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==History== |
==History== |
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Andorian understanding of their history on Andor is tied deeply for many to their mythological and religious history. The Andorian's mythology would remain a powerful facet of society in the late-twenty-fourth century, particularly for those from the northern territories of Andor and those connected to the [[Visionist]] movements. The most important and well-known origin myth of the Andorians tells that the hero [[Thirishar]] would attempt to claim the "[[Empty Throne of Uzaveh|Empty Throne]] from the deity, [[Uzaveh]]. She would be amused by his passion, but asked if he was [[Whole]]. In evidence of his awareness in the face of her question, Uzaveh would seperate Thirishar into four distinct beings: [[Charaleas]], [[Zheusal]], [[Shanchen]] and [[Thirizaz]] - the first of each Andorian gender. |
Andorian understanding of their history on Andor is tied deeply for many to their mythological and religious history. The Andorian's mythology would remain a powerful facet of society in the late-twenty-fourth century, particularly for those from the northern territories of Andor and those connected to the [[Visionist]] movements. The most important and well-known origin myth of the Andorians tells that the hero [[Thirishar]] would attempt to claim the "[[Empty Throne of Uzaveh|Empty Throne]] from the deity, [[Uzaveh]]. She would be amused by his passion, but asked if he was [[Whole]]. In evidence of his awareness in the face of her question, Uzaveh would seperate Thirishar into four distinct beings: [[Charaleas]], [[Zheusal]], [[Shanchen]] and [[Thirizaz]] - the first of each Andorian gender. |
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Revision as of 23:19, 18 January 2014
| MAJOR SPOILERS |
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| WARNING! This article contains MAJOR spoilers for the recently released novel A Ceremony of Losses. Caution is advised. |
| This article or subsection has an associated category. | Andoria |
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- For the mirror universe counterpart, see Andor (mirror).
- For other uses, see Andor.
Andor, also known as Andoria, is the Andorian homeworld and capital of its empire -- a founding member of the United Federation of Planets. A satellite of a gas giant in the Beta quadrant, its capital city is Laikan. (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm)
- The ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation gives the native Andorian name of their homeworld as Fesoan.
- The TNG short story: "The Captain and the King" names Laibok as Andoria's capital. The ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing clarifies this by stating Laikan is the capital and Laibok a major industrial city.
Andor's population in 2269 was just under 1 billion. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Andorians: Among the Clans)
Nomenclature
The homeworld of the Andorians was known in the mid-twenty-fourth century by Andorians as 'Andor', although some non-Andorians in the Federation mistakenly called the planet 'Andoria'. This was comparable to Andorians and other non-humans growing up knowing Earth as 'Terra', and learning its usual human name only in contact with humans. (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm)
Inhabitants
Andor is homeworld of the Andorian race and was, at least until the mid-twenty-second century, home to the Andorian subspecies, the Aenar. Both of these species, alone of all on Andor, had four genders - zhen, shen, chan, and thaan. Th complicated process of reproduction between the four genders would lead to a more difficult reproductive cycle. Over the centuries this lead to a declining population for both species, so that by 2376 only fifteen-to-twenty generations were thought possible. By 2385 it was thought - perhaps exaggeratively - that Andor was at a tipping point of no possible return. The reproductive crisis had already seen that the minority Aenar, unable to reproduce in large numbers, had died off in the preceding century. (ENT novel: The Good That Men Do, DS9 novel: Avatar, DS9 - Mission Gamma novels: Twilight, This Gray Spirit, DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm, ST - Typhon Pact novel: Paths of Disharmony, ST - The Fall novel: A Ceremony of Losses)
History
Ancient History
Andorian understanding of their history on Andor is tied deeply for many to their mythological and religious history. The Andorian's mythology would remain a powerful facet of society in the late-twenty-fourth century, particularly for those from the northern territories of Andor and those connected to the Visionist movements. The most important and well-known origin myth of the Andorians tells that the hero Thirishar would attempt to claim the "Empty Throne from the deity, Uzaveh. She would be amused by his passion, but asked if he was Whole. In evidence of his awareness in the face of her question, Uzaveh would seperate Thirishar into four distinct beings: Charaleas, Zheusal, Shanchen and Thirizaz - the first of each Andorian gender.
