Bolarus IX
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Bolarus IX, the homeworld of the Bolians — a prominent race among the Federation — is notable for its small landmasses, large oceans, and highly organized development. The natural inclination of the Bolians for teamwork and interdependence has made its mark on this world and in the Federation. As a source of both important alloys and the skilled specialists to make them, Bolarus IX enjoys a crucial spot as a resource-heavy Federation world.
Hard-working and strictly regimented, Bolians are always seeking knowledge; they believe innovation and learning will allow them to better understand and therefore control the universe around them. For this reason, Bolarus IX has become a center for learning within the Federation, home to some of the finest engineering and applied science academies in the galaxy. However, the workload the Bolians expect a student to carry is enough to cause most non-Bolian students to drop out within the first year. Graduates are, understandably, highly respected throughout the UFP.
Bolarus IX was embroiled in planetary war throughout the 22nd century. Explorers might have been drawn into the perpetual conflict between the three nation-states. By the 23rd century, the Bolians, while still fighting one another, were well on their way to resolving their national differences and becoming a mature society. In the 24th century, Bolarus IX is a productive member of the Federation, with hundreds of Bolians serving in Starfleet and the natural team building the Bolians bring to any project benefiting the Federation as a whole. During the Dominion War, Bolarus IX is far from the front lines of the battle, though Bolians remain extremely active both as combatants on Starfleet vessels and in collective efforts for relief work, research and development and planetary defense of those worlds closer to the front lines.
Bolarus IX is the ninth planet of sixteen in the Bolarus system, orbiting a blue-white star in the Beta Quadrant. It is moderately close to the Romulan Neutral Zone, though not so close as to be considered a specific threat. This proximity did lead the Romulans and their allies to manipulate Bolarus IX in the 22nd and 23rd Centuries, keeping the world off-balance (and therefore out of the hands of the Federation, which would only allow a member which had a stable government to join). After unity was established and the Bolians joined the Federation, the Romulans left them alone, and Bolarus IX established itself as an enthusiastic Federation member world. The colonies of Bolarus VII and Bolarus X are mainly focused on planetary science studies; the Bolarus XIII outpost concentrates on warp technology research. Bolarus IX features four moons known as Dorin, Alat, Kot, and Rim (names derived from figures in Bolian mythology). The moons follow similar orbital paths, but travel at different speeds. This causes severe tidal conditions and seismex instability on the planet's surface; it also disrupts the planet's orbital rotation, significantly slowing and speeding it up at different times of the year. Bolian chronographers (calendar-keepers), geologists, and oceanographers often have their hands full dealing with the moons' effects on their planet; however, advanced technology has eliminated many of the problems which the moons have caused historically.
Bolarus IX has also become the hub of the so-called "Mineral Chute," a trade run connecting the Bolarus System to most of the other Federation core worlds. most of the rare minerals used in spaceframe and hull construction are found in abundance on Bolarus IX, and the Bolians have developed some of the most sophisticated processing and refining complexes in the galaxy. Alloys such as rodinium and polyduranium are synthesized from raw materials transported to the surface from deep within the planet's crust; transports and cargo carriers then carry these refined materials to shipyards and Starfleet facilities throughout the UFP. It is ironic that while the Bolians build few ships of their own, their world and their technology remains largely responsible for keeping Starfleet in top working order. Since Bolarus IX is primarily a water world, many of its richest mines rest deep beneath the seafloor, accessed by vast underwater arcologies and factories.
Climate
Bolarus IX is prone to “weather,” as the natives put it. Hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons are yearly occurrences during the Rusar season, as the relative lack of landmasses to act as breakwaters encourages storm fronts. Though the storm seasons are long, there are seasons of sunshine and good weather as well, and the Bolians are experts at using the calm to good advantage. Everything from the crack Bolian fishing and aquaculture fleets to the well organized and active planetary development projects work with cheerful efficiency when the weather is good, and prepare for the next break in the storms when it is not. The hazards of the unpredictable weather has largely been checked by advanced weather control technology. The Bolians can now predict when and where a hurricane is going to strike and gauge its strength, based on their meteorological skills and analysis of the moons' positions in the heavens. The monsoon season is followed by a hot, dry season which lasts for several months before the rains returns.
