Al-Leyan
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
|---|
| Al-Leyan | |
|---|---|
| |
| Four Letter Code | ALLE |
| Federation Status | Unknown |
| Planet of Origin | Leya-I |
| Encountered | TNG: The Chase |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N |
| List of Named Al-Leyans | |
| |
Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
The Al-Leyans are a humanoid species located in the Beta Quadrant.
Name
- Proper Name: Al-Leyan
- Pronunciation: Al-Le'Yan
Homeworld
- See also: Leya-I
History
|
| Al-Leyans |
|
|
The Al-Leyans are a meticulous people, whose perfectionist outlook had an impact on the way they explored their own world, as well as space. Up until the 1930s (Earth Standard), they were preoccupied with charting their own planet, including the vast depths of ocean that covered a large area of its surface. As a result, by the time they took to physically exploring their solar system (which they had already pre-examined using telescopes and other scientific means) they had already charted every corner of their planet, unlike Humans, who took to space with mysteries on their homeworld still unsolved.
Once Al-Leyans had discovered warp technology and were exploring the galaxy peacefully, one of the first alien species that the Al-Leyans encountered was the Klingons. The Klingons warned and threatened the Al-Leyans, who stayed out of harm's way, until the their new acquaintances began plundering their resources. When diplomatic channels were explored and rejected by the governor of the Klingon colonies who had been stealing from the Al-Leyans, a period of hostilities erupted between the two peoples. Armed Al-Leyan patrols orbited their planet and colonies within their space, and with the Klingons seeming to send in wave after wave of attack squadrons, neither side could get the upper hand. After months of conflict, and a heavy toll on the resources of both sides, the factions lapsed into an uneasy truce, during which a technological trade was agreed.
Sitting across the negotiation table, the reason for the Klingons' accession became apparent. The Governor of their forces ruled over three colonies, and did not have the political influence to gain access to the full resources of the Empire. He dared not report his inability to conquer the Al-Leyan people to the High Council, and so wished to take them news of acquired technology instead. In return for valuable improvements to power efficiency and computer systems, they agreed to allow the Al-Leyans to take blueprints for the D-5 and Bird-of-Prey classes of ship. As a result, modified versions of these vessels can be found within the Al-Leyan fleet.
Years later, after the death of the Klingon governor, the colonies rescinded their peace treaty with the Al-Leyans, believing that their system rightfully belonged to the Klingon Empire. Naturally the Al-Leyans resisted, and the cold war between the Al-Leyans and the Klingon colonial power has resumed.
Government
The Al-Leyans operate under a world unitary government. While many of the different nation states on Leya-I have their own councils which may govern local policies, each of these nations subscribes to the global government through the attendance of representatives from each region. The united world government was instated in 1988.
Description
Al-Leyans physically resemble Terrans in many ways, the two biggest differences being that their ears curve to a slight point, and their eyes glow in dim or gloomy conditions when reflecting light rays. Their skin ranges from alabaster, through sun kissed, to olive and light brown depending on climate. Al-Leyans living in polar regions have lighter skin, as opposed to those living in tropical climes having darker skin.
Physiology
- See also: Al-Leyan reproduction
A primarily nocturnal race, Al-Leyan physiology is similar to humans, however, they typically have a lifespan of 150-200 years. Their blood is based on nickel, giving it a very dark hue, extremely close to black. This is particularly noticeable due to the trace amount of this element in their blood, which is approximately one and a half times more than that of Terrans.
Due to the heightened gravity of Leya-I, Al-Leyans have denser muscle fiber than some other aliens, allowing for greater than average humanoid strength. The atmosphere on the Al-Leyan homeworld is more dense than on some M-class worlds. As a result, Al-Leyans serving on a Starfleet vessel may suffer from some or all of the symptoms of asthma as a result of a thinner atmosphere than is comfortable. This is treatable by a course of steroid-based medication, which facilitates breathing in such an environment.
The senses for the Al-Leyan are unique among intelligent species. They have almost no sense of smell. Sometimes even an object held close to their nose cannot be smelled if the odor is too weak. Their ears are slightly pointed, not as much as Vulcans, but enough to help amplify sounds. Al-Leyans have about 5,000 taste buds, and can taste bitter, salt, and acidic flavours, and to a lesser degree sweetness, and spicy foods.
