Race Guide to the Universe

[STSF Corizon 0]

Terran Empire

The Terran Empire grew quickly in the early years of its existence. In the mid-22rd century, it already controlled a sizable portion of the Alpha Quadrant, and was extending its reach into the Beta Quadrant, conquering and Andorians and the Tellerites. However, in the middle the century, the simmering cold war between themselves and the Romulan Empire came to a head. Despite early victories by the Terran Empire, a crucial victory by the Romulans at the Battle of Chiron forced them into retreat, though heavy losses by the Romulans resulted in a draw.

 

The defeat left the Terran Empire in shambles and the betrayal by their Vulcan allies during the war left the already leery humans more xenophobic than ever. For nearly a hundred years the Terrans remained in hiding, rebuilding their fleet and regrouping from their losses.

 

While the Romulans concerned themselves with the Klingons, the Terrans began to once again move more openly, conquering a number of systems, eradicating the alien populations or enslaving them Temporarily allying themselves with the Klingons, they once again went into a period of isolation following Praxis Incident and the absorption of the Klingon Empire into the Romulan Star Empire.

 

For many years, a detente has prevailed, while the Romulan Empire turned its attention to conquering the Klingons and securing other territories. Despite their isolation and smaller territorial possessions, the Terran Empire's naval force has kept the Romulans from declaring open war and remains a force to be reckoned with.

Within the Terran Empire, non-humanoids are considered an infestation at best. Non-humanoids are mostly slaves, as standard Imperial protocol calls for the eradication of most conquered species.

 

Klingon Protectorates

Early contact with the Klingon Empire was bloody and explosive. For many years the Klingons were able to fight the Terran and Romulan Empires to stalemate. However, the Romulans had access to a greater wealth of resources, and in 2293, the Klingon moon Praxis exploded due to overmining in an attempt to keep pace with the Romulans' fleet-building. Within days, Romulan vessels surrounded Qo'nos, and the Klingons were forced to sign the Khitomer Surrender, becoming a subject world of the Romulan Empire.

Many people (including Tal'Shiar) believe that the Klingons only surrendered because they believed they could mount a successful rebellion after the effects of the Praxis catastrophe had settled. Accordingly, the Klingons are closely monitored by Tal'Shiar agents.

 

Though Klingons are permitted to serve in Romulan Navy, they are rare and usually do not rise to command ranks. Those who successfully climb the ranks usually do so on the strength of impressive combat victories, for which Klingons are eminently suited. The Romulans are pleased to assign Klingons to dangerous missions; if they succeed, the rewards of glory tend to make them loyal, and if they fail -- well, a dead Klingon forments no rebellions.

 

(Former) Cardassian Union

The Cardassian Union was, in the early portion of the 24th century, a major power in the Alpha Quadrant. It extended its influence to a number of nearby worlds, and built up a formidable fleet. Although there was a nominal governing body known as the Detapa Council, the true power in the Union was the feared Obsidian Order. This shadowy organization controlled every aspect of life in the Cardassian Union, though the average citizen never saw direct evidence of its hand.

 

It was the Order that lent support to a group of anti-Empire terrorists known as the Maquis. Officially the Maquis were outlaws under both Terran and Cardassian law; in practice, many Cardassians sympathized with them, and a number of officers deserted (possibly encouraged by the Obsidian Order) to join the Maquis.

 

In 2371, the Obsidian Order brokered a deal with its Romulan counterpart, the Tal Shiar, to join forces against the Terran Empire. The Tal'Shiar turned on them, wiping out the majority of their specialized fleet. The probable goal was to weaken the Union for later conquest by the Romulan Star Empire, but the Cardassians soon found themselves with a larger problem.

 

Imperial Intelligence had discovered the Obsidian-Tal Shiar alliance and its eventual end, and the Empire quickly mobilized forces against the Cardassian Union. By 2373, the Empire and the Cardassians were embroiled in all-out war. While the Cardassians claimed some early victories, including the capture of Deep Space Nine, an Imperial station orbiting the vassal world Bajor, the tide turned at the Battle of Chin'toka in 2374, and at the end of 2375, Starfleet vessels bombarded Cardassia Prime from orbit.

Those Cardassians who survived the bombardment and subsequent mass executions were enslaved, and the territory of the former Union was added to the Terran Empire.

