M-113 Species: Difference between revisions
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Having examined the extensive research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater during his contact with the only remaining M-113 creature most experts believe that if the creature was a member of the species that built the cities and civilization on Fotialla then they must have regressed drastically with the slow depletion of the planets supply of salt. More research is clearly required. | Having examined the extensive research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater during his contact with the only remaining M-113 creature most experts believe that if the creature was a member of the species that built the cities and civilization on Fotialla then they must have regressed drastically with the slow depletion of the planets supply of salt. More research is clearly required. | ||
Regardless by the 23rd century, the civilization had long-died out and only ancient ruins remained on the planet. The planet had turned into a hot and arid wasteland. The only plant life that survived on the planet | Regardless by the 23rd century, the civilization had long-died out and only ancient ruins remained on the planet. The planet had turned into a hot and arid wasteland. The only plant life that survived on the planet was a type of dry bush and the poisonous Borgia plant. Because of the hot and arid environment, anyone who visited the planet needed to bring a large supply of salt so that they could survive. | ||
In 2261, archaeologist [[ma:Crater, Robert|Robert Crater]] and his wife Nancy began an expedition on M-113 to conduct a survey of the planet's many ruins. They moved into a large deserted ruin on the planet surface and began their archaeological research. During the first four years, they shipped out large amounts of artifacts, gathered from several digging sites on the planet, made numerous reports and were visited by a number of ships. A large drop in shipments was noted in the fifth year, however. | In 2261, archaeologist [[ma:Crater, Robert|Robert Crater]] and his wife Nancy began an expedition on M-113 to conduct a survey of the planet's many ruins. They moved into a large deserted ruin on the planet surface and began their archaeological research. During the first four years, they shipped out large amounts of artifacts, gathered from several digging sites on the planet, made numerous reports and were visited by a number of ships. A large drop in shipments was noted in the fifth year, however. | ||
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In 2266, the USS Enterprise visited M-113 for routine medical checks of the two scientists working there. At that time, they encountered what was, according to Professor Robert Crater, the last of the M-113 creatures. This particular creature evidently saw Humans chiefly as food. As there was no opportunity to question it, it is unclear if this attitude arose from desperation or if it was the natural outlook of the species. Either way, the creature proved highly dangerous. | In 2266, the USS Enterprise visited M-113 for routine medical checks of the two scientists working there. At that time, they encountered what was, according to Professor Robert Crater, the last of the M-113 creatures. This particular creature evidently saw Humans chiefly as food. As there was no opportunity to question it, it is unclear if this attitude arose from desperation or if it was the natural outlook of the species. Either way, the creature proved highly dangerous. | ||
At the time the landing party arrived in 2266, the Crater expedition was dangerously low on salt, the creature's natural food. During the investigation by the crew of the USS Enterprise, it murdered several officers, and only chance saved a few | At the time the landing party arrived in 2266, the Crater expedition was dangerously low on salt, the creature's natural food. During the investigation by the crew of the USS Enterprise, it murdered several officers, and only by chance saved a few others. It nearly killed Captain [[ma:Kirk, James T.|Kirk]] but was killed. As far as is known, this was the last sighting of the creature. | ||
At some time prior to 2329, a second expedition was authorized by the Federation to visit the planet and to conduct further archeological research. This team was made up primarily of [[Vulcan|Vulcans]] and led by T'Sera. | At some time prior to 2329, a second expedition was authorized by the Federation to visit the planet and to conduct further archeological research. This team was made up primarily of [[Vulcan|Vulcans]] and led by T'Sera. | ||
==Government== | ==Government== | ||
At this time most experts would tend to agree that there was some form of unified planetary government on Fotialla (M-113). However based on the level of technological achievement found among the various archeological digs those same experts believe it would have taken months for information and government orders to reach every part of their civilization. | At this time most experts would tend to agree that there was some form of unified planetary government on Fotialla (M-113). However based on the level of technological achievement found among the various archeological digs, those same experts believe it would have taken months for information and government orders to reach every part of their civilization. | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
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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. | 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. | ||
The creatures were a highly intelligent species that used telepathy to draw in prey by extracting an image from their minds and taking that form. Once the prey was completely drawn they then used to draw salt from a prey's body through suckers that were on the | The creatures were a highly intelligent species that used telepathy to draw in prey by extracting an image from their minds and taking that form. Once the prey was completely drawn they then used to draw salt from a prey's body through suckers that were on the creature's hands. They also possessed tremendous strength and an ability to survive several phaser shots at short range. | ||