An Al-Leyans' sense of smell is poorer than the average Terran. Where Terrans have about 10 cm² of olfactory epithelium, Al-Leyans only have 7.3 cm². This difference is significant enough that Al-Leyans wouldn't be able to smell a chunk of meat a meter from their head, but it has been noted in scientific research that they can distinguish certain smells from far away.
Al-Leyans have great hearing. They can hear as low as 35hertz to as high as 62,000 hertz. Their ears are tipped but not as pronounced as Vulcan's. This helps amplify some of the sounds they hear in the higher frequencies. Al-Leyan hearing is so good they are able to hear great detail, from quite far distances.
Eyes
Al-Leyans have excellent vision overall, though their vision is not as clear during the day in the day. Al-Leyans are used to dimmer lighting compared to that of a Terran on Earth. Because of this, most Al-Leyans wear glasses during the daytime to help correct this problem, but it doesn't give them the same acuity as homo sapiens.
Because they have a larger anterior chamber and lens, as well as a wider pupil, an Al-Leyan's eyesight is six times better than the average Terran's eyesight in extremely dark environments. They also have broadly elliptical pupils that appear round when dilated in darkness, but elliptical in bright areas. Their retina has mostly rod receptors, which are sensitive to low light levels and movement. Cone receptors help make them distinguish up to six million different colours - however, these cone receptors are primarily intended to enhance their vision, causing them to see colour in higher saturation in brightly lit areas.
The average Al-Leyan has a layered structure called the Tapetum Lucidum at the back of their eye. This mirror-like structure relects like that has not already been absorbed back into the eye a second time to help produce a brighter image. This causes an Al-Leyans eyes to glow in dark environments when light is shone into their eyes.
In addition to upper and lower eyelids, Al-Leyans also have a nictitating membrane, which help keeps the eyes moist and removes dust from the surface. Binocular vision enables an Al-Leyan to judge distances when jumping.
Psychology
Al-Leyan psychology has come about as a result of their evolution. Their main instinct, as with other humanoids, is that of self-preservation, but it manifests through always being thorough and minimizing risk. Much of the Al-Leyans' technological development reflects this methodology, as everything is tested rigorously to ensure the highest level of safety before implementation.
Approximately 10% of the Al-Leyan population possesses telepathic abilities that allows them to read the thoughts of other Al-Leyans. This is most often hereditary. An even smaller portion (5%) possess both telepathic and empathic abilities. Al-Leyans with these gifts are viewed as being at the highest risk for cultural contamination; therefore fostering of these gifts is strongly discouraged.
An Al-Leyan who uses these gifts to manipulate another Al-Leyan is automatically sent for attitude readjustment therapy (or reconditioning) to correct the behavior. If the guilty party repeats the offense after therapy, they are exiled from Leya-I.
Society
- See also: The Haemachuo and child-rearing
The Al-Leyans are a somewhat conservative race, and have deliberately slowed the rate of technical progression on their world to ensure maximum safety. In the approach to their current technology level, they did not go through a stage of burning fossil fuels, as studies showed the level of damage that it would do to their ecology to be unacceptable. Instead they worked on developing hydroelectric, tidal and solar power plants, which they fine-tuned to peak efficiency. This meant that they were able to depend solely on these forms of eco-friendly, emission-free energies to power their planet for centuries. However, the demands of modern technology have necessitated further development of power-sources, and a slight pollution of the planet's atmosphere was unavoidable. Scientists continually research ways to maximise power-production efficiency, and this has become a major branch of Al-Leyan science.
One of the reasons for this cautious approach could be explained by the fact that for many generations, areas of the Al-Leyan landmasses were uninhabitable as a result of toxic, gaseous emissions from volcanic strata beneath the surface. While plant-life and some insects were able to evolve in these locations, some of which are exotic in appearance, it was not possible for humanoids to colonize the areas concerned until the gases naturally dissipated.