The planet's atmosphere features a nitrogen-oxygen-argon mix slightly different from Earth's, making it an argon-rich environment (which gives rise to the blue skin tone of the Bolian people).
Thanks to the prevalence of undersea dome cities, Bolians must contend with certain aspects of weather that most other Federation worlds don’t worry about — namely, tides and deep-sea currents. While Bolarus IX relies on weather prediction technology instead of weather control satellites, it does have advanced underwater monitoring stations to predict undersea tremors. Similarly, giant tidal engines generate power by harnessing the strong currents, and help to mitigate those same currents before they can threaten the underwater domes.
Geography
There are three major continents on Bolarus IX, as well as permanent, continent-sized polar ice caps and a series of islands just a little too small to be considered continents. The continents are relatively evenly distributed over the surface of Bolarus IX, but none of them are particularly large, and mountain ranges tend to be relatively rare and small when they do appear. Rabinu, Rasara, and Bol’ki (the three continents) are fairly evenly spaced about the equator. Smaller landmasses such as V’olos, Izos, and Kastron are spread across the ocean, but landmasses typically don’t appear at the north or south extremes.
Bolian weather tends toward extremes. As a result, the lowlands often have stark terrain features. While mountains tend to be small (the continents and islands really are just the tips of tectonic activity), the strong hurricanes, typhoons, monsoons, and rainstorms all cut into the terrain, leaving behind sheer cliffs from erosion, waterfalls, jagged rock exposure, and flood plains as a result of changing river routes. Bolians take much of this in stride and their oldest cities sit upon heavy concentrations of bedrock, unlikely to be washed away in a flash flood. Many modern Bolian cities also take the form of underwater domes, insulated from the worst of the surface weather.
In the southern hemisphere, far away from the closest continent, a huge standing whirlpool and attendant storm has formed. This aquatic vortex — called the Senden Funnel — actually helps to regulate the storm seasons, as it doesn’t move beyond the whirlpool’s area and disrupts some storms which might otherwise circle the globe over and over, growing in strength. Many legends have sprung up over what is in the center of the Senden Funnel, both on the surface and at the bottom of the sea, but all sensor readings indicate the region is merely a standing storm, albeit of considerable size.
Bolarus IX’s crust and mantle hold rich deposits of heavy metals. Thanks to efficient engineering and sluice tunnels that run under the oceans, the Bolians mine and work these metals in their underwater dome cities and ship out valuable alloys such as rodinium and polyduranium.
Civilization
While at the low end of the Federation’s technology level, the Bolians make up for it with their industriousness and teamwork. Bolians naturally identify with the team they are in, and see their efforts as ultimately collaborative. Further, recognition of contributions fuels the soul of a Bolian, and so their cultural institutions provide ample opportunities for everyone to participate and for feedback over that participation.
The small land areas on Bolarus IX have encouraged this teamwork — there simply isn’t ample opportunity for solitude or solitary work. This crowding isn’t seen as a problem, though it has meant that their family units have adapted. It’s not unusual for a given family to have multiple husbands and wives, and children of all the different pairings. This focus on group activity has also meant that solitary activities have suffered on Bolarus IX. Most notably, cooking is a nearly nonexistent art. Rather than spice their foods or spend a great deal of (solitary) time preparing it, Bolian chefs use partial food decay — which can be unattended — in lieu of spicing their food. Bolian cuisine is not typically eaten by offworlders; it’s worth noting, though Bolian drinks and vegetable soups are. Of particular popularity is Bolian tomato soup and Bolian tonic water, generally served in the beautiful glass sculptures that serve as Bolian dishes.
The attunement the Bolians have to their teammates, partners and family means suffering is shared throughout their social groups. No Bolian wants to see a member of the team suffering, so caregiving is a tremendous cultural imperative. From the nurseries to the hospice facilities, Bolians are attended to. The Bolians call this the double-effect principle — any action that relieves the suffering of another is ethical — and cleave to it as strongly as a human doctor cleaves to the Hippocratic Oath. This has translated, for example, into a tradition of assisted suicide that dates back to their middle ages.
