
Spoiler Alert: Information in this extended character profile gives away key plot points in the series and reveals things about the characters that would normally be presented to the viewer gradually through character development. Read at your own risk.

Head of Health and Wellness (Civilian)
Firela Zan Joli
Female, Mid-40’s
Suvani
Role: Dr. Joli’s position is a new one, usually a sector-level position in Starfleet Medical. Because the Enterprise will be operating without a larger support structure, she has been assigned to oversee more than just medical needs. Much more than just a surgeon or general practitioner, she is also responsible for the crew’s nutrition, fitness, mental health, recreation and morale. Heads of those departments report to her, though she does like to do some of the work herself - especially when it comes to the senior crew.
History: Joli is a Suvani, a species with only one sex – female. Their society is one of equality, consensus, complex social bonds, and has an extensive social support system. There is a strong emphasis on family bonds, community, education and social responsibility.
Suvani medicine takes a very holistic approach to wellness, considering all aspects of lifestyle when diagnosing and suggesting treatment. As a trained Suvani Healer, Dr. Joli is a natural for her position.
Dr. Joli had led a drive within the medical community in the Federation to unify all medical practices. Drawing from all the diverse medicines from all worlds, she has led a team of doctors and scientists to identify what works from the various scientific and holistic traditions of many worlds. These practices have been studied, tested and catalogued into a new database of Galactic medical knowledge. She published a new Galactic Medical Journal that has revolutionized not just medicine, but wellness and quality of life across the Galaxy, though some cultures and institutions (such as Starfleet) have been slow to adopt the new measures.
Dr. Joli has known Admiral Oviedo San Lagos since he was a commander and she was a medical student. They are old friends and Oviedo has taken her medical insights to heart, using them personally and pushing Starfleet to adopt them. When Oviedo is given the opportunity to pick the team for the Andromeda Expedition, Dr. Joli is his first choice for the Medical Sciences department. Dr. Joli was reluctant, at first, saying she didn’t agree that Starfleet should be interfering with the Andromeda Galaxy at all. But Oviedo convinced her that the mission was going to happen with or without her, and if that was how she felt, then being on the mission was the best place to make sure they do as little harm as possible.
Personality: Joli has strong maternal instincts and finds herself often giving comfort and care to other members of the crew, coming to think of them as her own communal family. She acts as the de facto counselor for many of the crew.
Suvani philosophy believes all life is sacred. Joli believes strongly in non-Interference, believing that all life and cultures must develop on their own. She feels part of her duty is to make sure the more “adventuresome” elements in the crew do no harm to the “untouched” civilizations in the new galaxy. However, she feels conflict of her own on this issue when she sees a people suffering that she thinks she could help.
Relationships: Joli finds Vega’s Xian aversion to medicine irritating, but she admits that she knows so little about Xians that he’s not sure he’d even know what to do with one if she got his hands on one.
Often at odds with Lexia because she believes in aggressively collecting new knowledge while Joli takes a more cautious, conservative approach that frustrates Lexia. Joli finds Lexia’s “free spirit” personality appealing, but cautions her to be gentle with the emotions of the other crew – they are not as emotionally and sexually open as Deltans and Suvani.
Dr. Joli finds Daystrom’s technological enhancements extremely distasteful – a violation of nature. She encourages him to embrace his humanity, not to suppress it.
Suvani reproduce through a variation of parthenogenesis that allows for transfer of genetic material through extensive skin contact. Their people are sexually promiscuous (but only with their own kind) – the more sexual contact the have, the wider variety of genetic material they can pass on to their children. They do not have traditional pair-bonding marriages, but rather live in large, polygamous familial groups and raise their children as a community.
Like all Suvani, Joli has very high levels of progesterone and estrogen, giving her a very full-figured, feminine shape. Suvani have a high pregnancy rate and have faced overpopulation problems in the past. As a consequence, they have learned to control their reproduction through physical and mental discipline over their bodily functions. Joli has learned these techniques and uses them to prevent herself from getting pregnant for the duration of her assignment. This makes her occasionally sad, though, as all Suvani cherish children and yearn to give birth. It was difficult for her to leave her community and she longs to someday return and nurture her own children.
Suvani are extremely potent touch telepaths, which makes their social bonds very intimate and strong. But this manifests itself as an overwhelming experience for other species who touch a Suvani, especially those without psionic abilities of their own. Their telepathy can completely dominate the wills of some species who come into contact with them. Out of respect for other species, Suvani usually cover themselves from neck to toe.
