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Remembering Trek Lit Aliens

Arpy

Vice Admiral
Admiral
In the thread Characters or situations you'd like to see in the books? I wrote:

I'd like to see more of aliens and situations that originated in the lit. Like going back to the planet Eeiauo from Uhura's Song...or the Grigari (Millennium Trilogy) invading the Carnelians (The Buried Age)...well, not that.

It just seems a shame to me that all these great aliens and storylines are created, visited once (even if that once is really in-depth over the course of an entire novel or tetralogy), but then left behind. I appreciate it when a writer-fan includes the odd Hamalki (The Wounded Sy) or Choblik (Orion's Hounds) or Vahni (Twilight) sitting in the back at Quark's, but one yearns for more.

I Googled some of these aliens and found the information below. I enjoy remembering some of the details and regret being reminded of others! What else do you remember about these guys? Other aliens you liked?

I know some of the writers are here and that's both great and weird. You guys have any more to add on your own creations or fond/not memories of on others'?


From: u.s.s.avalon.tripod.com/xeno.htm

D’Naali
[Quadrant of Origin: Gamma] An insect-like species characterized by a narrow, chitin-like head, stick-thin bodies with black chitinous exoskeletons, and tripod legs. The D¡¦Naali had been at war with a species known as the Nyazen over a transdimensional device which originated in their area of space.
DS9R: Cathedral

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Nyazen [Quadrant of Origin: Gamma] Squat alien resembling a snowman draped in seaweed. The Nyazen had fought with a species known as the D’Naali over a multidimensional device which originated in their area of space.
DS9R: Cathedral

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Vahni Vahltupazi
[Quadrant of Origin: Gamma] A benevolent species inhabiting a class M planet in the Gamam Quadrant. Fort contact was made with the Vahni by the crew of USS Defiant. The Vahni are a bipedal species with a long narrow torso, armlike tentacles, and bulbous headlike projection. The species is characterized by a multi-jointed skeleton and a complete absence of vocal or auditory organs. Their communication involves a complex ocular organ which rings their head and a skin capable of textural and color changes ¡V their language involves visual and tectural changes to their skin. The species, approximately 4 billion population, has a benevolent and unified world government and possesses the capacity for near-warp interplanetary travel, having visited the planets of their solar system and some nearby systems, initiating forst contact with other species including those of the Federation, whose vessels explored the Gamma Quadrant following the Dominion War. In order to facilitate communication with other species, the Vahni have devised a communications device consisting of an optic patch of fine mesh that is worn across the chest of humanoid species and which converts auditory and visual signals. The race also possesses complex holographic technology. The Vahni were assisted by the crew of USS Defiant in 2376 during a near crisis when fragments of their moon nearly crashed into their home planet.
DS9R: Twilight

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Yrythny
[Quadrant of Origin: Gamma] Sentient species descended [speculative] through genetic manipulation and enhanced evolution through what they refer to as the ¡§Turn Key¡¨ [perhaps at the hands of the Dominion]. The Yrythny, inhabiting the planet Vanimel and its neighboring systems, is a gray-green to brown skinned species, characterized by leathery hairless skin, wide mouths and wideset eyes [covered in a protective membrane], ridges of cartilage in place of ears, and gill-like breathing poucnes along their lower jaws. The species inhabits the planet Vanimel and a massive orbital ring structure that surrounds the entire planet, known as Luthia. The species has a rigid caste system and maintains significant social segmentation among its population. Technologically, the species is warp-capable. The Yrythny are participants in a Material Consortium that trades raw materials from a particle fountain in a neighboring star system. The Yrythny are one of the species under attack by the neighboring Cheka.
DS9R: This Grey Spirit

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Cheka
[Quadrant of Origin: Gamma] The Cheka, more appropriately known as the Megisterial Cheka Kingdom, is a race of militant imperialists whose political motivation is the dominance and enslavement of nearby star systems. The Cheka utilize sophisticated nanotechnology weapons to incapacitate vessels, acquire technology, and capture other species to serve both as slave labor and as experimental subjects for genetic engineering and manipulation in an effort to engineer subservient slave forces [similar perhaps to the Dominion]. The Checka also utilize beetle like strike vessels and blade-wing warships to attack their prey.
DS9R: This Grey Spirit

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From: Memory Beta http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

The Unclean
are an ancient species whose origins are not truly clear but it is known that they existed within the Alpha Quadrant during the reign of the Furies. They were the most hated enemy of the Furies who were the undisputed rulers of known space, who had enslaved the ancestors of many of the current races which include the Vulcans, Klingons and Humans. The Furies attempted at combating this menace by using their ultimate weapon; the fear generating device which they cowed their slaves with but the insectoid Unclean were unaffected due to their 'hive'-like nature. Gradually, the Furies fell before the swarms of viroids and the demonic foes resorted to using their slaves against the Unclean which failed. Eventually, the Furies were defeated but in the final battle, the Unclean vanished for thousands of years.