Bolian government is participatory almost to the point of absurdity. Even the simplest of decisions is decided in public forums, with the affected Bolians all pitching in to help out. Their ruling body — the Bolian World Council — is a combination of elected representation and a meritocracy. The top officials of the world council (which includes three representatives from each of the three major continental nations) must pass a rigorous spate of examinations, tests, and problems before they can undertake the quest for public office. As a result, the Bolians’ civic leaders at the top end tend to be obdurate and self-assured, but also very knowledgeable and experienced.
History
The traditions of Bolian interdependence go back millennia. It almost seems incongruous that by the time they first became warp-capable, their world was engulfed in a world war that had spanned generations.
Ancient Bolian mythology paints a rich, though harsh, portrait of the earliest ages of Bolarus IX. Some attribute this to the harsh conditions of the world and the desire of the early inhabitants to explain their place in it. Other historians point to the far-flung natures of many of the ancient tribes, as well as the subsistence patterns that kept them constantly in motion. Regardless of whether or not these tales are true, all Bolians know them well, and refer to them often as lessons or proverbs; none wishes to return to the racial and cultural divisiveness that marked the world through much of its history.
Great Migrations
Perhaps the oldest of these legends tells the story of three brothers: Ki, Se, and Ra. In ancient times, the storms which raged across the planet were much worse than they are today, delivered by the ocean spirits to make the inhabitants strong. The brothers lived with their families on a small island in the midst of Lolsara, the Great Ocean. Their small island home was destroyed many times by the storms, and many times they rebuilt what they had lost. Finally, after a particularly bad storm, each had a vision of a better place, a promised land of deep forests and wide grasslands. Since none of them knew from where the dreams originated, they decided that each would set out in a different direction. They constructed three large sailing vessels and each set out with his family in search of the land of their visions.
Each of the brothers discovered one of the three continents of Bolarus IX and settled there. Thus were the First Tribes - Bol'se, Bol'ki, and Bol'ra - born, each concentrating on a different fundamental principle of Bolian thought or culture. However, the Bolians could not ignore their inherent wanderlust and seafaring natures, and each of the tribes continued its migrations, eventually expanding and settling on islands throughout the world. Whether or not legend of the brothers is true, archaeological and historical evidence confirms a period of wholesale migration among the earliest Bolian peoples.
As these early migrations continued, the tribes began to encounter one another. While many of these meetings were peaceful and led to lasting alliances, others were not. Territorial wars were a common occurrence among the tribes; however, after several millennia of sporadic conflict, the desire for safety and mutual protection eventually led to the formation of several more substantial coalitions, largely divided along tribal lines. Open war and aggression were contrary to the most basic impulses of most Bolians, whose temperaments ran more towards cooperation and group advancement. As the population of Bolarus IX continued to grow and its societies continued to expand, the ongoing conflicts began to take their toll. It finally became apparent that peace was the only logical solution.
The loose alliances which followed the Great Migrations gradually led to the founding of three nation-states, named for the tribes of legend but also referred to by the continent they inhabit. These states grew quickly, propelled by the Bolians' natural affinity for cooperation and group synergies. Although the three states worked together and the cultural differences among them were largely superficial, each still considered itself somewhat superior to the others. This resulted primarily from each state's individual priorities and concentrations. The Bol'ra lived in a region rich in mineral wealth and resources, and much of Bolarus' current mining and processing technologies took root during the early development of these people. The first seafloor structures on Bolarus were the result of Bol'ra research. The Bol'ki have always excelled at above-ground scientific and medical advancement, including the early breakthroughs which would eventually lead to the much-vaunted Bolian antigravity technology. In the land of the Bol'se, aesthetics and learning were the order of the day. most of Bolarus' highly regarded academies and universities began there, as did a vibrant artistic community that continues to flourish today. Although past prejudices have been largely eradicated in the present day, some Bolians still cling to vestiges of their outdated national and tribal pride.
Each cluster of continents developed its own cultural institutions and methods. When travel and communication finally evolved to the point that they could contact one another, Rasara, Bol’ki, and Rabinua had come to independent decisions on how to rule themselves, how artistic and community projects should be organized, and how commerce would take place. These differences embarrassed the Bolians — each community felt that its ways were rejected by the other nations. For the time being, the Bolians managed to cooperate among themselves, but this planted the seeds of nationalism and doubt.
