Talosian
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Talosian | |
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| Four Letter Code | TLSN |
| Federation Status | Allied |
| Planet of Origin | Talos IV |
| Encountered | TOS: "The Cage", "If Memory Serves", "The Menagerie" |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | TR |
| List of Named Talosians | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
- "We look to the future for our past holds many painful lessons."
- a Talosians saying.
- "We look to the future for our past holds many painful lessons."
- The Talosians are a species of incredibly powerful telepaths who after thousands of years have slowly become friends with the Federation and allied themselves with them after several unusual encounters.
Home System
- Quadrant: Alpha
- Location: Franovey Sector (coordinates A30-0002-1302)
- Proper Name: Talosian system
- Star: It orbits a binary star system of 2 class M (Red) stars
- Distance from Star: its orbit is approximately 72 million km
- Companions: It is the 4th of 11 planets in the system
- Moons: it has 2 moons.
Home World
- Proper Name: Talos IV
- Diameter: 17,571 km (10,918 miles)
- Gravity: 0.95 standard gravity with a density of 3.8
- Axial Tilt: 14.1%, with normal terran seasonal changes
- Orbital Period: 386 days
- Rotational Period: 26.5 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 46%
- Atmosphere: 0.98% is a standard pressure with 74% nitrogen, 26% oxygen, 2% trace chemicals
- Climate: Since the end of the reclamation of the surface they have had a fairly temperate climate with small polar and tropical zones.
- Terrain: Rough, rocky, hill zones and numerous mountain ranges protecting wide valleys, plains and forests.
- Population: Just over 10 Million
History
Over 100,000 years ago, the Talosians fought a nuclear war, leaving most of the planet's surface uninhabitable. They moved underground and developed their mental abilities to create realistic illusions, although their technological knowledge atrophied.
In 2236, the SS Columbia, carrying members of the American Continent Institute from Earth, crashed on Talos IV. All aboard were killed, save for one Human; a badly-injured female named Vina. The Talosians repaired her injuries, but their work left her disfigured, as the Talosians were unfamiliar with Human anatomy. Using their powers of illusion, Vina could live as if she was uninjured and was made to appear abnormally beautiful.
In 2254, the Talosians used a false distress signal to lure the USS Enterprise to Talos IV. They kidnapped Captain Christopher Pike in an effort to provide Vina with a mate in an attempt to use him to rebuild their civilization. The Talosians hoped that Pike would be attracted to Vina and would wish to remain on Talos IV. However, after assimilating the records of the Enterprise, the Talosians learned that Humans have a "unique hatred of captivity"; even when made as pleasant as possible, Humans prefer death. This made Humans unsuitable to the Talosians for breeding stock, and Pike and his crew were released.
The Talosians refused Pike's offer of trade and mutual understanding, claiming that Humans would use their powers of illusion to their own destruction. After Vina's true appearance was revealed, she was given back not only her illusion of beauty, but an illusory Pike to keep her company.
Given the extreme threat of the Talosians' powers of illusion, Starfleet issued General Order 7, forbidding any travel to Talos IV, under penalty of death.
In 2257 the Talosians helped to heal a mentally disabled Lieutenant Spock's mind after Michael Burnham brought him to Talos IV.
In 2267, Lieutenant Commander Spock kidnapped then-Fleet Captain Pike and hijacked the Enterprise. This was in co-operation with the head of the Talosian government and they went to Talos IV. It was an act of compassion undertaken as a result of the damage done to Pike's body in an accident involving delta rays that made him a prisoner of his own body. Given the specific circumstances, General Order 7 was rescinded, and Pike was allowed to live the rest of his life with Vina and the Talosians virtually free from his useless body.
By 2285, another planet in the system, Talos III, was a Federation colony.
By 2320, thanks to the efforts of Christopher Pike, Talos IV and Talosian culture had been revitalized. Ambassador Spock was summoned again to witness this change.
