Andorian
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Andorian | |
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| File:Andorian.jpg | |
| Four Letter Code | ANDR |
| Federation Status | Member |
| Planet of Origin | Andoria (Epsilon Indii) |
| Encountered | Encountered by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (TOS: Journey to Babel). First enountered by Enterprise (NX-01) (ENT: The Andorian Incident) |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N |
| List of Named Andorians | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
Physiology
The Andorians are a humanoid species from the moon Andoria, homeworld of the Andorian Empire, and one of the founding members of the United Federation of Planets. The Andorian people have white hair, blue skin and 3 to 4 inch antenna sticking up out of their heads. On the average they tend to be a very tall, slim race. They tend to be 1.7 to 2.1 meters tall. While obesity is not unknown among them, it is culturally condemed by the majority of them.
While their tall slim forms can seem to be frail and slight this is completely incorrect. They have very dense bone and muscle tissue that gives them incredible physical strength. In fact the average Andorian can easily lift twice their body weight with little effort.
They prefer high levels of humidity, give off a sweet floral smell when exercising and turn purple when they blush due to embarrassment.
While they have a normal skeleton like any other humanoid race they also have cartilage plates under their skin that act as a partial exoskeleton. This gives added protection to their vital organs, but it also provides addition strength to their muscles.
Andorian zhen and shen may be taller than thaan and chan, if Tarah and Talas, seen next to their "male" companions, are any indication.
Circulatory System
Due to the frigid, ozone-rich environment in which they live in which they live, Andorians have evolved a twin-layered circulatory system. This system makes intravenous injection impossible, and therefore physicians must administer medication through intermuscular injection instead. Andorians are true bluebloods, their blood being based on cobalt as opposed to the iron-based red blood of humans or the copper-based green blood of Vulcans. Andorian tongues and gums alternated from dark blue to pink.
Senses
Andorians have heightened senses. Their visual ability is astounding and well above that of what is considered as generally accepted levels for normal humans. They also have increased senses of smell and hearing thanks to their ability to recieve addition information with the use of their antennae. This information is usually superior to that which they can recieve from their nose or ears. Antennae are linked to the sinus cavity, and can detect (among other things) temperature change, change in air pressure, subtle variations in air flow and sub-sonic sounds.
Antennae
Andorians have two supercranial antennae that aid in balance as well as the sensory enhancements mentioned above. If one is lost an Andorian's balance is temporarily disrupted, rendering them unable to fight, but they could adapt to its loss within a day. Antennae take up to nine months to regrow, though electrical stimulation and cranial massage therapy can cut regeneration time in half. While it is true that if they lose their antenna they will grow back in about 9 months, most Andorians prefer not to survive the loss. The loss of an antenna is very similar to being mute, deaf, castrated and mutilated all at the same time in human terms. It is because of this that most Andorians suffer from a deep and wide spread fear of antenna loss. There is also the fact that while waiting for their antenna to regenerate that they are at a severe disadvantage in situations that require their balance to be unimpaired such as physical combat.
Antennae are moved by muscles that can be controlled separately from one another. Such movement can express feelings in much the same way as other humanoids use their facial muscles to the same effect. They easily convey such emotions as fear (by quivering), excitement (by standing rigid), confusion (by lashing about), rage (by pressing back against the skull), amusement (by the antenna faceing each other), interest (by curving towards object of interest), tiredness (by drooping) and sexual arousal (by slow writhing). Andorians often point their antennae at potential mates to signify attraction, in fact the most erotic caress or intimate kiss among Andorians involves the touching of the tips of their antennae together. Antennae are considered to be more than just a sensory organ, in fact they are so important to Andorians that touching them without permission is considered to be the ultimate act of rudeness and any threat of injury to their antennae is considered grounds for assault and murder.
It is believed that because they can sense subtle variations in pitch and vibration that Andorian speech is soft and sibilant. This is also believed to be partially due to their language originating from music and partially due to their hearing being different from other races. This theory is lent support by the fact that as a culture Andorians have a great interest in music.
