22nd-century Aliens

[mactavish]

Besides the obvious - Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Klingons and Romulans - we've seen that a number of canon races were around in the 22nd century, well before the founding of the United Federation of Planets.

Among these races are the Denobulans, perhaps the one we encountered more frequently than any other. What do we know about them?

Well, they are native to the Denobula Triaxa star system. They made first contact with an alien race - the B'saari - sometime during Earth's 17th century. They fought a series of wars with a race called the Antarans. They clearly have been actively exploring the galaxy for centuries, though certainly not as long as the Vulcans.

We know a little bit about Denobulan physiology, including their tightly-packed facial muscles, extremely long tongues, facial ridges, and gnarly toenails. We know that they likely live longer than humans (as Phlox says he's practiced medicine for over 40 years, though he still appears fairly young). We know that they have a sleep cycle that entails them entering hibernation for extended periods on occasion. We've seen that they are exceptional climbers, and we also have learned that female Denobulans emit pheromones to let the males know that they are romantically interested as well as during mating season. Finally, we know that Denobulan physiology makes them somewhat more resistant to assimilation by Borg nanoprobes than other races (though not impervious).

Regarding their social institutions, we know that the Denobulans are polygamists, each adult having multiple husbands or wives. We know that sexual relations are less complicated among Denobulans, as they frequently have liaisons with new people as well as old acquaintances without the baggage humans typically attach to such situations. They don't normally speak during meals. They are extremely epicurean, delighting in sensual experiences, including sexual relations, eating and drinking, and other similar activities.

So, the Denobulans are a warp-capable species that encountered at least a couple of species before making contact with the Vulcans. They have clearly been explorers for some time, as they send researchers to different star systems for scientific and sociological study. They participate in the Interspecies Medical Exchange, as evidenced by Phlox's presence on the NX-01 Enterprise.

Denobulans are very friendly and social, mingling with other humanoid species with ease. They enjoy the company of other Denobulans, but they also take great pleasure in socializing with other races. Though Phlox did not engage in sexual intercourse with humans while aboard Enterprise (to the best of our knowledge), it seems that other Denobulans have been sexually active with humans.

Though never explicitly stated, it seems likely that Denobula Triaxa is governed by a planetwide democratic or republican system. Given the polygamous nature of their interpersonal relationships, it seems probable that this system would extend in some aspect to their political system. As we've also seen Denobulans fairly far a-field from their homeworld, we can also assume that they have established colonies in other star systems.

They have their own starships, and they travel the galaxy with the goal of expanding their knowledge of science and of the universe. They most certainly have scientific exchanges with the Vulcans, likely having various representatives living on Vulcan. Since it seems that the Denobulans are more interactive with other cultures than the Vulcans, their experiences would likely prove excellent trading material, as would their research in areas typically skipped by Vulcan explorers.

While these bits and pieces help us understand the Denobulans, they do not provide the clearest picture possible. In order to fill in the gaps, I'll be writing a history for the Denobulans and posting it shortly.

mactavish out.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

They're mentioned to make extensive use of genetic engineering in one of the episodes of the Augments trilogy.

[mactavish]

Okay, how about the Valakians? These are the aliens from "Dear Doctor" who encountered NX-01 Enterprise in their STL starship. Their world was ravaged by a disease that was devastating the Valakian race.

When the Enterprise crew returned the Valakian astronauts to their homeworld, they discovered a late pre-warp society that had already encountered two warp-capable species: the Ferengi (whom we know) and the M'lexa (whom we don't). they implored Captain Archer to have Dr. Phlox search for a cure, but - while he did discover a solution to the Valakians' genetic degradation - the Enterprise captain and crew decided to withhold the remedy as it would interfere with their evolution as well as the evolution of their less advanced co-humanoid species, the Menk.

As Starfleet had no Prime Directive during their pre-Federation existence, Archer and crew decided to aid the Valakians as they had already had contact with warp-capable aliens though they themselves were not. Despite the lack of clear guidance in dealing with what T'Pol referred to as a "lesser species," Archer profoundly realized that it was not his responsibility to "play God."

The Valakians are clearly at the far end of pre-warp science and technology. They have both orbital and near-space vessels, medical science advanced enough to produce synthetic antibodies and reproduce pharmaceuticals used by 22nd-century humans and Denobulans. They are clearly aware of intelligence beyond their own star system, and they are also adept enough to grasp technologies that are currently beyond their own comprehension. They are socially progressive despite their establishment of cultural preserves for their Menk contemporaries; Menk often serve as menial laborers in Valakian society and appear patronized by their more advanced neighbors.