Al-Leyans have a class based society but it is based on skill-set rather than social or economic fortune. Each class is called a branch. People from one class will talk to, interact with and even mate with others of another class. All classes are considered to have equal merit. Each person is assigned a class at around the age of 10 - up until that point, teaching is geared towards determining which class each individual will flourish in most. Once a class has been assigned the individual receives further education more tailored to the class they are in.
Once a person has been placed in a class, they are expected to stay there. They must live by their branch, in other words be dedicated to it for their whole life. There is room for movement within a branch so it’s not quite as restrictive as it first appears. For example someone of the science branch can choose any number of specializations and science related careers. They may be a biologist, geologist, mathematician, chemical analyst. Each branch has a huge and varied set of options to suit almost every interest. Someone of the science branch could not be a builder, pilot, or professional artist, though they would be permitted to pursue art as a form of expression. This would allow them to pursue artistic activities and offer paintings, sculptures of the like to close family or friends but they could not have it displayed in a gallery or sold for profit. There is a specific branch for people whose primary talent is in the arts and they may make their living through it.[1]
People who talk about, or try to move into a different branch are looked upon as wayward souls and frowned upon. Efforts would be made by friends, family and advisors or mentors to make such a person see reason. If they refuse to mend their way of thinking then they would have to have attitude readjustment therapy[2] [3] (or reconditioning) to correct the problem.
Same-sex and extra-racial relations
Being a conservative and practical race, they do not value same sex pairings. They consider the purpose of the seasons and mating to be producing offspring. For similar reasons, contraception is prohibited. Al-Leyan females are groomed from early youth to believe that carrying children is natural and something to enjoy and look forward to. With children taken from parents at birth, it could be said that having children has a minimal impact on the Al-Leyan mother’s life and branch progression. Those particularly interested in child-rearing can expect to have long and fulfilling, as well as highly paid, careers as Haemachuo carers.
They also do not mate outside of their species due to their strict culture and not wanting the outside influence of other races coming in. Formation of a long-term relationship with another outside of your species inevitably results in cultural exchange that could result in Al-Leyans questioning their beliefs. They would not want external cultures influencing what they have already established and are comfortable with. Al-Leyans accept that they have their culture and other humanoids have theirs - they don’t mix. It is this attitude that allows enough respect for other ways of living that allows the Al-Leyans to get along with other cultures without starting wars over differences in beliefs.
For these reasons, they can not accept outsiders into their culture fully. They cannot expect an older child or adult to fully accept their teachings and way of living as their own people are brought up to do. They might accept a baby and bring it up as their own but it would depend upon the circumstances. As such there are very few if-any Al-Leyan half breeds. Such a person would be treated with respect only if they were raised locally and fully compliant with the Fallen Branch.
Following the Fallen Branch is a crucial part of Al-Leyan life and means both following the laws and adhering to strict policies on behavior regarding what you can and can’t do. An outsider would have no branch so it would be impossible to place them within Al-Leyan society. Assignment to a branch is done after nearly a decade of research and close study. An outsider entering (if such a thing were to be allowed) would have to give up their entire cultural identity and change their behavioral and thought patterns. This is also not necessarily a feasible possibility as not all races have the lifespan to make this transition. Young minds can be molded and can adapt. Older minds are set in their ways and may not be able to make the necessary changes. These circumstances have led to the Al-Leyan government prohibiting this entirely.
Formal bonding ceremony
Though committed bonds aren’t as common among Al-Leyans as they are among other races, a formal ceremony still exists for those seeking lifelong companionship. The Komunceco Vivo (Communion with Life) celebration is a popular time for such ceremonies given the nature of said celebration.
Couples seeking marriage must first testify that they are pursuing the union of their own free will and aren’t being coerce. The couple then receives a blessing song or poem from their Haemachuo group and blood family (if present). Following this, the couple makes their promises to one another and they drink water from a sacred stream, river, or lake while sacred herbs are burned around them to drive away evil spirits that would bring negative energy to the union.
Each is given a crown of greens woven with colorful ribbons and Fekundeco, a flower whose name literally translates to mean “fertility” in Federation Standard. They join hands as the Haemachuo mentors of the two tie their hands together with vines (their hands are later untied). Their guests enjoy a feast in the couple’s honor while the couple ventures out to a secluded spot in the woods where they spend their first night together as a bonded pair.
