CIRCE- The Telaris Compact

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The Telaris Compact

INTRODUCTION

The Telaris Compact is the political entity located in a cluster of six large stars close enough together to be called 'companions' of each other. Along with the six main stars, there are eight smaller stars, some of which could be classified as extremely hot brown dwarfs. The Telaris system is considered and astronomical and astrophysical impossibility, however it exists. Several noted astrophysicists believe that the system may have been 'constructed' by the now-extinct Tkon empire due to ruins found on several of the habitable minor planets, including Erasia Tel IV in the Beta Telaris orbital and Omicron Tel VII in the Delta Telaris orbit. The Tkon Empire died out approximately 600,000 years ago, but the height of their civilization is estimated to be at least 1.5 million years before their 'Age of Makto' which heralded the fall of the Empire

The orbits of the stars are, for the most part, very irregular. However, three stars -- Alpha Telaris, Beta Telaris and Zeta Telaris have planets in a stable orbit -- again there is no scientific reason for those orbits to be stable. The Tkon Empire was rumored to be able to move entire star systems -- a feat that modern science deems impossible. None the less, xenoarcheologists have found proof that Tkon Empire did exactly that.

Alpha Telaris and Beta Telaris are considered a binary star, each with two companion stars, although in truth, the Telaris System is more of a sextet of companion stars than a cluster of star systems.

The Telaris Cluster is arranged roughly in this order:

• Alpha Telaris [Blue Giant; primary star]
  • Gamma Telaris [Yellow star; secondary]
    • Eta Telaris [Brown dwarf, tertiary]
    • Theta Telaris ['Pink' star; tertiary]
  • Delta Telaris [Yellow dwarf, secondary]
    • Iota Telaris [White dwarf, tertiary]
    • Kappa Telaris [Brown dwarf, tertiary]
• Beta Telaris [Blue Giant; primary star]
  • Epsilon Telaris [Green giant; secondary]
    • Xi Telaris [White dwarf, tertiary]
    • Phi Telaris [Red Dwarf; tertiary]
  • Zeta Telaris [Red Giant; secondary]
    • Sigma Telaris [Blue Dwarf, tertiary]
    • Omicron Telaris [Orange dwarf, tertiary]

Alpha and Beta Telaris are the central stars; Gamma and Delta Telaris orbit Alpha Telaris; Epsilon and Zeta Telaris orbit Beta Telaris.

In turn, each of the tertiary stars orbits the secondary star it is associated with.

Logically speaking, the rules of astrophysics and astronomy state that this arrangement, especially the existence of that many stable orbits, should not and could not exist within the natural order; however, it does. Noted Hamalki astrophysicist K't's'lk once, operating off the premise that the stars could be placed in any position they would need to be, worked out the exact calculations and placement of the stars that would allow for such an arrangement, accounting for the gravitational constants of other stellar bodies nearby, the change in stellar 'climate' and gravitational constants from adding that much mass, and adjusting for the removal of an equal amount of mass within a galactic supercluster or two of the intended locale. She claims that, mathematically speaking, if someone were to attempt to construct such a system, Telaris is how one would go about doing it. She also commented that building her very own impossible star system would be the project keeping her occupied (once she finished finding a way to manage a workable spacefold, that is). As usual, Federation science authorities looked at her findings and theories with skepticism and no small amount of fear -- she just might try, after all.

GOVERNMENT

The Telaris Compact is very loosely ruled and administered by a council consisting of one member from each of the member races, elected by popular vote once every standard decade known as the Council of the Thirteen. These representatives control the Compact's administration, serve as the highest court, command the military and manage the economy. The military is made up of volunteers from all thirteen member races, each contributing what they are able. For the most part, the worlds of the Telaris Compact need very little administration due to the independent nature of each of the Member worlds and the nature of the species living upon them. Only since First Contact with the Federation has the Council of Thirteen truly had much more to do than manage the interstellar commerce and military space fleets.

ECONOMICS

The Telaris Compact has nigh-on unlimited natural resources, a nearly unlimited workforce in terms of the Cth'Ickt'Ath and Arachinae; skilled workers, and the ability to transport and manufacture trade goods at incredible speed. The Compact also has access to thousands of specialty markets due to their ability to produce exotic plants and animals (some even extinct) as well as their ability to comprehend and adapt unusual technologies into their own.

