Valakian
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Valakian | |
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| Four Letter Code | VALA |
| Federation Status | Members |
| Planet of Origin | Valakis |
| Encountered | ENT: Dear Doctor |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N- |
| List of Named Valakians | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
- "We learn from our mistakes."
- a Valakian proverb.
- "We learn from our mistakes."
- The Valakian are a species that due to a genetic deterioration in their chromosomes almost died out completely. It was only thanks to the Menk, the other indigenous intelligent species on their home world that they were finally able to discover first a treatment and then finally a cure that worked for 68% of their population.
Home System
- Quadrant: Beta
- Location: Sector 006 (coordinates #B26-0001-1299) inside what use to be the Delphic Expanse.
- Proper Name: Valakis system
- Star: It orbits a class K (Orange) star
- Distance from Star: its orbit is approximately 43 million km
- Companions: It is the 3rd of 8 planets in the system
- Moons: none
Home World
- Proper Name: Valakis
- Diameter: 20,646 km (12,829 miles)
- Gravity: 1.03 standard gravity with a density of 3.6
- Axial Tilt: 9.4% with minimal seasonal effects
- Orbital Period: 335 days
- Rotational Period: 23.3 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 55%
- Atmosphere: 0.98 is a standard pressure with 73% nitrogen, 24% oxygen, 3% trace gases/chemicals
- Climate: Mostly a temperate climate with polar caps.
- Terrain: It has a number of large deserts and vast barren grasslands mixed with fertile plans and rolling hills with forests.
- Population: 7 million Valakians, 3 billion Menk (as of 2393 census)
History
The Valakians are one of two species native to the planet Valakis, the other being the Menk. The Northern Valakians evolved in harsher climates than the Menk allowing necessity to force the Valakians to develop technology faster. Since the early days of their people, the Menk have been subservient and second class citizens to the more powerful Valakians. Though not considered as evolutionary advanced, the Menk were taken care of and provided food and clothing.
During the 22nd century, the Valakians suffered from a plague that was killing off its entire population. In 2149, the plague was responsible for causing 12 million deaths on Valakis, causing the Valakians to dispatch numerous pre-warp spacecraft to seek help from off worlders.
One of these vessels encountered the Enterprise in 2151 and they offered to aid in the search for a cure. While they were visiting the planet, the ship's doctor, Phlox, discovered that the epidemic wasn't being caused by a virus or bacteria. Instead, the illness was genetic; the proteins that bind to Valakian chromosomes were deteriorating. This had been going on for thousands of years but the rate of mutation had accelerated over the last few generations. Based on his projections, Phlox predicted that the Valakians would be extinct by the 24th century.
Furthermore, Phlox discovered that the Menk had the potential to become the dominant species on the planet. The Enterprise crew realized they could not interfere with the natural evolution of the two species on Valakis but agreed to offer drugs that would ease the symptoms of the disease.
Because he thought the Valakians could not deal with warp technology on their own yet, Enterprise Captain Jonathan Archer declined to give warp technology to the Valakians for the purpose of finding a cure.
By 2236, the Valakian population had declined to a few hundred thousand, while the Menk became dominant, with their population reaching the tens of millions. They soon became part of the United Federation of Planets when they discovered warp-drive.
Shortly after this it was discovered by accident that by cross breeding with the Menk, the genetic deterioration of their chromosomes could be neutralized. Further research found that by combining certain aspects of the Menk genetic material a serum could be fashioned that temporally halted the deterioration process.
While research continued their population slowly started to climb back up and eventually a more potent and longer lasting serum was discovered that completely neutralized the genetic deterioration in over 68% of their population.
Government
At one time they governed their planet but that is in the past. The new form of government is a more democratic system of election instigated by the rising population of Menk which has long since become the dominant species on the planet due to numbers. They did make it clear in their new constitution that all were equals both Menk and Valakian.
Now they provide 3 elected representatives to the council. This council works for the President-Impor who is elected every six years. The President-Impor then selects from his council of 30 those who will head up each of the 10 government departments. These individuals then select 2 of the remaining councilors to assist them.
Description
They appear to be typical humanoids with five fingers and toes, two arms and legs. The only noticeable difference between them and humans are some unusual facial ridges that are located besides their eyes on the sides of their faces, starting high on their foreheads and ending down on their cheeks. Other than that they have a wide range of heights, weights, hair color (mostly dark shades) and eye color.