The couple’s blood family and Haemachuo go to the couple’s home early the next morning before the couple returns to decorate it with Fekundeco blossoms and leave a box on the couple’s table with charms designed to bring the couple good fortune in the various aspects of their new lives together.
Culture
Cuisine & Beverages
Much of the plant life on Leya-I is bland to the taste, which provides a strong reason for the Al-Leyans having never evolved a strong sense of taste or smell. Al-Leyan cuisine tends to be either strongly sweet or strongly spicy, which can prove to be quite unpalatable for some other humanoid species.
Horned longfish stew (Kornan Longoniŝa kuvon) is a favorite dish in the equatorial region where seafood is plentiful. While the fish itself has a mild flavor, a spice called ground semo (literally translates as “fire seed”) along with other savory spices is used to make the dish more palatable to the dulled Al-Leyan taste buds.
Spiced longfish curry (Spicita longfiŝa kurio) is another seafood favorite from the equatorial region that offers a richer flavor that accentuates the spices to a degree that is unpalatable to most other species.
Coffee is a popular beverage on Leya-I. This drink is brewed from one of two kinds of beans: kavja or kievlan. Coffee brewed from kavja tends to have a more savory sweet flavor whereas coffee brewed from kievlan tends to have more of a vanilla-like flavor. When brewed, kievlan coffee has notes of both cinnamon and cardamom. Both blends are popular among off-worlders and are one of Leya-I’s biggest exports. The blend is so popular, Al-Leyans have designed a special coffee maker to brew the bean. A Human coffee connoisseur once referred to the Al-Leyan blend as "sweeter and smoother than a Honduras blend, and highly likeable. Even more so than Guatemalan." As such, Al-Leyan coffee beans are a valuable export.
Architecture & The Arts
Al-Leyan architecture is striking by design, and is reminiscent of the brutalist movement on Earth, although more decorative and much less plain. Glass and stone are the most common materials for Al-Leyan buildings. Most buildings now do not exceed 15 storeys, although there are some that reach as high as 28 stories that were erected before the implementation of the current building regulations. The main spaceport is a memorable landmark, as it reaches a height of 720 metres, and has several helipads.
There are, however, some small areas of the planet where the architecture is more decorative and has an older appearance. For example, the buildings on the Uz Sabahnuor archipelago conform to a much more dated style, and the region is famous for its Beaux-Arts. Residences here are highly sought after by those who can afford them.
Festivals
There are many festivals that are practiced in different areas around Leya-I, in many of its different regions. One of the most notable festivals takes place on an island slightly south of the equator, where the Al-Leyan New Year is celebrated by a fireworks display in each of nine cities built around a large bay. Each city also serves as host to a large street party, attended by the majority of the local residents.
A popular celebration in the more rural areas of the Crindi Province is the Komunceco Vivo (Communion with Life). This ceremony coincides with the arrival of spring in which the participants honor the explosion of new life that typically occurs at this time of year.
Stargazing
Due to their nocturnal nature, “star watching” is a favorite activity.
Constellations:
- Dorcha Hōiho - horse like creature, named for an Al-Leyan animal
- Kaikōpere (the Great Archer): The great archer is said to have united the Seven Nations and brought peace that lasted nearly a thousand years. The discord that lead to this is said to have been brought on by greed and jealousy among the ruling class. The government is unified again and they have not had major internal conflicts in nearly 500 years.[4]
Technology
Al-Leyan technology is advanced, and considered to be on a par with comparable Federation worlds. However, their rigorous attitude to safety has led to some important regulations on the use of technology on their homeworld. MAGLEV trains are used as the primary form of transportation, despite the development of the transporter. This is due to initial problems with transporter systems and the risk of accident through transporter malfunction. Having conducted a detailed analysis, the Al-Leyans have ruled that MAGLEV is the safest method of transport, and thus transporters were declared illegal.
In addition to this, as a measure of ecological control, four large space stations orbit the planet to serve as quarantine sectors. No items that may cause harm, even if inadvertent, to the planet's ecosystem are permitted to be taken to the planet's surface.
