Yalu (symbiont)

Yogan, the eighth and current host of the Yalu symbiont

Yalu (born 2030) is a symbiont, a sentient vermiform lifeform native to the planet Trill. Yalu, like all symbionts, is capable of living symbiotically inside hosts of the humanoid Trill species. Each joining of Yalu to a humanoid host creates a new, unique individual, who carries the memories of the previous hosts. As of 2399, Yalu's eighth and current host is the former Yogan Verso.

Background

The Trill are a humanoid species, of whom a small percentage co-exist with a sentient symbiotic organism, the symbiont. The relationship between humanoid host and symbiont plays a significant role in Trill culture and spirituality. Joined Trill have personalities which are a synthesis of the two beings, including the memories, skills, and personalities of the previous hosts. Once Joined, the host and the symbiont cannot be separated without killing the host within hours.

While the Trill possess a similar average lifespan to Humans, Bajorans, and other Alpha Quadrant humanoid species, the symbionts are considerably longer-lived. When a humanoid host dies, the symbiont is joined to a new host, bringing the collected memories and personalities within. A host can be joined to many symbionts over time; Yalu's current host is the eighth.

History

Yalu was born in the Caves of Mak'ala on the Trill homeworld in 2030, and was tended to by Guardians during their early years. Presumably, Yalu mated and reproduced prior to their first joining in 2140.

From 2140 until 2285, Yalu lived within four hosts in succession–Zedro, Edanne, Omed, and Keroga–with only hours or days elapsing between a host's death and their successor's joining. This line was broken in 2285, with the death by suicide of Keroga Yalu at the age of 27. After Keroga's death, the Symbiosis Commission returned Yalu to the pools in the Caves of Mak'ala to recover from the trauma, as well as to be evaluated for suitability for joining in the future. Yalu was joined once again the following year, and has lived continuously within humanoid hosts–Benim, Auzell, Eira, and Yogan–since 2286.

As of 2397 and across eight hosts, Yalu has been married eight times–three as a husband and five as a wife–and partnered twice further. Yalu has been father to five children and mother to eleven.

Hosts

Hosts of Yalu
1. Zedro Tiburn (2140–2193) 2. Edanne Ozanis (2193–2208) 3. Omed Petru (2208–2280) 4. Keroga Tanesk (2280–2285) 5. Benim Kolad (2286–2364) 6. Auzell Altav (2364–2374) 7. Eira Lejef (2374–2392) 8. Yogan Verso (2392–present) Talos Dakora (2398)

Zedro Tiburn

Zedro Tiburn was a metrologist and subspace radio operator who lived in the 22nd century. He was the first host of the Yalu symbiont.

Zedro was born in 2107 in Ledaro on Trill. In 2137, he married Zennia Vekar. He was Joined to Yalu in 2140, at the age of 33. Once Joined, Zedro was disappointed to find out that he was his symbiont's first host, as he expected to gain knowledge and wisdom from multiple lifetimes of memories. Zedro and Zennia had a son, Kiabo, and two daughters, Dezru and Vemed. Their 23-year marriage ended in divorce in 2160. In 2171, Zedro married Luara Kojem. They remained married until his death of natural causes in 2193, at the age of 86.

Well-suited to a career in science and techology, Zedro was analytical, innovative, and curious. However, he was also disconnected, insensitive, and impatient, which caused difficulty in his personal relationships, particularly with his first wife.

At the zhian'tara of Yogan Yalu, Zedro was embodied by Nedal Verso, a Guardian apprentice and Yogan's younger brother.

Edanne Ozanis

Edanne Ozanis was a farmer and artisan weaver who lived in the 22nd and early 23rd centuries. She was the second host of the Yalu symbiont.

Edanne was born in 2167 in a village near Devritane on Trill. She was educated mostly at home, but completed a few years of education in a nearby village school. She apprenticed to a weaver in her home village and became exceptionally skilled in the art and craft of weaving. She was Joined to Yalu in 2393, at the age of 26, and was the first person in her agricultural community to receive a symbiont. In 2196, she married Laharno Meeros, a fellow farmer from the same region. They had a son, Rajim, and a daughter, Rekela. She taught both of her children how to weave. Edanne died in 2208 from injuries sustained in an accidental fall on her family's farm. She was 41 years old. Nearly two centuries after her death, some of her woven works had been preserved as part of a traveling museum exhibit of 22nd century Trill folk art.