Firela Zan Joli
Female, Mid-40’s
Suvani
Role: Dr. Joli’s position is a new one, usually a sector-level position in Starfleet Medical. Because the Enterprise will be operating without a larger support structure, she has been assigned to oversee more than just medical needs. Much more than just a surgeon or general practitioner, she is also responsible for the crew’s nutrition, fitness, mental health, recreation and morale. Heads of those departments report to her, though she does like to do some of the work herself - especially when it comes to the senior crew.
History: Joli is a Suvani, a species with only one sex – female. Their society is one of equality, consensus, complex social bonds, and has an extensive social support system. There is a strong emphasis on family bonds, community, education and social responsibility.
Suvani medicine takes a very holistic approach to wellness, considering all aspects of lifestyle when diagnosing and suggesting treatment. As a trained Suvani Healer, Dr. Joli is a natural for her position.
Dr. Joli had led a drive within the medical community in the Federation to unify all medical practices. Drawing from all the diverse medicines from all worlds, she has led a team of doctors and scientists to identify what works from the various scientific and holistic traditions of many worlds. These practices have been studied, tested and catalogued into a new database of Galactic medical knowledge. She published a new Galactic Medical Journal that has revolutionized not just medicine, but wellness and quality of life across the Galaxy, though some cultures and institutions (such as Starfleet) have been slow to adopt the new measures.
Dr. Joli has known Admiral Oviedo San Lagos since he was a commander and she was a medical student. They are old friends and Oviedo has taken her medical insights to heart, using them personally and pushing Starfleet to adopt them. When Oviedo is given the opportunity to pick the team for the Andromeda Expedition, Dr. Joli is his first choice for the Medical Sciences department. Dr. Joli was reluctant, at first, saying she didn’t agree that Starfleet should be interfering with the Andromeda Galaxy at all. But Oviedo convinced her that the mission was going to happen with or without her, and if that was how she felt, then being on the mission was the best place to make sure they do as little harm as possible.
Personality: Joli has strong maternal instincts and finds herself often giving comfort and care to other members of the crew, coming to think of them as her own communal family. She acts as the de facto counselor for many of the crew.
Suvani philosophy believes all life is sacred. Joli believes strongly in non-Interference, believing that all life and cultures must develop on their own. She feels part of her duty is to make sure the more “adventuresome” elements in the crew do no harm to the “untouched” civilizations in the new galaxy. However, she feels conflict of her own on this issue when she sees a people suffering that she thinks she could help.
Relationships: Joli finds Vega’s Xian aversion to medicine irritating, but she admits that she knows so little about Xians that he’s not sure he’d even know what to do with one if she got his hands on one.
Often at odds with Lexia because she believes in aggressively collecting new knowledge while Joli takes a more cautious, conservative approach that frustrates Lexia. Joli finds Lexia’s “free spirit” personality appealing, but cautions her to be gentle with the emotions of the other crew – they are not as emotionally and sexually open as Deltans and Suvani.
Dr. Joli finds Daystrom’s technological enhancements extremely distasteful – a violation of nature. She encourages him to embrace his humanity, not to suppress it.
Suvani reproduce through a variation of parthenogenesis that allows for transfer of genetic material through extensive skin contact. Their people are sexually promiscuous (but only with their own kind) – the more sexual contact the have, the wider variety of genetic material they can pass on to their children. They do not have traditional pair-bonding marriages, but rather live in large, polygamous familial groups and raise their children as a community.
Like all Suvani, Joli has very high levels of progesterone and estrogen, giving her a very full-figured, feminine shape. Suvani have a high pregnancy rate and have faced overpopulation problems in the past. As a consequence, they have learned to control their reproduction through physical and mental discipline over their bodily functions. Joli has learned these techniques and uses them to prevent herself from getting pregnant for the duration of her assignment. This makes her occasionally sad, though, as all Suvani cherish children and yearn to give birth. It was difficult for her to leave her community and she longs to someday return and nurture her own children.
Suvani are extremely potent touch telepaths, which makes their social bonds very intimate and strong. But this manifests itself as an overwhelming experience for other species who touch a Suvani, especially those without psionic abilities of their own. Their telepathy can completely dominate the wills of some species who come into contact with them. Out of respect for other species, Suvani usually cover themselves from neck to toe.