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The Tzenkethi are a spacefaring civilization from the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant. Their government was the Tzenkethi Coalition. (DS9 episode: "The Adversary"; ST reference: Star Charts)

In alternating sources, Tzenkethi have been described to have different appearances and evolution. It is not clear if they are possibly a race with differing subspecies, or if they are a coalition of multiple races with origins in the same proximity. The actual explanation is of course that the various references are from differing sources that might be intended to be in differing continuity.

History and specifics[]

Types of Tzenkethi include a reptilian form in comics from IDW and STO, another more humanoid form with liquid-filled anatomy that is bioluminescent and conducts electricity described in Pocket Books series, and finally, a felinoid form referenced in a Strange New Worlds VII short story.

Tzenkethi four-armed reptilians[]

Biology[]

These Tzenkethi have a hulking reptile-like anatomy with a large pair of arms extending from their shoulders and a smaller pair of arms used for finer manipulation. Some Tzenkethi have rhino-like horns on their heads. (ST video game: Star Trek Online)

Culture[]

Tzenkethi have two names with members of the nobility having the word "Tzen" attached to their surname.

History[]

In 2410, the Tzenkethi went on a genocidal campaign throughout the Alpha Quadrant, using their protomatter-based technology to wipe out entire planets in order to prevent the Hur'q from re-awakening. They were manipulated into doing this by the Female Changeling, who assumed the identity of Tzenkethi Admiral Aarn Tzen-Tarrak.

Tzenkethi dinosaur-like reptilians[]


Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow: The following content contains spoilers!

Biology[]

These Tzenkethi resembled bipedal dinosaurs with individuals resembling Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops.

Culture[]

The Tzenkethi were a theocracy that worshiped a god that they believe lived at the center of their planet. The word "Tzenketh" has four different meaning for the Tzenkethi: it is the name of their planet, the name of their god, the name of their species and the name of the concept of survival of the fittest that governs their society. The Tzenkethi believed that earthquakes were messages from their god and it was up to the Autarch to interpret their meaning.

Tzenkethi had four names: the first name is a given name, the second name indicates their position, the third name indicates where their egg was hatched and the fourth is always Tzenketh, indicating the god they serve.

Every year, the Tzenkethi celebrate the Festival of Supremacy, a war against vicious predators who attempt to invade the Tzenkethi capital city Kot'taborr. The city was originally the nesting ground of the sha'zol, who try to take the land back from the Tzenkethi. Each Festival of Supremacy has a death toll of at least 100,000.

Technology[]

Tzenkethi starships are made of glass, stone and animal bone. They don't have a warp drive, instead using atomic reactors to fly at the speed of light.

History[]

Federation first contact with the Tzenkethi occurred nearly a hundred years before 2378. 127 Starfleet crewmen were killed.

In 2378, the Romulan Star Empire manipulated the Tzenkethi into declaring war on the Federation. During this time, the planet Tzenketh was in danger of exploding due to its unstable core.

(ST - Glass and Bone comics: "A Savage World of Glass and Bone, Part 1", "Part 1", "Part 2", "Part 3", "Part 4", "Part 5")
This article or section is incomplete
This article is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

Tzenkethi humanoids[]

Biology[]

Their physiology is externally humanoid, but internally quite different. The Tzenkethi skeleton is made up of several fluid-filled sacs, which can be contracted and expanded at will. This allows an unusual flexibility for a humanoid body. Their customary sitting position involves wrapping the legs around the main body, giving them the appearance of having been cut in half. (DS9 episode: "The Adversary", ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

Their internal anatomy contains bones only along their spines. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Plagues of Night)

Tzenkethi skin tones cover the entire range of the visible spectrum, from pale green or brown, through blue, yellow and orange, to bright red and silver. Skin colors appear to correlate with an individual's function in society, with duller colors belonging to lower echelons and brighter colors to the upper echelons. Their skin is naturally bioluminescent. They have ovoid-shaped eyes, voices that sound like bells, and are described as being very tall and visually attractive to most other races, even non-humanoid ones.

Their skin carries a slight electric charge, giving other individuals a tingling sensation upon physical contact. This charge can be intensified at will to painful levels for the receiver. They are also capable of carrying and transmitting diseases to others while remaining unaffected themselves. The skin can also be used in communication. (ST - Typhon Pact novels: Rough Beasts of Empire, Brinkmanship)

Culture[]

Name and designation[]

For these Tzenkethi, naming conventions involve four segments - a given name, the individual's job, their echelon, and their level of accomplishment within that echelon. The Coalition's ambassador to the Typhon Pact is named Alizome Tor Fel-A, with "tor" indicating a position as special agent to the Autarch, "fel" being her membership in the "problem-solver" echelon, and A indicating the highest proficiency in that role. These names are changeable in a given situation - for example, when Alizome dealt with the Typhon Pact she was known as Alizome Vik Tov-A, indicating a speaker of the government echelon. When she went undercover on Romulus as a trade representative, she became Alizome Nim Gar-A. She suggested to her Romulan counterpart that Tzenkethi naming conventions were a matter of privacy and mild embarrassment, although it was implied that this was a lie to cover her multiple identities. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