Edanne was practical, sensitive, and warm, which made her well-liked in her community. In contrast to her predecessor, she was reluctant to innovate and improvise, and was content to live a simple life. The pressure to leave her mark on the symbiont was complicated by her vulnerability to criticism and need for affirmation.

At the zhian'tara of Yogan Yalu, Edanne was embodied by Etan Iljor, a Bajoran Starfleet science officer and Yogan's roommate aboard the USS Resolution.

Omed Petru

Omed Petru was a civil servant and administrator who lived in the 22nd and 23rd centuries. She was the third host of the Yalu symbiont.

Omed was born in 2179 in Leran Manev on Trill. She was born into a privileged family and received a comprehensive education, however her career potential was hampered by the gender inequality of 23rd century Trill society. In 2203, she married Zevin Porax, with whom she had five children in seven years, sons Erovo, Bival, and Mezim, and daughters Auzena and Yuvi. Omed was Joined to Yalu in 2208, at the age of 29. In 2217, after her last child was born, Omed accepted a position as deputy administrator of Radzax, an early offworld colony. The position required the entire family to relocate to Radzax, which Zevin and the children resented. Omed remained the deputy administrator of Radzax for 16 years, during which time she was thrice passed over for the administrator position in favor of men she outranked. In 2233, she was finally promoted to administrator, but the colony was disbanded four years later, after which she returned to the Trill homeworld and worked in the domestic civil service until she retired. Omed was married to Zevin for 56 years until his death in 2259. In 2270, at the age of 91, Omed married Olor Beex, a man 24 years her junior. They remained married until her death of natural causes in 2280, at the age of 101. Two of Omed's five children predeceased her.

Omed was a bold and practical experimenter and a master of all kinds of processes. Rational and relaxed, she was at her best in a crisis, which made her suited to a career in administration. She was also stubborn and tended to use her intelligence and mastery of logic as a weapon.

At the zhian'tara of Yogan Yalu, Omed was embodied by Aydam Verso, Yogan's father.

Benim Kolad

Benim Kolad was a journalist, political activist, and novelist who lived in the 23rd and 24th centuries. He was the fifth host of the Yalu symbiont.

Benim was born in 2256 in Gheryzan on Trill. At the age of six, he was sent to live with his paternal grandparents in Tenara, where he spent the rest of his childhood. He was educated at the University of Chi'tar and began a career as a journalist in the mid-2270s. Benim first rose to prominence as the author of several investigative reports about alleged corruption in the university's admission practices. In 2286, at the age of 30, Benim was Joined to Yalu. By the early 2290s, Benim's journalism career took him offworld and placed him in increasingly dangerous environments. His sensationalist and activist reporting was both praised and criticized.

In 2297, Benim married his longtime partner Yaver Tallus, and in 2301 they adopted two infant sons, Hraz and Bror. By the early 2310s, Benim was investigating organized crime in the Barisa system, and his reporting made him an enemy of several syndicate bosses. He survived an attempt on his life in 2314, but the following year, Benim's husband and two teenaged sons were killed in a shuttlecraft explosion meant to assassinate him. In 2318, a collection of his articles was later published as a single volume, At What Cost, which brought his work to a wider audience and inspired him to trade the dangers of investigative reporting for the relative safety of writing fiction. Beginning in the 2320s and continuing for the rest of his life, Benim was a prolific author of light, fluffy, compulsively readable fiction, earning him the epithet "King of the Risa Read." He also had a 15-year relationship with novelist Togar Mahl, during which both men enjoyed healthy professional competition. Their relationship positively impacted their writing, and both men were awarded the Rixx Prize for Fiction, with Benim winning in 2336 and 2339.

In 2340, at the age of 84, Benim retired to Ohmallera on Betazed, where he continued to write. He lived there until his death of natural causes in 2364, at the age of 108.

Like his immediate predecessor, Benim appreciated drama and enjoying being the center of attention. He was deeply principled and altruistic, and used his notoriety to champion causes about which he felt passionate. However, he was quick to boredom and battled burnout often.

At the zhian'tara of Yogan Yalu, Benim was embodied by Genkos Adea, the chief medical officer of the USS Resolution.

Yogan Verso

Main article: Yogan Yalu

Yogan Yalu (né Verso) is an officer in the Federation Starfleet. He is the eighth and current host of the Yalu symbiont.