The Menk, on the other hand, are more along the lines of a Neoloithic or Bronze Age society. They possess the basics of civilization: agriculture, tribal government, simple tools, and so on. They are also (according to Phlox) on the cusp of an evolutionary leap, quite possibly one that would lead them to a new age of prosperity and scientific discovery. Coupled with the likely extinction of the Valakians within the next two centuries, the Menk are poised to thrive while their fellow humanoids waste away and eventually disappear altogether.

Clearly the Menk play the role of the developing Homo sapiens analogue while the Valakians are more like a Australopithecene race of humanoids that actually made the evolutionary leaps to become sentient and develop a planet-wide civilization. While the Valakians have grown as a race, their unfortunate genetic condition has essentially spelled their demise. That leaves a world built by the Valakians for the Menk to inherit. Assuming that Phlox was correct, the Menk have the potential to end up like the Pakleds: a "lesser race" with access to advanced science and technology.

What do the Menk do then? Do they destroy themselves with nuclear weapons or biological toxins? Do they rise to the challenge and take up the mantle left by the Valakians? Do enough Valakians survive to lead the Menk to greater heights (or wipe them out with genetically-engineered viruses)? Do the Valakians find a cure on their own (or with the help of the Ferengi, M'klexa, or another warp-capable race like the Klingons or the Romulans)?

Sheliak Bob had some posts several years back involving the Malurians infiltrating Valakia and either usurping control of their government in exchange for [false] promises of a cure or, through subterfuge, appearing as Menk laborers and stealing the natural resources and unique treasures of the dying Valakians. I really liked that thread and was sorry to see it fade away, but I hope that some of those ideas may spur others to mine Star Trek Enterprise for the many good ideas they offered.

Would Starfleet and/or the Vulcans stand by while another spacefaring civilization waited out the Valakian extinction (or worked to accelerate it), then planned to swoop in and either enslave or exterminate the Menk and claim the well-developed planet as their own? If they wouldn't save the Valakians (who are dying as the result of their own evolution), I imagine they would probably still work to repel a Klingon invasion (an outside threat), but maybe not. I mean, the Valakians are dying anyway and the Menk are essentially well-meaning children in the grand scheme of things. Would it be worth a war with the Klingon Empire over a planet of lepers and cavemen?

I can easily imagine a caste of Valakian leaders immune to (or cured of) their genetic malady leading a planet of Menk in the 23rd or 24th century, helping them much the same way the Vulcans helped humanity, even though they are of the same world. Perhaps the remaining Valakians of the late 22nd century develop warp drive, cure their disease, or both, but too late, and their population will never recover. The Menk become a client species, a junior partner as the Valakians need them for labor and eventually for maintaining a functional society. They may even stabilize their population at, say, 100,000 - enough to control and maintain a planetary government, advance scientific and technological knowledge, and crew warp-capable starships (with the Menk still serving as laborers) - and maintain the Valakian Hegemony (or whatever) until the Menk come of age and take over, forcing the Valakians off-planet.

Would the Ferengi sell them warp drive schematics and help them understand and produce the necessary components? Absolutely... if the price is right. I'm sure the Valakians have dilithium, latinum, or some other valuable resource that Ferenginar simply can't live without.

This episode took place in 2151. A lot can happen in even a few years, especially when outsiders intervene (or interfere).

mactavish out.

[Tobian]

One of the unusual things, within the context of Trek is that while Earth, excepting a number of conspiracy theories, was left untouched, other alien races had frequent interaction with pre-warp societies. It might have been Vulcan intervention (or just presence) but I find it intriguing. there was a throw away comment on little Green men that Humans had developed fast, and invented their own warp drive: Ferengi bought it from someone haha So it has to be said, while the Ferengi might not be the greatest doctors, that doesn't mean they couldn't get someone to cure their disease, and get LOTS of payment haha... Given enough time for the right person, someone would sell them the cure: If someone can sell Ferengi warp drive, someone will sell them a medical cure... Not everyone has the same ethics! Of course there's no reason to assume they couldn't develop a cure themselves, if they devote more of their resources too it!

I didn't actually see the episode, but it sounds intriguing, and ultimately doing either thing is playing god: choosing to do something or not do something will both have a profound impact on their society, and even if they don't survive, they may pay for some revenge at not being helped

The only downside for the Denobulans is other than a few cultural misunderstandings, they are generally friendly and willing to tolerate other people's beliefs, so largely they are hard to make an antagonist for a story out of haha It's not really clear how far they are, or how long it takes to travel there from Earth,but it's certainty they are WELL within TOS Federation space, but I guess they must have their own local group of neighbours too, which could make for some interesting stories: While they are largely tolerant, they do seem to antagonise some aliens, and not everyone else is so tolerant, necessarily, of them!