The Unclean are a non-humanoid, six limbed insectile, vacuum resistant, viroid species seek out new sources of DNA and devour it as well as incorporate it within their genetic matrix. This essentially allows them to evolve quickly and rapidly. They are also capable of discerning knowledge from those they have incorporate into themselves. They are capable of merging into a single 'mass' that effectively serves as a supercomputer allowing the many DNA strains to be linked as well as linking the minds they have absorbed. This provides them with an amazing level of computational power.

Despite their ability to devour and incorporate the DNA of their victims, strong and powerful minds are capable of actually retaining their identity as well as capable of taking control individual members of the viroids though this is rare.
Invasion! tetrology

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Furies
are a collection of incredibly powerful, non-humanoid races from another galaxy. These races, of which there are 666 make up a collective known as the Host. (VOY novel The Final Fury).

The Furies are well-regarded by many species as one of the the most terrifying races in existance and as one of the greatest threats to the galaxy. Furies appear horrifyingly ugly and as hideous demons or nightmarish creatures, although some Furies resemble mythological creatures from the myths and legends of other races; such as the Human Devil and Medusa, and the Klingon Fek'lhr. Furies are naturally adept at striking fear deep into other races and they use this to their advantage. Fury vessels wield powerful weapons and are constructed with extremely dense outer hulls, making them resilient to most conventional weaponry. In the Twenty-Fourth Century, the Furies developed basic shielding for their vessels and the devastating fear weapons.

As a race, Furies have a deep and complex culture, bound by loyalty, duty, pride, honor, and remembrance. Each Fury posseses a small doll made of strange fabics, which they carry with them at all times. Within each doll, a Fury stores the memories they have accumulated over a lifetime. The Furies regard their dolls as their greatest artifacts and most important treasures, and will always place the safety of their dolls above their own lives. If a Fury ever lost their doll, their memory and all of their accomplishments would be lost and forgotten. It is traditional for a defeated Vergo to destroy their vessel and place the dolls of their crew within an escape pod. Furies do not burn their dead as in some other cultures, but respect them and burn only the living.

The crew of the Voyager did not know for certain where the Furies wound up afterwards - if the Furies had wound up in the Gamma Quadrant, the Lesser Magellanic Clouds, or if they had jumped into inter-galatic space. The fate of the Furies after this event remains unknown.
Invasion! tetrology

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The Grigari and may live in a territory that actually borders the are a powerful species from the fringes of the Beta QuadrantDelta Quadrant. Their culture is based on piracy and, unlike the Ferengi, will resort to unsavory tactics to make profit. They appear to be a form of mechanical based form of life. It’s been noted that no Grigari construct has been able to overcome a life or death situation without attempting to bargain for its life. Grigari technology include; Nanospore, Singularity bomb and Flesh regenerators.

The Fallen:
of the In 2374, a group of Grigari were hired by Obanak Keelen to obtain the OrbsPah-wraith. These mercenaries would have numerous encounters with the crew of Deep Space 9. This group of Grigari would be killed on Deep Space 9, either by the Starfleet crew or under the influence of the Pah-wraith possessed Obanak. (DS9 game: "The Fallen")

Millennium:
The Grigari feature heavily in the alternate timeline generated by the start of the War of the Prophets. They were encountered when the Red Wormhole was formed and a Dominion fleet was sent into the anomaly to determine whether it connected to the Gamma Quadrant. However, it was learnt that the wormhole actually connected to the Delta Quadrant. All the crew of the ships were believed to have been killed with only Weyoun being the only survivor. He returned to the Alpha Quadrant, changed by the Pah-wraiths, with the Grigari who served as the military arm of the newly formed Bajoran Ascendancy.

The Grigari forces attacked the Dominion and Cardassian force to bring an end to the Dominion War. The offer of surrender was given but was refused. As a result of this, the Grigari wiped out all the worlds of both races leaving nothing standing. In 2375, the Grigari freed Thomas Riker from his imprisonment on Lazon II. The former Starfleet and Maquis member decided to join the Grigari forces. By the early 2380s, the Grigari threat had became so serious to the Federation that the USS Enterprise-F was specifically designed to combat them.