Metabolism
Andorians, with a higher metabolic rate than Humans, were especially vulnerable to phase pulse infection; even minor phase injuries could prove fatal. However, they have demonstrated resistance to a wide range of environmental conditions. In a climate where the temperature is near the boiling point of water, an Andorian could still thrive, despite losing 10% of their body weight in two days.
It is theorised that due to Andorian metabolism being higher than that of Humans they are quicker to tire during periods of physical exertion.
The Andorian digestive system can not tolerate chocolate.
Andorians are neither nocturnal or diurnal and can function just as well at any time of the day or night. In fact they can easily survive on 3 to 4 hours of sleep during a standard 32 hour Andorian day.
Races
There are 3 races and 1 sub-race among the Andorians. These are the Thallassan, Talish, Bish'ee and the Aenar (a sub-race of the Bish'ee).
Thallassan
The Thallassan race are the most common and numerous of the Andorian races. They can be identified by their bumpy antenna that stick up from the top of their heads, but then curve forward so that the tips face forward. These tips tend to look like a flower because they flare out right at the tip around the opening.
Talish
The Talish race can be identified by their thin, smooth antenna that stick out from the tops of their foreheads and extend out forward with a slight bend in the antenna. The tip is smooth, does not flare out and ends with a small tiny opening that they use to hear and smell with.
Bish'ee
The antenna of the Bish'ee are straight, standing up from their heads about halfway between where they would be on a Talish or a Thallassan. They are smooth and end in an almost unnoticable flare right at the tip around the opening to the internal sensory organs.
Aenar
The Aenar are a sub-race as they are closely related to the Bish'ee but they are also radically different from any of the other Andorian races. They are blind, albino cave dwellers that live in the far north in underground cities that exist under the polar cap. They were considered to be a myth for many years but since have been proven to exist. Still very few people have ever seen one as they are isolationists who value their carefully guarded privacy. While they are considered to be a very secretive people it is considered fact that they are quiet, intelligent, peaceful and carry themselves with a kind of reserved dignity. They are also telepathic but are polite enough to ask for permission before they read someones mind. How they are able to get around with out being able to see is unknown. This is just another one of the many mysteries that they either can't or won't explain about themselves.
| Thalassan | Talish | Bish'ee | Aenar |
|---|---|---|---|
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Skin
The remarkable blue color that everyone has come to associate with the Andorians is due to a protein dye called HZB-41 that is very similar to melanin in humans. This protein dye is produced by almost every form of animal life on their homeworld. The dye has a very short life span and as such Andorians need to constantly replace this protein. The most common method is through their diet. When an Andorian becomes ill their skin coloration tends to fade. This is because their immune system is fighting off the illness and can not produce enough dye to maintain their normal skin color.
Gender
Andorians have 4 genders, 2 of which resemble males and 2 of which resemble females. These are called Thaan, Chan, Shen and Zhen. This can result in some confusion among outsiders. Sometimes it is difficult to tell what gender an Andorian is on sight. This is especially true as a chen can appear to be feminine and a shen can appear to be masculine.
Thaan
A Thaan has internal testes, retractable penis and produces sperm to fertilize the egg of a Shen.
Chan
A Chan has internal testes, retractable penis and produces sperm to fertilize the egg of a Shen.
Shen
A Shen has a retractable ovipositor which they use to transfer the fetus from their uterus to the pouch of a Zhen. They also have a vagina, ovaries and uterus. They recieve the sperm, produce the egg which then develops into a embryo and then transfer it to the Zhen's pouch once it has developed enough to make the transfer safely.
Zhen
A Zhen has a vagina which is only useable for pleasure, not reproduction. They also have 4 teats on their lower abdomen and the ability to produce a pouch that is used to house the transfered embryo while it grows.
Reproduction
In order for Andorians to produce a child it takes 1 of each gender. They each have a specific role to play. This starts with the Thaan fertilizing the Shen's egg. Then the Chan has to fetilize it next. The reason for this is that the 2 males, the Thaan and the Chen each have 1/4 of the nessassary genetic material needed to create a child. The Shen has the other half with in her egg.
