The Otarians are a humanoid species native to Otari II.
Biology[]
The Otarians are a terrestrial species, having evolved from aquatic air-breathing ancestors ten million years ago. They retained vestigial webbing between their fingers.
History[]
Since their rise as an intelligent species, the Otarians have lived at the fringes of Otari II's planetary ecosystem, which included a handful of island dwellers, scattered across the ocean world.
In 2261 the Otarians were discovered by the United Federation of Planets. Dr. Ganira Lewis started six years of research on the Otarian people.
In 2267, the USS Enterprise made a small detour from its course to deliver Ensign Laura Herrada to a scientific outpost on the planet who was replacing an assistant for Dr. Ganira Lewis.
About a month later, Ensign Herrada reported the death of Dr. Lewis after she was killed by the Otarians when she entered their Mating Festival in disguise without authorization from Starfleet. Despite her death, Otarian culture remains pristine but this violation of the Prime Directive caused the outpost on Otari II to be shut down and Ensign Herrada to be retrieved by the USS Bradbury. (TOS - Waypoint comic: "Come Away, Child")
Culture[]
Due to the harsh conditions of their world, few Otarians brave the open sea, where larger, faster predators rule. But despite their lowly position on the food chain, the Otarians thrive.
Society[]
According to Ensign Laura Herrada, Otarian matrilineal societies resemble those of the Dolgari. However, Dr. Lewis disagreed, believing that the similarities were superficial, holding that the Otarian culture is vastly more complex than the Dolgari.
As stated, Otarian society is matriarchal, with land-holding females controlling the villages and their crops. Males are itinerant, living in small trading and hunting groups that roam the archipelagos. The two sexes rarely intermingle, aside from the mating festivals. (TOS - Waypoint comic: "Come Away, Child")
Appendices[]
Appearances[]
- TOS - Waypoint comic: "Come Away, Child"