[mactavish]

The introduction of the Suliban and the Cabal in Enterprise is something that I both love and loathe. The concept of a conspiracy involving interlopers from the future is cool, but clearly has the potential to screw everything up in the established Star Trek universe.

The Suliban themselves are unremarkable as a race. They are visually distinct in that they have the bumpy mottled skin and no hair, but in most other ways they are similar to nearly every other Star Trek humanoid species we've seen in the five Series and multitude of feature length films. Clearly what makes the Suliban interesting is their contact with the future and the benefits and consequences that that contact has wrought. Also interesting is the fact that the Cabal's reputation has apparently fouled up things for the rest of their race.

The Suliban homeworld was apparently rendered uninhabitable in the mid-19th century, and they remaining Suliban left the planet. They live a nomadic lifestyle, though small groups have settled on various planets (some of which were already inhabited). The Suliban have a reputation as the dregs of interstellar society due to their transient existence, but the existence of the Cabal has only served to further degrade things for the race as a whole.

So what's the scenario? Were there some Suliban scientists doing some research that put them in contact with the future? Did the Cabal's eventual mentor contact them? In either case, how did the contact occur?

What I posit is as follows: the Suliban Cabal was a secretive criminal organization founded by elements of the race after their departure from their homeworld some 300 years prior to the launch of NX-01 Enterprise. At some point in the relatively recent past (relative to the 22nd century), the future benefactor (or malefactor, depending on the day and who you ask) transmits a message via tachyon transmitter to a receiver (based on accurate historical data or a lucky guess on his part) operated by members of the Cabal.

This temporal party crasher, knowing of the Suliban Cabal's expertise at obfuscation and their ability to keep a secret, offers the group wealth and power that their ilk could never achieve if left to their own devices. The inscrutable individual offers information – advanced scientific, technological, and medical knowledge – in exchange for two things: unquestioning loyalty and regular assignments, many of which make little or no sense on the surface and which often contradict or counteract previous assignments. For their work, they receive detailed information allowing the production of advanced technologies (i.e. weapons, starship systems, etc.) and obscure bits of information from the future.

Given the temporal location of their shadowy master (the 29th century) and his apparent inability to send physical items to his 22nd-century agents, it is clear that the Suliban Cabal is either unaware of the full scale of the Temporal Cold War (which is suggested by Silik in several episodes) and/or does not care about preserving the “natural course of history” (which also seems likely as they go out of their way to make changes according to orders from someone in the future who is TRYING to alter his past).

The Temporal Cold War got me thinking, too. Perhaps there is not really a specific timeline that is supposed to be followed, but an infinite number that could happen. That’s the easy part. In MY Series, I am going with the concept that while there are myriad possible timelines, a small number of them (say 4-7) are far more probable than the rest. The Temporal Cold War then becomes not merely a struggle to make one’s timeline the “real” one, but a contest to increase the probability of one’s own timeline. If the sum total of the timelines is 100%, then the higher a timeline’s probability (in %), the more easily that faction is able to interact with and alter the current timeline.

Too confusing? Sorry.

The bottom line is that each faction is working not only to increase their own timeline’s probability, but undermine the others, making their timelines less probable. Borrowing from GURPS Time Travel, once a particular timeline is reduced to a certain probability level, its agents are no longer able to influence the past or interact with the “real” timeline.

Some timelines have individuals and organizations that travel through time, while others are less able to interact (such as the Cabal’s director). Since the events leading to the point in the timelines where time travel (or whatever) becomes possible, each has a slightly different method of interacting with the past. Some are human, some are alien; it doesn’t really matter which is which (except for flavor). Some travel to the past and make subtle changes, others make major changes. Some make alterations by directing events in the past without actually going there, using “local” operatives to do their dirty work.

Are the members of the Suliban Cabal the only local players in the 22nd-century front of the Temporal Cold War? Doubtful. Maybe there are elements of the Klingons, Romulans, or various other major and minor races that serve future masters as well. (Maybe Section 31 is so successful and long-lasting because it is directed by future elements!)

Anyway, that’s all for now. I need to sleep.

mactavish out.

[Tobian]

Hmm well with the Suliban, I think the reason they were chosen were because they probably weren't going to exist much longer, as a species, therefore they were unimportant to the people in the future, just a tool for their convenience. That or they were simply desperate enough to survive, and become once again great, that they were chosen as a candidate.

I think that largelly the reason the Suliban were being controlled by someone with very limited ability to interact with and visit the past was probably due to detectability: We know in those eras' the various Time-fleets monitored interactions with the past, so anything more than a heavily covert interaction was probably immediately detectible, and people could have interviened.