Those specialty goods are the Compact's major export, next to luxury goods and finally refined ore, minerals, and other such materials necessary for a space-faring society.

HISTORY

The history of the Telaris Compact begins approximately 500,000 standard years ago. None of the races of the Compact have history or records extending back farther than this point. Their history begins in the 40 Tau Cygnus Beta cluster and continues from there. A very few word of mouth legends existing in all races of the Compact speak of the Membership (the races of the Compact) having served a great and terrible 'master race' that had created them. When that race began to fall and was threatened with extinction, they created the 40 Tau Cygnus Beta cluster for their servants and placed them there with no memory or records of having been servants -- they saved those they created instead of allowing them to face extinction with their creators.

Within the first millennia of being 'placed' in the cluster, the Membership arranged to meet via psionic medium, and forged the Compact. The Erasians of Erasia Tel IV, a moon in orbit around the massive gas giant Telaris, initiated the meeting and the headed the Compact. In honor of their efforts, the new political entity was named for the world they orbited.

There was a brief period of exploration beyond the Compact that lasted less than 10,000 years; the Memebership encountered several races that proved hostile -- the Paxan (now xenophobic isolationists -- their existence is classified at the highest levels), the Melkot, the Exaliba, the Iconians, the Fabrini, the Sargosians and others. Even at that time, the Membership was more concerned with mysticism and discovering their origins than they were with expansion or commerce, but they were not isolationist.

After several abortive conflicts, the Membership withdrew behind their own borders and began exploring the 'inner space' of the mind. During this peaceful 'golden age', the Membership was a haven for Iconian refugees fleeing destruction at the hands of a coalition of species seeking their destruction. The coalition followed the refugees to the Compact, but was repulsed by the military and psionic might of the Compact.

Although the Compact was full of dynamic and innovative species, they stagnated for the most part. Aside from brief encounters with Aldeans, Vulcans, and other starfaring species, they did not have significant contact with outside forces until contacted by the Federation. There were a very few, small wars and diplomatic liaisons, but nothing of significant note.

Approximately 3500 years before the Federation contacted the Compact, there was an unspecified and unknown conflict that seemed to take place within the borders of the Membership, leaving the majority of the Compact in ruins; psionic knowledge and disciplines were lost, history was destroyed, and the technological level of the Compact was reduced to pre-warp levels. The only references to this period of time is one that leads xeno-archeologists to believe that the threat was extra-galactic.

During the period of re-building after the devastation, the Compact (specifically, the Erasians) first encountered the Others. Known to be Vulcanoid in appearance and to possess formidable psionic powers, the Others have plagued the Erasians for over a thousand years. They are figures of fear and terror in Erasian folklore and history -- they are boogeymen who really exist.

Although the Federation did not officially encounter the Compact until mid 2374, there was intermittent contact between the Hamalki of Alpha Areitis IV and the Membership for several hundred years before that -- much of which was unknown to the governing body of the Hamalki. Larien Mistani, a noted writer, philosopher, theologian and statesman constantly pushed for the Compact to seek out other interstellar civilizations -- that the Memebership could not stand on it's own if another disaster were to strike - or if they were to find the truth of their origins. He predicted that eventually, even if the Membership did not seek out other civilizations, they would be discovered.

His prediction was proven to be prophecy in 2274 when the Federation Starship USS ARCHANGEL made contact with the Compact supraluminal sail-ship Eleayn Corvisai just outside the border of the Compact. In 2379, the Telaris Accords were signed by both the Compact and the Federation, making the Telaris Compact a Protectorate of the Federation. The Federation Council has repeatedly attempted to entice the Compact to become of a full member of the Federation, but the Membership prefers to remain autonomous.

FIRST CONTACT

In 2374, the USS ARCHANGEL NCC 12344 (SOVERGIEGN-class refit, INDIGO fleet) , commanded by Captain T'Andri was exploring the BETA quadrant during a routine mapping mission and detected a small cluster of six stars within unusual proximity to one another -- so close, in fact, that it would only take a few months of sub-light travel to reach any of them.