Several Grigari forces were invited to Sector 001 in 2388 to take part in trade negotiations. However, the Grigari were confused by a transmission and opened fire. The Enterprise-F was destroyed by the Grigari in the process. They would be responsible for the destruction of Earth, spread a Nanospore plague to the majority of Humanity almost wiping out the species and destroy a large Klingon armada. They were later present on the planet where the Guardian of Forever was located to stop Starfleet's attempt at using the ancient machine to travel back in time to defeat the Ascendancy, as the battle closed the Grigari detonated a singularity bomb that wiped out everything on and around the planet. (DS9: novel series: Millennium)

From: Memory Alpha http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Main_Page

Grigari
A race of sociopathic scavengers and pirates, obtaining items and knowledge from one culture to trade with another, doing whatever needs to be done to close a deal - from trading fairly to mass murder. They were also featured in the video game Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Fallen.
DS9: The Fallen (game), Millennium trilogy

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From: Memory Beta

The Hamalki are an arachnoid species native to Hamal IV. A Hamalki is a meter tall and has twelve legs attached to a rounded central abdomen. The chitinous body is mostly transparent, and polished to mirror smoothness, except for needle-fine spines on top of the abdomen. The abdomen has a slender ridge on top of that contains twelve eyes, giving the Hamalki 360-degree vision.

Hamalki, who already have longer than normal lifespans, are able to transfer their memories into new hatchlings before death, allowing them to pursue projects over several lifetimes.

In 2275, the Hamalki scientist K't'lk created the inversion drive, which was field tested by the USS Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk. K't'lk had been working on the drive, utilizing her species "creative physics", for four lifetimes. (TOS novel: The Wounded Sky)

From: www.mjbs.org/aegis/index.html

Hamal IV orbits a class KO, star, which Terrans have classified Alpha Arietis; known as Hamal by the inhabitants of the solar system. Alpha Arietis is 75 light years distance from Earth. One Starbase orbits the planet Hamal IV.

The inhabitants of Hamal IV, the Hamalki, are an arachnid race. A Hamalki has twelve legs, which are attached to a rounded central body. It stands a meter high, with a body a meter across and half a meter thick. Most of his body is transparent, other parts are translucent, made of an analogue to chitin that is as clear as glass. Most places of the surface are polished to a mirror smoothness; the only exception the upperside of the "abdomen", where clear needle-fine spines look like a fur. In the right light it glitters like grass on a dewy morning. The "abdomen" has a slender nubbly, ridge or crest running atop it from "front" to "back". The ridge contains 12 eyes. 4 Clustered at one end, 4 at the other and 4 studded along the ridge.

The Hamalki females are long-lived, the eldest recorded female is over 600 Earth-years old. The males normally don't make it past 150. Unlike other races, the males are the ones who become pregnant. Hamalki engage in a most dangerous birthing ritual known as 'The Frenzy', during which the the male parent is killed and eaten by its offspring, and in which the witnesses will attack and eat the offspring. It is considered an honour to be invited to this ritual, and non-participation is highly insulting. After 'the frenzy' the female parent will carry the remaining off-spring in a sack under her abdomen for several months. Recent study seems to indicate that 'the frenzy' is a way to keep the population under control.
TOS: The Wounded, Rihannsu series
 
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Hamal IV orbits a class KO, star, which Terrans have classified Alpha Arietis; known as Hamal by the inhabitants of the solar system.

Uhh, no, it's known as Hamal by the inhabitants of our solar system. Hamal is the Arabic word for "ram," as in Aries. Diane Duane had an odd tendency, particularly in The Wounded Sky, to use real Arabic given names for various stars and stick "alien" suffixes on them to make species names (Hamalki for Hamal, Sadrao for Sadr, Mizarthu for Mizar), as though our names for the stars were also used in the aliens' languages, or adopted into them.
 
I notice the Kreel have appeared in a few novels. I first came across them in one of the early Peter David books, though they may well have been introduced in the comics earlier.
 
The Kreel never appeared in comics. They were introduced in Peter's Strike Zone and have been used by both him and me several times since -- they were also in A Time to Be Born. Possibly other places as well.
 
There are quite a few aliens that I were interested, here are some that were not in the above list;
Ascendants - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Ascendant
Kinshaya - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Kinshaya
Watraii - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Watraii
Herans - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Heran
Aegis - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Aegis
Clan Ru - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Clan_Ru
Neyel - http://startrek.wikia.com/wiki/Neyel

Those are just the novels one so not included races introduced through the movies or show and I'm pretty sure there are others that are interesting but there are no articles on those races yet (such as the Manraloth etc).
 