M-113 creatures were very strong, stronger even than Vulcans. A single backhanded slap from one was sufficient to throw Spock across the room; by contrast, he hit the creature several times with double-handed punches, without any observable effect. | M-113 creatures were very strong, stronger even than Vulcans. A single backhanded slap from one was sufficient to throw Spock across the room; by contrast, he hit the creature several times with double-handed punches, without any observable effect. | ||
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Based on the observations of the crew of the USS Enterprise and the research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater most experts have concluded that the M-113 creature had evolved into a very dangerous predator. | Based on the observations of the crew of the USS Enterprise and the research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater most experts have concluded that the M-113 creature had evolved into a very dangerous predator. | ||
This seems to be confirmed by its use of humanoids as a food source. Instead of asking for salt it | This seems to be confirmed by its use of humanoids as a food source. Instead of asking for salt, it concealed its presence and used its special form of telepathy to attack and kill multiple individuals. | ||
Nothing more is known about its mental health or that of its species. | Nothing more is known about its mental health or that of its species. | ||
===ESP Abilities=== | ===ESP Abilities=== | ||
M-113 creatures were also highly intelligent, capable of carrying on conversations with other intelligent beings. A form of telepathy enabled them to draw an image from the mind of someone near; this image was usually of someone trustworthy or appealing. This image, in turn, enabled the creature to approach prey easily. Furthermore, the M-113 creature could even simultaneously appear as a different image to each individual who stood in the same room: | M-113 creatures were also highly intelligent, capable of carrying on conversations with other intelligent beings. A form of telepathy enabled them to draw an image from the mind of someone near; this image was usually of someone trustworthy or appealing. This image, in turn, enabled the creature to approach prey easily. Furthermore, the M-113 creature could even simultaneously appear as a different image to each individual who stood in the same room: when the USS Enterprise's landing party first encountered it, each member saw a different woman even though they were looking at it at the same time. | ||
This fact seems to suggest that the camouflage was not a physical transformation, but rather a mental projection to people nearby. | This fact seems to suggest that the camouflage was not a physical transformation, but rather a mental projection to people nearby. | ||
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Several stone sculptures depicting various animals were found on the surface of the planet among vast ruins, including sculptures of a winged creature holding a sword, a small stone sculpture resembling a dolphin as depicted in Earth's Renaissance, a four-legged deer-like creature seated like a traditional Egyptian sphinx statue, and a sculpture of a lion-like animal. | Several stone sculptures depicting various animals were found on the surface of the planet among vast ruins, including sculptures of a winged creature holding a sword, a small stone sculpture resembling a dolphin as depicted in Earth's Renaissance, a four-legged deer-like creature seated like a traditional Egyptian sphinx statue, and a sculpture of a lion-like animal. | ||
Another one of these creatures was stuffed and on display in Trelane's castle. The landing party of Enterprise (especially Dr. McCoy) reacted in surprise when they saw it. It was later destroyed by Trelane with a phaser. | Another one of these creatures was stuffed and on display in Trelane's castle on the planet Gothos. The landing party of Enterprise (especially Dr. McCoy) reacted in surprise when they saw it. It was later destroyed by Trelane with a phaser. | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
Latest revision as of 16:23, 27 July 2021
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| M-113 Species | |
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| Four Letter Code | M113 |
| Federation Status | N/A |
| Planet of Origin | M-113 |
| Encountered | TOS: The Man Trap |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | AAA |
| List of Named M-113 Speciess | |
| |
Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
| REV 239807.27 | |
| DEPARTMENT of XENOLOGY | |
- "Salt, do you have any salt."
- a M-113 question.
- "Salt, do you have any salt."
- The M-113 are a species of intelligent humanoid predators that used a highly developed form of telepathy to trick and mesmerise its prey before attacking and killing it. Their primary method of killing is by sucking out all of the salt in the victim’s body through specialized suckers on the tips of their three fingers.
Home System
- Quadrant: Beta
- Location: Abin Zak Sector (coordinates B24-0004-1296)
- Proper Name: M-113 system
- Star: It orbits a class G (Yellow) dwarf star
- Distance from Star: Orbit is approximately 44 million km
- Companions: It is the 4th of 7 planets in the system
- Moons: it has 2 moons
Home World
- Proper Name: Federation designation M-113. (Fotialla)
- Diameter: 18,961 km (11,782 miles)
- Gravity: 0.97 standard gravity with a density of 3.6
- Axial Tilt: 6.3%, with minimal seasonal changes
- Orbital Period: 413 days
- Rotational Period: 25.2 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 22%
- Atmosphere: 0.98% is a standard pressure with 74% nitrogen, 26% oxygen, 2% trace chemicals
- Climate: Mainly a hot, dry planet.
