Tzenkethi

[DGCatAniSiri]

The Tzenkethi are NOT the Kzin. That's fan guessing based solely on the similarity of the names. The Tzenkethi themselves are a completely different race.

 

[Therin of Andor]

The Kzin were actually going to be brought back if Enterprise saw a 5th season (based on the concept CG model being made for a Kzin vessel).

But... it would only be with the agreement of SF writer Larry Niven. The kzinti are a major part of his "Known Space", "Ringworld" and "Man-Kzin Wars" novels, novellas and short stories. I'm sure Niven would rather see a "Ringworld" motion picture happen. It seems he was happy enough to let the kzinti make an appearance in ENT, but is also on record as saying he'd prefer that if the kzinti were ever to return to Star Trek (as per TAS and the LA Times comic strip) that he'd like to write that tale, or at least have input. IIRC, Jimmy Diggs had Niven's approval to try putting them into an ENT script? I don't think Larry Niven has ever written for the big screen?

In any case, the Tzenkethi race is not the kzinti. They are supposedly "three-metre tall Tyrannosaurus Rexes with powerfully strong arms - or large mosquitoes".

 

[Christopher]

I don't think Larry Niven has ever written for the big screen?

Apparently not. His only screen credits are for television -- "The Slaver Weapon" and three Land of the Lost episodes.

 

[137th Gebirg]

In any case, the Tzenkethi race is not the kzinti. They are supposedly "three-metre tall Tyrannosaurus Rexes with powerfully strong arms - or large mosquitoes".

Hmm...I was not aware of that. And the Memory Alpha entry confirms this:

Robert Hewitt Wolfe said in December 2006 that he thought that he had named the Tzenkethi by combining the name Kzinti (from Larry Niven's race of aliens that appeared in the animated series episode "The Slaver Weapon") with Tsankth, after a race from the RuneQuest and HeroQuest RPGs. Wolfe also said he did not picture them as cats like the Kzinti, but as being like the Hakazit from Jack L. Chalker's Well of Souls novels. He saw the Tzenkethi as being "heavily-armored lizard things". [1]
According to Star Trek: Star Charts, the Tzenkethi government is called the Tzenkethi Coalition. They were also referred to in the novel Articles of the Federation. They join the Typhon Pact (β), an alliance of non-Federation powers, in the novel A Singular Destiny.

Regardless, the Kzin were cleared for use in Enterprise as the next major adversary to Starfleet, as a Kzin ship was under construction for S5 before it was canceled. Fontana and Bormanis worked on it and Niven signed off on it (again, Memory Alpha).

Kzinti were to re-appear in Star Trek: Enterprise Season 5 as the main villains of the fifth year. An introducing story "Kilkanny Cats" was written by Star Trek veteran writer Jimmy Diggs who previously tried to pitch Kzinti-themed stories for Deep Space Nine and Voyager. The story was based on works of Neal and Jana Hallford, and edited by D.C. Fontana and André Bormanis.
Jimmy Diggs revealed about the script that "... Captain Archer encounters the Kzinti after an 80 year period of no contact with the Federation. Larry Niven loved it, D.C. Fontana and André Bormanis both story edited the script and signed on the final draft."
Glitchwerk Studios presents the concept CGI model of the Kzinti cruiser Dark Stalker. The design for the Dark Stalker is based on Court Jones' sketches created around 2003 for Star Trek: Lions of the Night, a movie era episode in feature length by Jimmy Diggs. Both designs were created after the specifications of Jimmy Diggs and were part of an essay about using Kzinti in Star Trek. The design is losely based on the shape of vessels from the Star Fleet Battles game (hence three nacelles), but with more emphasise on creating a believable warship. The 2150s version combines aircrafts and submarines of World War II.[2]
The artist, Josh Finney, said that he was "... commissioned by writer Jimmy Diggs to design an 'Enterprise' era Kzinti cruiser as part of an overall pitch to Paramount." He further said "As for my ship design, truth be told, Paramounts people would've probably re-designed it a billion times before it hit the screen. But, still, I would've at least provided the starting point for the concept."[3]

That's why I believe it would be a fantastic story for the next movie. It's a relatively familiar race, that (whether the late Gene Roddenberry liked it or not) is still a part of the Trek mythos and could be used. Many tips of the hat and homages existed in Enterprise and even NuTrek (blue sashes on Vulcan students). I think it would make for a fantastic film.