I like the Nasat and I like the Deltans and I like the Hermats.

And who doesn't love the Q.
You have listed four alien species of which only one comes from the literature: the Hermats. :) The others were all established onscreen. Silly writer.... ;)


We'll be seeing more of the Ascendants before long, worry not. I've mentioned the Kinshaya in any number of Klingon stories over the years (including having them conquer the Kreel in Q & A), and one of these days I intend to do more with them. The Watraii are mentioned in Articles of the Federation; dunno if there are any plans for follow-ups, though. The Aegis were actually first mentioned in the TOS comic by Howard Weinstein, and Greg Cox used them again in Assignment: Eternity and the Eugenics Wars books. The Neyel came back in Titan: The Red King.

Finally, to toot my editorial horn, in SCE: Progress, Terri Osborne brought back the Belandrid from Carolyn Clowes's The Pandora Principle, and in SCE: Ring Around the Sky, Allyn Gibson made use of the Furies from Invasion!
 
I misunderstood. But I think the Nasat count as, they were named in the Lit, and, as TAS isn't canon, as a species they were defined in the lit.
Who says TAS isn't canon? Gene Roddenberry? He also said Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan wasn't canon until he realized that people liked it. Canon has always been defined as what's onscreen, and the episodes "Unification Part 1" and "Once More Unto the Breach" made use of material established in TAS, which is good enough for me. :)

Speaking as the co-creator and editor of the series in which P8 Blue appeared and in which the Nasat species got its name and culture -- and speaking as someone who doesn't give an airborne intercourse about what's canon or not, since I refuse to argue about what's real in a fictional construct -- it's a screen series. We didn't create them. Nyah.
 
I misunderstood. But I think the Nasat count as, they were named in the Lit, and, as TAS isn't canon, as a species they were defined in the lit.
Who says TAS isn't canon? Gene Roddenberry? He also said Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan wasn't canon until he realized that people liked it. Canon has always been defined as what's onscreen, and the episodes "Unification Part 1" and "Once More Unto the Breach" made use of material established in TAS, which is good enough for me. :)

Speaking as the co-creator and editor of the series in which P8 Blue appeared and in which the Nasat species got its name and culture -- and speaking as someone who doesn't give an airborne intercourse about what's canon or not, since I refuse to argue about what's real in a fictional construct -- it's a screen series. We didn't create them. Nyah.


I hate to differ with you, their creator, but that's what you are. You gave names and characteristics to the culture and species that hadn't even been hinted at before. EM 3 Green could just as easily have turned out to be a random mutation of some other species or a robot or a Founder or whatever. You created the Nasat. They are a lit species.
 
You gave names and characteristics to the culture and species that hadn't even been hinted at before. EM 3 Green could just as easily have turned out to be a random mutation of some other species or a robot or a Founder or whatever.

Naming conventions: Em/3/Green, P8Blue.

Ability to "pill bug" when frightened.

Insectoid appearance.

The Nasat as seen in ST literature is a race clearly based on the character of Em/3/Green. Hence they are a TAS alien race.

Lots of barely-seen-onscreen TMP races appear in Christopher Bennett's novels. He developed their races from what he saw onscreen, and what was useful in Robert Fletcher's and Fred Phillips' costuming and makeup notes. But he didn't wholly "create" them and they're not Lit aliens.

Or are we also going to start defining the ST VI UFP President as a totally diffferent character in the novels where he's called Deltan (and has a Deltan name that matches other Deltan names by Vonda McIntyre), the novels where he's clearly an Efrosian, and the recent ones where his people hail from Efros Delta? ;)
 
You gave names and characteristics to the culture and species that hadn't even been hinted at before. EM 3 Green could just as easily have turned out to be a random mutation of some other species or a robot or a Founder or whatever.

Naming conventions: Em/3/Green, P8Blue.

Ability to "pill bug" when frightened.

Insectoid appearance.

The Nasat as seen in ST literature is a race clearly based on the character of Em/3/Green. Hence they are a TAS alien race.

Lots of barely-seen-onscreen TMP races appear in Christopher Bennett's novels. He developed their races from what he saw onscreen, and what was useful in Robert Fletcher's and Fred Phillips' costuming and makeup notes. But he didn't wholly "create" them and they're not Lit aliens.

Or are we also going to start defining the ST VI UFP President as a totally diffferent character in the novels where he's called Deltan (and has a Deltan name that matches other Deltan names by Vonda McIntyre), the novels where he's clearly an Efrosian, and the recent ones where his people hail from Efros Delta? ;)

There's nothing in that single appearance of Em/3/green to indicate it's a member of an entire species of similar creatures. It could just as easily have been a lab creation with a serial number.

