Andoria
| Class: | M[2][3] |
| Location: | Procyon A VIIIa,[4][1][Notes 1] Procyon system,[4] Beta Quadrant[4] Andoria is the moon of a ringed Class J gas giant,[1] Olith[3][Notes 2] |
| Gravity: | 1.0g[2] |
| Year and Day: | 300 days @ 30 hours per day[2] |
| Affiliation: | United Federation of Planets[5] |
| Notable Species: | Andorians,[5] Aenar[1] |
| Notable Individuals: | Krotus,[3] Lor'Vela,[2][3] Shran,[6] Kor, Igrilan,[3] Kor, Trallex,[2] P'Trell, Ghee[7] |
| Notable Events: | Age of Lament,[2][3] |
| Points of Interest: | Andorian Military Academy,[2] Lor'Tan,[3] Lor'Tan Great Hall,[2][3] Andoria VII Observatory,[2] Atlin Zoological Park[3] |
A cold world with relatively few natural resources, Andoria nevertheless gave rise to an advanced civilization that played a key role in galactic events.
Environment
Unquestionably, Andoria was cold. Orbiting a Class J gas giant[1] at the outermost edges of the Procyon system, it was an extreme example of a Class M world.[4] Without the heat generated by Andoria's core, which manifested itself on the surface in the form of volcanoes and volcanic rifts, the world might not have developed life at all. An estimated 85 percent of all the animal life on Andoria lived within 15 degrees latitude of the equator.[3]
These relatively temperate zones had a climate similar to the taiga zones on Earth. Long, cold seasons were interrupted by brief but warm summers.[2][1] The warmer conditions, coupled with the heavy summer tourist season, made summers the least favorite time of year for many Andorians.[2]
Dense forests covered much of the Andorian landscape. Trees similar to the redwoods and sequoias of Earth—their blue color notwithstanding—numbered among Andoria's most prominent species of trees. The coloration of the trees, like that of most of the moon's lifeforms, had a blue tint that ranged from the deep blue-green leaves of the deciduous trees along the equator to the vibrant blue of the mountaintop conifers more common near the arctic regions. The Andorian Blue Taiga, known for its brilliant azure hues, made for a popular tourist destination that rivaled the national parks of Earth in beauty and majesty.[2]
Andoria's water had relatively high concentrations of cobalt, which accounted for the high levels of cobalt in Andorian blood. The presence of the heavy metal also made Andorian water mildly toxic to Humans unless it was first purified. While Humans could comfortably breathe the Andorian atmosphere for short periods of time,[1] prolonged exposure to the moon's thin atmosphere left many fatigued. As a result, Andorian architects would typically outfit Federation and Starfleet buildings with atmospheric conditioners that could create an earthlike atmosphere.[2]
Geography
Andoria's landmass was divided into four continents: Issa, Ka'thela, Tlanek, and Voral. Issa and Tlanek were both frozen solid and inhospitable, covered at virtually all times by glacial ice sheets that could be hundreds of meters thick. Nearly all of Andorian civilization resided on the continents Ka'thela and Voral, which were joined by a thin strip of land that contained the Tharan Mountains. Historically, this served as Andoria's most important overland trade route.[3]
Government
Clans, or kethni, formed the basic structure of Andorian society.[2][3] A strong chieftain ruled each kethni, typically having gained the position through ritual combat, although in some cases the position was passed by heredity.[2] Originally, kethni were huge, extended families and confederations of family units related to one another by blood. As Andoria entered its Industrial Age and families were less likely to stay tied to the same location long enough for traditional clan ties to solidify, the definition of kethni changed to include clans based on economic, professional, or ideological grounds. Keths also came to represent groups based on the common interests of their members. Even so, these newer keths commanded the same loyalty from their members as that shown to the old family-based clans.[3] Together, the leaders of the three hundred largest clans formed the Kethni Council, the unified world government which came into being following the reforms instituted by Lor'Vela in the wake of the Age of Lament.[2][3] Officially, each of the clan leaders was equal to every other leader, but in practice, several clan leaders would wield more power due to the strength and influence of their clans, the alliances they shared with other clans, and also due to their own personal age and experience.[2] In the 2360s and 2370s, the most powerful member of the council was Trallex Kor, the eldest clan leader in the council and the leader of Clan Kor, the strongest and most powerful clan on Andoria.[2]
Although Andoria never wavered in its commitment to the Federation, the Kethni Council maintained Andoria's autonomous military force—the Andorian Imperial Guard (renamed the Andorian Defense Forces following the formation of the Federation)—as well as its own intelligence service, the Am Tal, or "Seeker of Secrets." The Am Tal was so secretive, the Federation knew of it only through rumor, and its mandate was to ferret out information—be it political, military, or economic—that would help the Andorian government and track the activities of keths that had been censured by the Kethni Council. Am Tal operatives worked under deep cover, and were recruited from all walks of life. They would continue to lead their daily life while secretly helping the organization gather information. The existence of the Am Tal was controversial, but also represented a romanticized ideal of modern-day Andorian warriors, fighting the good fight against Andoria's enemies.[3]
Notes
- ↑ The Star Fleet Technical Manual listed the Andoria system as being the Epsilon Indii system. "Planets of the UFP: A Guide to Federation Worlds" and "Worlds" both listed Andoria as being the fifth planet of an otherwise-unspecified Andoria system, with a single G2III primary, also named Andoria. "Star Trek: Star Charts," however, established that Andoria was the eighth planet in the Procyon system, in keeping with the Star Trek: Enterprise episode, "The Andorian Incident," which established that Vulcan and Andoria were "neighboring systems." The episode "The Aenar" further established that Andoria was a moon in orbit of a ringed gas giant. To reconcile these conflicts, Andoria is listed here as Procyon A VIIIa, or the moon of the eighth planet orbiting Procyon A, in keeping with facts established in "Star Trek: Star Charts," which is most closely in line with those facts established on screen.
- ↑ "Worlds" gave the name of Andoria's moon as Olith. "The Aenar," however, established that Andoria itself was the moon of an otherwise-unnamed gas giant. Rather than discard the name entirely, the conflict has been resolved by transferring that name to the gas giant.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "The Aenar." Star Trek: Enterprise, episode 90. Television. 11 February 2005.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 "Planets of the UFP: A Guide to Federation Worlds." Star Trek: The Next Generation Roleplaying Game, book 25102. Game. Last Unicorn Games. 1999.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 "Worlds." Star Trek Role Playing Game, book 7. Game. Decipher, Inc. 2005.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Star Trek: Star Charts." Star Trek. Book. Pocket Books. October 2002.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Journey to Babel." Star Trek, Episode 44. Television. 17 November 1967.
- ↑ "The Andorian Incident." Enterprise, episode 7. Television. 31 October 2001.
- ↑ "Prophet Motive." Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, episode 462. Television. 20 February 1995.
