Desiccation

The desiccated remains of a Human

Desiccation was the process of thoroughly drying an object.

The process could be performed through thermolytic reaction, as was speculated to be the cause of death to a crewmember of the USS Equinox, discovered by Tom Paris in 2376. The officer was, in fact, attacked by a nucleogenic lifeform, which caused the desiccated every cell in their body. (VOY: "Equinox")

A disk of vacuum-desiccated remains

Vacuum-desiccation was a common and intentional means to dispose of a Ferengi corpse as part of the Ferengi death ritual.

The process was completed almost immediately after death, which began with dismemberment of the body and resulted in a collection of fifty-two disks, marked with the Ferengi Seal of Dismemberment, and sold as a collectible in private sales or on the Ferengi Futures Exchange. (DS9: "The Nagus", "The Alternate", "Body Parts")

The status of the Ferengi in life determined the price set on a disk of their remains.

For example, in 2369, the purported vacuum-desiccated remains of Grand Nagus Zek were selling for twenty bars of latinum per disk. Nava was originally hesitant to pay that price but purchased a disk anyway when Krax promised him it would be worth twice as much in a year. (DS9: "The Nagus")

As Zek was later revealed to be alive, it is unclear what the source of the desiccated material was.

In 2370, Odo facetiously offered to buy a piece of Quark's vacuum-desiccated remains when he learned that Fallit Kot was bent on killing him. (DS9: "Melora")

The remains of Plegg, which Quark attempted to sell in 2370 for three strips of latinum per disk, were not as highly valued. They were also discovered to be frauds since Plegg was still alive. (DS9: "The Alternate")

Again, as Plegg was later revealed to be alive, it is unclear what the source of the desiccated material was.

When Nog sold off his boyhood treasures before leaving for Starfleet Academy in 2372, he had among his collection several disks of desiccated remains of notable Ferengi. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

Later that year, Quark, after being misdiagnosed with Dorek Syndrome, auctioned his own remains on the Exchange where Brunt purchased the entire collection for five hundred bars of latinum. (DS9: "Body Parts")

External link

• Vacuum desiccation at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Desiccation at Wikipedia