- Terrain: It has plenty of deserts and barren, arid regions with scrub brush.
- Population: Native species believed to be extinct
History
Federation researchers have examined all of the data available and have come to the following conclusions in regards to the civilization that once existed on the planet designated as M-113.
The natives evidently called their world Fotialla and at the height of their civilization had a network of large cities, a complex infrastructure and an obviously well-developed culture.
What still seems to confuse and elude the experts ability to understand is the all-important question, was the M-113 creature the same species that built the cities and civilization on Fotialla or was it some other species. And if they were two distinctly different species did they both develop and evolve on this world or did the M-113 creature come later, from some other world?
This brings up the further question of did the M-113 creatures hunt down and exterminate the ancient species that built the cities and civilization on Fotialla or did they merely die out over time as their supply of salt was slowly used up. And if they were the cause of the extinction of the native inhabitants then how were they able to do it? How long did it take? And was the native species able to understand what was happening and did they fight back?
Having examined the extensive research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater during his contact with the only remaining M-113 creature most experts believe that if the creature was a member of the species that built the cities and civilization on Fotialla then they must have regressed drastically with the slow depletion of the planets supply of salt. More research is clearly required.
Regardless by the 23rd century, the civilization had long-died out and only ancient ruins remained on the planet. The planet had turned into a hot and arid wasteland. The only plant life that survived on the planet was a type of dry bush and the poisonous Borgia plant. Because of the hot and arid environment, anyone who visited the planet needed to bring a large supply of salt so that they could survive.
In 2261, archaeologist Robert Crater and his wife Nancy began an expedition on M-113 to conduct a survey of the planet's many ruins. They moved into a large deserted ruin on the planet surface and began their archaeological research. During the first four years, they shipped out large amounts of artifacts, gathered from several digging sites on the planet, made numerous reports and were visited by a number of ships. A large drop in shipments was noted in the fifth year, however.
Unknown at the time of the Crater expedition, a single surviving member of the M-113 creatures species continued to live on the planet. In 2264 or 2265, it murdered the real Nancy Crater, an act that almost drove Crater to destroy it. In the end, the fact that it was the last of its kind, or perhaps its ability to assume any form, stayed his hand, and he lived with it for a year or more. Crater buried his wife on a hill on the planet, but was no longer as efficient in his archaeological work, causing the drop in shipments.
In 2266, the USS Enterprise visited M-113 for routine medical checks of the two scientists working there. At that time, they encountered what was, according to Professor Robert Crater, the last of the M-113 creatures. This particular creature evidently saw Humans chiefly as food. As there was no opportunity to question it, it is unclear if this attitude arose from desperation or if it was the natural outlook of the species. Either way, the creature proved highly dangerous.
At the time the landing party arrived in 2266, the Crater expedition was dangerously low on salt, the creature's natural food. During the investigation by the crew of the USS Enterprise, it murdered several officers, and only by chance saved a few others. It nearly killed Captain Kirk but was killed. As far as is known, this was the last sighting of the creature.
At some time prior to 2329, a second expedition was authorized by the Federation to visit the planet and to conduct further archeological research. This team was made up primarily of Vulcans and led by T'Sera.
Government
At this time most experts would tend to agree that there was some form of unified planetary government on Fotialla (M-113). However based on the level of technological achievement found among the various archeological digs, those same experts believe it would have taken months for information and government orders to reach every part of their civilization.
Description
The surviving creature as observed in 2266 stood a little over one and a half meters tall. It had brownish skin with purple highlights. The face had a series of sagging folds that, together with the cast of the yellowish eyes, gave it a saddened appearance. The mouth was a kind of inverted snout, within which were several extremely sharp teeth.
The body was covered with string-like, whitish hair. This creature also wore a brown, net-like garment and had the proportions of a typical humanoid with two arms and two legs, each hand having three thick fingers.
Each of the three fingers had three sucker-like feeding organs. The creature used these to extract salt from its prey; a process that was painful and left a reddish, ring-like mottling on the skin. The creature could also ingest pure salt through its mouth.