The ancient codices of the Andorians would also present more naturalistic presentations of the species's origin - in a manner syncretic with the Thirishar myth. The protected Reserve on Cheshras Island would be indicated by the Codeces as the place Andorians developed and evolved in: however there was little archaeological evidence of this. Though there was evidence of earlier habitation, it could not conclusively be said to be Andorian, and so may not have been the origin point of the species - but equally, it could have been. (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm)
The Clan Period
Ancient Andorian society was feudal and highly subdivided, with geography subdivided into family units known as Clans. The clans formed effectively small nation-states, and existed often at war with one another. Clans would control territory through fortified buildings known as keeps. (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm)
Being a predominantly water-covered planet, geography contributed to the seperation of the Clans. This would change when an ice cutter, the Kumari, was the first vessel to circumnavigate Andor. (ENT episode: "United")
However, the period of internecine clan warfare came to an end "centuries" before the twenty-four century. Thalisar the Last, a monarchial ruler, unified Andoria under her own throne. Thalisar, in the words of Charivretha zh'Thane, "deliberately died childless--but not before implementing the parliamentary system that she had created to succeed her, and which had governed Andor ever since." In a single lifetime, Thalisar had utterly abolished the clan warfare that had kept Andor divided until that point. Thalisar's throne would be known as the Empty Throne, and remain a symbolic focal point in the government. From that point Andor was governed by a parliamentary system, the Parliament Andoria, with the government appointed by the choice of parliamentarian members, headed by a leader known as the Presider (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm)
Whilst still in a state of early-modernity, Andor would be surveyed by the Vulcan civilization's starship Yeht Fai-Tukh. (Decipher RPG module: Starships)
Interstellar Andor
In time the Andorians would reach outer space, and develop warp drive. The Andorians would begin forming an interstellar empire. The Andorian's military, the Andorian Imperial Guard, would be formed to protect Andor and fight for it.
The Andorian expansion would lead to conflict with their most powerful neighbour, the Vulcans, who were at that point in history belligerent and somewhat xenophobic. In early 2154 the Vulcan High Command launched an attack on Andor, but the invasion was aborted when the bellicose Administrator V'Las was deposed. (ENT episode: "Kir'Shara")
Conflict with Vulcan would continue into the twenty-third century, when the increasingly explatory and important actions of Earth would begin to change the interstellar scene. A commander of the Imperial Guard, Hravishran th'Zoarhi, would form a close relationship with the Earth Starfleet captain, Jonathan Archer as well as his Vulcan officer, T'Pol. Their close affiliation in the face of several conflicts, the reformation of the Vulcan society, and the ambassadorial expansion of the Earth and its colonies during this period, would lead to the formation of the Coalition of Planets in 2155. Andor would join Earth, Vulcan, and Tellar in forming a diplomatic and security network between the four states.
The progress to the formation of the Coaltion, however, would lead to an aggressive response by the secretive Romulan Star Empire. At first the Romulans persecuted a secret war, using drones piloted by kidnapped Aenar pilots. When this was foiled by Archer and Hravishran, the Romulans subsided into sneak attacks, claiming Coalition convoys and starships. However, a devestating total attack on the potential Coalition state of the People's Republic of Coridan and a subsequent increase in conflict would be the beginning of open war. (ENT episodes: "Demons", "Terra Prime", {{n|ENT|The Good That Men Do|ENT|Kobayashi Maru (novel)|Kobayashi Maru)
The war would not leave Andor itself untouched. During the Romulan War Andor was the site of a battle between Coalition and Romulan forces. The moon was spared a devastating bombardment by a Romulan Bird-of-Prey due to the sacrifice of the Earth ship Challenger (NX-03). (ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing).
However, as the war proceeded, old xenophobia and fears led to the Coalition itself falling apart, with Vulcan entering a period of isolation. The humans would, with the Tellarites and Andorians, continue the fight against the Romulans. (ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing).
The old Coalition planets would all pull together at the close of the war and defeat the secretive enemy by 2260. The war would lead Earth, Tellar, Vulcan and the independent colonies of Mars and Alpha Centauri to form the United Federation of Planets in 2261. (ENT novel: To Brave the Storm)
Federation Andor
In 2161 Andor co-founded the United Federation of Planets.(ENT episode: "These Are the Voyages...")
The Andor capital city of Laikan had a large population disaffected immigrants, most of them were miners from the neighboring system of Charulh who had lived on Andor for seven generations. The Andorians were not very hospitable to outworlders which caused some friction between the Charulhans and the Andorians. In 2280 a small group of Charulhans attempted to force the Andorians to allow them to have a voice in the government by taking several influential citizens hostage. This included the son of Laikan's governor. The human diplomat to Andor St. John Talbot, believing himself to be in the top of his form, refused any cultural advisers. He sent a message intended to defuse the situation. However, thanks to Talbot's limited knowledge of Charulhan culture, the message had the opposite effect and insulted the hostage takers. The immediate response was to kill the Governor's only son and dump his body on the road outside of Talbot's office. The human diplomat was the first to find the child's body, and the first to inform the Governor, whom Talbot had been working with closely. It was Talbot's first failure. (TOS novelization: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
- Laikan was not mentioned by name in the Star Trek V novelization. It was refereed to as the Andorian capital city.