The Great Migrations and the subsequent conflicts mark a turbulent era in Bolian history. Although terrible in many ways, this period did result in a number of incredible technological and cultural breakthroughs for the world. As relations normalized among the new nation-states and a long period of growth and peace began, the respective governments vowed that they would never again return to the old ways. However, even as the leaders made these assertions, the young nations remained fundamentally divided in spirit. It would take an unlooked-for visitor from the true to bring true unity to Bolarus IX.
By the time space ships had begun simple exploration of nearby worlds, the Bolians had already developed significant antigravity and metallurgical technologies. The Bolians quickly seeded outposts on many of their nearby sister planets, even though the presence of dense asteroid fields made navigation very hazardous. Thanks to their outposts, the Bolians were well-prepared when two rival species arrived on the scene — the Iren and the Uzor.
First Contact
Ironically, contact with other species led to the Bolians’ most tragic era. Different nations sided with different sides of the conflict — some Bolians with the Iren, some with the Uzor. Over the course of several years, the two alien cultures pulled the Bolians in different directions, leading to squabbling and even the occasional internal skirmish. Eventually both sides parleyed with the Bolians as allies, hoping to gain access to Bolian technology and resources. The Bolians were split down the middle — and the fighting started.
The Iren and Uzor were only slightly more advanced than the Bolians and dwelled in neighboring systems, and had been at was for decades. First contact with the Iren occurred at the Ral'nar Colony on Bolarus VII. Since the colony was mainly composed of settlers and scientists of the Bol'ki, that nation took the lead in the diplomatic overtures which followed. Contact with the Uzor occurred only a few weeks later, at the Bol'ra outpost on the moon of Rim. The small Uzor warship had apparently been following the earlier Iren vessel.
From the beginning, things did not progress well. They went smoothly with both alien races, but dissension began almost immediately among the Bolian nations. After all, it appeared that Bol'ki and Bol'ra had allied themselves with long-time enemies. The ancient differences, the divergent national cultures, the first contacts with species on opposing sides in an interstellar war - each of these things contributed to a new philosophical rift which began to grow across Bolarus. The Bol'ki assumed a proprietary stance toward the Iren, wishing to act as the designated representatives for all the nations of Bolarus IX, while the Bol'ra took a similar position with the Uzor. Each nation had something to gain by taking the diplomatic lead in relations with the aliens, whether these gains took the form of tangible technological benefits or tacit influence in planetary politics.
Relations among the nations began to stagnate when none could agree on a common course of action; to make matters worse, each nation had a different agenda with respect to the Iren and the Uzor, and to the resources the new species offered. The Bol'setu protested that this was unfair, and wished to establish a contact committee charged with carrying out all dealings with the aliens. When it appeared that this would not happen, Bol'se attempted to withdraw from contact with the other nations entirely, not wishing to be caught in the struggle which was sure to follow.
As time wore on, each nation began to deal with the aliens on its own terms, the previous spirit of cooperation a casualty of age-old national and tribal pride. The Bol'rabu wished to expand their knowledge of minerals processing and advanced metallurgy outside the Bolarus home system, and they began to exchange their own materials techniques for the more advanced spacecraft technology of the Uzor. The Bol'setu wished to remain neutral in the conflict they knew was coming, and after a final useless entreaty to their brethren, they retreated to their islands. The Bol'ki saw this as an opportunity to expand their own developments in the areas of medical and antigravity research, exchanging their expertise in the former for new Iren techniques and insights into the latter. At every turn, members and researchers from each Bolian nation tried to sabotage the other's developing relations with the newcomers.
Finally, the day the Bol'se has feared arrived - the Iren and Uzor each asked their Bolian allies to join them in the war. The aliens desired the Bolian materials and antigravity technology, as well as the extensive resources of the Bolian homeworld. Each felt that control of Bolarus IX could represent the deciding factor in the war. By equipping and aiding their respective allies in a war for control of Bolarus IX itself, both the Iren and the Uzor felt that their own victory was at hand Conquest of the Bolian homeworld had become a principal objective in each species' ongoing war effort, and vast military build-ups began in both Bol'ki and Bol'ra.
