Nausicaa
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A wild, rough world of predators and harsh winters, Nausicaa is also the home of the Nausicaans. These imposing figures are seen at the fringes of civilization, threatening those they can successfully intimidate, and remembering days of glory long ended by the Federation and other powerful empires.
Nausicaans have shown up to trouble Starfleet since the 22nd century, attacking Earth freighters, though neither Nausicaa nor what little Nausicaan government there is ever directly appeared. This was the high age of Nausicaan Piracy, as their ships were as fast and well armed as almost any others. During this time, Nausicaans were as powerful and threatening as they would ever be. By the 23rd century, though, Federation advances started to put the less-developed Nausicaans in their place. Nausicaa has hardly been tamed in this era, but Starfleet easily outpowers the Nausicaan ships. After this stage of history, Nausicaa is a very minor world, uninterested and unqualified for Federation membership. Individual Nausicaans form the ‘muscle’ for legitimate and illegitimate businesses across the galaxy. During the wars of the 24th century, Nausicaa’s strategic position near the heart of the Federation was balanced by the Nausicaan’s utter disregard for the Dominion (as with all organized governments). They have no interest in alliances and the Federation would have never allowed their world to become a staging ground.
Nausicaa is the third planet of five orbiting a yellow-white star. They are near the very core of the Federation, within hours or days of Earth, Vulcan, Andoria and other central worlds. In the early days of human exploration and of the Federation, Nausicaa was ideally positioned to support raids and piracy against the slow freighters that plied the space lanes below old Warp 2. With the rise and establishment of the Federation as one of the dominant powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, Nausicaa’s days as a pirate’s haven ended, and now the Nausicaans mostly behave themselves.
Solar System
The Nausicaan System, located in the Beta Quadrant near both Klingon and Romulan space, consists of five planets orbiting an orange subgiant Type K2 IV star. Large asteroid belts are found throughout the system, indicating violent cataclysms in the distant past. Some scientists believe that as many as nine other planets may have once orbited the Nausicaan sun.
In the period following Romulan patronage, the Nausicaans expanded throughout their home system (and even conquered primitive species in neighboring star systems). Gelvar (Nausicaa I) is a tiny Class D planet far too close to its sun to support life. Rylon (Nausicaa II) is a Class G world with large amounts of industrial mineral wealth; Nausicaan slaves and criminals dig for these radioactive elements in Rylon's many mines. Malfunctioning life-support systems and mob rule make conditions here marginally worse than the Klingons' Rura Penthe mine.
Nausicaa itself is slightly larger than Earth, though with a heavier gravity and higher atmospheric pressure. A single large satellite, Eizan, keeps the planet's seasons and tides stable. There are two small asteroid-sized moons orbiting further out. Eizan is home to the Keshan Warbase, the headquarters of Nausicaa's ragtag fleet. Compared to life on the planet's surface, Eizan seems like paradise to Nausicaan soldiers. The Warbase is clean and functional, although many parts of it are held together with subpar materials. Strangers are not allowed on Eizan unless specifically invited.
Takkara (Nausicaa IV) is a Class K planet with temperatures well below the norm for humanoid habitation. The Nausicaans, however, have been able to thrive here. Takkara is ecologically almost as bad as Nausicaa. The fifth planet, Melvar, is also Class K, though here the atmosphere is pure ammonia, making even pressure domes unfeasible. The Romulans constructed an early-warning listening post on one of Nausicaa V's small moons which the Nausicaans expanded.
Finally, the Nausicaan system has two asteroid belts. The Inner Belt lies between Rylon and Nausicaa, and contains large chunks of nickel, iron, and uridium. Several Ferengi own asteroid mines here and employ hundreds of Nausicaans. The Outer Belt lies between Nausicaa and Takkara. While the mineral wealth here might surpass that of the Inner Belt, the Nausicaans lack the resources to exploit the region; the Ferengi remain content to stay in the Inner Belt. Starfleet Intelligence believes one of Nausicaa's warlords obtained antimatter mines and seeded them throughout at least part of the Outer Belt.
