Rigelian, or Rigellian, was a designation given to various races and cultures typically native to the Rigel systems (the Rigel or Beta Rigel star systems). Specifically, Rigelian was the demonym of any residents of the Beta Rigel system irrespective of their species. From the 16th century citizens of the Rigelian Trade Commission were called Rigelians. The RTC was reformed into the United Rigel Worlds and Colonies upon admission to the Federation in 2164. (ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: Tower of Babel)
Chelons are an indigenous people to Beta Rigel that commonly went by their species designation, but they may also be called Rigelian Chelons. (VAN novel: Harbinger)
Types of Rigelians/Rigellians[]
- It should be noticed that the number of 'L's in 'Rigelian' and 'Rigellian' is a indicator between the different races, as in the Decipher RPG module: Worlds. Over the years, licensed publications have presented different accounts of Beta Rigel and Rigel, its planets and native species. As a result, the number and nature of the various Rigelian/Rigellian species across the different continuities are contradictory.
Beta Rigel[]
- The ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: Tower of Babel places three indigenous species in the Beta Rigel (Tau-3 Eridani) system. One of these includes a racial sub-group, the Kalar. In addition, aliens on various colonies are called Rigelians, too. The native term for their system is Raij'hl, after the central star Raij.
- native species:
- Chelons: a species of chelonian (tortoise-like) reptiles native to Beta Rigel III. Chelons are hermaphrodites but some of them assume a male or female gender in society. A notable Chelonian was Ambassador Jetanien. (TOS movie: The Motion Picture, VAN novel: Harbinger)
- Jelna: native to Beta Rigel V, the first Rigelian species to achieve spaceflight. They have four sexes. Their endosexes are grey-skinned and silver-eyed, the exosexes are sallow-skinned and have a variety of eye colors. (ENT episodes: "United", "Affliction", "Demons", "Terra Prime", ST novel: Starfleet: Year One, STA novel: Oblivion, ST video game: Star Trek Online)
- Zami: a vulcanoid species native to Beta Rigel IV but with significant populations on Rigel II and V. Zami are distinguishable from Humans by their slightly pointed ears. A racial subgroup of them are the aggressive Kalar, which were forcibly deported to, and quarantined on, Beta Rigel VII. A notable Zami was the Federation Secretary of the Exterior Safranski. (TOS episode: "The Cage", EV comic: "Our Dearest Blood", ST novel: Articles of the Federation, TOS novel: Mind Meld, TLE novel: Catalyst of Sorrows)
- alien colonists: Immigrant species include the Coridanites, Humans, Ithenites and Xarantine. (ENT - Rise of the Federation novels: A Choice of Futures, Tower of Babel)
- The Rigellians and their warrior-caste subspecies, the Kaylar, primitive Human-like races native to Rigel VII. (TOS episode: "The Cage", EV comic: "Our Dearest Blood")
Rigel[]
- The Rigellian, also called Chelons or Chelarians a saber-toothed turtle-like species from Rigel III. (TOS movie: Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
- The Rigellians, a rodent-like race of wise, reclusive traders from Rigel IV. (TOS novel: The Final Reflection, FASA RPG modules: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge, The Orions: Book of Deep Knowledge)
- The V'gelnians, native to Rigel V and descended from Vulcans who left their homeworld after the Sundering. (FASA RPG module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)
Biology[]
- This section covers biological details of Rigelians/Rigellians that cannot be definitely linked to any of the above races.
According to some sources, Rigelians had four or five sexes. (ENT episode: "Cogenitor")
History[]
- This section covers history and appearances of Rigelians/Rigellians that cannot be definitely linked to any of the above races.
Rigellian serpent-charmers were part of the circus of Vladimir Kossenko, which toured the Federation in reference stardate 2118 (c. 2192) as part of the Galactic Cultural Exchange project. (ST reference: Spaceflight Chronology)
Circa 2264, the Tellarite criminal Muso ordered his people to collect a 10,000-credit bounty on a certain Rigellian, dead or alive. (ST comic: "Alien Spotlight: Orions")
In 2359, a Rigellian ambassador was scheduled to visit the Federation embassy on Betazed with only forty-eight hours notice. The head of the embassy, Mark Roper, indicated that it was typical Rigellian paranoid behavior to make such late arrangements, and feared that the ambassador wouldn't show up anyway. (TNG novel: Imzadi)
In 2369, a Rigelian freighter docked at Deep Space 9 before traveling through the Bajoran wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant. Flying a runabout, Odo shadowed the freighter to avoid Ah-kel, a Miradorn, while transporting Croden, a Rakhari fugitive, to the Gamma Quadrant. (DS9 episode: "Vortex")
In 2370, there were Rigellians present for the trade negotiations at Deep Space 9. The Rigellian ambassador was injured when a bomb exploded in Pylon 4 (Lower Pylon 1). (DS9 novel: Betrayal)
Appendices[]
Images[]
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External link[]
- Rigelian article at Star Fleet Universe wiki, the wiki for Star Fleet Universe / Star Fleet Battles.