Once the egg has developed into a fetus it has to be transfered to the Zhen. This is because only the Zhen can nurse the young. When the Shen becomes pregnant special glands along the Zhens spine become active. They will secrete a membrane that forms a pouch around the lower torso. At this time the 4 teats on the Zhens lower abdomen will start to form milk. Unlike Humans these do not result in rounded breasts. The inner lining of the pouch produces a thick gel that will protect the baby while it nurses until it is mature enough to survive outside of the pouch.
Once the baby has emerged from the pouch the Zhen will come out of protective seclusion. Her pouch will dry up and flake away. The other 3 bondmates will then assist by rubbing her with oils and help to peel off the remains of the now useless pouch. Due to the fact that Andorian fertility periods have been slowly getting shorter they will try to concieve as many children as possible during this period and since fewer viable children have been born the Andorians have been forced to arrange bondings among genetically compatible members of their society. This has replaced allowing the young people to pick their bondmates. As with most humanoid races most Andorians will experiment with sex at puberty. Since their fertility period is so short it is impossible to produce offspring before or after this time. If they are found to be genetically acceptable they will generally be bonded by the age of 23.
Psychology
Behavior
The Andorian race has a genetic tendency towards violent behaviour. The cause of this is a biochemical reaction to possible danger. The result is an increase in sensory input levels, enhanced analytical, reasoning skills and usually physical violence depending on the source of the danger.
Andorians have a greater ability to handle stress and pressure. They usually become calmer and more focused in a crisis until they finally allow themselves to resort to violence if the situation calls for it.
The Andorian people are a complex and often puzzling race for others to try and understand. One reason is that most non-Andorians think that they are humorless and irritable. This is not true. They have a unique form of humor that most other races find almost impossible to understand. They also have trouble understanding the humor of other races.
As for being irritable this may be because they have a strong cultural taboo against frivolity or any activity that that may be a waste of time. They are very serious and hard working and tend to avoid activities that others enjoy. Since they tend to avoid all most all recreational activites or social gatherings this has resulted in many thinking they are unsociable or snobbish. Another aspect of this problem is that they do not take part in small talk. All conversations tend to be very business like.
Andorians almost never create strong personal friendships with anyone who is not bonded with them. This is due to their cultural concept of the whole that can only be achieved by bonding with the other 3 members of their bondgroup.
Andorians have a long history of conflict. While it is true that they do not tend to enter into combat without a good reason, when they do they fight they can attack quickly, fighting with extreme skill and savagery. However they prefer to take their time, thinking out all the pros and cons of a strategy if the battle permits. It is because of their strong martial spirit, personal honor and strong sense of duty that they tend to make excellent military officers.
Another aspect of their nature that has and probably will continue to cause them problems with other races is their concept of privacy. They do not use doors and tend to have communal sleeping and living areas. For them privacy is a personal concept. They avoid seeing or hearing anything that happens within someone else's personal space. For them to listen in or observe something of a personal nature would be considered incredibly rude and culturally unacceptable.
Should anyone happen to wrong an Andorian it is likely to provoke an extreme reaction, often resulting in violence, depending on the nature of the misdeed.
Emotion
Among Andorians a smile is convayed by a soft, liquid gaze. It is only because of their exposure to humans and other races to who facial expressions are the custom that they have learned to mimic and make a reserved human-like smile. In many different situations an Andorian's emotions can be read by looking at the position of their antennae.
Code of Honour
In order to limit disputes to small numbers of individuals rather than entire clans, Andorians follow a strict code of honour that governs duelling as a means of resolving differences.
A crucial part of Andorian tradition is Ushaan, a code of honor demanding a duel to the death, with combatants pitted against one another using an ushaan-tor (iceminer's tool). A vast body of regulations with around 12,000 amendments binds this code. Such a fight can be called off if one combatant disabled the other enough to prevent its continuance. Though Ushaan can be called by someone to avenge a personal loss, there exists a right of substitution wherein each combatant can offer up a replacement, and married combatants could postpone duels indefinitely if they had no children to continue their clans.