As soon as the Archangel entered the gravity field of the star cluster, they detected a ship dropping out of high warp. Easily the size of her own Sovereign-class starship, the vessel that emerged was nothing like any ship Starfleet had encountered.

It was a solar-sail vessel.

It was well documented that the ancient Bajorans had used such ships to explore beyond the confines of their own solar system (although there is much conjecture on just how they got into space in the first place). Some xeno-archeologists also suspect ancient Vulcans of the same, but there is little to no proof.

One sensor sweep showed the solar-sail vessel to easily be the equal of the Archangel in terms of firepower, maneuverability and sub-light speeds. It is also now known that the solar-sail vessel was capable of limited hyperspace flight. The solar-sail vessel contacted the Archangel on subspace channels, identifying itself as the Eleayn Corvisai -- or the Telaris Prime, the flagship of the Telaris Compact local naval patrol. The message stated that the Eleayn Corvisai had detected the Archangel entered Telaris space and had moved to intercept.

When Captain T'Andri responded, the 'First' of the Telaris Prime, a man named Valyn Trya immediately ordered battle stations and brought his weapons to bear. He asked T'Andri what she thought she was doing there; that the the Others were not welcome.

T'Andri calmly responded that she was Vulcan and did not understand what Valyn was implying.

T'Andri invited Valyn and another aboard, a woman named Taia. At Valyn's request, T'Andri allowed Taia to scan her mind telepathically. Once it was proven that T'Andri was not one of 'the Others', the Archangel was invited to visit the heart of the Telaris Compact, a world translated as Erasi Tel IV.

It took the Archangel almost two days to navigate through the gravimetric fields, ion storms, stellar clouds, and radiation pools marring the sector. The learned later the Erasians called it 'the Vortex'.

Finally the Archangel took up orbit around Erasi Tel IV -- the largest moon (Earth-sized) of the most massive gas giant in the Federation Astronomy Database. The gas giant was known as Telaris, and all six of the primary stars (there some ten or twelve 'companion' stars) were named after it. Beta Telaris, the home of Telaris itself, was a gargantuan, immensely hot blue giant that seemed to have been -- stabilized -- somehow. It was a star that would not face death until the universe ended.

And that was only the first oddity about the Telaris Compact.

The Compact was was made up of several dozen sentient races, only one of which was humanoid; and science could prove without a doubt that none of them had evolved in the Telaris sector. In fact, none of them had racial histories or memories going back farther than about a millennia, when the races of the Compact settled there.

There was also significant proof that at least one race -- the humanoid Erasians (from Erasia Tel IV) -- had been created, genetically engineered from the amino acids up, were possibly a 'servant' race of some kind.

No one species of the Compact was dominant, although the Erasians acted as the 'voice' of the Compact. Most species were telepathic in some way, however the Erasians were not; it was a rare ability amongst their people, and one usually relegated to their priests. Their religion is very similar to that of Vulcans, in that they perceive a higher order, a higher power to the Univerese (what Vulcans call a'tha), but they seem to revere a goddess called Ashar. Very little is understood concerning this religion.

The Erasians refused to explain who 'the Others' were, merely stating that they were an ancient, almost mythological, enemy of the Compact. The only image of an 'Other' appeared to be a Vulcan in some sort of ceremonial garb. This revelation has disturbed Vulcan greatly, and the Vulcan councils pressured the Federation to send a comprehensive diplomatic mission under the command of T'Andri back to the Compact.

In 2386 the Telaris Accords were signed, making the Compact a Federation Protectorate. The Vulcan Ambassador, Sehval, remained behind and has continued to express interest in the Compact, including arranging for an Erasian girl to be psionically trained on Vulcan. T'Andri sponsored the same girl to Starfleet Academy several years later.

RACES OF THE TELARIS COMPACT

The Telaris Compact is made up of thirteen (13) member species; there are several primary similarities between the majority of the races that form a common bond (there are five species that seem to be native to the systems that were moved to create the 40 Tau Cygnus Beta cluster).