Physiology
As with most intelligent humanoid species they have a very complex system with specialized organs, and unique hormones, chemicals and enzymes. They are typical humanoids with most of the physical, mental and biological medical problems that seem to plague most humanoids.
At one point their entire population suffered from a slow genetic deterioration of their chromosomes. A medical condition that threatened to wipe them out as a species and one that almost did. An eventual treatment was discovered, refined and experimented with until a more permanent solution for 68% of their population could be found.
Psychology
As with most intelligent species they can and sometimes do suffer from various different types of mental illness. Fortunately they have an excellent treatment program and progressive ideology when it comes to treatment.
Religion
The Valakian people used to have a firm belief in the creator of all. A formless deity who could take on solid form but who they have since learned was in reality a member of some alien species that had evolved past the need for a corporeal form. Since then they have abandoned the belief in gods and dedicated themselves to science, medicine and the search for knowledge.
Mythology
While they do have a large number of tales, myths and legends going all the way back to the invention of the written word many of them have long since been relegated to storage as useless data files, especially as many of these stories paint the Menk as mindless, idiots fit for nothing better than menial labor.
Society
They have large well laid out cities, with access for all too all the medical, educational, recreational and transportation facilities. Their police force is large enough to keep the crime rate under check and emergency services respond promptly. Both of these groups have excellent equipment and training.
As for the people they tend to be relaxed, happy, calm and hardworking. They do not seem to harbor any hard feelings towards the Menk who now comprise the dominant species due mostly to numbers.
Culture
All types of artistic expression are enjoyed, not just those produced by their own population but by just about any and all species. They prefer those visual arts that are more grounded in reality and tend to avoid or fail to comprehend the abstract and surreal art forms.
While they prefer soft, melodies with rhythmic cadences which is the style they create the most they will listen to just about anything as long as it is not loud, jarring and nerve shattering.
Customs
Many of their customs have been abandoned while their population was quickly dwindling as survival was the key motivation. Added to this is the fact that some regions of the planet with unique customs either completely died out or were reduced to such low numbers that the pitiful few that remained were absorbed into other groups.
Since the discovery of a cure and the gradual increase in their numbers a few of their customs have re-emerged and are now almost universal to their species.
Technology
While they are an advanced species technologically they are near the bottom of the list when it comes to those species who are members of the Federation. However medicine is and probably will be the one area where they concentrate the majority of their skills and efforts. As a result they produce some of the best medical researchers in the Federation.
Economy
Once they developed warp capable ships they slowly started to develop off world commercial interests. With their joining the Federation this increased to include a number of long term trade deals with other member species as well as countless short term deals that have greatly strengthened their own economy.
The Menk are well known for their export of exotic cloth and minerals. Their tourism has also been on the rise recently after the discovery and excavation of the Temple of Alu', the first intact structure of Menk design.
Military
The Valakians never developed a military of their own and since the Menk have taken control of the government the police force has remained much like it was under the Valakians. The police force never was equipped to handle any truly aggressive militaristic action. Many experts believe this to be a true rarity for an advanced civilization, especially one that evolved side by side with another completely different intelligent species, the Menk.
Since the Menk assumed control of the government they have constructed a dozen or so police cutters that defend the star system from pirates and run the customs and port inspections for the orbiting space station. These ships are manned by members of the planetary police force who have been trained in ship operations.
They never developed a military of their own and while they do have a police force it is and never was equipped to handle any truly aggressive militaristic action. Many experts believe this to be a true rarity for an advanced civilization, especially one that evolved side by side with another completely different intelligent species, the Menk.
Federation Intelligence Files
The Valakians were almost wiped out by a genetic deterioration of their chromosomes. A condition that reduced their population to less than a couple hundred thousand before it was discovered that the Menk with whom they shared their world was the source of a possible cure.
Shortly after 2236 they requested and were given membership in the United Federation of Planets.
Sources
Both Memory Alpha and Memory Beta were used as references as well as the TV episode ENT episode: Dear Doctor. Also used was the written resource book ST reference: Star Charts.
SDC
This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 18 August 2014
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SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
REV 239501.23 | ||
| Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||
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