Deanna Troi - An empath in Starfleet

Although actually of mixed human and Betazed heritage, Troi is one of many from her planet active in the Starfleet Counsellor Corps and has been Ship's Counsellor for the U.S.S. Enterprise throughout its service life and she now serves aboard its successor namesake.

Betazeds are known for inter-species telepathy and emotional empathy with most other species. Betazeds are capable of this empathy with almost everyone around them, whether they are on board the ship, in another ship at close proximity or on a planet below.

While the above mentioned abilities have heightened Troi's counselling skills, they have also aided her captain's command decisions on several occasions, including hostile encounters, negotiations, and first-contact situations.

Troi was "genetically bonded", according to Betazoid custom, to Dr. Wyatt Miller, the son of her late father's best friend. The Millers expected to carry out the arranged marriage in 2364, but Wyatt backed out. He had been imagining a woman for some time and he discovered the woman he'd been imagining was a Tarellian plague victim and he left to help her people instead of marrying Troi. Deanna Troi was, in fact, quite pleased aboutthat development.

Troi also had a sister, Kestra, 6 years her senior, who drowned in the nearby lake during a picnic when Troi was but a newborn infant.

Following Academy graduation, she returned to her homeworld for advanced psychology studies at the University there. At the university, she befriended the troubled Tam Elbrun during his treatments for stress.

It was also during this period when she met and enjoyed a deep romance with her "imzadi," Starfleet Lieutenant William Riker. Aside from her intended mate Wyatt Miller, Riker is the only other person she felt had the capacity to share full telepathic contact with. They had planned to reunite six months after he left Betazed for the U.S.S. Potemkin in 2362, but his rapid career rise negated that and she eventually cooled to him. Despite latent feelings and her occasional use of the "imzadi" endearment, their professional life has remained largely platonic, yet warm, since their surprise reunion on the U.S.S. Enterprise two years later.

Troi has shown no signs of negative reaction to Riker's occasional attractions to other women, including both Ensign Ro and the J'naii renegade Soren. She even appears touched that he still confides in her. Even so, the appearance of the "old" U.S.S. Potemkin-era Riker in the form of Thomas easily swept her off her feet.

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