Climate
Nausicaa is a wild, windswept world of considerable axial tilt. Storms sweep over the long plains of this planet on a regular basis. While the planet’s equatorial regions are moderately temperate, the Nausicaans are cold-weather beings, living along the northerly steppes and icy plains and tundra. They are invigorated by the regular storms on this world. Most days involve either rainstorms, ice storms, snow storms or bright, sunny windstorms. The low gravity and windstorms of Nausicaa make movement and aim difficult.
Nausicaan climate is irrevocably affected by heavy industrial pollution. Because of the anarchic nature of the planet’s civilization, combined with the exploitation of resources on a massive scale during their initial infrastructure build-up in the 21st and 22nd centuries, Nausicaa bears the permanent scars of total ecological disaster. Rain is often acidic and dangerous; the atmosphere is difficult to breathe. Thousands of native life forms became extinct in the course of a century and the Nausicaans themselves mutated significantly in form over the period of two hundred years.
Geography
Though 40% of Nausicaa is water, it does not truly form oceans so much as lakes. All of Nausicaa’s major landmasses are connected, with water mostly forming barriers around them. One interesting facet of this is that ocean life varies greatly from sea to sea, with only a few rivers interconnecting some of the collections. The land area of Nausicaa is rough and rocky, with mountains bracketing long windswept plains. Given the storms, the conditions, and the wind, one would assume that little could survive on this world. One would be wrong, however. Nausicaa is fairly teeming with life — flora and fauna alike — evolved to take advantage of the wind, the rain and the storms. The creatures and plants of Nausicaa are hardy and resistant to weather, and almost all animals on Nausicaa are omnivores, able to subsist on plants where they are common, and each other where they are not. Sadly, “civilization” has reduced many of these species to shadows of their former selves. One only has to look at the Nausicaans themselves to see the result.
Once a beautiful world, Nausicaa suffers from centuries of abuse and mismanagement. Her inhabitants have raped the world of its resources, first at the encouragement of the Romulans and later for their own ends, caring little how badly they despoiled the environment. Now Nausicaa is an ecological nightmare. A greenhouse effect caused by decades of air pollution has raised the temperature by over 10 degrees. Acid rains scour the surface of the planet, pouring down liquid so polluted that heat lightning can ignite flashstorms. Burning fog, caused by low-lying combustible vapors, scorches unprotected flesh. Years of unchecked pollution has turned the rivers, streams, and oceans into flows of toxic chemicals. Widespread deforestation and unchecked farming techniques have created numerous deserts.
The Nausicaans survive by continually shoring up the domed habitats left behind during the Romulan occupation, or by retreating underground to subterranean settlements. Even in these artificial shelters pure water is a rarity and starvation is common. Crime is rampant in these metal pens; the rule of law has always been the rule of the strong, and all Nausicaans have only what they can take. In some areas life-support equipment, lighting, and other necessities have broken down, reducing the inhabitants to near-primitive existence. Right-thinking humanoids avoid the depths of Nausicaan cities. The Nausicaans lack either the ability of the interest to effect repairs. The United Federation of Planets long ago issued a warning against travel to Nausicaa.
The few travelers unlucky or desperate enough to visit the Nausicaan homeworld should wear environmental suits at all times and stay close to the spaceports. A popular joke advises visitors not to get caught on a well lit street on Nausicaa - it only lets the muggers see you better. Some discover this is more than a joke.
Civilization
Civilization is probably too strong a word for Nausicaan society. The Nausicaans organize mostly into families, with the strongest Nausicaans bullying and dominating the weaker ones. While there are permanent cities and agricultural enclaves on Nausicaa now, it is the weak who do the work in them. There is no sense of injustice in this, however. Survival is the greatest virtue in Nausicaan society. The strong survive and prosper by their strength. The weak survive by doing what they’re told.
This may make the Nausicaans sound simple, but they aren’t. Though tall and strong, the Nausicaans were dwarfed by some of the massive creatures who evolved. They learned very early to take any edge they could get. This pervades their culture today. Cheating is only considered bad if someone is caught at it — and then, if the cheater is strong enough to defend his honor, the cheater is lionized.
The Nausicaans live in a kind of anarchy. After becoming old enough to survive on their own, Nausicaans work for the family. Encounters with others involve friendly greetings and one-upmanship, turning into shouted claims of mighty deeds and adventures — real or not — to highlight the honor of their own families and themselves. Fighting is common, but serious injury is not. Nausicaans know what they’re getting into when they fight.
