Ktarian

Etana Jol, a female Ktarian

For additional meanings of "Ktarian", please see Ktarian.

The Ktarians were a humanoid species native to the planet Ktaris. Ktarians were also known to maintain burial grounds on the planet Ktaria VII. (VOY: "Child's Play", "Emanations")

Physiology and culture

File:Naomi2394.jpg

An older Naomi Wildman, a female Ktarian/Human hybrid

Three of Five — A formerly Ktarian Borg drone

It seems there may have been a great variety among the Ktarian species. In some cases Ktarians had distinctive foreheads divided into two hemispheres (which seem to have been bones), and distinctive yellow eyes with horizontally slit pupils. (TNG: "The Game")

In the case of a Ktarian/Human hybrid, the resulting offspring could lack the bony forehead structures and yellow eyes, and instead have exo-cranial ridges. A rare complication of these hybrid gestations occurred when the baby shifted position in the uterus and the exo-cranial ridges lodged in the uterine wall. A Ktarian/Human hybrid's gestation period was about eighteen months. (VOY: "Deadlock", "Fury")

Upon birth, breast-feeding could begin immediately; however Human females needed to remain cautious, as the incisors of Ktarian infants erupted within three to four weeks of birth. Because Human females lacked the scale of a Ktarian, alternative measures were typically recommended. The early stages of Ktarian development were marked by significant growth – a much higher rate of growth than that of Human infants. At the age of two, Naomi Wildman, a Ktarian/Human hybrid, grew five centimeters in a three-week period. (VOY: "Deadlock", "Mortal Coil")

Ktarian hearts had eight chambers. The sound they produced was similar to that of a pulsar cluster's EM fields vibrating against a ship's hull. (VOY: "Body and Soul")

The Ktarian burial ceremony consisted of, at least partly, placing thousands of stones around the tomb of the deceased; each of these stones was sacred and acted as a prayer. (VOY: "Emanations")

A Ktarian music festival was held in 2370, during which Harry Kim met his girlfriend Libby (by sitting in her seat). (VOY: "Non Sequitur")

History

Ktarians had technology sufficient for the creation of plasma coils as early as the 21st century. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I")

At least one member of this species had been assimilated by the Borg by the 2350s whom the Borg designated as Species 6961. (VOY: "Dark Frontier")

The Ktarians were members of the United Federation of Planets, but in 2368 a rogue Ktarian faction tried to gain control of Starfleet. Their military power was insufficient to conquer it by force so they opted for an alternate gambit. They created a type of mind-control technology disguised as the highly addictive "Ktarian game", and attempted to use it in order to wrest control of Starfleet. The Ktarians almost succeeded in gaining control of the USS Enterprise-D but failed due to the efforts of Lieutenant Commander Data, Ensign Robin Lefler, and Wesley Crusher. (TNG: "The Game")

A Ktarian owned an antique shop on Deep Space 9. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I")

It is possible that the Ktarian who owned the shop was Greskrendtregk. Brannon Braga wrote "Birthright, Part I" and several of the Voyager episodes that mentioned him.

By the 2370s, the Ktarians were still loyal to the Federation, but sympathized with the Maquis. (VOY: "The Voyager Conspiracy")

The Ktarian glaciers were a popular ski destination. (VOY: "Macrocosm")

These may have been on either Ktaris, Ktaria VII, or yet another planet in their sphere of influence.

They also had some famous culinary dishes popular among Federation officers, such as their Ktarian chocolate puff, Ktarian pudding, Ktarian eggs, Ktarian beer, and Ktarian Merlot. (TNG: "Liaisons"; VOY: "Scientific Method"; Star Trek Generations)

List of Ktarians

Background information

In VOY: "The Voyager Conspiracy", Seven of Nine stated that "the Ktarians were officially with the Federation, but they sympathized with the Maquis". This suggests they may have been a member of the Federation, however, they also may have just been allies.

There has been no official explanation for the obvious cranial differences between Wildman, Jol, and the Ktarian drone.

The alien Trajok from DS9: "Playing God" may have been a full-blooded Ktarian, as his cranial ridges and horns were very similar to those of the half-Ktarian Naomi Wildman.

External link

Ktarian at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works