Invoked for personal grievances, the Ushaan can be settled by first strike, first blood, or in the cases of extreme actions such as murder, to the death. Most Andorians reserve these customs for other Andorians only, but traditionalists may hold other species to the same values.
Imperial Guard members who died far from home could count on their companions to transport a body part back to the Andorian ices.
Weapons
| Name | Dimensions | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chaka | 35cmx75cm | A claw-like weapon designed to be cradled between the fingers to form a punch-blade. Multiple blades protrude from the sides of the weapon, allowing for multiple lacerations in one stroke. |
| Hrisal | 60cm long | Single-edged fighting knife favoured by the Andorian Imperial Guard. |
| Flabbjellah | Unknown | Combined musical instrument and weapon |
| Ushaan-tor | Unknown | Miner’s ice-pick |
The Spring Water Festival
This is the most important Andorian holiday. It involves a chan and a shen joining together in a ritual to plead for the protection of the Water Guardian. It is a widely celebrated festival that is so important that many Andorians return home to Andor to participate even though it occurs during the stormy season.
This holiday involves fasting, prayer and personal sacrifice. In the past after the proper rituals were observed the people would indulge in drinking, overeating, saf and tezha which is sex with strangers. Many of the older practices have now been outlawed but are still practised in the oldest levels of the cities. The recreation use of saf is still a major part of these festivities.
Dress
Andorian dress varies as much as would be expected of any member-race of the Federation. However, there are some traditions that have been upheld since the Federation was founded.
Hair
Members of the Andorian Imperial Guard have short hair cuts. Civilians wear their hair long, and often braided.
Ritual attire
The attire used for formal Andorian rituals differs by gender:-
| Gender | Ritual Attire |
|---|---|
| Thaan | Suit of chain mail. |
| Chan | Traditional Andorian warrior's attire. |
| Shen | A robe that exposes the whole of the shen's back. Shen often wear body paint to ritual ceremonies. |
| Zhen | Three piece bodysuit. This is knitted and form fitting. An over-garment is worn to protect the privacy of a zhen who is carrying a child to term. |
Language & Names
Andorians speak Graalen (their native tongue) and Federation standard.
Name
Andorian names are comprised of a given name, which may be considerably longer than the name as to which they are referred. This is followed by an abbreviation of their gender, which prefixes their clan name. For example, and Andorian zhen referred to as Indra may have the full given name KalIndra, and her surname would be prefixed by zh' to represent her gender. Assuming she is a member of the Idrani clan, her full name would be KalIndra zh'Idrani. Federation practice often allows Andorians to be referred to by a section of their given name with their rank attached.
Graalen (Andorian Language)
Below is an example of Graalen, showing the ways in which the four genders are referred to in various situations and through varying levels of politeness.
| Apparent Sex | Gender | Polite form of Address | Bondmate Endearment | Parental Name | Offspring Name | Sibling | Parent by Marriage | Child by Marriage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| She | Zhen | Zha | Zh'yi | Zhavey | Zhei | Zhi | Zhadi | Zhri'za |
| She | Shen | Sha | Sh'za | Shreva | Shei | Shi | Shidei | Shri'za |
| He | Chan | Cha | Ch'te | Charan | Chei | Chi | Chada | Chri'ze |
| He | Thaan | Tha | Th'se | Thavan | Thei | Thi | Thadu | Thri'ze |
Examples taken from the table above include the Andorian equivalents to the Federation Standard "sister", being shi or zhi, depending on gender, and the equivalents for "father" being charan and thavan.