By 2373, the Talosians became active participants in the so-called Telepathy War with the Dominion. Many Talosians were affected by the Meme Virus, as were many telepathic races within the Federation. Several Jem'Hadar invaded Talos IV, but Omega Squad, led by a telepathic recreation of Christopher Pike, helped repel the invasion.
Following the end of the Dominion Wars, the Federation provided technical and scientific resources that were able to complete the recovery nature had started in regards to the radiation. This included some terraforming as well as genetic cloning of various native plants and animal life.
Government
The Magistrate (or Keeper) is the designation for the Talosian leader. They have a very democratic form of government with everyone having a vote in any major or minor issue that may affect their future, their development or their survival. Otherwise the Keeper and his assistants selected by him are in charge of normal operations.
Description
It is unknown what they originally looked like prior to the nuclear war that drove them underground over 100,000 years ago. Now they are slim humanoids on average about 5 foot tall with frail physical bodies and large over developed craniums. They have no body hair and large veins can be seen to throb along the outer surfaces of their heads. They wear long flowing white robes that conceal their entire bodies except for their hands and heads.
Physiology
As with most intelligent humanoids they have a complex and unique physiology. Still even with that, it is possible for alien species to provide proper medical care with only minor adjustments to normal medical responses.
Psychology
Little is known about their mental state prior to the nuclear war, however since that time they found that life using illusion was addictive, almost like a Human developing a physical and psychological dependence on narcotics. They became bored with the content of the illusions which they had. Their dependence upon these illusions for mental stimuli caused the Talosians to begin capturing space travelers to use as the living basis for their illusions.
However since the revitalization of their culture, this dependence has been greatly reduced and they have long since given up on capturing other species for new mental stimuli.
Religion
All traces of any form of religion was lost during the 100,000 years following the nuclear war that drove them underground. Now they are examining many of these beliefs in other species. It is unknown if this is an attempt to create or rediscover some form of belief system for their own use.
Mythology
Nothing of this kind survived the 100,000 years following the nuclear war that drove them underground.
Society
Following the nuclear war that destroyed their society, their only concern for many years was survival. Then they developed their dependency on illusionary fantasy as a means of coping with being confined below ground with no recreational or cultural outlets.
Now that they have reclaimed the surface and their people have started to develop back into a real society things have begun to change. It is unknown just how these changes will impact on their future development.
Culture
None survived the nuclear war 100,000 years ago. Now that the Federation has lifted the quarantine on them and they have had limited contact with other species, one of the things they have been most interested in is any and all forms of artistic expression.
Customs
None survived the nuclear war 100,000 years ago. Since the revitalization of their people they have started to try and develop new ones. It is unknown just how these changes will impact on their future development.
Technology
At one time they must have been fairly advanced since it was an enormous nuclear war that almost wiped them out and drove the few survivors underground.
It is only as a result of the influence of Admiral Pike that they were able to revitalize their people and culture. Since then they have begun to relearn many technological skills lost to them.
Following the end of the Dominion Wars, the Federation provided technological and scientific assistance to allow them to complete the recovery following the nuclear accident of the planets surface for use.
Economy
They are still fairly self sufficient but are starting to develop off world contacts and trade deals following their involvement in the so-called Telepathy War with the Dominion during the Dominion Wars.
Military
They were quarantined by the Federation for many years and have never needed or developed any military forces. Even with that they were able to assist the Federation during the so-called Telepathy War with the Dominion during the Dominion Wars.
Federation Intelligence Files
See Federation Intelligence files # TOS-2254-2683, TOS-2267-8921 and TOS-2267-8922.
Sources
Data from the following episodes was used, TOS: The Cage, TOS: The Menagerie, Part I and Part 2, DSC: If Memory Serves.
Other sources used were the Star Trek 4 novelization: The Menagerie, TOS novel: Burning Dreams and the SA comic: Telepathy War. See also a reference in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
SDC
This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 11 July, 2012
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SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
REV 239806.26 | ||
| Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||
| SB118-SDC | ||||