Lieutenant Kathryn Dallas

Character Information

Gender		Female
Species		Human
Age		40

Physical Appearance

Height		5'9"
Weight		130 lbs.
Hair Color		Brown
Eye Color		Brown
Physical Description		Tall and thin, she may appear frail, but she is actually quite strong and athletic. Kate still struggles with maintaining a healthy weight and knows it will never be something she will ever beat completely. She is diligent about exercise, a consequence of her disorder, and likes to swim or do ballet to stay fit.

Family

Spouse		Not currently married, but twice divorced.
Children		None
Father		John Dallas
Mother		Elizabeth Dallas (deceased)
Brother(s)		None
Sister(s)		Karyn Dallas
Other Family		None

Personality & Traits

General Overview		Having been forced to grow up long before she should have, Kate exudes poise and maturity that one would expect of someone much older. She, like her younger sister, uses quick wit and sarcasm to put others at ease and is not afraid to voice her own opinions. She takes her work very seriously, but is not afraid to take risks if she thinks the greater good will be served. Kate always has a smile or a joke ready to ease tension or other uncomfortable emotions, but never loses sight of the business at hand, often taking on a no nonsense manner, particularly when she has to assess patients in sickbay or when she is counseling someone in need. When it comes to her own emotions, she tends to be more reserved unless a member of "her" crew is involved. She is stubborn and can be highly emotional at times; often feeling an obligation to those she works with that goes far beyond professional loyalty. Kate is a true nurturer who in some ways is motivated to help people because she is trying to make up for, in her eyes, having failed her younger sister. As candid as she prefers to be with all subjects, her childhood is not something she talks about even with close friends because she doesn't feel it serves any useful purpose.
Strengths & Weaknesses		Kate's biggest strength, her compassion for others, may also be her biggest weakness. She hates to see suffering in others and will go to great lengths to prevent it. She grew up as a mother figure and protector, so acting as such is survival to her. Taking care of herself and attending to her own needs doesn't come easy to her, but she is learning how to let her guard down slowly but surely. It is her ability to remain cool under pressure and take care of others which makes her a valued officer. She has a great respect for Starfleet and is grateful for the structure and direction it provided her when she needed it most, so as a general rule, she follows protocol in spirit if not always to the letter. The only exception to this would be those occasions when she feels her professional obligations are being minimized or dismissed outright by others, especially her superiors. She has a bit of a reputation for being "persistently assertive" but not irrationally so.
Ambitions		Unlike many officers in Starfleet, Kate does not long for her own command. Her greatest ambition is to have a secure and loving relationship and children, though her work-aholism has gotten in the way of that more often than not. Until she is ready to settle down, however, she is happy to serve Starfleet Medical in any capacity they see fit.
Hobbies & Interests		Holonovels, Greek mythology, swimming, and ballet