Position
  • Ank
  • Bel - Advisor
  • Dop
  • Nen
  • Nim - Trade representative
  • Nok - Servant (of the Autarch)
  • Rej - Autarch (or suitable candidate)
  • Ret - Receives orders from Ter
  • Siv - Military officer/commander
  • Tek
  • Ter - Leader/order-giver
  • Tor - Special agent to the Autarch
  • Tzel - Member of the Tzelnira
  • Ves
  • Vik - Speaker/negotiator for the Autarch
Echelon
  • Ata - Maintenance
  • Fel - Problem solver
  • Gar - Government policy specialist
  • Kre - Administrator
  • Lom
  • Mak - Enforcer
  • Ren
  • Tov - Governmental leader
  • Vel - Starship commander?
  • Yai - Scientist (biologist, geneticist?)
  • Yor
  • Zon - Astronomer
Grade
A Tzenkethi's grade indicates the quality of their genetic stock. (ST - Typhon Pact novels: Rough Beasts of Empire, The Struggle Within, Plagues of Night, Brinkmanship; DS9 novel: The Missing)
  • AA - (Best possible quality), to EE.
  • 0 - Null; contaminating; unfit to contribute to Tzenkethi stock.
Societal echelons[]

Tzenkethi culture is based on strict classifications for all individuals. They balk at the characterization of being a caste-based society, seeing that as implying unjustified discrimination. Rather, all Tzenkethi individuals are genetically tested while still in utero, and then assigned to an "echelon" based upon their genetic disposition. For example, individuals best suited to work in the sciences are raised in that discipline, and those best suited for diplomatic work likewise. Citizens are constantly re-tested in the course of their everyday activities. They do not see this as invasive, but rather as an opportunity to prove themselves. Movement between the echelons is possible if a citizen's regular test results suggest it would be appropriate, although the initial tests are accurate enough that it rarely happens.

Those in the lower echelons of society are not allowed to talk to those higher up unless given specific permission to do so, and then only through a complex system of gestures and honorifics. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

Spatial utilization[]

Due to their physical appeal to other races, early alien contact was very traumatic for Tzenkethi, as they often found themselves kidnapped and abused. This led to a cultural discomfort with open spaces. They prefer to work in small, enclosed rooms. They use artificial gravity envelopes to make use of all surfaces within a room. It is a frequent practice for people to live and work on what humans would consider the ceiling of a room, referred to as the "superior deck," as compared to the inferior and anterior decks (the floor and walls, respectively). Using only the floor of a room is considered wasteful and uncomfortably vulnerable. They also dislike being alone, preferring the safety of crowds or areas where a lot of individuals are located. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

Tzenkethi felinoids[]

These Tzenkethi are feliform bipeds with striped fur, stringy whiskers and tall pointed ears. (DS9 - Strange New Worlds VII short story: "Infinite Bureaucracy")

Language[]

These Tzenkethi have a language called Tzikaa!n, which includes dialects for different echelons. (DS9 short story: "Infinite Bureaucracy")

This article or section is incomplete
This article is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

Politics[]

The Tzenkethi homeworld is called Ab-Tzenketh, the capital planet of the Tzenkethi Coalition. The government is headed by the Autarch of the Tzenkethi Coalition, under whom serve a number of appointed ministers, or Tzelnira. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)

The palace of the Autarch is located on one of the world's moons. (ST novel: Day of the Vipers)

With the ruling caste literally looking down upon the populace on the planet below, this placement might tend to symbolize the strict class hierarchy among Tzenkethi. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)

The full name of the Tzenkethi Autarch in 2381 was Korzenten Rej Tov-AA - "rej" being a very small category of individuals suitable to serve as Autarch, and AA indicating the best possible proficiency in that role. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

All members of society routinely praise the Autarch with ritualized gestures directed towards the moon, thankful that he is watching over them and keeping them safe. The Autarch is referred to as "My Rej" by those of lower echelons. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

The Coalition appears to spend a great deal of its time making a scapegoat out of the United Federation of Planets, twisting all intergalactic news to make the Federation appear ruthless, dangerous and immoral. The Tzenkethi government considers the Federation's method of government dangerously chaotic - to allow all citizens of the state, however uneducated or uninformed, an equal vote in electing someone to the leadership position is unthinkable to them. On Ab-Tzenketh, only those genetically most suited to the role even have a chance to rise to such a position.

Technology[]

Tzenkethi ships in battle

Tzenkethi starships in battle with a Federation starship.

