Aenar

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Aenar
Four Letter Code	AENR
Federation Status	Member
Planet of Origin	Andoria
Encountered	ENT: "The Aenar"
T/E Rating	T4/E4
Current Tech Level	N
List of Named Aenars
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Home World

The Aenar are a subspecies of the Andorians, and share their homeworld of Andoria.

See also: Andoria

The Aenar inhabit the small moon of Andoria, and share this space with the Andorians.

History

See also: The Aenar timeline

Since their discovery by the Andorian government in 2104, the Aenar have preferred to remain in seclusion. They have kept contact with the Andorians, but aside from playing a role in a Romulan attempt to destabilize politics in the alpha quadrant in 2154 they have played only a minor part in galactic history. A few Andorians who have served in Starfleet have been recorded as having some Aenar ancestry.

Government

The Aenar have no system of leadership, implying an egalitarian regime. Whenever it is necessary, the Aenar select one of their number as a speaker to represent their collective wishes. Using telepathy to communicate with others of their species, the speaker is quickly able to canvas the opinion of many Aenar in order to arrive at an acceptable course of action when required. In 2154 an Aenar named Lissan acted as speaker for her people in response to a communiqué from the Andorian Chancellor.

Description

The Aenar are an Andorian sub-species (specifically a strain of the Bish’ee species) native to the Northern Wastes of the moon Andoria. Similar in appearance to Andorians, they lack skin pigment giving them a paler appearance than their Andorian cousins. They are also completely blind, but highly telepathic. Their population, during the mid-22nd century, consisted of only a few thousand.

Commander Shran and Jhamel, who would eventually become a part of the same breeding group.

Talla, an Andorian/Aenar hybrid, with her father, Shran.

Physiology

The Aenar are physiologically very similar to the Andorians, with two antennae sprouting from their heads, although the antennae of the Aenar have small indentations in the funnel shaped tips. The Aenar are completely blind and have no skin or hair pigment, resulting in a pale white appearance (similar to Human albinos). On average they stand between 1.7 and 2.2 metres tall, and are roughly of the same build as the average Human. Their metabolism is high, a trait that has been evolved to aid their survival in the sub-freezing temperatures of the planet’s polar ice-cap. Their blood is cobalt-based.

Telepathy

The most distinctive trait of the Aenar, however, is their highly evolved telepathic abilities. An Aenar is capable of reading minds and of telepathically projecting itself to other humanoids. They use telepathy to communicate among themselves. Being that they are a subspecies of Andorians, therefore actually a member of the same species, they are completely genetically compatible with Andorians, allowing for the birth of hybrid offspring. Such hybrids often retain the strongest abilities of their genetic donors (for example, the offspring of the breeding group that contained Jhamel, Shran, Shenar, and Vishri produced Talla, who retained both telepathy and the ability to see).

There are three levels to Aenar telepathy. One is the collective mind that is produced to reach a decision among the Aenar. It does not have a spoken name, there isn’t really need for one. It is a very impersonal type of telepathy. When you remove yourself from it you get the feeling of the people as a whole, not individuals. Its rather like a giant pot of stew, everyone and everyone throws their ingredients in. When you have your bowl, everything that was contributed has an impact on the flavor, but you can’t tell by tasting it who put what in.

The conversational telepathy that most Aenar use in place of speaking is known as Shehan by the Andorians. It is a limited connection where only surface thoughts are read.

Thalzi is a much closer intimate connection that is generally only made with family and close friends. It is similar to a Vulcan mind meld. The participants usually enter a "world" constructed by one of both of the participants. It is an easy way to view others memories or collaborate on creative endeavors. When in a Thalzi the participants can access the other's memories, thoughts and emotions. There are ways to block things and keep certain thoughts or memories private, but this is usually not done because Thalzi is only shared with those one trusts.

Psychology

The Aenar are a private and pacifistic people. Their telepathic abilities are considerable, but they have a strict tenet that forbids them from reading the thoughts and minds of others without express permission. The Aenar are strong-willed, and will often adhere to their ideals of pacifism in the face of danger, despite the potential harm it may cause to them. To this end, they deplore violence, and are more receptive to emotions and sentiments that may be considered "weak" by outsiders.

Mythology

The Aenar themselves form a part of Andorian mythology, as they were believed not to exist until their discovery beneath the Northern Wastes of the Issa ice cap.

Society

The Aenar civilization is built in an expansive system of caverns beneath the Issan ice cap. Circular pod-like modules are attached to rock supports to provide dwellings for the Aenar people, along with facilities such as hospitals, libraries and other public services. Access to the service is gained through a system of tunnels that have deliberately been made confusing to navigate. This is to prevent unwanted discovery by outsiders. The Aenar have been known to deliberately mask the senses of those who are trying to find them, or trying to leave the compound against the will of the Aenar. This is achieved by using holographic projections.

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  An example of the traditional Aenar braid.

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  Jhamel wearing the traditional Aenar veil.

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  The Aenar city, built below ground in the Andorian Northern Wastes.

Economy

Ice Bores are often harvested from around the Aenar city, as they are useful for a number of scientific and engineering-related purposes. Aside from this, the Aenar tend not to trade with the outside world. Their egalitarian culture leaves them with no need for currency or trade, as they are able to exist in a self-supportive state.

Culture & Customs

Due to their reclusive behaviour very little is known of Aenar culture. However, from what outsiders have managed to learn it has been proven that the Aenar are a benevolent species. While they prefer not to be disturbed by people from outside their settlement they will offer help to those who need it. Their ideals of non-violence and pacifism are very rarely broken.

Reading an individual’s thoughts without permission is considered a violation. Accidental occurences are often resolved with an apology, but a prolonged or regular series of incidents (while very rare) incurs expulsion from the Aenar settlement – the only solution that removes the problem without resorting to violence.

While the Aenar do not follow the Andorian clan system, many of them choose to devote their life to the study of science or medicine.

Aenar zhen and shen often wear a white translucent veil that covers the lower half of their faces. Their hair is often worn long, and tied in braids behind their heads. White is the favoured colour of Aenar garments, despite their inability to see the colours of the fabrics they produce.

Ice Bore worms commonly reside in the icy expanses of the Issa cap. As such, they often travel through the Aenar settlement. While such creatures are dangerous due to their need to generate heat through and internal chemical reaction, they pose no threat to the Aenar who are able to sense their presence telepathically. Children are often known to pursue swarms of Ice Bores, tracking them with their telepathic senses and attempting to track them through the labyrinthine tunnels around the city.

Ice Bores are harvested by the Aenar due to their ability to produce heat through an internal chemical reaction.

Technology

The Aenar share the same level of technological capability as the Andorians, as they have access to advances made by the Andorian government. In the past, the Aenar developed technology independently from their blue-skinned cousins, and were able to use a large dampening field to shield their city from detection. They were also recorded as having developed dermal regeneration technology.

Federation Intelligence Files

The Aenar are not widely known across the galaxy. They are somewhat of an Andorian internal affair. As the Andorian species is reportedly in decline, it is reasonable to assume that this is also true of the Aenar, whose numbers were already limited on their discovery. Should the Andorians find a way to solve this crisis, it would most likely come into Aenar possession as well.

Sources

• Star Trek:Enterprise (United, The Aenar, These Are the Voyages)
• Memory Alpha (various pages)
• Memory Beta (various pages)
• Star Trek Customizable Card Game (Decipher Inc., 1994-2007)
• Star Trek RPG: Aliens (Decipher Inc., 2003)
• Star Trek RPG: Worlds (Decipher Inc., 2003)
• The Good That Men Do (Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin, Pocket Books)

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