• They possess some level of psionic ability.
• Possess the 'Great Servant' legend.

ERASIANS

NOTE: The Erasians are the only race from the Compact currently in play

• Erasia Tel IV

The only remotely humanoid member race of the Compact, the Erasians are perhaps the least populous and are considered by some to be the most advanced. The Erasians have a highly developed culture centering around their religion, the worship of Sehlara, the Lady of the Stars. The Erasians are slender and petite humanoids with a metabolism based off of cobalt and silver, giving them a slight blue tint to their skin. Because they are capable of seeing into the ultraviolet spectrum, their eyes have a luminescent quality to them. They are elfin in appearance, with pale skin, hair, and eyes are a somewhat weaker than humans, but do not require as much sleep. However, they do require a significantly larger intake of food (5-7 major meals a day) as requiring alkaline metals in their diets and must supplement standard nutrition with injections of these metals. They also require trace amounts of gold, silver, copper, lithium, magnesium, and other elements that are included in their supplemental injections. (The fact this is required is another point of evidence that Erasians might be genetically engineered.)

Erasia Tel IV itself is the second largest moon of Beta Telaris IV.

The Erasians have a technology based around solar-sail transport and trilithium based power generation.

MEDICAL DATA: Erasian

ORIGIN: There is extensive scientific data supporting the theory that Erasians were 'created' instead of naturally evolving.

LIFESPACE: Erasians live four to five times the average human lifespan (approx 250-300 standard years). The oldest living Erasian is said to be in excess of 4000 years old, however, most pass away nearer 1500-2000 years.

GERIATRICS: There does not appear to be a geriatric period for Erasians; their bodies apparently simply 'shut down' as they near the last months of life. This rapid degradation of biological function appears to be the only sign of aging once the final stages of puberty are complete. This further supports Larien Mistani's theory that Erasians did not evolve, but were somehow created -- as in genetically engineered and created from the amino acids up.

FERTILITY: Erasians are always fertile, however do not conceive easily. They do not have a menstrual period as other mammalian races do. Their gestation averages close to five (5) standard years.

The past generation of Erasians -- those born in the past fifty years have a 75% chance of being sterile. There is no reason for this, nor is there any probably or likely explanations that Federation or Telarisic medical science can determine.

PHYSICAL COMPARISONS: Erasians, although physically weaker than humans, are much faster; they have reflexes far above and beyond our own, and astounding balance and flexibility. Most Erasians have an eidetic audio memory, but have trouble memorizing things they read; their memory is slightly less visually acute (for words and symbols) than the human norm. However, their eidetic audio memory gives them an incredible faculty for languages.

METABOLISM: Erasian blood utilizes trace elements of cobalt and silver, possibly because of how the two elements react together when exposed to certain kinds of radiation -- radiation not found in the Telaris cluster.

Erasians require much more food than humans; their metabolisms work faster. However, they require alkaline metals in their diets and must supplement standard nutrition with injections of these metals. They also require trace amounts of gold, silver, copper, lithium, magnesium, and other elements that are included in their supplemental injections. (The fact this is required is another point of evidence that Erasians might be genetically engineered.) Erasians only require 3-4 hours of sleep once every 72-96 hours. They have subdivided brains; capable of multitasking

Immune to most forms of radiation poisoning, including hyperonic radiation

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CTH'ICKT'ATH

• Iota Telaris VII

They are an insectoid race utilizing a caste system and hive mind; there are some forty million sub-species amongst them resembling insectoid forms from across the galaxy. They have very strong telepathic and clairvoyant abilities, and their technology is strictly biological in nature -- including biological computers that are nearly sentient. The have colonized much of the Iota Telaris system and are a significant economic and political power within the Compact. They are capable of military build-up and equivalent technology to the Romulan Empire. Perfectly adaptable, they have been known to create entire sub-species for single purposes and then destroy them when their purpose is done, but retaining the genetic knowledge of how to create the sub-species if they became necessary again. Each element of their technology is a sub-species in it's own right, but the 'sentient' members of the race all belong to the forty-million sub species relegated to the complex caste system. Each individual Cth'ickt'ath

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JHAREEN

• Beta Telaris IV

The Jhareen exist in the upper atmosphere of the gas ultragiant Beta Telaris IV, and resemble Terran 'whales', although they are in excess of 500 meters in length. Their technology if completely based on the use of psionics, including space-fold and psychokinetic manifestation abilities. They may possibly be natural to the system, and are often the facilitators of the sector-wide meetings of the Compact's leaders. They are incredibly long-lived (in the hundreds of thousands of years, if not the millions) however seem to procreate whenever they wish to.