Everything we know about the Nasat comes from the books, even their name. To me this qualifies them as a lit species.

The Deltans were defined by the canon material and more than one Efrosian was seen in multiple trek films so, while they were not named, they were clearly a distinct species.
 
Everything we know about the Nasat comes from the books, even their name. To me this qualifies them as a lit species.

...more than one Efrosian was seen in multiple trek films so, while they were not named, they were clearly a distinct species.

I see absolutely no difference in these two examples.
 
We'll be seeing more of the Ascendants before long, worry not.

I'm really looking forward to this, I must admit though that I havent really tackled many of the DS9 relaunch novels beyond Unity but the Ascendant storyline intrigues me. I mean there seems to me quite a bit of potential of using the whole Bajoran religion but with a completely different race. Its kind of like picturing a what if scenario if the Bajorans took their faith in a different way.

Makes me wonder if the Ascendants also have Orbs, but anyway glad to hear that we will get to see them. Hope they also get an official name for their government as well. Oh and some fights with the Jem'Hadar :D

I've mentioned the Kinshaya in any number of Klingon stories over the years (including having them conquer the Kreel in Q & A), and one of these days I intend to do more with them.

I read about that on Memory Beta and found it quite interesting though I'm curious on where the Kinshaya originated from, some of the stuff I have encountered seems to suggest that they also originate in the FASA RPG material where they seem to be vicious warriors that have kept the Klingons occupied on one front. Not sure if this is the approach being tackled in the novels though but find it very interesting; the idea of Klingons fighting these ruthless warriors on their frontier has a certain... touch to it. I could imagine some very interesting battles there but anyway I look forward to hearing more about them.

The Watraii are mentioned in Articles of the Federation; dunno if there are any plans for follow-ups, though.

I somewhat doubt we will see them again but I loved the background on them so much especially the early genesis of the Remans as well as the Romulans colonization of their new homeworld that I somewhat hope we hear from them again.

The Aegis were actually first mentioned in the TOS comic by Howard Weinstein, and Greg Cox used them again in Assignment: Eternity and the Eugenics Wars books.

Interesting, didnt know about the comic one. I do possess two of the Eugenics Books but havent read them yet :(

The Neyel came back in Titan: The Red King.

I got the book partly because of the Neyel featuring it and I quite enjoyed it though I don't think we will see their territory again but I suppose there is new potential in those Neyel that are now in the Milky Way. I found it a very nice touch for Vanguard Colony to be placed back in the Sol system and could see the Neyel making their home in the outskirts of the system.
 
I've mentioned the Kinshaya in any number of Klingon stories over the years (including having them conquer the Kreel in Q & A), and one of these days I intend to do more with them.

I read about that on Memory Beta and found it quite interesting though I'm curious on where the Kinshaya originated from, some of the stuff I have encountered seems to suggest that they also originate in the FASA RPG material where they seem to be vicious warriors that have kept the Klingons occupied on one front. Not sure if this is the approach being tackled in the novels though but find it very interesting; the idea of Klingons fighting these ruthless warriors on their frontier has a certain... touch to it. I could imagine some very interesting battles there but anyway I look forward to hearing more about them.

The Kinshaya were first mentioned in The Final Reflection, written by John M. Ford, who worked closely with FASA for their Klingon source book (Guy McLimore, FASA's then-line manager for their Trek RPG, had roomed with Ford in grad school. Also, both Ford and FASA had been heavy contributors to the grandaddy of SF RPGs, Traveller, so there was plenty of familiarity there.)

In the 2nd edition of the Klingon sourcebook, published several years later and after Ford's direct involvement, FASA provided the details on the Kinshaya which you're referring to: they were only quasi-humanoid, uncommunicative, relentless (looking back, call them an odd combination of the Neyel and the Borg). I noted two main problems with them: 1) FASA's timeline had them first encountering the Klingons a few decades after the period where they were mentioned in TFR; 2) The dialogue in TFR also pointed to the Kinshaya as being a more conventional foe (e.g., they were mentioned in the same breath as humans regarding captives who were almost too devious to let live). I remember for a while there was some speculation the Kinshaya might be (in all but name) the Kzinti.

And those two are on top of the usual problem with relentless, uncommunicative foes: all you can do is fight them. No other interaction works. But you can only do that once, then the story gets repetitive, so why bother?

I look forward to KRAD's take on the Kinshaya, just as long as they're not FASA's spacegoing shambling mounds. :klingon:
 
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