It also strikes me that their patron could end up being pretty schizophrenic, unless he was inside a temporal shield, because even the slightest alteration of the past could have any consequence, up to his non-existence

One amusing thought that entered my mind is: What if the Suliban were largely extinct by the end of the century, but in effort to survive, the remaining Cabal shared out what they could glean from the end of that era, and 'updated' as many as they could... it could be that the Suliban became the Chameloids, we later saw in The undiscovered country. They may have changed their idientities because they were so universally distrusted and reviled! and they then became bounty hunters, hired assassins and maybe worked from the Orion Syndicate, perhaps even running sections of it, with their long lifespans, ability to change shape and form, and occasional left over hive-ship (with pretty fast warp drive, and cloaking device, and pretty compact!) or other 29th century device. They may well still be active, and dangerous, only now largelly serving their own interests, not trying to alter the future....?

[mactavish]

Hey, quick question: do the Vulcans in the 2100's have transporters?

We've seen that humans and Klingons do, but what about the Vulcans? The Andorians? How about the Xindi and the Suliban? I can't remember.

mactavish out.

[Owen E Oulton]

Earth, excepting a number of conspiracy theories, was left untouched,

...Well, except for the Briori and Skagarans, both of whom raided Earth for slaves; the odd El-Aurian; shipwrecked Vulcans; shipwrecked time-travelling Ferengi; unnamed alien masterminds who run a network of Human (and feline) operatives; ancient aliens who seeded at least one planet with Native Americans; other aliens who interbred with Central American natives; life-sucking temporally phased aliens who preyed on the ill... And that's not counting operatives in the Temporal Cold War.

Conspiracy theories may have built up around some of these, but they still happened.

[Tricky]

Yeah, Owen, but we didn't have a situation like the Klingon's had with the H'urq: Most of those contacts were fleeting or even occured in prehistoric times, but we weren't formally invaded, conquered or contacted. For the most part, we (trek we) evolved and developed on our own (well, except for Starling using future tech to jumpstart the silicon revolution).

[The Tatterdemalion King]

Yeah, Owen, but we didn't have a situation like the Klingon's had with the H'urq: Most of those contacts were fleeting or even occured in prehistoric times, but we weren't formally invaded, conquered or contacted. For the most part, we (trek we) evolved and developed on our own (well, except for Starling using future tech to jumpstart the silicon revolution).

I think "WORSHIP US WE ARE YOUR GODS" counts as invaded, conquered or contacted.

[Owen E Oulton]

I think "WORSHIP US WE ARE YOUR GODS" counts as invaded, conquered or contacted.

Oh, yeah, I forgot Apollo and his ilk, as well as the Platonians.

However, the original statement did not restrict itself to invasions and conquering - it said we were untouched, which we clearly were not! Indeed, if you count time travellers, Earth's future was completely changed and those changes had to be reversed - twice! - and the afore-mentioned future tech infusion.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

It's kind of weird to realize that in Trek, theorists like Reich, von Daaniken and co. have a lot of backup to their theories. Wasn't there a Tiburonian in the TOS core who discovered Orgone? ¬___¬

[mactavish]

Uh... okay.

Anyway, are there any other bit players introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise that you suppose would make good adversaries (or whatever) in the 22nd century, but which are either marginalized or erradicated by the 23rd or 24th centuries? That is to say, the Malurians, who are wiped out by the Nomad probe in the 23rd century, or even others, like the Minosians ("Arsenal of Freedom" again), who self-destruct in the 2350s.

Now this may also include races subsumed by the UFP (or the Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, etc.) at some point post-Enterprise. I was actually going to create an imperial race as an adversary that will eventually be subjugated by the Cardassians. In order to avoid further canon contamination, the world will be cordoned off with automated communications buoys and space-based weapons, forcing Starfleet (or whomever) to keep their distance.

Since I am such a fan of time travel and alternate timelines, I was also thinking of new ways to include such things in my Series without falling back on typical Star Trek standards (i.e. Timefleet, temporal anomalies, etc.), so any suggestions for introducing, say, the Kazon or the Jem'Hadar without overdoing it is appreciated. Imagine temporally-displaced Kazon warships - primitive by 24th-century standards - far outmatching even the most powerful Klingon or Starfleet vessels!