Personal History		Kathryn "Kate" Ellayn Dallas was born in Janaran Falls, Betazed on July 7, 2325. Her parents, John and Elizabeth, were active duty Starfleet Officers at the time, so the first five years of her life were spent onboard starships. These early years were fairly pleasant for Kate, though she longed for a brother or sister to help ease her loneliness. John, having never denied the center of his world anything before, convinced his wife they should take a leave of absence on their favorite planet, Betazed, to complete their family. Kathryn's little sister, Karyn Elizabeth, was born in 2232, but the birth was anything but perfect. Karyn was born two months premature, and further complications weakened her mother's body considerably. Two days after the birth of her second daughter, Elizabeth Dallas passed away, leaving Kate and John completely devastated, and a very sick infant in need of nurturing. From the very beginning, Kate was Karyn's second mother, while John withdrew more and more because he was unable to deal with his wife's death. He eventually turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows, and when he was told his daughter had cerebral palsy and would spend the rest of her life confined to a grav-chair, he drank even more, becoming bitter and eventually violent. By age ten, Kathryn had become her father's slave, expected to take on the roles of mother and wife, and to meet her father's demands without question, or face the explosive and abusive consequences. As a result of their shared dirty family secrets, Karyn and Kate grew closer, with Kate taking the most pleasure in seeing her younger sister thrive and seek independence despite her disability. Both girls fought to maintain high grades and happy outlooks to keep teachers from suspecting things were amiss at home, but neither maintained many friends and to Kate, her forced extroversion seemed hollow. Kate took the brunt of her father's physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and despite Karyn knowing the truth, Kate always made excuses for her father and sometimes pretended to ignore the abuse altogether. John often told Kate that Karyn was his favorite daughter because she looked and acted just like her mother, but was not yet old enough to take on Kate's "grownup" responsibilities. Fearing Karyn would face similar or even worse treatment than she had once she became old enough; Kate researched every possible route for her and her sister to gain an education before running away to start fresh. Kate knew without a proper education and a chance to gain steady employment, she and her sister would never be able to escape their father's influence. Kate had always dreamed of entering Starfleet and becoming a doctor, but never wanted to leave her sister behind. Karyn knew Starfleet offered an opportunity for Kate to be happy and independent, and so she encouraged Kate to apply for early admission. On her third attempt, Kate was accepted into the pre-med program, and under cover of night, Kate reluctantly bid goodbye to her baby sister who promised she could take care of herself and her father. Karyn told Kate she had earned the right to live her own life and that when the time was right; they'd both run toward new lives. Kate's time at the Academy was extremely difficult because she constantly imagined the horrors Karyn was living at home. She withdrew into her studies, feeling anything less than perfection would mean she had wasted her opportunity. Several close friends helped draw Kate out of her shell, but she struggled with guilt at leaving her sister behind, though she never told anyone about her home life. She was an excellent student, but her drive for perfection at all costs played havoc with her health, and it was at the Academy that bulimia seized her. Once again, not wanting anyone to worry or suspect her unhappiness, Kate feigned a zest for life that she did not feel. Despite her inner turmoil, Kate was admired and envied by many, and was able to participate in some extracurricular activities that helped her find and enjoy her talents. She met her first husband, Jeremy Trent, in her sophomore year. They were both on the debate team, and with Jeremy's love and patience, Kate found her self-esteem and inner strength once again. She came to understand that she wasn't timid and submissive by nature, but had let her father dominate her for so long that it had changed who she was. The two married the following year, but the relationship quickly fell apart because Kate still struggled with her self-image and with her eating disorder, something that Jeremy failed to understand. Kate was not acting like a wife, often avoiding intimacy and speaking only of a drive to become a doctor. The divorce was painful, but not wanting to be with a man she didn't love and didn't please, Kate moved on, agreeing to seek counseling. She was able to graduate on time and with honors in 2247. When she returned home, Kate was horrified to see that her once outgoing sister had become withdrawn and distant. There was no spark in her eyes and Kate knew just as her father had foreshadowed that Karyn had become her father's new target. Feeling an overwhelming rage and desire to make things right, Kate pulled her sister out of her childhood home and never looked back. Both of them suffered severe injuries in the midst of their father's final rage that day but they emerged alive and with a stronger resolve to succeed. Vowing never to leave her sister alone again, Kathryn took additional classes at the University of Betazed, while her sister studied to become a teacher's assistant. Kate studied combat medicine, and taking an interest in the renowned psychology programs, she decided specializing in trauma psychology would complement her medical studies nicely. Starfleet agreed to let her go back to school if she agreed to take her first Starfleet assignment at the University Of Betazed General Hospital as a medical assistant. It would mean postponing her dreams of a deep space assignment, but it would allow her to keep an eye on her sister, so she jumped at the chance. After graduating in 2248. from the University of Betazed, the two girls were accepted aboard the USS Endeavor. Kate served as a medical assistant, while Karyn worked as a teacher's assistant. It was on the Endeavor that Karyn revealed her father's abuse to Counselor Sara Jacobs, an act that angered and humiliated Kate because in many ways she still felt responsible. In her mind, the horrors were over, and did not need to be rehashed. Karyn by that point was also talking of attending the Academy, a move toward independence that would leave Kate feeling a mixture of sadness and anger, but also empty because she no longer would have someone to care for. Always her little sister's protector, Kate tried to convince Karyn Starfleet wasn't where she