Several weeks before the beginning of the Dominion War, Kai Winn Adami asked Captain Benjamin Sisko if the United Federation of Planets would be willing to sacrifice Andor to save Bajor from the Dominion. (DS9 episode: "In the Cards")
With the fall of Betazed a year later, several people, including Kira Nerys saw Andor as the Dominion's next possible target. (DS9 episode: "In the Pale Moonlight")
Laibok and much of Andor were devastated by the Borg during their invasion in February 2381. (ST - Destiny novel: Lost Souls)
Succession
In 2382, Andor seceded from the Federation due to the ongoing reproductive crisis on the planet. However, normal diplomatic relations were maintained, and any Andorians serving in Starfleet were allowed to remain there if they chose. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Paths of Disharmony)
After the Fall
Three years later after a cure for Andoria's reproductive crisis was finally found a new governing coalition came into power. Parliament Andoria voted to repeal the secession ordinance and Andor applied for readmission into the Federation. With the support of a number of councilors the readmission of one of the Federation's founding states was fast-tracked through the Federation Council. (ST - The Fall novel: A Ceremony of Losses)
Location
Andor is a moon of Procyon VIII (Alpha Canis Minoris) in the Beta Quadrant. (ST reference: Star Charts; ENT novels: Kobayashi Maru, Beneath the Raptor's Wing)
Other sources claim Andor's location to be Epsilon Indi VIII (Star Fleet Technical Manual) or Epsilon Indi V, Kay'va V in Andorian. (Decipher RPG module: Narrator's Guide)
Andor is considered one of the core worlds of the Federation and is situated relatively close to both Earth and Vulcan. It is located on the other side of the Federation from Deep Space 9 and particularly distant from the Ferengi Alliance. (DS9 novel: The 34th Rule, ST - Destiny novel: Lost Souls)
Geography
Surface of Andoria (Alternate[3])
The Snowy planes of Andor
Emblem of the Andorian Empire.
Andor has a much cooler climate than the class M norm. In the summer months temperatures in the northern polar wastes average around -28°C.
Eighty-five percent of the planet is covered in water with the remaining fifteen percent divided into two continents. Zhevra is the largest of the two and is located in the southern hemisphere. As well as the two continents a series of island chains exist, most notably in the northern hemisphere where the Andorian species is believed to have first evolved.
- The Andorians: Among the Clans alternatively states that poles are covered by two continents, Issa in the north and Tlanek to the south. Of Andor's 35.1% surface landmass, the inhabitants predominantly reside on two equatorial continents, Ka'Thela (also known as Kathela) and Voral, which are linked by the mountainous isthmus Akalath, home to the Tharan Mountains.
Many, but not all, cities are located underground to take advantage of geothermal heat. Major population centers include the capital, Laikan, Laibok, and Harbortown located on the northern islands. (DS9 novel: Andor: Paradigm, ENT episode: "The Aenar")
Andoria's mountain ranges were popular destinations for tourists. Both Worf and Kasidy Yates suggested them as possible locations for their honeymoons. (DS9 episodes: "Change of Heart", "Strange Bedfellows")
The moon endures strong magnetic fields around its poles and its circumpolar Northern Wastes. The fields disrupt regional security grids, and allowed in pre-Federation times, for pirates, slavers and others to covertly make planetfall there. (ENT novel: The Good That Men Do)
Provinces and cities
- Gazawahaida
- Harbortown
- Laibok
- Laikan
- Lor'Tan
- Shess
- Tarsk
- Thelasa-vei province
- Wethesa
- Neshilev Settlement Project
Points of interest and other landmarks
- Andorian Academy
- Atlin Zoological Park
- Eastern Archipelago
- Emarni Lake
- Grand Staircase
- Great Rift Range
- Hand of Cheshras
- Hill Country
- Nitra Bridge
- Northern Wastes
- Plaza of Freedom
- Therin Park
- Vezhdar Plain
- Wall of Heroes
Bodies of water
- Anshim Ocean • Bo'ab • Central Canal • Emarnl Lake • Frost River • Khyzhon Sea • La Len Ocean • La'Vor Sea • Lor'Tan Strait • Mar'it • Moss River • Smathl Lake • Lake Thalassa
Natural History
Flora
Fauna
- Ahleesh
- Alicorne
- Andorian amoeba
- Andorian forest spider
- Andorian redbat
- Atlirith
- Canya
- Engoru
- Glikar'ma
- Gopa
- Grayth
- Hybor
- Ice bore
- Korelath
- Makra
- Preshava
- Zabathu
Alternate Timelines
In an alternate timeline where Montgomery Scott rescued James T. Kirk before he could be absorbed into the Nexus, Andor was one of the worlds that had been assimilated and was in the process of being converted into raw materials by 2293. When the USS Enterprise-D scanned the planet, Data reported that there were two billion Borg drones, with most having been Andorians before their assimilation. The Alliance had secretly placed several hundred cloaked photon torpedoes near the system, intent on destroying the Borg presence there. (Star Trek novel: Engines of Destiny)
Appendices
References
External links
- Andor article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Andor article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.