Appearance: Still young for its species at 42 Earth Standard Years, Q'voth'zal stands just over six feet, including the distinctive hunch common to all pak'ma'ra.  Its two arms, with three fingered hands are not at all unusual, nor is its mottled brown skin.  The three facial tentacles, internal beak, and hairless octopoidal head are also typical of the species.  Looking closer however, its blue/black eyes are surprisingly curious, and if one dares draw close enough they might notice its garb is not always the ragged robes of its kind.  For this pak'ma'ra is often clothed in sleek black robes and its seemingly simple staff is a Minbari fighting pike.  Lastly, a polished brooch, clasped to its robes reveal it to be a Ranger.  A friend in need to those who must walk in the dark places of the universe.

Background:


Q'voth'zal was born on the homeworld of Melat, but like many of its people it spent most of its adult life elsewhere.  The spawn of Q'zan'mur, a pak'ma'ra diplomat assigned to Bablyon 5, it spent many of its youngest years aboard that fabled station, fascinated by the variety of lifeforms that lived and interacted there.  When its parent's ship was attacked by the Drakh in 2261, it was the white star fleet that came to their aid and saved them from complete annihilation.  This experience would change the young Q'voth'zal's life forever.

The idea that other aliens might give their lives to help the pak'ma'ra was a revelation to this perceptive young medic.  Doing its own research, it could discover very little concerning the mysterious 'Rangers', but this only made Q'voth'zal more determined than ever.  Eventually, its research led to Entil'zha Delenn, and the two had a long discussion on the Observation Deck (Blue 3) in 2268.  After testing the eager pak'ma'ra's resolve and wits, Delenn parted with the young alien, but was intrigued enough to meet with it on several other occasions.  She was eventually impressed enough to offer Q'voth'zal a chance to serve the Alliance, and was formally given an invitation to the Anla'shok training academy on Minbar, in the famous city of Tuzanor.

The training was far more difficult for Q'voth'zal than for most others.  Its fellow applicants were not at all accepting of its cultural peculiarities and its own instructors often seemed determined to see it fail.  Although it took the determined pak'ma'ra three times as long as any other Ranger student to complete the training, Delenn's support, as well as another young Minbari Ranger named Nallier, kept its spirits up and allowed it to finish in spite of all opposition.

Q'voth'zal still serves in the Anla'shok, and still feels as if it must constantly prove its worthiness to be a part of the order.  It has become obsessed with finding and eradicating the last of the Drakh from the galaxy, and to make it safe once more, not only for its own people, but for all the various lifeforms in the Alliance.  In 2279, having received an urgent message that its parent was dying of old age, the young Ranger quickly hopped the nearest transport and made its way to Babylon 5...