Bolarus IX had reached the verge of another large-scale conflict, despite the best efforts of individual Bolians to avert it. Although contrary to their nature as a species, most citizens did not consider the situation rationally. Rather, each state looked only at what it had gained from contact with the aliens, and lost when planetary relations deteriorated. Each felt that its security and sovereignty had been violated, and the nations blamed each other for this state of affairs. Leaders on both sides were blinded by the promises and poisoned words of their allies, and this blindness allowed ancient rivalries to surface once more.
Bolarus IX became consumed in a strange sort of war. Many Bolians refused to participate in actions that would precipitate large-scale death. Strategies revolved around forcing an opponent to capitulate or retreat, instead of crushing enemy troops. Land warfare — the defining factor in most wars, as a way of taking and holding territory — was nearly nonexistent; Bolians couldn’t bear to see groups under that level of strife. Instead, Bolian naval vessels would position to bar strategic access to resources, and force enemy fleets into positions where they knew they couldn’t win and had to back down.
Only the Bol'se remained level-headed in the midst of the madness. They appealed to leaders from both opposing states to examine their actions carefully; they knew that both Bol'ra and Bol'ki were being given false information by their alien compatriots, and they pleaded to their former allies to see through these lies. It did no good. Although individual Bolians of all nations understood the importance of a communal work ethic and the unity it fostered, in a larger sense they felt that their brethren across the ocean had betrayed their mutual trust. For this reason, the states chose to retreat once again into isolationism as their military preparations continued, and it seemed to some as if the dark times of the Migrations were destined to return.
The Federation Arrives
The Bolian war dragged on until the arrival of the Federation. Imminent disaster was perhaps narrowly averted when the first Federation survey ship arrived in the Bolarus System in 2252. Bolian antigravity and metallurgical technology astounded the Federation first contact teams. Attracted by warp experiments the Bolians were conducting on Bolarus XIII, the Federation made formal contact with the three Bolian governments. At first hesitant to bring in a third party in the global conflicts, the Bolians quickly learned of the Federation’s non-aggressive stance. Federation diplomacy proved a welcome relief from the war, and led to a welcome development: The UFP offered the Bolians a chance at membership, if they could form a working world government. Contact with the UFP served as a respite from the approaching war, and after numerous meetings with Federation contact teams the Bolians were able to step back and view their situation in a new light. They realized that their ancient prejudices had been manipulated, their racial proclivities exploited - they had been played for fools. As the three Bolian states entered deeper negotiations with UFP diplomatic teams, the Uzor and Iren quietly withdrew their advisors and military personnel. A dispute with the UFP was a hindrance that neither relished.
After a period of several years during which the Bolian nations and the Federation established relations and learned more about one another, the Federation extended a rather unique invitation. The Bolians were invited to join the UFP, provided they first form a single world government. However, it soon became apparent that the leaders of the three nations were not willing to work together peacefully, and early negotiations broke down almost as soon as they began. The rift which had begun during relations with the Iren and Uzor deepened, and the planet once again few dangerously close to open conflict.
With the prospect of joining the UFP, the Bolians as a world once again had a single project toward which to apply the entire community’s efforts. Iren and Uzor backed out of the picture; neither minor power wanted to risk a dust-up with the Federation. This combination of stick and carrot — the lure of joining the Federation, and the cessation of contact with hostile outside powers — finally helped to stabilize the world government. Bolarus IX finished its reunification and petitioned for Federation membership — which was declined.
The UFP withdrew its offer after seeing the deep division separating the Bolian people, but many moderate Bolian leaders remained very impressed with the scientific and exploratory focus of the Federation. They saw full membership as a possible cure for the superficial differences that continued to divide their people. The most vocal proponent for world unity was an aged Bolian diplomat called Vaxx. He had been the primary negotiator with the Iren during first contact with that species, and the gradual erosion and eventual destruction of planetary relations had troubled him deeply. He felt that it was symptomatic of a deeper proble, and that until the Bolian people overcame their ancient prejudices, Bolarus IX would never be able truly to take its place in the growing interstellar community.