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SHIMMERLINGS

• Alpha Telaris III

'Shimmerlings' is the name given to the shimmering crystalline life-forms found floating in the upper atmosphere of the small gas giant Alpha Telaris III -- the superheated atmosphere (given it is relatively close to the Alpha Telaris star) and it's gravity, the shimmerlings cannot survive outside their exact environment or they will shatter. Made up of equal parts matter and energy, the shimmerlings are known for their poetic view of the universe, and are often considered flighty and passionate. They are only able to leave their home world through technological assistance, usually provided by the Cth'ickt'ath or the Erasians.

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TORAN'AII

• Omicron Telaris IV

Omicron Telaris IV is a large world, nearly twice the size of Jupiter -- it has no moons, but a large ring system. The planet itself is entirely desert, made up of fine gray and black sands with ammonia seas and massive mountain ranges and subterranean catacombs pockmarked by methane-heavy underground lakes.

The Toran'aii are perhaps the most reclusive and least understood of all the races in the compact; resembling 400-500 meter worms, they subsist off the radiation from the orange star and off of chemicals created by the heavy alkaline deposits of Omicron Telaris IV. It is suspected they are likely carnivorous and cannibalistic, there is little proof -- and less knowledge concerning the other indigenous life forms. The massive gravity of the planet has made exploration all but impossible excepting the Cth'ickt'ath -- their adaptive capabilities have made them ideal explorers and communicators. They have arranged for individual Toran'aii to visit other worlds of the Compact, although the 'ancient ones', as the Toran'aii are known, refrain from involving themselves in the affairs of the Compact. The exceptions to this was the vote to become a Federation Protectorate and to allow the Sheliak access to the H-class worlds of Gamma Telaris.

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BAS-HIRTH

• Xi Telaris III

The Bas-Hirth are an aquatic -- cetacean -- race living in the vast oceans of Xi Telaris III. Although they are the only sentient race on that world, there are several other semi-sentient races, most notably a form of coral. The Bas-Hirth are very involved in the affairs of the Compact, using their powerful psionics to manipulate bio-technology integrated with 'dead' coral shells (much the same way we use metals, plastics and ceramics) and trilithium. Infinitely patient and curious, these scholarly beings have spread throughout the Federation, seeking as much knowledge as possible. They are difficult to accommodate, considering they are roughly the size of a Terran blue whale, but they are very easy-going and willing to deal with a great deal of hardship in order to gain more knowledge. They have become strong allies with the Medusans and are reknowned as negotiators.

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ELDETHIN

• Zeta Telaris I

The sentient inhabitants of the rain-forest world Zeta Telaris I are the massive trees; rising nearly a kilometer into the sky, with trunks of more than a hundred meters in length, these patient, unaging and nearly immortal beings communicate either through psionic impression or chemical reaction. It is only through the efforts of the Cth'ickt'ath and the Toran'aii that the Eldethin are able to communicate with other species. However, once they started, they didn't want to stop. They have a powerful 'awareness' of things around them, making them skilled navigators assisting Bas-Hirth or Jhareen pilots in folding space for Telarisian vessels. They can coax just about anything remotely plantlike to grow and thrive on their world, and are major exporters of exotic wood, plant fibers, herbs, vegetables etc, etc. It is difficult for any by the adaptive Cth'ickt'ath to explore their world because many of the native flora is extremely dangerous and somewhat carnivorous. Consequently, the native fauna is just as -- if not more -- dangerous. However, the Eldethin have created 'preserves' for study, tourism, and contact with other races. They invite any with peaceful intentions to visit and talk with them. They collect stories and lore of thousands of races, the more ancient, the better.