belonged, that the prejudice she would endure could destroy her, and perhaps even prevent her from achieving her goals. At seventeen, Karyn resented her sister's attempts to shelter her from reality, particularly because Kate had taken the "pretend it doesn't exist" approach with everything else in her life, including her father's abuse. Karyn was the exact opposite, wishing her older sister had reached a point in her life where she was ready to acknowledge the past, but realizing she hadn't, Karyn decided to move forward. Feeling resentful and abandoned, Kate left for Starfleet Medical six months before Karyn was to leave for San Francisco. Kate once again threw herself into her medical studies, this time deciding to focus on emergency medicine and clinical and forensic psychiatry for her four years at Starfleet Medical. Still not ready to acknowledge her father's abuse, Kate pushed Karyn from her life, while Karyn grew angrier and more absorbed with her Academy studies. Kate truly had found her calling, and though she was hard pressed to meet the demands of two complex fields; the challenge awakened a passion to follow her dreams. As demanding as the curriculum was, Kate felt at peace with herself and her newfound freedom. She was more mature and no longer felt the heavy obligation to care for and to protect her sister, whom she felt had demanded her freedom in no uncertain terms. Kate enjoyed the single life, choosing to focus on her education rather than pursuing another serious relationship. Medical school pushed her to her limits physically and emotionally because it was a time when she was still learning how to harness her drive to do well and to prove herself, while not wearing herself out in the process. Confidence and a strong work ethic caught the attention of instructors and colleagues alike, and when she emerged as a psychiatrist in 2252, she knew she had left the scared ten-year-old from Janaran Falls behind. After graduating with honors from Starfleet Medical, she was assigned to the USS Discovery as medical officer and psychiatric specialist. Shortly thereafter; she began dating the Discovery's charming Chief of Security. After a two-year courtship, Kate finally felt she had met her soul mate and agreed to become his wife. It was a decision she would come to regret almost immediately. Alexander Conroy was as controlling of his wife off-duty as he was on duty. His fearlessness, cool detachment, demands for perfection and "take no prisoners" command style; the very things that others said made him a talented officer, helped him to justify his need to dominate all aspects of Kate's life through violence if need be. They separated several times, but ultimately, Kate's misguided sense of obligation to her crew and a strong hope that things would get better kept her from leaving the Discovery completely. She was the only one who ever saw his violent side, so despite her childhood experiences, it was difficult for her to accept what she thought were "bad days" in her husband's life. Alex had several affairs, all of which she and the rest of the crew knew about, but again, Kate chose to ignore what she felt was not as important as her career. She was embarrassed and was not going to admit to her baby sister, who by then was a Lieutenant on the USS Galaxy, which she couldn't take care of herself. She had found her niche on the Discovery, and more than that, she knew Alex would never let her leave. Her wakeup call came one morning just before the start of her shift when a little girl caught her using a dermal regenerator on her forearm, which had sustained five finger shaped bruises from where her husband had grabbed her an hour before. The little girl reminded Kate of Karyn, and seeing the mixture of horror and confusion in her eyes, Kate decided the last thing she wanted to teach anyone, especially little girls, was that violence like this was acceptable. She filed for divorce immediately. Her husband and her captain tried to convince her to stay with a promotion as a means to keep news of Alex's behavior from the ears of Starfleet, but Kate, knowing she had compromised her dignity for her career too many times before, declined the promotion and requested a new assignment directly from Starfleet Medical. When she was assigned to San Frontiers Colony as its Assistant Chief of Mental Health, she was grateful for the opportunity to set down something resembling roots, but somewhat concerned this was to be the beginning of the end of her career. Stationary assignments weren't exactly viewed as prestigious, and while her safety and self-esteem meant a great deal more to her, she was determined to prove herself. As it turned out, service within San Frontiers turned out to be one of the most positive experiences of her life. In addition to putting down roots that ultimately helped her find her emotional balance again, she was also given opportunities to expand her knowledge and skills. Not only was she responsible for the healing of physical and emotional wounds of those she encountered, she was also called upon frequently to utilize the diplomatic skills she had been taught early in her behavior analysis training. It was a foreign notion for Kate, whose experience with diplomatic relations to that point was limited to learning medical terms in other languages, but necessity is often the mother of invention. Unlike aboard a starship, Kate didn't have the luxury of picking up and warping the minute politics got dicey, and in the baptism by fire that was her foray into diplomacy, she had the chance to quench her thirst for knowledge in areas she'd never considered before, including Federation law and first contact procedures. Kate stayed with San Frontiers for five years before she was reassigned to Zetari Station in the Alpha Quadrant. After two years, she was promoted to Chief Psychiatrist and Assistant Chief Medical Officer. The station had a dedicated investigative and JAG staff, but Kate was often called upon to apply her knowledge of medicine and psychiatry to the gathering and analysis of evidence and intelligence, duties that challenged her and allowed others to see her value beyond that of a clinician. When she applied to become the Chief Medical Officer aboard station Deep Space K-9, she saw it not only as a chance for career advancement, but also as another opportunity to challenge herself.
Service Record		2243-2247: Starfleet Academy (Pre-med major) 2247-2248: University of Betazed (Emergency Medicine and Trauma Psychiatry ) 2248-2252: Starfleet Medical Academy 2252-2253: Medical Officer/Counselor, USS Discovery 2253-2256 Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Discovery 2256-2261: Assistant Chief Psychiatrist, San Frontiers Colony 2261-2265: Assistant Chief Psychiatrist/Assistant Chief Medical Officer, Zetari Station Present: Chief Medical Officer, Deep Space K-9