly find herself back on Starbase duty during the Dominion War, and while she saved many lives the trauma of how many she couldn’t did little to improve her complicated relationship with Starfleet.

Despite all that, when faced with the option of either retiring or serving on another ship, Maka chose to take at least one more tour aboard the newly-built USS Forger, Captained by another former crew member of the USS Sherman, Captain Tanar Laron.  Indeed, along with Captain Tanar and Lt. Cmdr Mourad, she was among the scant few who were fully aware of the Forger’s true mission profile.  Unknown to much of the crew, she was also in mourning for her family, as the colony on Dorvan V did not survive Cardassian occupation, though this did not become known until the aftermath of the Dominion War.

Dr. Maka is a complicated woman.  While outwardly brusque and sardonic, she is deeply dedicated to her duty and while it may certainly seem otherwise, her demeanor stems not from a lack of caring or emotional detachment, but rather a reaction from caring too much.  While she could rarely be called “kind” she has a tendency to offer just the right kind of help, be it medical treatment or hard-won wisdom, at just the right moments.  She does not suffer fools and may offer plenty of “tough love”, but it IS love.  Even if only a scant few recognize it for what it is.  She has few close friends remaining, Admiral Andrew Park chief among them, but is as cordial as she ever gets with most of the surviving crew of the USS Sherman, and has a surprisingly effective partnership with the Forger’s young Counselor, Lt. Commander Ordren.  

Art by MaxsIllustrations