Zak Kaiyo

Captain Zakane T'shano Kaiyo

Zakane “Zak” Kaiyo is the co-owner, captain, and pilot of the heavily-modified light hauler Aum Hara (otherwise known as the "Free Spirit") and the leader of a small band of freelance spacers that make their home aboard the ship. He’s just one more spark in the great spiral; one more restless soul trying to make a living doing what he can in a galaxy that’s always moving and yet always standing still. From the Tyrian Shallows to the Drift and everywhere in between, Zak and his small but loyal crew of misfits can be found anywhere something interesting is happening.

Description

Physical

Zak is a fairly average Tokaya: a lean, fit humanoid with turquoise-blue skin, jet black hair, a feline nose, and long, pointed ears. He bears a number of scars from his century of galactic escapades, with three notable ones on his head: an off-center slash across the upper-right bridge of his nose, a set of three claw marks at the left-side base of his jaw, and a ragged notch in his left ear.

Apparel

Zak tends to keep his style casual and comfortable when utility isn't absolutely necessary. His default outfit is a light, loose, short-sleeved shirt, cargo pants, and durable boots. He does possess a handful of signature accessories as well: a well-worn spacer's satchel; a necklace of teeth, claws, and amulets from across the galaxy; and his iconic, garish, and battered lucky towel.

Personality

Most of the “swashbuckling ace pilot” tropes apply to this space hobo, whose personal creed is “do good recklessly.” His confidence, determination, and cheerful sarcasm make for an extremely charismatic, if reckless, leader. He’s very mischievous and likes to get into trouble, but can be relied on to get out of it as quickly as he gets into it… most of the time. Zak acts fearless but, go figure, this man has Attachment Issues. He hates the idea of getting tied down to one place or thing, yet at the same time he is fiercely protective of his crew.
Zak performs best under pressure, and is good at improvisation and making quick decisions. However, the good captain is also an adrenaline junkie. He is addicted to excitement and often struggles visibly when the crew has a long period in between jobs. In times like these he is prone to pacing, fidgeting, and becoming irritable.
Zak Kaiyo is someone who desperately, fundamentally, needs to strive. He wants to live fast and die young in a galaxy where everyone lives at a reasonable pace and dies essentially never. He exists to challenge the stagnancy of a world that is as close to utopia as it can reasonably be. Zak wants so badly to save the galaxy, but he lives in a galaxy that does not need saving. And that’s tearing him to pieces.

Biography

Zak’s homeworld, Terotewaukia, is a backwater: connected to galactic civilization and participant in its affairs, but still very closed-off in terms of population flow. He was constantly told that he ought to be happy on Terotewaukia, fixing up interplanetary haulers and maybe going to the outer moons of the system once in a while. He and his two best friends always wanted more. The three of them had plans to quietly fix up one of the written-off hauler derelicts on company time and get the hell out, making their way into the wild starry yonder to see what could be seen.
But then one of them decided they wanted to stay and settle down, and that was the last straw for Zak. As soon as the opportunity arose, he and Arkto took off in their souped-up light hauler and never looked back. But once they were out there, Zak came to realize that the galaxy is not an especially adventurous place; a fact that eats away at him constantly.

Career

Zak is the pilot of the starship Free Spirit and the leader of a small band of freelance spacers that make their home aboard the ship. His talented -albeit reckless- piloting skills earned himself and his copilot Arkto N!oktruss a spot in the Galactic Spacecraft Pilots Association Hall of Fame, having broken the record for the smallest crewed vessel by mass to exceed 10 million times the speed of light with a hyperdrive. His performative stuntwork is also renowned, and he frequently attends the annual Galactic Pilot Convention.

Species

Tokaya

Birthplace

Eoya Kaull, Niabene South

Homeworld

Terotewaukia (Teroteaumia system)

Age

26 annua (29 Earth years)

Gender

cismasculine (he/him, xe/xen)

Height

1.8 m

Mass

72.5 kg

Occupation

• Captain and pilot of the starship Free Spirit
• freelance cargo-hauler
• occasional mercenary
• jack-of-all-trades

Languages

• Yori-tua (native)
• Leyanti (fluent)
• Galactic Standard (fluent)
• Wirrrimwol (not fluent)
• Zorsk (not fluent)