 

Romulan Star Empire

A passionate race of warriors they were able to fight the Terran Empire to a stand-still, and force the signing of the Treaty of Algeron. Though the Romulan-Earth War was technically a draw, the Romulan Empire emerged far stronger than their Terran counterparts, holding on to much of the war-time gains. Following the Treaty of Algernon, the Romulans looked to the two most immediate threats to their new found galactic empire, which now included a substantial portion of the former Terran holdings, such as Andor, Tellus and Mirachit, the Vulcans and the Klingon Empire.

 

The Vulcans had nominally aligned themselves with the Romulans during the Earth-Romulan War, switching sides at pivotal moment in the war; however generations old tensions between the two races began surfacing nearly immediately. Following the cessation of hostilities between the Terrans and the Romulans, the Senate decided to take advantage of a weakened Vulcan fleet and proceeded to forcibly annex Vulcan and her remaining colonial holdings.

 

With the Vulcans absorbed into the Empire, the Romulans set about dealing with the “Klingon Problem.” Aware that open warfare with them would be difficult, expensive and leave them open to attacks from the Terrans and other races, as well as allow the fermentation of rebellion among their many slave races, the Senate decided instead to slowly bleed the Klingons by engaging in a massive arms race and a cold war that would last nearly a century coming to a head in the 2290's when the Klingon moon Praxis exploded.

With the Surrender of Khitomer, the Romulan Empire continued to strengthen itself under the influence of the Vulcan Spock. The influence of Spock slowed the Empire's expansion, and led to a philosophical shift which emphasized total control and thorough exploitation of conquests over speed and destruction.

 

The only real threats to their power removed, the Romulans turned their eyes once more to Earth. As they had done with the Klingons, the Senate again chose a slow, methodical approach to conquering the Terran Empire, choosing to slowly manipulate them into using their resources to fight conflicts with neighboring empries such as the Cardassians.

 

Romulan technology is formidable. Their cloaking device, a jealously guarded secret, has kept them ahead of their enemies and provided them with tactical advantages. They control a large empire that spans the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Within the Romulan Empire, acquisition of citizenship for non-Romulans is rare; Vulcans are given deference as they are considered to be superior to the other non-Romulans, but not quite on par with a true Romulan. Still, non-Romulans are considered to be the backbone of Imperial labor force and are given marginal freedoms, so long as their taxes are paid and they don't cause too much trouble.

 

Bajorans

While exploring in early solar-sail vessels, the Bajorans encountered the Cardassians. It was their first encounter with another intelligent race, and it did not go well. Periodic skirmishes erupted between the Bajorans and Cardassians for the next five hundred years, and all-out warfare was likely avoided only because of the distance between their homeworlds. The arrival of Imperial starships redirected both races’ energies before a decisive conclusion to the conflict could be reached.

 

Although fiercely proud of their own technology and their combat skills, the Bajorans were also realists. They quickly saw that the Terran and Romulan Empires outclassed and outnumbered them. Rather than spend themselves in a war they were doomed to lose, the Bajorans opted to welcome the Empire, cementing for themselves a position as honored citizens, rare for alien worlds.

 

Bajorans serve in Starfleet and in a variety of administrative posts throughout the Empire. Few avenues are blocked to them; only the highest echelons disdain them. A large number of Bajorans entered the Empire’s service in the 2370s, when it was warring with their age-old enemy, the Cardassians.

 

Caitians

When the Humans (Terrans) of the Earth were embroiled in their second Word War, the feline residents of the planet Cait had long since moved beyond their own war-like phase. The Caitians are descended from great hunting cats that once roamed the vast Savannah lands of their planet. These beasts evolved into bipedal felinoids who lived in nomadic groups of hunters. Then, a modern industrial and agricultural society emerged, boasting a planetary import and export business, with a focus on dilithium production.

 

The Terrans and Romulans eventually leapt beyond their borders to enter the galactic geoscape. They brought with them their warlike tendencies and a lust for power that defines all of their actions and strategies, which was a direct contrast with the benign Caitians. As the Terran Empire recoiled into hiding and the Romulans spread throughout the sectors, the Caitians were not spared the ripple effect. As the Romulans absorbed the Klingon empire, they participated and instigated civil wars or betrayals throughout the territories of races they had yet deemed worthy of conquering, fostering general unrest in an unsure political landscape . The Caitians managed to skate along the periphery of the Romulan Empire, neither confronting nor outright defying them. It was, and is, a balancing act worthy of a Vulcan diplomat.

However, in 2293, the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis marked a change in the Caitian culture. This change was a combination of the need for survival, and a way to quietly combat the Empire. The changes continued over the next one hundred years.