Wiser Bolians from all their nations soon realized that the benefits of Federation membership far outweighed their age-old differences. After several years of campaigning to create a true world government Vaxx finally received the necessary support from each state. An accord was reached during several months of negotiation, and a unified world government was presented jointly to the Bolian people in the form of the World Council. Although the early years of unification remained somewhat tense and unpredictable, the natural Bolian synergetic qualities and affinity for cooperation allowed a relatively smooth transition. The benefits of unity quickly outstripped the drawbacks.
The Federation felt that, despite their progress, the Bolians remained unstable. Factionalism had split entire generations; a world government would have to survive the coming of a new generation, the UFP felt, for the Bolians to prove their commitment to world peace. The Bolians weren’t so sure, so they decided to prove themselves. A perfect opportunity presented itself in timely fashion: Uzor was suffering from disaster; their homeworld would be uninhabitable in less than a decade. Solar instability threatened to wipe out the entire Uzor system. The Bolians took it upon themselves to organize a massive relocation campaign. Over 80% of Uzor’s population was successfully moved to a safe locale. In recognition of the tremendous planet-wide effort, the Federation accepted the Bolians as members of the UFP.
However, the government was still young and Bolian membership was conditioned on its continued maintenance and integration into Bolian society. A special Federation committee was established on Bolarus IX to observe the process and make sure that civil rights were preserved. Fortunately the stability lasted, and full UFP membership followed after several years of observation. Today the Bolian World Council stands as a testament to the will, unity, and cooperative nature of the Bolian people.
Since joining the Federation, the Bolians have contributed a great deal in a short time. Some of their accomplishments include the ongoing development of advanced antigravity technology, the invention of new metallurgical and alloy processing techniques, and the creation of a new dilithium crystallization process. Perhaps even more important are the large numbers of Bolian recruits in Starfleet, who have proven themselves to be fiercely loyal and devoted to the Federation and its ideals. Although Bolarus IX has only been a member for fifty years, few Federation worlds have become such valued contributors in such a brief period of time.
Government
As a result of the recent Iren-Uzor conflicts, the government of Bolarus IX is somewhat less stable than that of most Federation members. While the Bolian World Council is accepted as the one world government of the Bolians by the vast majority of the populace, there are still some who favor their individual nations over the Council. Such individuals argue for a return to separate sovereign nation-states, although the possibility of this actually occurring is remote.
The Bolian World Council is made up of three representatives from each of the three nations, but does not include the actual leaders of the nations. The representatives and the leaders, all of whom hold office until death or abdication, are elected in a unique manner. They must first be rated according to their abilities and education; they subsequently have to pass a series of tests to demonstrate their capability. The remaining candidates are then voted upon by all Bolians. Thus, the leaders of the Bolians are not necessarily the most diplomatic members of the race, but they are extremely accomplished individuals who have earned considerable respect from the populace.
Some of the most sensitive research in the Federation is performed at the academies and institutes found on Bolarus IX. This includes the mining and processing of numerous alloys used in starship construction. Additionally, the Bolian warp technology research station on Bolarus XIII continues to improve warp drive power and efficiency. The largest antigravity research and manufacturing structures in the Federation are found on Bolarus XIII.
Starbase 307 orbits Bolarus XIII. It includes extensive starship construction and repair facilities. Most workers on the starbase are Bolians, but there are also crewmen from all over the Federation who are able to keep up with Bolian work requirements and ethics. Understandably, Starbase 307 has some of the highest efficiency ratings in Starfleet and continues to expand its research facilities every year.
Political troubles relating to the conflicts between the leaders of the three nations and the Bolian World Council still affect Bolarus IX. The situation is not a serious one - most Bolians support the World Council and consider themselves citizens of Bolarus IX first, and of their individual countries a distant second - but enough nationalist sentiment exists to make the nationalists a political force which cannot be ignored. The Federation keeps a close eye on the situation, since it would hate to lose Bolarus IX as a member, and does its best to make sure that the Bolians are always aware of the benefits of UFP membership.