 

[Therin of Andor]

That's why I believe it would be a fantastic story for the next movie. It's a relatively familiar race, that (whether the late Gene Roddenberry liked it or not)

Who said Roddenberry didn't like the kzinti?

In 1989, TAS was "decanonized" by Roddenberry's ST Office at Paramount mainly because the sale of Filmation's assets had thrown all of its licensed products and copyrights into a state of flux. Coincidentally(?), Niven was negotiating the rights for a "Ringworld" RPG and the kzinti being a part of a semi-licensed Star Trek war game (the above-mentioned "Star Fleet Battles") had the potential to cause a lot of red tape for the corporate lawyers. Also, DC Fontana and David Gerrold had announced plans to sue Roddenberry over their departure from TNG.

The decanonizing of TAS, and the renaming of the race in the RPGs, had nothing to do with whether GR "liked" the kzinti or not. If anything, the invitation for successful SF writers to contribute ST scripts and ideas dates back to Roddenberry decisions made in early Season One of TOS.

is still a part of the Trek mythos and could be used.

No, the kzinti were guest aliens in an episode of TAS, lent by the creator, Larry Niven. To use them again, in a major motion picture, would require much negotiation with Niven and is publishers.

Many tips of the hat and homages existed in Enterprise and even NuTrek (blue sashes on Vulcan students). I think it would make for a fantastic film.

Making the kzinti the major adversary of the next film wouldn't just be a "tip of the hat", nor a "homage". A cameo appearance might be, but you're not asking for a cameo. It would possibly also ruin any future plans to turn "Ringworld" into a film series and Niven would require significant compensation.

And it still has nothing to do with the Tzenkethi.

I was not aware of that. And the Memory Alpha entry confirms this

I believe I contributed to that entry when we got the quotes from Wolfe.

 

[David R. George III]

In any case, the Tzenkethi race is not the kzinti. They are supposedly "three-metre tall Tyrannosaurus Rexes with powerfully strong arms - or large mosquitoes".

Don't hold your breath, Ian....

 

[Christopher]

I was not aware of that. And the Memory Alpha entry confirms this

I believe I contributed to that entry when we got the quotes from Wolfe.

Yep -- Robert and I are both members of the Ex Isle BBS, so when this Tzenkethi/Kzinti question came up a few years back, I went right to the source and asked him directly if there was any truth to the myth that the Tzenkethi were meant to be the Kzinti, and he pretty definitively debunked it. So I quoted his answer over here, and then you put it on your site and Memory Alpha.

So yeah, it's pretty well known around these parts.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Don't hold your breath, Ian....

I'll only hold it till I turn blue.

 

[Thestral]

We get a few hints about the Tzenkethi from their appearance in Terok Nor: Day of the Vipers. I'll have to dig it up to check, but I recall them being quick-moving, and their ships are incredibly maneuverable because they play with gravity a lot.

 

[David R. George III]

^ The Tzenkethi ship in Day of the Vipers does have some peculiarities.

 

[HOoftheKinshaya]

In any case, the Tzenkethi race is not the kzinti. They are supposedly "three-metre tall Tyrannosaurus Rexes with powerfully strong arms - or large mosquitoes".

Don't hold your breath, Ian....

Does that mean we can expect a smaller more nimble species than a hulking lizard species?

 

[Christopher]

It means he's not going to tell you what the Tzenkethi look like until the book comes out.

 

[Domo_Arigato]

Argh! The anticipation shall slowly eat away at me until that day x.x

 

[kkozoriz1]

A field mouse with an Uzi.

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Maybe they're like little, fuzzy teddy bears with darth vader like voices.

 

[DonIago]

Furlings?

 

[David R. George III]

Maybe they're like little, fuzzy teddy bears with darth vader like voices.

"Spock, I am your father."

 

[Jack Bauer]

They look like furless Ewoks.

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Maybe they're like little, fuzzy teddy bears with darth vader like voices.

"Spock, I am your father."

"Fascinating. Also, I'm in denial."

 

[captcalhoun]

well, we do know that they have spines, thanks to Articles.