Yridian

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Yridian
Four Letter Code	YRID
Federation Status	Neutral
Planet of Origin	Yridia
Encountered	Often present on Deep Space 9. (DS9: If Wishes Were Horses)
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	N, Possess advanced surveillance technology.
List of Named Yridians
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"We know everything and it can be yours for the right price."

a Yridian saying.

The Yridian are a species that traffics in knowledge, secrets and espionage of all kinds. Industrial, scientific, technological, medical or simply just government secrets are all the same to them. The harder they have to work for the data the more you're going to have to pay.

Home System

• Quadrant: Alpha
• Location: Idis Moratis Sector (coordinates A24-0002-1301)
• Proper Name: Yrid system
• Star: It orbits a class M (Red) star
• Distance from Star: its orbit is approximately 89 million km
• Companions: 8 other planets. It is the 4th planet in the system
• Moons: it has 8 moons.

Home World

• Proper Name: Yridia
• Diameter: 21,625 km (13,437 miles)
• Gravity: 1.02 standard gravity with a density of 3.3
• Axial Tilt: 19% with average seasonal changes
• Orbital Period: 436 days
• Rotational Period: 26 hours
• Classification: M
• Surface Water: 67%
• Atmosphere: 0.98% is a standard pressure with 74% nitrogen, 23% oxygen, 3% trace chemicals
• Climate: Temperate with semi-tropical at the equator.
• Terrain: Most of the land mass away from the coasts is rough, mountainous and covered with dense, impenetrable jungles.
• Population: Just over 15 million

History

The first Human encounter with this race took place during the 2160s when explorers found notes about the Yridians in the Vulcan database.

At some point before the 2360s, the Federation believed that the Yridian race went extinct. This disappearance was so total that it even convinced the Borg, who designate the Yridians as Species 6291, that the species was no longer in existence. However, Rudolph Ransom, a Starfleet exobiologist, discovered that there were some still alive and carried out first contact. This act directly lead to his promotion to the rank of captain.

The strange extinction of the Yridians can be explained by assuming that some natural (or unnatural) disaster befell the race sometime between the 2150s and the 2360s. It is possible that the group later encountered by Captain Ransom had not had previous contact with humanity and therefore counted as a true first contact. Presumably the numbers of Yridians are still very low.

After this point Yridians were encountered throughout Federation space. A group of Yridians learned of the research of Dr. Richard Galen sometime prior to 2369. The Cardassian Gul Ocett purchased the information they had obtained, and the Yridians later attacked Galen's shuttle to steal further data. Their ship was destroyed by the USS Enterprise-D before it could return to the Cardassians with its findings.

A group of Yridians bought magnesite ore, stolen from a Pakled mining colony in the Kalla system, from the Duras sisters in 2370.

The Yridians were known to be targets of Maquis raids in late 2370 as Starfleet put together a Yridian convoy as lure for a Maquis attack. The convoy of six ships left Deep Space 9 for the Demilitarized Zone, destined for Cardassian space, carrying a supply of isomiotic hyposprays, plasma flares and quarantine pods.

This also indicates that it was not uncommon for the Yridians to carry supplies through the DMZ and that they had a political relationship with the Cardassians.

An unnamed Yridian had dealings with Elim Garak, and in 2371 Garak identified the Yridian as someone who would want him dead.

Two Yridians used a gravimetric scanner to cheat on Quark's dabo table in 2373.

An Yridian worked for Quark in 2373 on DS9. In early 2374, during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space 9, an Yridian was seen in Quark's.

During the early crisis in the Demilitarized Zone, Commander Sisko erroneously refers to these traditional information-brokers as the go-betweens for arms deliveries between Cardassia and The Circle on Bajor months earlier; he meant the Kressari. Not surprisingly, at the time his tailor shop is bombed, Garak owed money to a Yridian. Constable Odo later had taken a Yridian smuggler into custody and confiscated a bottle of an unspecified beverage from him as evidence.

Yridia

Most of the planet seems to be inhospitable. In fact scans of most land masses reveals no living organisms of any kind. Only on one large island separated from all the other land mass’s by large stretches of deep ocean is their any life.

It is here that the Yridians have their one huge city and a number of smaller coastal communities. While they do have numerous mining facilities on other land mass’s just over 2/3rds of their entire population live on this land mass.

What is unusual is that scans reveal that at some time in the not to distant past there was life of some kind on just about every land mass. The Yridians have so far refused to speak about what may have happened or to even allow anyone to do proper scans of their world.

Their war fleet spends more time controlling alien shipping and jamming scans of their home world than they do patrolling near by space.

Government

It was not known if the Yridians have a central government. The Yridians encountered by the Federation appeared to be loosely aligned and concerned with their own interests, often serving as hired agents for other races and operating as groups or individuals.