Places of Interest
Starbase 307 orbits Bolarus XIII; this starbase features phenomenal repair and upgrade capacities, all made possible by the tremendous Bolian work ethic. During the Dominion War, when shipbuilding capacity was at an all-time high, Starbase 307 served as a primary repair and resupply point, capable of restoring critical capital ships in a hurry. All repair and refit operations take three-quarters normal time at Starbase 307.
Bolsetu, a former national capitol on the Rasara continent, boasts the famous Bolian Interstellar Research Institute (responsible for determining that the star Uzor was in immediate distress) and the Bolian Academy of Applied Sciences (a top science academy specializing in gravitics and material engineering). Starfleet cadets and top-rank scientists and engineers all spend round-the-clock hours at these facilities. Of course, thanks to the Bolian work ethic, only the most rigorous and disciplined candidates succeed.
Although Bolarus IX has many large cities (some underwater), the three largest urban centers are also three of the oldest settlements on the planet. Aside from aforementioned Bolsetu, these include Bolkinua and Bolrabi. Bolkinua features many sprawling one-story housing complexes. Since it is built on a broad plain and therefore does not lack space, Bolkinua is very spread out; its people are community-oriented and there are many large parks, activity centers, and similar gathering places throughout the city. Most of the planet's heavy industrial facilities exist here and in Bolrabi, and the outskirts of Bolkinua have become a veritable field of ore refineries and mineral processing planets. Bolsetu is marked by tall buildings and learning centers, and the most prominent Bolian libraries and universities are found here. The architecture remains some of the most beautiful on Bolarus IX, a reflection of the aesthetic and artistic proclivities of its people. The surrounding lands are very pastoral, and are largely used for farming and recreation. Bolrabi is unlike either Bolkinua or Bolsetu; it varies widely in its architecture and layout from district to district, and conveys an overall appearance of function and utility. The city is actually built across several small islands on the Rabor Archipelago, with significant portions resting underwater on the reef that surrounds the island chain. Graceful bridges and mag-lev tubes connect the above-ground portions of the city.
The Bolian Academy of Applied Sciences, one of the Federation's top science academies, is based in Bolsetu in a great pyramid-shaped edifice which covers four city blocks. Like a beehive, the Academy is constantly active, with students coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Although students from all over the Federation enroll at the Academy, very few last through the two-year program due to the highly intense nature of the curriculum and the heavy workload. Bolians and Vulcans seem to do best; only the most dedicated humans make it to graduation.
Economy
As mentioned earlier, Bolarus IX exports a great deal of antigravity technology and related products, as well as other technological components used in starship design (particularly those related to dilithium crystal power sources). Bolarus IX also serves as the origin of the Mineral Chute trade run, transporting its rich mineral resources and metal alloys to Starfleet and UFP facilities throughout the Federation. Most essential goods are, of course, replicated, so Bolian imports primarily consists of luxuries.
Bolian merchants are ruthless hagglers who always seem to know the exact worth of a cargo and will not rest until they get that price. The worst part about dealing with Bolian traders is that they seem to relish bargaining as a show of their mental prowess and will not deal without haggling.
Creatures
The flora of Bolarus IX is predominately blue- and orange-colored. It includes many low, flowing trees, such as the sylvin trees which blossom in the spring every year, carpeting the temperate regions of the planet with beautiful light blue petals. The Bolians value beautiful flora and often surround their homes with live plants and trees.
Very few land-based species survived Bolarus IX's age of industrialization, as most of their habitats were destroyed by expanding populations and resource exploitation. However, recent efforts to reintroduce endangered species have given many species a new chance to survive. The Bolian oceans, on the other hand, are filled with sea life; Bolians love seafood and take good care of their maritime resources. They can differentiate between the tastes of the hundreds of different fish and mollusk species and can even tell when they were harvested.
The diversity of avian species on the planet is much poorer than it was in centuries past. However, many of those which have survived are particularly beautiful, such as the bital, or bird of paradise, prismatic plumage and assumes a prominent role in many Bolian legends.
Reference(s)
- Burns, Eric, Kenneth A. Hite & Doug Sun. Star Trek Roleplaying Game Book 7: Worlds, Decipher, 2005. ISBN: 1582369097.
- Cambias, James, et al. Planets of the UFP: A Guide to Federation Worlds, Last Unicorn Games, 1999. ISBN: 0671040065.