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.
The creatures were a highly intelligent species that used telepathy to draw in prey by extracting an image from their minds and taking that form. Once the prey was completely drawn they then used to draw salt from a prey's body through suckers that were on the creature's hands. They also possessed tremendous strength and an ability to survive several phaser shots at short range.
M-113 creatures were very strong, stronger even than Vulcans. A single backhanded slap from one was sufficient to throw Spock across the room; by contrast, he hit the creature several times with double-handed punches, without any observable effect.
Psychology
Based on the observations of the crew of the USS Enterprise and the research data compiled by Professor Robert Crater most experts have concluded that the M-113 creature had evolved into a very dangerous predator.
This seems to be confirmed by its use of humanoids as a food source. Instead of asking for salt, it concealed its presence and used its special form of telepathy to attack and kill multiple individuals.
Nothing more is known about its mental health or that of its species.
ESP Abilities
M-113 creatures were also highly intelligent, capable of carrying on conversations with other intelligent beings. A form of telepathy enabled them to draw an image from the mind of someone near; this image was usually of someone trustworthy or appealing. This image, in turn, enabled the creature to approach prey easily. Furthermore, the M-113 creature could even simultaneously appear as a different image to each individual who stood in the same room: when the USS Enterprise's landing party first encountered it, each member saw a different woman even though they were looking at it at the same time.
This fact seems to suggest that the camouflage was not a physical transformation, but rather a mental projection to people nearby.
At very close range, the creature could fascinate or mentally paralyze its prey, preventing it from escaping even if it saw the creature's actual form. The creature could feed equally well in its natural form, or while projecting one of these images.
Religion
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Mythology
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Society
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Culture
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Customs
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Technology
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Economy
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Military
Nothing is known about this aspect of the M-113 creatures.
Federation Intelligence Files
The M-113 creature was believed to be the last of a vaguely humanoid species sometimes referred to as the "salt vampire" because of its need for salt and its willingness to kill to satiate its own hunger. The creature is now believed to be extinct.
While the creature could feed on Humans, it either could not, or did not wish, to feed on Spock. He theorized that his copper-based blood salts were unappealing or not nourishing.
At least two humanoid skulls were among the artifacts in archaeologist Robert Crater's collection.
The M-113 creatures are in fact the ancient advanced civilization that built the vast cities that are now in ruins all over the surface of M-113.
Archeological evidence that has been discovered indicates that the indigenous name of the planet was Fotialla and further data uncovered would seem to indicate that there might have been a colony on a planet they called Regulus VIII.
The planet was hotter and more arid than Earth, so Human inhabitants needed to ingest larger amounts of salt to adjust for the loss of the mineral due to sweating. No salt was found on the planet so it had to be imported.
Apart from dry brushes, planet M-113 was home to a poisonous plant called the Borgia plant. It is classified as a member of the carbon group 3 type of vegetation. It was very similar to Earth's nightshade family.
Most experts tend to agree that the M-113 creature's ability to shapeshift is based on a similar ability for cellular mimicry as possessed by the Changelings.
Several stone sculptures depicting various animals were found on the surface of the planet among vast ruins, including sculptures of a winged creature holding a sword, a small stone sculpture resembling a dolphin as depicted in Earth's Renaissance, a four-legged deer-like creature seated like a traditional Egyptian sphinx statue, and a sculpture of a lion-like animal.
Another one of these creatures was stuffed and on display in Trelane's castle on the planet Gothos. The landing party of Enterprise (especially Dr. McCoy) reacted in surprise when they saw it. It was later destroyed by Trelane with a phaser.
Sources
Both Memory Alpha and Memory Beta were used as references as well as the following TV episodes, TOS: The Man Trap and TOS: The Squire of Gothos.
The novelization of the episode, in Star Trek 1 and TOS novel: Vulcan's Heart.
Also used as references were the following written sources, Star Trek Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., p. 281, Star Trek: The Original Series 365, p. 47, Star Trek Compendium, 4th ed., p. 36, Inside Star Trek: The Real Story paperback ed., p. 215, Star Trek Monthly issue 46, p. 83, Star Trek Magazine 2013 Special Edition, p. 137, Star Trek Maps (page 31), ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation (page 118)
An interesting foot note
Behind the scenes this creature was commonly referred to as the "Salt Sucker". Among fans, it is popularly known as the "Salt Vampire".
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SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
REV 239807.27 | ||
| Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||
| SB118-SDC | ||||