Species Profile - The Women of Cygnet XIV

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08-15-2007, 07:33 PM
theasylum

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Species Profile - The Women of Cygnet XIV

I'm afraid that, after two weeks or so of having all the books, I've now been bitten by the bug of fan creation. :)

Inspired by an idea I've had for awhile, I've decided to do a little creative piece involving the women of Cygnet XIV.

Mentioned briefly in TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday", I've always wondered what the Cygnian women would be like... so I decided to come up with it, myself.

Pending feedback (and interest) I have plans to work up an entire Cygnet XIV Sourcebook using the ideas I've developed so far for the world and its surrounding areas (more info in the attached PDF).

If GoB wants to use this species write-up in a future issue of BTFF, let me know!

Comments and such are always appreciated. Long live Trek CODA!

Now, without further delay, here's my species write-up for the women of Cygnet XIV!
09-04-2007, 01:36 AM
The Tatterdemalion King

Any explanation about how a culture with such obvious gender-based discrimination managed to get into the UFP?
09-04-2007, 02:01 PM
black campbellq

Same way a lot of other cultures with non-PC cultures are in the Federation. The Vulcans aren't exactly a democracy, looks like, but rather an oligarchy or meritocracy. The Betazoids have "Great Houses" that sound a lot like they had an awful lot of pull. the Trill have the symbiote commission -- they seem pretty bureaucratic and not especially democratic or equality-based.

Jst one more reason why this universe needed a good strong reboot in the behind. I've always wanted to know more about how the Fed actually worked. If they're so big on culture diversity and preservation of the same, you should have worlds that are varied in their governmental systems.

I like 'em, BTW, asylum. Might even use 'em, although you Cygnans are close to the "Amazons" of our campaign.
09-04-2007, 02:56 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by black campbellq

Same way a lot of other cultures with non-PC cultures are in the Federation. The Vulcans aren't exactly a democracy, looks like, but rather an oligarchy or meritocracy. The Betazoids have "Great Houses" that sound a lot like they had an awful lot of pull. the Trill have the symbiote commission -- they seem pretty bureaucratic and not especially democratic or equality-based.

The Vulcans don't resign half their population to a life as apparent slaves to the other half, or educate people from Gol better than those from Kir. There's no description of how or why males get a shittier education than females, leaving the reader to surmise there's some sort of legal or social barriers. These barriers would be the basis upon the female's dominance of society is formed, removing access to the skills males need to start their own business or function in the administrative levels of society.

Quote:

Jst one more reason why this universe needed a good strong reboot in the behind. I've always wanted to know more about how the Fed actually worked. If they're so big on culture diversity and preservation of the same, you should have worlds that are varied in their governmental systems.

We're not talking about governance here, we're talking about sentient beings' quality of life. Vulcan is probably a Confucian-style meritocracy, yes, and Betazed is probably ruled by the kings of social networking, but in neither case have we seen a segment of their society relegated to a subordinate position, or denied access to education and personal growth.

Also, what's with the 'the laws are so good there's no crime' bs? You seem to have tried describing a magically utopian society, without addressing the one glaring oppressive element.
09-05-2007, 09:12 PM
black campbellq

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King

Also, what's with the 'the laws are so good there's no crime' bs? You seem to have tried describing a magically utopian society, without addressing the one glaring oppressive element.

Oh, cry me a bloody river.

Magically utopian would be an excellent description of the Trek universe, at least where the Feeration is concerned. As for the Cygnians, I don't remember them being members (I could be wrong), but if he has a good reason for why they were pulled into the Fed, so be it. Insurrection had the Sona being brought into an alliance despite their obvious failings. Political expediency, it would seem, is not something the UFP has done away with.
09-05-2007, 10:51 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by black campbellq

Oh, cry me a bloody river.

Magically utopian would be an excellent description of the Trek universe, at least where the Feeration is concerned.

The RPG material at least goes into some description as to how it works (sure, making some un-Hobbesian assumptions about human nature, but I'm Canadian, so it probably sounds more workable to me than you), as opposed to the creepily facile assumption that good laws = no crime. As opposed to, say, good economic or educational policies.

If anything, that's what really bugs me. He's like, "Check it out, utopia where the underclass is totally okay with it and, even though they are relegated to physical labour, never go on strike or rebel." At least in Angel One it's inferred that that the males are kept under heel through coercion.