Kethni
Andorians are divided not by countries or political boundaries, but by family and clan groups. The clans, known as keth, each specialise in an area of expertise, as well as representing a portion of the Andorian government. Below is a sample of some major Andorian clans and their specialisms.
| Clan | Specialism |
|---|---|
| Aldin | Sciences |
| Athrun | Piloting |
| Birev | Engineering |
| Dara | Black Ops |
| Dovoro | Business and Trade |
| Idrani | Armed Combat |
| Idisha | Theater |
| Kor | Negotiation |
| P'Trell | Medicine |
| Talliryen | Industry |
One Andorian clan of note is Reiji, a near-forgotten clan who devote themselves to representing the old way of life. They have been known to take part in an archaic form of gambling in which they stake their own teeth.
Clans meet in keeps, underground fortresses that are formed either naturally in the case of volcanic caves, or else are man-made. A representative from each keth, known as a Presider, is sent to represent the clan on the Andorian government.
The upper floor of council chamber contains an eight-sided room known as the Heroes’ antechamber. The Andorian Chancellor and the Federation Ambassador are both elected by members of the keth and serve on the Andorian government.
Marriage & Upbringing
Andorian wedding rings are worn on the left antennae. To give an Andorian antennae jewellery or bells for their antenna is considered an act of friendship or courtship. Andorian weddings require four people.
Once a bonding has occured between a compatable set of 4 Andorians, only the clan's ruling Zhavey (oldest zhen) can give permission for one of them to be released from their bond. In rare cases bondmates can ask the elder to invoke the Whole Vessel Law to evict a bondmate from the bond. This is an extreme act as all 4 Andorians will suffer but not nearly as much as the one evicted, who will suffer the most psychologically from being alone.
While this is hard for outsiders to understand a bond is whole even if the members are far apart pursuing their own lives and careers. When one of the members of a bond is lost due to death or removal from the bond they will seek to try and replace that individual as quickly as possible. Once the fertility period is over and any children have been raised it is not uncommon for bondmates to move away and pursue lives and careers that may result in their being totally secluded from the other members of their bond for years at a time.
While sexual union outside of the bond is frowned upon it is also understood that young adults will experiment. However once the bond has become formalized it is generally uncommon.
A nursing zhen is called a zhavey and will go into seclusion for the safety of her child while it is growing within her pouch. During this time she will wear a modesty drape over her pouch. She will also have a purplish pigmentation on her neck that will identify her as a nursing mother. This is usually still visible once she comes out of seclusion.
Declining Population
Due to the requirement of four parents in the reproductive cycle and the usual production of less than four offspring, the Andorian species is in decline.
With the decline in population the Andorian Science Institute has been hard at work exploring possible solutions to this problem.
The most promising form of research has been into altering the Andorian chromosome #17. It is believed that by altering this chromosome they could increase the length of fertility considerably, thus increasing the number of years during which conception would be possible.
Another area of research is into the possibility of altering the way the gametes divide in the body. If successful, this would make both the Thaan and the Chan fully functional males with viable sperm. The long term implications for them as a race would be the elimination of the need for paired quads as their would eventually only be two sexes.
However this research has produced great controversy within the Andorian society. It goes against all their customs and traditions. Many Andorians are outraged by this research and feel that any and all work into altering the four sexes should be stopped and destroyed.
Education
Andorian classes are held at any time of the day or night as they have no set sleep cycle. Students sit in age groups and will all wear a tunic like uniform of brown. Young children learn to chant the history, legends and traditions of their people, thus memorizing this information at a young age. Older students wear a fitted brown uniform.
Religion and Spirituality
While Andorians do not appear outwardly to be religious, there are tenets and beliefs that they hold dear. Perhaps the most important axiom of the Andorian people is: “With the bond we are whole, without the bond we are nothing”
Deities and Religious Principles
Uzaveh the Infinite is the main deity in the Andorian belief system. It is believed that he was responsible for the Breaking (dividing of the Andorian people into four genders). The Tale of the Breaking recounts in detail as to how the four Andorian genders tie in with religion. This relates to each representing an element of Andorian spirituality.
- Thaan are believed to represent wisdom. Their spiritual element is Star.
- Zhen are believed to represent strength. Their spiritual element is Earth.