Description

These humanoids are usually bald and have wrinkled skin. Physically, they are stooped over, grey-skinned humanoids with very loose, flaccid, skin. They also had large rodent-like pointy ears but small eyes and noses. All Yridians have an indented ridge running across the full length of their heads and extending down their nose. Most Yridians had no thumbs, and possessed only four fingers on each hand.

Some Yridians had short black or brown curly hair. They also had 5 fingers. They may be either a sub-species of Yridian or more likely the hybrid off spring of a mixed species union.

Physiology

Like many intelligent humanoids they have a complex set of hormones and chemicals in their bodies as well as specialized internal organs. However they do tend to require special medical ointments in dry hot environments to prevent their skin from drying out and cracking.

Psychology

They tend to be very secretive and distrustful of others. However they can be very engaging and have no problem socializing with other species. They tend to learn quickly and go to great lengths to conform to local customs and social etiquette.

Religion

They do not seem to have any religion of their own. They are perfectly willing to recognize and observe the religious beliefs of any species they are in contact with. Often to such a degree that it is hard to tell they did not grow up with in that religious belief.

Mythology

As of this update to their species records no data has been found to support the idea that they may have any form of mythology. This tends to support the belief that they never developed any religious beliefs of their own.

Society

Among the large number of Yridians who seem to be nomadic there does not seem to be any recognizable form of society. They adopt the manners and beliefs of any species they tend to live among.

This unique way of thinking seems to be reflected on their home world since they have no class system and no recognizable social structure. Everyone is out for themselves.

Culture

While they do appreciate many different types of music and art they do not seem to have any artists or musicians among their species. In fact other than some absolutely fabulous jewelry that might be considered artistic there is no know Yridian art or music.

Customs

Among the large number of Yridians who seem to be nomadic there does not seem to be any recognizable customs specific to their species. They adopt the manners and beliefs of any species they tend to live among.

The same seems to be true of those Yridians who still live on their home world.

Technology

While they tend to be slightly behind most Federation member worlds when it comes to technology they do excel at the use and design of advanced surveillance technology. So much so in fact that many consider them to be best there is when it comes to this field of expertise.

Economy

They are extremely well known as dealers of information. Operators of several deep space freelance spy networks, Yridians can be considered sources of both legal and illegal information. They will sell their secrets to the highest bidder. They were often unwilling to reveal information they collect without payment. Despite their reputation, the Yridians were often seen on space stations and planets within Federation space.

However, the shady dealings of some Yridians earned them arrest warrants issued by governments such as the Klingon Empire and their trading goods were often confiscated.

A Yridian called Paltriss created several rings, later known as the Rings of Paltriss. They became extremely valuable and, as such, were removed from the Yridian homeworld over time. In 2370, Quark came into possession of forty-two of them.

The Yridians exported several beverages to the Federation, Klingons, and Ferengi, including Yridian tea, Yridian ale, and Yridian brandy. The Yridian yak was also well known.

Military

The Yridians operate a fairly small military using their own design and constructed destroyer class vessels. They also have a few frigates and plenty of well armed freighters as well. Many of their people are known to operate small warp-capable shuttles.

They have one fairly large station in orbit of their home world. It has a staff of approximately 10,000 and can house an additional 50,000. It has permanent docking facilities for their entire fleet of war ships as well as space for an addition 50 ships.

They use disrupters as sidearms.

Federation Intelligence Files

A race of humanoids known as dealers of information. Operators of several deep space freelance spy networks, Yridians can be considered sources of both legal and illegal information. They will sell their secrets to the highest bidder, and therefore are considered a threat to Federation security. Arrest warrants are outstanding for the leaders of the main Yridian spy networks.

Notables include Jaglom Shrek, Yranac, Yog, and the destroyer crew who sold the secrets of Galen's DNA puzzle to the Cardassians as a new energy source - in transmissions overheard by the Romulans.

For more data see Federation Intelligence files # TNG-2369-2842, TNG-2370-0725 TNG-2370-4315 DS9-2371-6326, TNG-2371-4190, DS9-2372-4132, DS9-2372-7563, DS9-2373-6231, TNG-2373-8735, DS9-2374-7630, DS9-2374-5108

Sources

Data for this article was obtained from memory alpha, beta and the following TV episodes. TNG: The Chase, TNG: Firstborn, TNG: Birthright, Part I, DS9: Improbable Cause, TNG: Preemptive Strike, DS9: Sons and Daughters, DS9: Accession, DS9: Melora, TNG: Eye of the Beholder, DS9:The Sword of Kahless and DS9: Who Mourns for Morn?

Data was also retrieved from the DS9 novel Hollow Men.

SDC

This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 27 September, 2012

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

		SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee.		REV 239401.31
		Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave.
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