Alesia Prime
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The most prominent and well known world in the BeTau Sector, Alesia Prime offers staunch political support and unique resources that make it a respected member of the Federation. Though not rich in traditional resources, Alesia offers the Federation astronomical and scientific expertise rivaling the contributions of Vulcan and Bynaus. In addition to its information resources, Alesia also boasts some of the best vacation resorts in the Federation, outdone only by the pleasure world of Risa. Lastly, the Alesians create a variety of puzzles and games that have gained great popularity across the Federation.
Alesia Prime is the fourth of eight planets orbiting the Type A star Alesia. Just over three billion people live on this Earth-like Class M world. Since Alesia joined the Federation small numbers of humans, Centaurans, and Andorians claim Alesia as their home also. Alesians closely resemble humans, but have sharply defined facial features and yellow-gold skin. They tend to be slightly weaker in strength and constitution than humans, and have a normal life span of roughly 120 years.
The Alesia System
The Alesia system lies only two light years inside the rimward edge of the BeTau Sector, situated roughly between Starbase 315 and the Pinaar system. Beyond Alesia Prime, the system contains no other habitable worlds, though an observatory sits on Alesia VIII, the outermost planet in the system. The remaining planets of the system, mostly gas giants and small Class K worlds, are devoid of life and settlements.
Government
Though technically an aristocracy, the government of Alesia also shares a number of characteristics with democratic governments such as Andor and Earth. The Prime Council, the ruling council of Alesia, is composed of the eldest members of what are known as the First Families, the oldest families to survive since the first societies formed on Alesia, over 3,000 years ago. The eldest surviving member of each of the First Families is known as the "Prime" of that family.
When the Prime of a First Family dies, the next eldest, called the Second, takes over as Prime of the family. When the last surviving member of one of the First Families dies, the next eldest family line takes its place among the First Families. This is a rare event, having taken place only five times in Alesian history.
Given the importance of family heritage and history in the Alesian government and culture, many Alesians, especially those among the First Families, are experts in the genealogies of not only their own family but also those of several others. Legends tell that the original First Families descend from a species of aliens from the center of the galaxy who settled Alesia several millennia ago.
In an unprecedented act, when the planet joined the Federation, the Letarr family abdicated its place among the First Families so that Letarr Prime could serve as the Alesian ambassador to the Federation. When the Prime Council nominated Letarr Prime for Ambassador to the Federation, the Letarr family unanimously supported the decision to ensure that their family would take its place in the history of their world, despite the loss of their place on the Prime Council. Today, Letarr Prime's son - Letarr Second - follows in his father's footsteps, and holds the position of ambassador.
Interstellar Relations
Alesia and the Federation have enjoyed strong relations since the former joined the latter. Alesia first applied for Federation membership forty-three years ago and threw its full support behind the UFP after being admitted, offering what resources it has to both the Federation and Starfleet. Though first thought of by some as a small, insignificant world, Alesia soon caught the attention of many members of the Federation Council, largely due to the Alesian ambassador.
Letarr Second holds the position of Alesian Ambassador to the Federation. He takes his role on the Federation Council very seriously, and attends every session without fail. He has a reputation for thoughtful deliberation, often acting as a moderate voice within the Council chambers. With the outbreak of the Dominion War, he was influential in urging the council toward an alliance with the Romulan Star Empire, as well as opening up a dialog with the Founders. Letarr also understandably takes great interest in the Federation's plans to save Alesia from the Lazarus star, working hand-in-glove with Starfleet on an evacuation plan, and attending meetings with the Bureau of Colonization on the resettlement plan.
Alesia maintains peaceful, though detached, relations with the Pinnaar Domain and its colonies. Prior to the fifteen-year civil war between the Pinnaari and Kentarr V, Alesia maintained economic commerce with the Pinnaar Domain, but the relationship declined with Kentarran attacks on Alesian vessels entering the Pinnaar system. Subsequently, Alesia has maintained only cordial, official diplomatic relations with the Pinnaar Domain. In addition to the settled worlds in the sector, Alesia also maintains relations with some of the commercial enterprises in the sector, including the Tellarite Mining Corporation and the Dytallix Mining Company, both of which operate a number of mining colonies on Heret IV.
Culture
The Alesians have a long tradition of watching the sky and making observations, and seem to be natural-born astronomers. They have extensive astronomical data concerning this area of the Alpha Quadrant. This data comes largely from the Alesian observatory on the outermost planet in the Alesia system, but also from Alesian exploration ships that routinely scout through space. The Alesians' data includes extensive studies of the Yanixx Lazarus star, and Alesian astrophysicists work with Starfleet science personnel to continue their studies of Yanixx's gradual collapse toward another supernova.
The Yanixx Lazarus star poses a unique problem for the Alesians. The last time the star burst into a supernova, waves of intense radiation bombarded the planet's surface. While escaping the catastrophic damage suffered by planets closer to the star, such as Heret IV, the increased radiation caused a vast "heat age." The polar ice caps melted and millions of species died out. The few Alesians surviving this disaster were left to rebuild. To this day, legends about the previous Alesian civilization, and its tremendous technological marvels, persist. The most popular concern Kascant, a mythological city of wonders, though no evidence of its existence has even been found. With the imminent eruption of Yanixx into another supernova, the Alesians fret about the future of their world, and their astronomers work closely with the Federation.
In addition to its expertise in astronomy, Alesia also features a number of luxury resorts and vacation spots rivaled in quality only by those of Risa. Like Risa, it sits in the heart of Federation space, but does not enjoy as widely known a reputation, an added incentive to many vacationers who prefer to "get away from it all." While most of Alesia's resorts are rather traditional, offering leisure and relaxation on a beautiful faraway land, Alesia also offers a number of more adventurous vacations, such as expedition racing and wildlife safaris in the deepest, darkest areas of Alesia's jungles. Though they remain unsubstantiated, rumors insist that Alesian vacation facilities are favored hideouts of members of the Orion Syndicate.
Alesia's final claim to fame in the Federation is as the birthplace of a series of mental puzzles and games (sort of like Rubik's Cubes of Earth). These small mind-bender puzzles - some physical objects, some electronic puzzles played on PADDs - enjoy tremendous popularity throughout the Federation, particularly among Vulcans and Tellarites.
Reference(s)
- Isaacs, Ross A., et al. Star Trek TNG RPG Players' Guide, Culver City, CA: Last Unicorn Games, 1999.