- Shen are believed to represent blood. Their spiritual element is Water.
- Chan are believed to represent passion. Their spiritual element is Fire.
Thori is the Andorian deity who governs nature, including the growth of crops and the ecology of Andoria.
Rituals
The Sending
The Sending is a ritual that is observed to mark the death of a clansman.
- It is preceded by the Rite of Memory in which mourners record memories of the deceased in the form of biochemical imprints on a crystalline cipher.
- Mourners create their own mask of death for this ritual. It cannot take place until all members of the clan concerned are present to participate. As such, the deceased is kept preserved in the clan keep until the ritual can begin.
- The ritual is timed to be completed before midnight. Clan members are summoned by five tolls of a bell, at which time the coffin is brought out from the keep by hooded, robed figures to the rhythm of a drum beat. The procession is led by the three surviving bond mates of the deaceased, and a priest or priestess who represents the missing gender from the bond. Each one represents one of the four Andorian elements – Wisdom, Strength, Blood and Passion.
- The coffin is placed on an obsidian coffin while ritual songs are sung. When the entirety of the procession reaches the table, the leader of the ceremony offers a prayer before both the body and the memory cipher are cremated.
The Time of Knowing
The Time of Knowing is a ritual of betrothal between a member of each of the four sexes. A locket containing a strand of each member’s hair, and the symbols of each sex placed around a cross-shape is given to participants.
Ships
As members of the United Federation of Planets, the Andorians have access to many different types of Starfleet Vessel. However, Andorian Battle-Cruisers are used as the mainstay of the Andorian Imperial Guard.
Federation Intelligence Files
- The Andorian Merchant Fleet is the largest in Federation space.
- Andorian Volna Viria gangsters are often involved in the affairs of the Orion Syndicate.
- No members of this Federation race were aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) when Data's offspring, Lal, was "born." Lal rejected an Andorian female as one of four final choices for a racial type, instead opting to become a human female.
- Andor is among the many planets providing a registry home to numerous ships that use Deep Space Nine.
- Chirurgeon Ghee P'Trell, an Andorian, was nominated for the Carrington Award in 2371.
- It is said that Andorian renegades, in the Triangula system, once embarrassed a Starfleet admiral's supposed search when they hid their ship by dismantling it.
- This Federation member-race was the subject of some kind of gender-swapping joke by Quark but MA:Morn was slow to catch; the punchline was "and the Andorian says, 'Your brother? I thought it was your wife!"
- Interestingly, Andorians are amongst the only aliens who are approved as alien partners by the Deltan people as regards their policy on Deltan partnerships on starships. This is possibly due to the Andorians' four gender reproductive system and the nature of the sensitivity of their antennae, which would safeguard them from the same levels of emotional trauma that could potentially be caused to other species.
Sources
- Star Trek: Enterprise ("The Andorian Incident", "Shadows of P'Jem", "Cease Fire", "Twilight", "Proving Ground", "Countdown", "Zero Hour", "Kir'Shara", "Babel One", "United", "The Aenar", "In a Mirror, Darkly", "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II", "Demons", "Terra Prime", "These Are the Voyages...")
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("Prodigal Daughter")
- Memory Alpha (various pages)
- Memory Beta (various pages)
- http://www.geocities.com/therinofandor/fish.html
- http://www.70disco.com/andorian.htm
- http://www.StarTrek.com
- Andor: Paradigm – Jarman, H.(Worlds of Deep Space Nine, Book 1, Pocket, 2004)
- Avatar, Book 2 – Perry, S.D. (Pocket, 2001)
- Section 31: Abyss – Weddle, D. & Lang, J. (Pocket, 2001)
- Gateways: Demons of Air and Darkness, DeCandido, K.R.A. (Pocket 2001)
- Star Trek Roleplaying Game: Aliens (Decipher, 2003)
- Invasion!: Time’s Enemy – Graf, L.A. (Pocket 1996)
- STARFLEET Star Trek Fan Club, Andorian Orientation College documentation.