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ARACHNIAE

• Sigma Telaris II

Sigma Telaris II is seemingly devoid of life, appearing to be a crater pock-marked rocky wasteland, lacking an atmosphere or hydrosphere of any kind. However, below the surface, it is teeming with life of all kinds -- millions of different species, all dominated by the Arachniae -- the eight-legged sentient spiders controlling that planetoid. Predators by nature, they are fearsome hunters and are the most aggressive and hostile of all the Membership. Normally standing a meter high and four times that wide, they have dozens of different kinds of venom and silk. They possess the ability to 'spin' minerals into various forms, and are consummate sculptors and weavers. The Arachniae make up more than two-thirds of the Compact's military might, relying on the bio-ships and sail-ships of the Cth'ickt'ath and Erasians instead of crafting their own -- which they are more than capable of doing. The synergy of technologies between the races of the Compact is exemplified in the Arachniae's ability to create and repair technology from any of the member races excepting the Toran'aii. Less interested in knowledge and more interested in getting out into the galaxy and doing something with their relatively short (40-70 standard year) lifespans, the Arachniae have recently been flocking to Starfleet and the SFMC in droves.

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T'YARI

• Asteroid Belt between Alpha Telaris II and Alpha Terlaris III

The Federation diplomatic team first was confused when they first met with the T'Yari; instead of another race of people, four Erasians in elaborate clothing were presented. At first, they assumed the T'Yari were a sub-race or a political sect of the Erasians, but soon found out that the Erasians were not the T'Yari; the T'Yari were in the Erasians.

The T'Yari are approximately eight to ten centimeters long and wiegh less than half a kilogram, and generally appear as a perfect spear of vibrantly colored crystal. The T'Yari are symbiotic in nature. They are native to the asteroid belt between Alpha Telaris II and Alpha Telaris III -- one of the biggest known to Federation science. The T'Yari grow (and are tended) within those asteroids. The T'Yari have vast memories and psionic capacity, providing their hosts with enhanced senses, eidetic memory, and increased psionic ability. However, the T'Yari can only bond to humanoid life-forms, such as Erasians, and sometimes Cth'itk'ath. The T'Yari are deeply involved with the Compact and are one of the primary sources preventing the Compact from joining the Federation. The major problem facing the T'Yari is a lack of suitable, willing hosts; humans, Andorians, Vulcans, and Orions are the best hosts after Erasians. Many volunteer and are put through stringent screening and training, and many become hosts. The Trill especially have expressed intense in the T'Yarsi

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ORASIN

• Epsilon Telaris VI

For a very long time, the Orasin have been the most reclusive of the Compact, even more so than the Toran'ii. But living in the electromagnetic storms of a gas giant not accessible to even the Cth'ickt'ath, Jhareen or Shimmerling can do that to a people.

The Orasin exist as non-corporeal entities; literally as beings created from matrixes of quantum energy, with conscious minds existing on a sub-quantum level. They have a very hard time interacting with corporeal life-forms, except, for some reason, the Toran'ii.

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TELAMAR

• The Telaris Sector

The Telemar are literally space-dwellers; they are a species of avian-like creatures who float through the Telaris sector on the solar winds. They are one of the few species possibly native to the area, although they are slowly dying out as fewer and fewer of their kind are able to procreate - much like the Erasians.

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GESTALANS

• Xi Telaris IV

The swamp-world moons of Xi Telaris IV are home to the saurian Gestalans -- resembling Terran alligators or crocodiles, the Gestalans are very close allies with the Cth'ickt'ath (the Hives helped them expand to more than one moon) and are possibly the youngest of the Telaris races. Often found with the Cth'ict'ath Hive, the Gestalans have no technology of their own. Separated into castes and clans, they have disseminated themselves as bodyguards and trackers throughout the Compact. Recently, the Ferengi have begun hiring a great many of them, but the Ferengi fondness for eating Cth'ickt'ath has possibly jeopardized that burgeoning relationship.

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VESUVIANS

• Omicron Telaris III

The volcanic hell of Omicron Telaris III is a mystery to geologists and planetologists across the the Compact; there was no reason for the geologic instability -- except to propagate and spread the Vesuvians.