I had previously posted the idea of having the Breen accessing a temporal wormhole and abducting early 24th century Kazon from the Delta Quadrant for use as slaves on Breen. The capture of Kazon (well, Trabe) technologies may be too much for the Breen to resist, potentially paving the way for their ascendancy and alliance with the Dominion in the DS9 era. Forcing the PCs to collapse the wormhole to prevent further contamination might be difficult, especially if they see some benefit to using the anomaly for their own benefit (or the benefit of humanity and/or Starfleet).

One final thing I've been considering is the presence of one or more renegade Klingons on a Starfleet vessel. This marriage of convenience is likely to end very badly and may be one of the reasons that the Empire becomes so hostile towards humanity, going so far as to get into bed with the Romulans. I am still working out the logistics of having a Klingon "advisor" and his/her entourage spending more than a couple Episodes aboard the PCs vessel, but I'm kind of leaning toward a minor House on the outs with the High Council whose forethinking members favor an alliance with mankind. Of course, something happens that leads to it hitting the fan (perhaps the deaths of one or more Klingons due to human error) and the Empire responding [overreacting] in an unpleasant manner.

Just a couple ideas.

mactavish out.

[mactavish]

I've been thinking about the Reman-looking aliens that gave the Nazis advanced technologies in the thirds and fourth seasons of Enterprise. They are clearly a time-traveling species with an agenda - a player in the Temporal Cold War. Though their actions are undone when their time tunnel is destroyed, I think that they were dismissed a bit too quickly and too easily. I think that they are likely to have had other agents in place in other eras, including (perhaps) the 22nd century.

What if a member of their species from the 28th century traveled back to, say, 2160 and used his knowledge of the future to subtly influence his peoples' past? The agent - trained as an engineer, for example - introduces warp engine technologies far superior to standard fare (but takes care to not give too much away too soon), making his people the foremost power in the region in terms of space travel. Or maybe he's more of a simple historian, but his knowledge of other local races gives an edge in negotiations and his planet becomes a center of commerce and intellectual exchange, allowing them to acquire the best technologies available during the period, and perhaps even bringing along some devices that local scientists and technicians reverse-engineer and adapt to their current needs.

Yet another thing I've been thinking about is a Borg cube - destroyed in a massive subspace explosion - raining debris across time as well as space. Damaged devices (perhaps something as simple as an isolinear chip) find their way to one or more planets, and - once discovered by a sufficiently-advanced society - pave the way for technological paths otherwise undreamt of by those races. I am specifically thinking of a Borg cerebral implant making its way to the Beta Magellan system and becoming the cornerstone of the Bynar civilization. The crude understanding of the device leads to cybernetic enhancements to the whole civilization, which in turn produces the Bynars seen in TNG. Or maybe it's as simple as damaged nanoprobes infecting a pre-warp culture, which leads to them being immune to assimilation in the 24th century. That's not quite as flashy as the Bynars-as-Borg-cousins, but has the potential to lead to more interesting stories as the Series progresses. ("What do you mean that their DNA has cybernetic aspects? They're BORN with nanotechnology in their systems?")

Finally, the liberal application of a single advanced technology can make a species a worthy ally (or adversary), especially if it's something really interesting. The Xyrillians with their holo-technology, the Romulans with cloaking devices, the Klingons their really big guns... all of these minor advancements make each that much more interesting to me. Something as simple as having the Malurians' transporter technology be 20 years more advanced than Starfleet's, or the Axanar tractor beams, or the Andorians defense shields makes each species just enough better to make them worthy of human envy.

Along these lines, I am planning to have a Krenim starship find its way to the fringes of 22nd-century Starfleet-explored space. Maybe the crew is dead, maybe not. Their technologies - still 22nd century for the most part - incorporate some temporal advances that only races like the Tholians can truly comprehend. Like "Future Tense," the presence of such a derelict vessel could lead to some really interesting confrontations, particularly if foes in addition to the Cabal and the Tholians are involved. I'm not a big fan of Deus ex Machina, but having the Department of Temporal Investigations from the 25th century show up to deal with the situation could be kind of nifty, particularly if some of the agents are relatives of PCs from previous Series I've run (or perhaps even former PCs themselves!).

mactavish out.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

I'm not a big fan of Deus ex Machina, but having the Department of Temporal Investigations from the 25th century show up to deal with the situation could be kind of nifty, particularly if some of the agents are relatives of PCs from previous Series I've run (or perhaps even former PCs themselves!).

mactavish out.

...why can't the DTI be the opposition?

------

The Arkonians look kinda cool and menacing, and would be at an Earth Starfleet level of technology.

We don't actually know if the Rigelians ever join the Federation, or when. They do seem to have a mercantile culture, and desire to exploit various resources or interfere with local cultures may put them in conflict with 22nd century humans, who might still need to maintain friendly relations for trade deals and stuff.