 

The Caits reverted back to their nomadic forebears. Entire families now travel in freighters, groups of shuttles, small luxury yachts, and the like. These groups, called clans, are comprised of family based tribes. Clan leadership can be matriarchal or patriarchal, depending on preference. These clans function as modern day pirates or mercenaries, offering their services to anyone willing to pay the price. If one tribe-clan finds themselves in conflict with another clan based on an employer, then so be it. Tribe-clan conflict is frowned upon, but it can happen. Likewise, two separate clans may join forces against said employers and loot whatever they can for profit later. The planet of Cait now functions as a giant port of call for these Clan Fleets, with the giant orbital platforms used for dilithium mining doing double duty for maintenance and re-supply of the fleets. The import-export service is waning, yet the dilithium production is maintained; these services are offered to the Empire when necessary.

 

Most Caitians serve on their tribal ship, but a good number do serve in the Imperial Fleet. This Imperial service is not frowned upon, as most Caits will maintain contact (and feed intel when necessary) with their respective Tribe. Then, there is the rare, yet not unheard of, instance of a Caitian going completely rogue, offering full service to the Empire and severing all family ties.

 

Caitians are usually in direct competition with the Ferengi for mercenary contracts. It has been debated that the Senate may be playing one side against the other, in hopes that one will go after the other and the Empire can sit back and watch the festivities.

 

In conclusion, the Caitians are no longer the benign society and culture they once were. They do maintain a code of honor - a way of doing things - that harkens back to pre-Empire Cait, but this code is a bit rough at times, and the Caitians will not suffer fools. Family ties, as always, are important. This pirate way of life has served them well - enabling them to survive, remain within sight of the Empire, and yet still maintain a standing as a non-direct target.

 

Elasians

While Humans were beginning to explore nuclear power, the Elasians made their first FTL-capable ship. Within a decade of this discovery, the Elasians encountered the nearby Troyian Empire. The subsequent destruction of the Elasian vessel Soltok sent shockwaves through the Elasian people. In reaction, Lord Regent Aon XIII commissioned the construction of a massive fleet, which sparked an arms race lasting over two centuries with neither side willing to commit openly to war. This ended in 2143; as the Humans were taking their first steps into becoming a major galactic power, the Troyians and Elasians encountered the Klingons. For the next thirteen years, the Klingons manipulated the conflict, seeing it as an opportunity to eliminate a potential threat to their Empire and to gain an ally in the victor.

 

In 2156 the Elasian Fleet crossed into Troyian space and struck preemptively at a Troyian military facility, based upon Klingon intelligence that the Troyians were planning to do the same. For the next century the two races were in a nearly perpetual state of war, as first the Klingons and later the Terran Empire fueled the conflict. In the 2260s it came to an end when the Elasian Navy developed Mass Drivers (essentially linear motors acting as catapults for asteroids) and deployed them against the major Troyian colony world of Tygress II, killing all but a handful of colonists as the Elasian Fleet rained fire upon the planet non-stop for three days until the Troyian government surrendered. The Surrender Treaty of Faju turned over the whole of Troyian space to the Elasian crown and enslaved the Troyian people.

 

From 2270-2292, the Elasians developed a strong bond with the Klingon Empire, and expanded militarily and economically, virtually unchecked until the Praxis explosion. With their primary source of trade suddenly gone, they looked towards the two remaining empires of consequence—the Terrans and Romulans.

 

Unfortunately, the Terrans were neither willing nor able to support the Elasians for fear of igniting an open conflict with the Romulans. The Romulans, on the other hand, were willing tolerate the arrogant, often vicious nature of the Elasians in exchange for exclusive trade rights and assistance in controlling sectors of the old Klingon Empire and in putting pressure on nearby Romulan enemies.

 

Throughout the 2300's, the Elasians signed a series of treaties that essentially made them a semi-autonomous province of the Romulan Empire. Their military continued to exercise control of a sizable region which included elements of the former Klingon Empire, Son'A and Ba'ku space, and much of the former Thallonian and Danteri empires.

 

Their vast material wealth and powerful navy make them a valuble ally for the Romulans, and they remain in good standing with the Senate, just bellow the Vulcans in the social order of the Empire.

 

Trill

For centuries, the Trill lived peacefully. The long-lived symbionts were passed down through the ruling lines, ensuring that the general, unjoined populace would be governed by those with generations of experience in the gentle use of power and fear. In the early part of the 24th century, the coming of the Romulan Empire changed all that.

 

At first, the Trill tried to hide their joined nature, successfully concealing the Caves of Mak'ala and the symbiont pools within them from the conquering troops -- for a time.

