Synestarus

"Do people have souls? Hahaha! What a foolish notion. I mean, where would a soul even be in the body? I'm guessing behind the gallbladder but above the kidneys. Shall we have a look? It won't hurt. Much."

Synestarus is a Mechari doctor and researcher in the employ of the Dominion. Once a devoted medical-care and assistance unit, severe damage has warped a once gentle and noble soul into a mockery of it's former self.

Reporting for Duty
Synestarus' early days are shrouded in mystery. Any organics that knew him since the beginning are long dead and other Mechari treat their "brother" mostly with disdain or distrust. As such, much of Synestarus' early history is at the mercy of the rumors circulating about him in both Dominion and Exile territory. What is known is that he was a Mechari unit dedicated for medical treatment and care, either in a hospital or on the field of battle.

It was suggested that Synestarus was once attached to House Azrion, but it can only be speculated due to lack of records.

Meeting the Locals
Synestarus was amongst the first to encounter the Draken on the world of Mikros. Sent as an attache of a "diplomatic landing party", Synestarus was to record native fauna and flora, native diseases and transmission vectors, as well as treat any injuries the party sustained. The native Draken were far from friendly and Synestarus' party soon found themselves under attack. Despite valiant efforts, the Cassian soldiers were all slain before evacuation or backup could arrive. Synestarus himself was dismantled and critically damaged.

It wasn't until Azrion the Conqueror came to Mikros and challenged the warlord Zhur. With Zhur's defeat and the sworn loyalty of the Draken in tow, the Dominion established itself marginally on the planet. Synestarus' remains were uncovered and sent to be repaired.

A New Life - For Science!!
The damaged remains were taken to the Cassian homeworld of Cassus to undergo repairs. The process was lengthy, especially concerning the more delicate inner workings of a Mechari. Mechari mechanists worked day and night to restore their fallen brother who worked so valiantly in the face of sheer savagery. After months of repair, Synestarus was finally brought back to life.

What emerged was drastically different from the unit before. Synestarus was now vain, arrogant and excessively narcissistic; a great contrast to the humble and cooperative demeanor demonstrated prior to being deactivated. Immediately upon reactivation, Synestarus jumped back into his role as a doctor and scientist. However, his treatments were now akin to torture and his research was oft dedicated to breeding viruses or concocting chemical weaponry. The Dominion took notice and utilized his newfound ruthlessness to serve as an assassin for a time. This tenure was short-lived, as Synestarus clashed with any other agents and refused to cooperate. This drastic change in persona was assumed to be damage to his Exanite Core.

Synestarus went on to continue his "practice" in medicine, opening up a clinic on Cassus and, eventually, the arkship Destiny. Despite of the rumors and his newer, darker reputation, Synestarus did treat most of his patients, curing them of ailments and disease. Aboard Destiny, he made fast allies of the Chua, who demonstrated his same maniacal, eccentric behavior and reverence for science and discovery. However, an investigation into his clinic revealed secret chambers and unwilling captives that served as test subjects, two of which were Cassians.

In place of a prison or execution, Synestarus was permitted to continue his practice - so long as he does it on the planet Nexus.

Physical Description
As with all Mechari, Synestarus is much taller than a standard human. At full height, Synestarus towers at 8' 3", dwarfing many, save for fellow Mechari and the Granok, although Synestarus typically holds himself in a stooped position. His chassis plating is a milky white in color. A single large eye dominates the center of his face: this optical receptor is red in color. Synestarus lacks the crystalline "hair" that many of his people display. Instead, his Exanite Core is concealed inside his head.

While typically eschewing attire, Synestarus has a trademark lab coat. His most interesting features are his hands: heavily modified, the hands feature fingers than can split apart and open up, revealing medical equipment inside. Both hands feature syringes, but he possesses scoops, scalpels, tweezers and small-scale laser cutters, amongst other medical gear.

Personality
"You have the pleasure of being in my presence and in my care. I know, I know. So overwhelming that you can't speak. Shh, shh. No need to fear! The greatest mind and the greatest doctor in the Dominion - no, wait! The Universe! - is here!

Prior to being damaged, Synestarus was humble, friendly, gentle and cooperative. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it was always words of encouragement to his patients. Being damaged by the Draken of Mikros, however, lead to a drastic change in his personality. Synestarus is now vain, narcissistic, arrogant and sadistic. Where he once looked at others as patients to treat and cure, he now sees test subjects. While he once sought to alleviate suffering, Synestarus now "treats" his "patients" using a mix of unorthodox, daring procedures and flat-out torture.

Like most Mechari, Synestarus is truly cold, remorseless and ruthless. On the surface, however, he is a talkative sort, chattering and laughing frequently. He jabbers on and on, often about himself (as he is the greatest in the universe - at least, to himself). His arrogance and narcissism know no bounds, as Synestarus truly believes himself to be the best, the smartest, the greatest thing the universe has ever produced. The accomplishments of others are tiny pebbles, while his are mountains. And while the self-serving personality is grating and overbearing, Synestarus has a brilliant, if warped, mind; he is incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable on many subjects, the foremost being biology, toxicology, and medicine. He is incredibly curious, poking at and dissecting many things he comes across, relishing the experience of learning and documenting new discoveries. Indeed, his mind is a never ending stream of ideas, thoughts, rationalizations, formulas and hypotheses. Due to his, as well as his jabbering demeanor, many people consider him (perhaps rightfully so) to be insane.

Synestarus is not an easy individual to get along with and is not a stabilizing element in a group venture. He'd rather stake it out on his own or use others to his advantage. Beneath the jovial, talkative and seemingly friendly exterior lies a manipulative mind that views others - including fellow Mechari - as tools to use or toys to play with. Coupled with a fierce self preservation, Synestarus oftentimes behaves downright cowardly and treacherous. He values knowledge and unrestrained freedom to conduct his experiments and research above all else. His sadism and blood thirst make him dangerous to cross, but due to his eccentric personality, Synestarus may heal you just as likely as he is to strap you to a dissection table. That, or devise a new virus to wipe out the Exiles. No, wait! There's a new chemical agent to improve the yield of manure....

Synestarus has respect (a rare quality, indeed, from him) for the Chua, as they are very similar. He has a slight respect for the Mordesh, being highly interested in their sciences. The other races, he feels, are beneath him: he calls Granok "rocks", Aurin "animal people", Draken "savages". Organics are often called "meatbags" or "fleshlings". His irreverence extends to even other Mechari, who he often calls "buckets of bolts" or "scrap".

Motivation and Goals
Synestarus doesn't completely understand his goals, being driven by an "innate" desire for knowledge. Despite being the smartest being in all of creation, he seeks to learn, learn, learn. Science is his main motivation, as is discovery. The universe is his playground and he would like nothing more than to pluck a string and watch what happens as it all comes apart. All in the name of science, of course. His ultimate goal would be, roughly, to discover everything there is to discover, to have the most knowledge. A rather daunting venture, given the size and complexity of the universe - to say nothing of reality and beyond.

He takes his post as a doctor very seriously and feels compelled to "help" the sick and wounded from time-to-time. In these rare moments of charity, he actually performs the sacred duty of a doctor.