Talarian

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Talarian
Four Letter Code	TALA
Federation Status	Neutral
Planet of Origin	Talar
Encountered	Before 2260s
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	N-
List of Named Talarians
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Talarians are a warp-capable humanoid species with a warlike and patriarchal culture. Their government is the Talarian Republic.

Physiology

Talarians were characterized by a distinctive hairless enlargement of the coronal area of the skull extending in two lobes to the back of the head. Talarian blood was red, and Talarians were susceptible to radiation burns and respiratory distress.

Raktajino was known to have intoxicating effect on Talarians.

Society

Talarians followed a strict set of traditions and customs. Their society was rigidly patriarchal, where a woman could never outrank a man, and encouraged warrior-like behavior.

Talarians also exhibited xenophobic tendencies, wearing gloves when touching aliens. Removing the gloves and touching someone with the bare hands was a sign of affection and respect.

Talarians were very competitive; games, tests, and competitions were an important part of their culture, and children regularly engaged in contests and challenges. Sharing victory was an important part of the games. Furthermore, when undertaking the tests, pain was not a consideration as passing the tests was what mattered.

Bowing was considered a sign of respect, affection and solidarity. When meeting a close person, the bowing was extended by touching arms and gently pressing foreheads.

When a Talarian boy had reached the age of fourteen, the Age of Decision, he underwent a ceremony of initiation and after that had the freedom to make his own choices.

The B'Nar was a Talarian ritual of mourning. When Talarians were in distress, they performed the B'Nar, which consisted of a high-pitched shriek and rocking back and forth.

Adolescent Talarians listened to Alba Ra, a loud, discordant, electronic form of contemporary, 24th century, Talarian music, comparative to Human rock and roll.

Talarians were known to ride t'stayans, very strong, six-hoofed animals native to their homeworld.

Talarians had trouble sleeping in Human beds as they hurt their backs.

Talarian men often wore full beards. Talarian males, young and old, wore a short thin braid of hair, originating between the two hairless lobes at the back of their head.

History

During the mid-24th century, the Talarians were involved in a series of small skirmishes with the United Federation of Planets, most notably the Galen border conflicts, which lasted at least until 2357.

In 2367, the USS Enterprise-D discovered a small Talarian observation craft (likely used as a training ship for young Talarian warriors) adrift in Sector 21947. The craft had developed a serious radiation leak in its propulsion system, and Dr. Beverly Crusher's team evacuated the survivors, including a Human youth named Jono, to the Enterprise. Soon after, the Talarian warship Q'Maire, commanded by Endar, along with two sister warships, intercepted and surrounded the Enterprise in the hopes of forcing the release of Jono, Endar's adoptive son. An armed conflict was averted when Captain Jean-Luc Picard decided to return Jono to the Talarians.

Technology and militia

In 2367 Talarian military weaponry was inferior to Federation standards, consisting of neutral particle weapons, X-ray lasers, and merculite rockets, and thus did not represent a serious tactical threat to a Galaxy-class starship. They also employed subspace proximity detonators and self-destruct devices that were installed on their ships. Though their technology was inferior, they were known to have employed guerrilla tactics, such as booby-trapping an observation ship and sending out a distress call, luring would-be rescuers to their deaths.

Talarians also had their own freighter type.

Attacking a superior officer, like a captain, was considered the highest offense and was punishable by execution, usually carried out by the offended officer. This was applicable to all superior officers no matter their army or species: for example, the custom would allow a Starfleet commander to execute a rude Talarian soldier.

Talarian uniforms reflected a militaristic culture. Talarian officers and boys having passed the Age of Decision wore a similar brown padded uniform vest and black trousers. Large black helmets and black leather gloves were a standard part of the uniform, and a ribbed silvery-black undergarment was worn under the brown vest. Large rifles were worn on a shoulder strap on the right side of the body.

Golden insignia were worn on the right side of the uniform vest; two different kinds were observed: captains and senior officers wore badges with rounded ends, while young Talarians wore badges with pointed triangular ends. Additionally, only captains wore a second golden insignia, consisting of three diamond-shaped metal pieces positioned centrally on the chest.

Content from this article may have
come partially, or entirely from
 Memory Alpha

External link

• Talarian at Memory Alpha