However, approximately a year after the conquest of Trill, an Imperial medical research team discovered the "parasites" present in a small percentage of subjects. Further research convinced them that the "parasites" were at least marginally sentient, and the Empire launched a full investigation. Eventually they forced the Trill to reveal the truth about the symbionts and the location of the breeding pools.

 

After removing some symbionts for study, the Empire set up its own people in place of the Symbiosis Commission. Only those Trill who had proven their loyalty to the Empire were permitted to become hosts, and the Empire was known to remove symbionts from joined Trill who defied it.

 

Over the years, this led to a shift in Trill society; no longer were joined Trill considered the upper class. Instead they were regarded as collaborators, and many unjoined Trill regard them with suspicion. On the other hand, the Empire favors joined Trill, promoting them above unjoined Trill and granting them greater privileges. Because of this schism in perception, many joined Trills prefer to live off-world.

 

Orions

A Terran emperor once remarked of their females, "They do what they're told. What more can be asked of them?"

 

The Orion people were a relatively peaceful, non-warp capable race until the strange triangular ships of the Rigelians appeared one day out of the sky. Assuming that these foreigners were friendly, the green-skinned peoples gathered around the alien vessels, bearing gifts and goods to trade.

 

Not a single male Orion at that meeting was left alive. The females were abducted; the largest cities left radioactive cinders, and the Rigelians took over the greenskins' homeworld. Within three decades the once lush, tropical world of Taarallan (Orion) was completely industrialized into the hub of a flourishing Rigelian slave operation. The raw materials were depleted to trace amounts, the waters polluted.

 

The women were endlessly bred in an effort to produce more female children. Most males were either kept as breeding studs or as slaves to the Rigelians.

The Rigelian Syndicate itself was conquered by the Terran Empire, but much of their space was traded back and forth during the Romulan-Earth War, leaving worlds in ruin. One such world was Taarallan.

 

Of the less than ten thousand Orions that survived the destruction of their homeworld, nearly eighty percent were slave females, with the other twenty percent mainly comprising the males used in hard labor due to their bulky physique and ability to hoist large amounts.

 

After the remaining Orions became progressively fewer in number, their females became somewhat of a legend among wealthy and powerful males. In an effort to repopulate the species for a profit, several freelancing geneticists began breeding Orions. Their plan successful, the children produced by these programs were sold for high profits to those who could afford them.

 

Still an enigma, most Orions were snatched up as sex slaves and breeding stock before they had much of a chance for education. To have an Orion in the harem was a signal that the owner was not someone not to be trifled with.

 

To this day, Orions still are considered one of the most sought-after, but least influential members of the Romulan Empire.

 

 

Other Races

Dameons- The Dameon Empire was long a powerful force, but as the Romulan, Klingon and Terran Empires began ascending, their empire began to decline. A revolt by the Gorn weakened them, and along with the Gorn they were eventually absorbed into the Romulan Empire. Valued for their fighting spirit, Dameons, like Klingons, serve in the Romulan Star Navy as shocktroops or as personal guards to high ranking Romulan families.

 

Betazoids- Valued for both their humanoid qualities and their telepathic abilities, Betazoids were considered to be a valuable resource to the Romulan Empire. Likewise, the Terran Empire both feared and coveted the telepathic abilities of this once peaceful race. In order to prevent them from being used as a weapon, the Terran Empire moved swiftly, taking Betazed and slaughtering most of their population. However, the Romulans managed to recover a number of Betazoids. Kept in secret, Betazoids are often used by the Tal'Shiar as spies inside the Terran Empire.

 

Tholians- The Tholians were utterly wiped out in the 22nd century, following the Defiant Incident.

 

Breen-The Breen and the Romulan Empire have had a long history of animosity towards each other, however, few in the Senate have been willing to commit the forces required to conquer them, preferring instead to keep a watchful eye on them—as the Romulan saying goes “Never turn your back on a Breen.” As such the Breen maintain a number of trade contacts with the Romulan Empire, and are often hired to oversee facilities on worlds with hostile climates.

 

Ferengi- Nominally allied with the Romulan Empire. The Ferengi are cutthroat mercenaries who will do anything for profit; the Romulan Empire maintains control of most trade routes and industrial production. Several lucrative contracts between the Ferengi and the Empire ensure that the Ferengi will remain loyal to the Empire as long as the latinum flows. Following the Stargazer Incident, the Terran Empire forbid interactions between Ferengi and Terran businessmen, further pushing the Ferengi towards the Romulans.