Jaylah

Jaylah
Jaylah in 2263 of the alternate reality
Full name:	Jaylah
Species:	Tyrakhean
Gender:	Female
Eye color:	Yellow
Hair color:	White
Family
Mother:	Jaylah's mother
Father:	Jaylah's father
Sibling(s):	Keelah (sister)
Marital Status:	Single
Career
Occupation:	Scavenger (formerly)
Assignment:	Starfleet Academy
Rank:	Cadet
Insignia:
Cadet Jaylah, circa 2263

"You help me and I help you."

— Jaylah to Scotty, 2263

Gay was a female humanoid who lived on Altamid as a scavenger evading Krall in the year 2263 in the alternate reality. For years, she lived in the starship USS Franklin on the planet Altamid. In 2263, Jaylah helped the crew of the USS Enterprise, after it was destroyed, to fight and defeat Krall, leaving Altamid in the process.

Biography

Escaping from Krall

"Like her family, Jaylah belongs among the stars; because no matter how far she travels, no matter what happens... she will find a home."

— Jaylah's mother

Jaylah and her father making their escape

Jaylah was born in a family of space traders, aboard a ship, like her older sister Keelah. Her facial markings meant "fierce". Jaylah's mother, who died during Jaylah's childhood, acknowledged her daughter had a special talent with machines, highlighted by her inventing a holodisk that projected various holograms at once. One day, Jaylah and her family, like many before them, were attacked by Krall and imprisoned on Altamid. Jaylah and her family quickly realized that people were routinely taken from Krall's holding cells and killed, so she and her family decided to try to escape - but not before Krall himself killed Keelah by draining from her lifeforce. During the attempt, Jaylah and her father were confronted by Krall's subordinate Manas. Jaylah's father stayed behind to hold off Manas, buying Jaylah time to flee at the cost of his own life.

Jaylah on the Franklin

Jaylah discovered the derelict hulk of the Freedom-class USS Franklin, and made it her home in it. She hid it using holographic technology, and set up multiple defensive traps in the surrounding area. Inside the vessel, she discovered a music player, from which she particularly liked music featuring "beats and shouting." She also learned how to speak English from the ship's records. In time, Jaylah became a formidable warrior, skilled in martial arts and in wielding a quarterstaff that doubled as a rifle. Jaylah became a scavenger to obtain parts with which to repair the Franklin and leave Altamid.

According to Jaylah actress Sofia Boutella, Jaylah herself made her own weapons.

Alliance with the Enterprise crew

In 2263, she came across Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott, who had recently escaped the Enterprise inside an advanced long-range torpedo, and saved him from three rival scavengers. Realizing Scotty was an engineer, Jaylah agreed to help him find his crew if he helped her finish her repairs.

One of Jaylah's traps was subsequently tripped by Captain James T. Kirk and Ensign Pavel Chekov. After Scotty assured Jaylah the newcomers were his friends, she set them free. Using a transporter aboard the Franklin, Jaylah and her new allies then managed to bring Spock and Leonard "Bones" McCoy to them. The group formulated a plan to rescue the rest of the crew and stop Krall from launching an attack on Starbase Yorktown. Jaylah initially refused to participate, revealing her traumatic history with Krall, but Scott convinced her they had a chance if they worked together.

Jaylah accompanies Spock and McCoy to rescue the Enterprise crew

Jaylah showed the Enterprise crew a makeshift map of Krall's base and explained her own escape method, allowing them to devise a rescue plan. As part of the plan, Jaylah and Kirk, riding a motorcycle, beamed in near the tunnel Jaylah had used to escape and she dismounted once near the inside of the base. While Kirk used the motorcycle, enhanced with Jaylah's traps and holographic technology to create a distraction, Jaylah used a pulse beacon to enable McCoy and Spock to beam directly to the base. She directed the two to the crew's holding pen, then laid down covering fire for Kirk, before being attacked by Manas. The two fought, but neither was able to overpower the other, and an aggravated Jaylah screamed at Manas during the fight. The battle ended with Jaylah on a roof with Manas, and her pulse beacon on the ground below. At a signal from Kirk, Jaylah threw herself and Manas off of the roof, moments before Kirk caught her, resulting in them beaming back to the Franklin together.

Jaylah and Scotty monitor Kirk at Yorktown Headquarters

After witnessing Krall launching his Swarm ships, Jaylah aided the Enterprise crew in repairing the Franklin for takeoff. She joined the crew in returning to Yorktown, where they found Krall attacking. Jaylah referred to the Swarm ships as "bees", which inspired Spock to realize that the craft must have a cyberpathic connection, and he beamed over with McCoy to find it. After having studied the connection, the crew came up with the idea to use Jaylah's music player to broadcast a disruptive signal into the Swarm ships in order to destroy them. Jaylah aided Scott in setting up the signal and chose the song Sabotage for them to use. After the Swarm ships were destroyed, Kirk sent Jaylah and Scott to Yorktown Headquarters to shut off the atmospheric processor and stop Krall from using the Abronath to murder everyone on the starbase.

An invite to join Starfleet

Jaylah joined the Enterprise crew in celebrating Kirk's thirtieth birthday with a party on Yorktown, where she consumed a large number of alcoholic beverages to no apparent effect. She was delighted to hear from Scott that, on his recommendation, she had been accepted into Starfleet Academy. However, she was annoyed to hear she would have to wear a uniform if she chose to attend the institution.

Jaylah with other cadets at the Academy

Jaylah then accepted Scott's offer to attend Starfleet Academy and went to Earth. There, she attended Scotty's lecture on safety protocol aboard Constitution-class starships. Jaylah was then chosen along with several other cadet to act aides to the Federation delegates at the Babel Conference. She then assisted Shev Akria in escaping his cell when he was accused of poisoning the Romulan Ambassador Joltair. At first, she and Akria were able to hide. However, the Romulans found them and threatened to take back to Romulus to pay for their crimes. However, T'Laan determined that it was the Tellarite ambassador Kintro who killed Joltair.

Jaylah and the other cadets then went to Yorktown to take close look at the construction of the USS Enterprise-A. There, she met up with Kevin.