Quote:

As for the Cygnians, I don't remember them being members (I could be wrong), but if he has a good reason for why they were pulled into the Fed, so be it. Insurrection had the Sona being brought into an alliance despite their obvious failings. Political expediency, it would seem, is not something the UFP has done away with.

And then a bunch of Starfleet officers blew up the Son'a.
09-06-2007, 03:28 AM
Tobian

Oh look it's the "I can accept that we can travel faster than the speed of light, and disassemble the molecular structure of a person, and reassemble them 40,000 KM away but I can't accept that people might not be shmucks in the future" crowd again :D

Actually I am not strictly sure if all alien races have to abide by what we would think of as 'Human rights', within the federation: I think the largest factor is that the planet is at world peace, and wish to join the federation as a whole people. I would definitely think that yes if they were practising slavery or wholly horrible human rights abuses style treatment, then yes, I don't think they'd be allowed in, but in terms of what forms of government are allowed or what societal and religious practices would be allowed is probably a lot more flexible due to the fact that that is part of their mantra.

What I would imagine that for a people like the Cygnians, it's far more likely that their system of discrimination has probably weakened quite a lot since their introduction to and joining of the Federation: it may well have been that 50 years ago males got no education, or indeed now many families who don't agree with that style of raising their children moved away to more 'earth-like' worlds, or founded breakaway colonies, or conversely more hardline breakaway groups could likely form too, much as Earth did in it's turbulent pre and early Federation days. In much the same way as (especially) the core member worlds, they will probably have been through much darker days in their past, and are now far more moderate than they were once, hence they formed a stable world government, and were able to join the Federation.

I tend to see the Federation are more Carrot than stick in it's approach to social reforms to it's member worlds, and improvements will come more as a result of diplomacy, education, new ways of thinking and introduction to the wider community it's self. Primarily it's also formed out of a need of science, co-protection, peace and trade than it is about enforcing the collective will on member worlds, and THAT is exactly why it would be popular or peoples to join it. I also tend to see Earth as a bit of a 'show home' - it's specifically maintained as a utopia as an advertisement to potential member worlds :) People who of course don't want that leave, and plenty do, as was shown in all the series: The point here is freedom of choice to do what you will, but accept the consequences if you leave the envelope (such as what happened with the member worlds in the Cardassian treaty etc.)
09-06-2007, 08:06 AM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobian

I tend to see the Federation are more Carrot than stick in it's approach to social reforms to it's member worlds, and improvements will come more as a result of diplomacy, education, new ways of thinking and introduction to the wider community it's self. Primarily it's also formed out of a need of science, co-protection, peace and trade than it is about enforcing the collective will on member worlds, and THAT is exactly why it would be popular or peoples to join it. I also tend to see Earth as a bit of a 'show home' - it's specifically maintained as a utopia as an advertisement to potential member worlds :) People who of course don't want that leave, and plenty do, as was shown in all the series: The point here is freedom of choice to do what you will, but accept the consequences if you leave the envelope (such as what happened with the member worlds in the Cardassian treaty etc.)

In that case, it's more likely that they would have some form of trade alliance or protectorate status, rather than full membership.
09-06-2007, 12:52 PM
IceGiant

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King

In that case, it's more likely that they would have some form of trade alliance or protectorate status, rather than full membership.

Why?? because the women are actually smarter and and the males dumber? If the males are actually genetically intillectually inferior the females are doing the best they can for them. Could be like the Kzinti and their society. The federation especially in the TOS era isn't a utopian society.

Do i need to remind you that there was an episode of TOS that explicitely stated that there were no female captains. So how could the federation not admit a culture that is Matriarcal? The males are very far from being opressed.
09-06-2007, 02:53 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by IceGiant

Why?? because the women are actually smarter and and the males dumber? If the males are actually genetically intillectually inferior the females are doing the best they can for them.

Ah, but it doesn't say that, nor is there mention of any debate within the Federation over the rights of the genetically privileged to control their 'lessers.'

Quote:

Could be like the Kzinti and their society. The federation especially in the TOS era isn't a utopian society.

It smells pretty socially progressive to me.

Quote:

Do i need to remind you that there was an episode of TOS that explicitely stated that there were no female captains. So how could the federation not admit a culture that is Matriarcal? The males are very far from being opressed.

One line from a character who is probably an unreliable source, versus how many examples from the rest of Trek, some of which predate, chronologically, Turnabout Intruder.