While research is still conducted into technological development by some companies on Leya-I, the period of technological boom has come to a close. Progress made is steady, but directed into certain areas, such as the construction of shuttlecraft, and research into artificial intelligence. During the initial technological boom, Al-Leyans made significant strides in many different areas, including power management (Solar and Geothermal), multimedia devices (cameras, headphones and speakers), transport (MAGLEV trains), chronometers, robotics and space vehicles (culminating in the Warp 4 engine). They also developed an extremely sophisticated coffee-maker as a response to demand for their trademark coffee bean, and designed it to brew the best possible cup of coffee that they could market.
While Al-Leyans are not widely renowned for their Engineering this is not due to a lack of competence - they have reached a technological stage with which they are comfortable, and most now prefer to direct their time and effort towards less pressured pursuits.
| Earth Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1815 | The first Al-Leyan space exploration project comes into fruition: 8 astronauts orbit every planet in their system. |
| 1905 | Advancements in space travel research lead to the first attempted manned warp flight. However, this is unsuccessful, and the project is condemned as unsafe. |
| 1929 | The Al-Leyan ship Xeris is installed with a warp drive built by the company Daeruyilux. Xeris is able to reach Warp 1 in a successful test. |
| 1930 | Further tests see Xeris successfully reach Warp 2. |
| 1953 | The first space station to include civilian accommodation is completed. Citizens of Leya-I begin to populate the world's first artificially created colony. |
| 1973 | After much deliberation and consolidation, and the unification of territories, Leya-I divided politically into only 2 different governmental powers. Talks begin between the two governments to being the final merging process, although this takes quite some time. |
| 1988 | The two remaining governments on Leya-I unite to form one united Al-Leyan world government. |
| 2350 | Daeruyilux complete their work on creating the first Al-Leyan Warp engine capable of Warp 6.45. Technological development slows down from this point, as the mindset of appreciating the current level of technology without the need to research for research's sake is embraced by the people. |
Warp scale
Al-Leyans measure warp speed in kutas. These are easily converted to the Federation standard warp scale using this formula:
Speed in kutas ÷ 9 = Warp Factor; remainder = subdivision of factor
Therefore to convert 52 kutas: 5 x 9 = 45 + 2 = Warp 4.7
Military
- See also: Al-Leyan Military Classifications
The Al-Leyan fleet is characterized by divergent classifications of the Klingon D-5 and Bird-of-Prey models. While these ships are outwardly recognised as their Klingon ancestors, many upgrades and/or divergent developments have been made by the Al-Leyan companies responsible for the upkeep of the military. For example, the interiors of these ships are markedly different than their Klingon counterparts, as they are better lit and much more luxurious. Compared to the Klingon D-5, Al-Leyan models have less powerful weapons in upgraded models, although their shielding and cloaking technologies are greatly enhanced. One class of D-5 upgrade, larger than most, has been developed to serve as a diplomatic vessel. It is roughly 1.3 times larger than other D-5 variant classes.
Al-Leyan shielding technology incorporates a failsafe second shielding layer, a backup shield generator that kicks in when a ship's shields are reduced to 10% or less. This has proved to be valuable in the occasional border skirmish with Klingon colonists, as despite their adversaries' enhanced firepower they are able to withstand attack long enough to escape, or reach help.
Federation Intelligence Files
In 2369, Richard Galen wanted to take an Al-Leyan transport from Deep Space 4 to Caere, from whence he would travel via shuttle to Indri VIII.
For more information see Federation Intelligence File ENTP-2369-0438
References
- ↑ “Branching Out”, Lt. Cmdr. Luran Sorani & Capt. Della Vetri, USS Avandar, SD 238910.12
- ↑ “Branch to Branch”, Ensign Rune Jolara & Lt. Cmdr. Luran Sorani, USS Avandar, SD 238911.17
- ↑ “Total Backfire”, Ensign Rune Jolara & Lt. Cmdr. T’Lea, USS Avandar, SD 238912.06
- ↑ "Dreaming Of You", LtCmdrs R.Jolara & A.DeVeau, USS Invicta, SD 239308.18