Peljenite
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Peljenite | |
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| Four Letter Code | PELJ |
| Federation Status | Neutral |
| Planet of Origin | Uvania |
| Encountered | DS9: Family Business |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N |
| List of Named Peljenites | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
- "May the First Ones always look upon your life with favor."
- a Peljenite greeting.
- "May the First Ones always look upon your life with favor."
- The Peljenites are a species of humanoids with deep spiritual beliefs. They also have very complicated and private grieving rituals for when one of them passes on.
Home System
- Quadrant: Alpha
- Location: Jov Parom Sector (coordinates A23-0001-1296)
- Proper Name: Jeni Uvania
- Star: It orbits a class A (White) star
- Distance from Star: it's orbit is approximately 39 million km
- Companions: It is the only planet in the system sandwiched in between two massive asteroid belts.
* Moons: none
Home World
- Proper Name: Uvania
- Diameter: 20,595 km (12,797 miles)
- Gravity: 1.03 standard gravity with a density of 3.5
- Axial Tilt: 8.3%, with minimal seasonal changes
- Orbital Period: 319 days
- Rotational Period: 22.6 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 54%
- Atmosphere: 1.13% is a standard pressure with 71% nitrogen, 23% oxygen, 6% trace chemicals
- Climate: It is a semi-tropical to temperate world.
- Terrain: Mainly a mountainous world with vast tropical swamps.
- Population: Just over 8 billion
History
They have had a stable, peaceful history with no real internal civil conflict of any kind. Experts believe that this may be more due to the geography and planetary environmental factors than due to any desire to live harmoniously with their neighbors.
The mountains kept their population fairly well dispersed over large areas with small pockets of high density populations scattered all over the place. The numerous tropical swamps meant a larger than normal death rate due to disease in those areas near to them.
However they did develop slowly and with few periods of stagnation. One of these was when they first considered exploring the universe around them by constructing space craft. They had the technology but not the drive to do it. In fact it took them almost 150 years before they finally did construct space craft and by that time they had advanced technologically to the point where it went smoother than normal.
It was not long after they had taken those first tentative steps into space that someone attacked and destroyed 2 of their vessels. They responded by pulling back and shifting their thoughts to the construction of some kind of defensive systems for their home world. This resulted in the creation of what may be one of the largest known mine fields in the Alpha, Beta Quadrants.
After another 100 years they again ventured tentatively out into space, making peaceful contact with a number of species and developing a reputation for being strictly neutral when it came to interstellar politics.
They were able to maintain this neutral stance all the way through the Dominion Wars.
In 2371, Benjamin Sisko negotiated with the Peljenites and persuaded them to exchange ambassadors with the Federation.
Government
They have a lottery which selects all members of their local city and unified planetary councils. The rich and powerful can afford to pay to keep their names out of the running and even the moderately successful usually can as well. Individuals holding office must give up all possessions, normally to other family members. They believe that individuals who have been chosen to serve the people should not have any distractions... so they must give up everything they have to better do the job in question.
Description
They have pinkish, lavender skin with mottled patterns of darker purples and reds.
Physiology
As with most intelligent humanoid species they have a very complex system with specialized organs, and unique hormones, chemicals and enzymes. They have adapted to breathing the high levels of chemical-rich atmosphere, some of which are normally very toxic to most humanoids. Their skin while very colorful has a thick leathery consistency that protects them from these toxic chemicals as well as a thin protective clear layer over their eyes.
Psychology
They seem to be very calculating, reserved and deliberate in their thinking and policies. As a result they seldom take chances and seem to have a fairly well-adjusted mental stability.
Religion
They worship a being they call the “First One”. It supposedly destroyed the other 2 planets in their system and created the 2 massive asteroid belts as a method of hiding their world. It is always depicted in statue form as a taller than normal being that looks like a unisex version of one of them. These statues can be found everywhere that people might gather outdoors, in parks, markets, and courtyards.
Burial Rites
When any of them die, the family goes into seclusion for 24 hours during which time they chant a wordless melody of harsh, grating screeches continuously that are meant to attract the “First Ones” attention. This is meant as a way to celebrate their passing and a warning that he has passed on.
After this mourning period the family comes out of seclusion and takes the powdered remains of the deceased to the highest mountain top near by. This is done at dawn while the family continues to chant. Then the powder is scattered to the wind to be gathered and accepted by the "First One".
Mythology
They have a number of creation myths about their world and legends regarding the destruction of the other 2 planets in their system. All of them refer to the “First One” as the power behind it all.
Society
They have a well-organized society, one where everyone has the chance to advance and succeed. Opportunities are there for those with the drive and will power to push themselves. Crime while very low is not unheard of and there are pockets of extreme poverty.
Their cities are not pretty, haphazard in their lay out and not well planned. The rich live well and the rest survive and make do with what is available.
Culture
Due to the high level of trace chemicals in the atmosphere the only forms of art that has flourished is music and sculptures. Over 50% of all sculptures are of the “First One”. However the rest are a kind of surrealistic montage of fancied imaginations.
Their music is loud, throbbing with sharp screeching intensity. Most humanoid species find it to be grating on the ears, almost like fingers on a chalkboard.
Customs
They go to extreme lengths to ensure their privacy during mourning. They call it seclusion, a 24 hour period during which the family gathers, chants constantly and prepares the body in secret for its final journey. Nothing is known about these private gatherings except that any attempt to interfere is met with deadly force as is any attempt to observe or discover just what it is they do during this time of mourning.
Technology
They are roughly equivalent to the least advanced Federation member world and have developed warp drive and transporter technology on their own with no outside assistance.
Economy
For the most part they seem to be fairly self-sufficient and have only established a few long term trade partnerships in the last 75 years. They trade raw resources for luxury goods with dilithium being their biggest export. When that is combined with the other raw materials they export it has proved to be a financial windfall for them.
Unfortunately the dilitium that they produce is considered of low quality and does not have any practical military applications. It is still good enough to be used for freighters, transports and low yield power supply systems.
Military
They have less than 20 warships, most of them being light cruisers and this seems to be sufficient for them. This is probably a realistic belief on their part as they have established enormous mine fields scattered throughout the 2 asteroid fields that are in their system. The warships guard the few safe lanes through these asteroid fields.
They do not have any infantry and employ a very small police force. Almost half of this force is permanently stationed on the one orbital commercial platform in orbit over their home world.
Federation Intelligence Files
In 2371, Benjamin Sisko was able to persuade them to exchange ambassadors with the United Federation of Planets. The success with the Peljenites put Sisko in a good mood.
A Peljenite worked in the research station on Bersallis III in 2375.
Sources
Both Memory Alpha and Memory Beta were used as references as well as the TV episode DS9: Family Business. Also used was the following written short story, New Worlds, New Civilizations: Ashes, Ashes.
SDC
This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 16 April 2014.
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SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
REV 239402.02 | ||
| Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||
| SB118-SDC | ||||