The Tzenkethi are technologically advanced; Klingon Ambassador Kage considered them capable of building metaweapons as early as 2311, also demonstrating that the Coalition was known to the Klingons and the Federation by at least this date. (ST - The Lost Era novel: Serpents Among the Ruins)

The Tzenkethi humanoids' warships are teardrop-shaped, presenting seemingly unbroken, featureless surfaces that then iris open to reveal weapons, sensors and other devices. Their planet-bound architecture uses similar principles. (ST - Terok Nor novel: Day of the Vipers, ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

The Autarch's residence actually changes shape from time to time, challenging visitors each time to track down the new entrance, thus proving their worthiness to enter. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

Most Tzenkethi hand weapons left a faint but distinctive trail of sodium chloride, or salt, due to their homeworld having lots of water. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

History[]

Tzenkethi first contact

The disastrous first contact between Tzenkethi and Starfleet.

The Federation had arranged a summit on Tzenketh in 2312, but this early overture does not appear to have gone well. (ST novel: The Fire and the Rose)

According to Gary Seven, a misunderstanding between the Tzenkethi Coalition and the Federation during first contact led to the death of a quarter of Starfleet's diplomatic corps. The following two decades were dominated by war. (TOS - Year Five - Experienced in Loss comic: "Issue 23")

The Tzenkethi would later respond to the Federation's efforts to encourage trade by starting a war. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)

Tzenkethi were known to raid other nation's space, and were engaged in acts of piracy in Cardassian territory as early as the 2310s. In the mid-2320s, Skrain Dukat arranged an elaborate conspiracy to fake a Tzenkethi attack on Bajor, in order to encourage the Bajorans to accept Cardassian aid. (ST novel: Day of the Vipers)

The Tzenkethi tried to invade the planet Bactrica at least three times prior to the mid-24th century. A fourth attempt was repulsed when the Bactricans appealed for intercession by the Federation. (DS9 short story: "The Music Between the Notes") The Tzenkethi and the United Federation of Planets waged war some years later. (see: Tzenkethi War)

In the 2320s, Cortin Zweller encountered a Tzenkethi female who turned out to be a saboteur. (TNG - Section 31 novel: Rogue)

In 2371, the Dominion attempted to spark a new war between the two powers in order to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant. (DS9 episode: "The Adversary")

First Splinter timeline[]

The Tzenkethi were briefly considered as the possible culprits behind a series of malfunctions aboard Deep Space 10 in 2376 and 2377. (CoE eBook: Troubleshooting)

In 2380, a two-year-old Tzenkethi named Zormonk, the son of Tzelnira Zaarok, was diagnosed with cal-tai and covertly sent into Federation space for treatment. However, the disease was too far advanced, and the child died in surgery. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation). The Tzenkethi propaganda machine was delighted to have evidence of the dead body of a Tzenkethi child in Federation hands. They insisted he had been kidnapped, and tortured in medical experiments. The Coalition recalled its ambassador soon afterwards (ST novel: Mere Mortals). Ironically, this ambassador, Emra, was actually rather forward-thinking for a Tzenkethi official and had previously attempted to open trade with Federation member worlds such as Nasat. His attitude made him unpopular, presumably why he was given the job of ambassador to the Federation, a posting the Coalition did not take seriously. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)

The Tzenkethi Coalition was a founding member of the Typhon Pact in 2381. (ST novel: A Singular Destiny)

The Tzenkethi government has demonstrated a willingness to secretly interfere with the other governments, even those of its allies within the Typhon Pact. They are known to have manipulated matters in the Romulan Star Empire to ensure the rise of a Praetor favorable to the Coalition's goals. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire)

The Tzenkethi interfered in the internal politics of the Talarian Republic by secretly fomenting a popular revolution based on the strict gender roles of Talarian society, hoping to prevent the Republic from joining the Khitomer Accords. (ST novel: The Struggle Within)

Tzenkethi scientists experimented with creating an artificial wormhole in order to gain access to the Gamma Quadrant, which resulted in the temporary collapse of the Bajoran wormhole. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Raise the Dawn)

Tzenkethi were also behind the creation of a group within the Cardassian Union designed to combat Cardassian membership within the Khitomer Accords. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Brinkmanship)

Tzenkethi individuals[]

AlizomeAztralBezorjChoskaCorazameCorliadDezinorEmentarEmraEntrigarErtozGedlinKav'ka Koldo Voltani TzenkethKorzentenMetigerNelzikNenzetNeth ParrPolika Autarch Xio TzenkethPresh'iltar TransmitterRanl VenninTashanVelenezVendezV'kreza O !nragtha NenzethVonarWaram Tzen-GravuZaarokZeerenZeleerZelentZormonkunnamed Tzenkethi

Appendices[]

Background[]

Apocrypha[]

This section is written
from the Real World
point of view
.
Memory Beta

Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who wrote the Tzenkethis' only canon mentions in "The Adversary" and "Paradise Lost", envisioned the species considerably differently than Pocket Books' writers. In an online post, Wolfe described them as "heavily armored lizard things", and said he had come up with the name by combining "Kzinti" with "Tskanth" (a species appearing in the role-playing games RuneQuestWP and HeroQuestWP). When the Tzenkethi were unveiled for Star Trek Online, the designs were clearly based on Wolfe's imagined design.

Appearances and references[]

Appearances[]

External link[]

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