Crystal in structure, the Vesuvians are a gestalt 'hive-mind'; whereas just one crystal is barely alive, a thousand crystals is a powerful and sublime intelligence. However, in order to both grow and create other 'individuals', a crystal must be broken off from the whole and moved. The geologic upheaval accomplishes this, allowing for the spread of the race. However, most scientists theorize in just a few thousand years, the Vesuvians will be a single intelligence.

TECHNOLOGY

Telarisian technology is a gestalt of Cth'ickt'ath bio-engineering, Arachniae weaving, Eldethin and Erasian science, and Jhareen psionics.

Telarisian starships are powered by bio-engines using trilithium (most of their technology is based on trilithium, one of the most abundant minerals in the Telaris sector). The starships are 'grown' using techniques from almost every species in the Compact. For the most part, Telaris Compact vessels are propelled by solar sail, but sails of such a fine weave they can travel through any known space with as great or greater ease than Federation vessels. Their hulls are regenerative and their shields are generated by Cth'ickt'ath 'grown' generators using a trilithium matrix designed by the Toran'ii and the Orasin.

Their weapons are either trilithium/anti-matter or trilithium/cobalt projectiles, energy weapons or psionically-generated pulses.

Because of the bio-engineered nature of their technology, they are slightly ahead of Federation science, however, the Compact rarely creates any technological advances of their own as much as adapting and elaborating upon the advances of others.

THEOLOGY

Although each of the races has one or more major religious factions, there is one mythological similarity running through all the races of the Compact, native or no.

Sehlara, Lady of the Stars and mother of life and Sehlian, the Lord of the Void, father of death -- each race and culture has their own vision of them, but they all share similar aspects.

• They are both considered neutral in aspect; neither good nor evil, simply existing.
• They are both said to have declared the races of the Compact servants of the younger races of the cosmos -- although most of the races, aside from the T'Yari and the Cth'ickt'ath have long since abandoned this in any but name.
• They are both said to be the Gods of the race that created the Telaris Systems.

THE FEDERATION

The Federation has a small outpost on one of the other moons of Beta Telaris IV hosting a diplomatic delegation as well as representatives from several major economic councils. The Compact is a Federation Protectorate and has been eligible for full membership for almost half a century, but has thus far refused, primarily on the grounds that not all the species of the Compact would have fair representation, and that the Federation was ill-equipped to deal with the kinds of species making up the Compact, because of their unique and somewhat ineffable nature.

However, the Telaris Compact is otherwise treated as a full member of the Federation and has provided vast amounts of resources to the Federation, including assistance from the Cth'ickt'ath, Eldethin, and Arachniae. During the Dalriadaran war, they sent warships to bolster Federation patrols along other borders while the majority of Starfleet was tied up with the war effort.

THE SHELIAK

In 2348, the Sheliak, Corporate, in keeping with the Treaty of Armens with the Federation, demands the eight planets of Gamma Telaris because it is H-type. Because the Telaris Compact is a Federation Protectorate, it is considered Federation Space. The Treaty of Armens specifically grants all type-H worlds to the Sheliak Corporate. At the time the Treaty of Armens was signed, no known Federation member race was capable of living on type-H worlds. However, the Erasians and several other races of the Telaris Compact are.

The issue decided in favor of the Sheliak Corporate as long as Gamma Telaris VIII remained a member of the Telaris Compact and all resources were available to the Compact. Because Larien Mistani learned to speak and understood Sheliak, it was agreed. The Treaty of Armens was amended.

However, because the colony would have to remain a member of the Telaris Compact, at least in matters of law, it became a haven for Sheliak misfits and political dissidents.

Please visit the Office of Star Fleet Intelligence for more information concerning the Sheliak.

THE OTHERS

The others are an offshoot from the Vulcan race that split away around the same time the Romulans did. Very little else is known of them, except they have far wider-spanning influence than Starfleet or the Federation feels comfortable with.

They have been enemies of the Erasians for a very long time; there are suspicions that they are behind the epidemic of infertility amongst the more recent generations of Erasians.

VERSION HISTORY

• version 1.0 written by Alan M Rogers 22 Apr 2004