Because they treat other races the same way they treat each other, Nausicaans are usually employed as brute force labor. They can’t be trusted to supervise themselves with much else — not because they’re thieves (though many are) but because they will naturally inflate their own efforts when reporting. They have risen to about Federation Standard technology, save weapons and high warp technology for their ships. No galactic power has yet seen profit in providing such dangerous technology to a race so given to violence and lying. Even the Ferengi have chosen not to arm the Nausicaans to that degree. There is more profit in employing them as labor.
Given their history and pride in high piracy, many Nausicaans who leave Nausicaa join the Orion Syndicate or other unsavory organizations or ships. Most pirates or privateers who can employ Nausicaan enforcers. Because of their natural competitive drive, Nausicaans employ artificial gravity in training facilities all over their planet. Nausicaan ships typically operate under 1.1 G, to help give them an edge when on other worlds or ships. They were strong even in their planet’s naturally light gravity. With this training, they are fearsome indeed. In part, this compensates for a sense of inferiority the Nausicaans have developed over their minor status in the galaxy. Rather than acknowledge the power of Starfleet, it is easier to train until they are stronger than Humans.
History
From the beginning of Nausicaan history, the Nausicaans have fought amongst themselves. Organized into tribes, the Nausicaans fought over resources and to dominate weaker tribes. Because of their inherently barbaric nature, they did not advance beyond their primitive culture. Warlords would carve out small empires for themselves, only to have them crumble soon after their deaths. Only the most rudimentary cities and manufacturing facilities developed.
The Nausicaans gained warp technology when their world was raided by Andorians, who themselves were using the very earliest warp technology. The Andorians learned that the planetary raids were a bad idea, as they were beaten back by the savage and clever — and numerous — Nausicaans. As they left, they also left some of their ships behind, and the Nausicaans devoted tremendous efforts to learning how to replicate the Andorian technology.
Into this milieu came the Romulans. During their 21st century conflict with the Klingons, the Romulans rapidly advanced the Nausicaans to an industrial level. They selected the strongest warlords to work with, imposing a semblance of unity, but also pitting rivals against one another to maintain their hold. They encouraged the Nausicaans to exploit their natural resources, to support the Romulan war effort. For their part, the Nausicaan warlords recognized a good thing when they saw it, and used Romulan-supplied weapons to cement their positions. They dutifully battled the Klingons in Romulan-made starships and launched wave after wave of ground attacks against Klingon colonies. The Nausicaans scavenged Klingon weapons and ships to support their war machine, and captured Klingons were forced to work in Nausicaan mines; rumors continue to surface of Klingons still imprisoned on Rylon.
The Romulans then retreated into one of their bouts of periodic isolationism, leaving the Nausicaans to fend for themselves. The political cohesion between Nausicaa's warlords continued for a brief time, under the guidance of Rr'tak'ma, Nausicaa's strongest warlord. They continued to industrialize and used their new-found technology to expand beyond their homeworld. Using military surplus ships and weapons, the Nausicaans conquered primitive humanoids in a few neighboring star systems. Edari and Sandala slaves were forced to work Nausicaan mines, and grow food for Nausicaa's inhabitants. After Rr'tak'ma died, during an attack by a rival, what little cohesion existng between Nausicaa's warlords rapidly disintegrated.
While the Nausicaans were never a threat to the warlike Andorians or Romulans, they did see the potential in these new ships. The age of high piracy began as the Nausicaans spread into the universe… and discovered plenty of rich targets hauling freight, technology, and resources the Nausicaans could use. These pirates were accorded great honor among the families of Nausicaa, and Nausicaan pirates spread throughout the sector, preying on the slow, the weak, or the unorganized.
Now led by a gang of squabbling warlords, the Nausicaans again turned their attention to an old enemy - the Klingons. Various tribes launced attacks against Klingon shipping and border colonies in a search for booty and resources. Eventually, the Klingon High Council responded by attacking Nausicaan positions in the Beta Quadrant. The Klingons demanded the Nausicaans withdraw from outposts nearest Klingon space, and the return of all prisoners. The Nausicaans warlords, recognizing a stronger force, backed down and settled for the small empire they had created.
These times began to change as more and more races developed more powerful technology than the unscientific Nausicaans. Still, for each planet whose freighters became too well protected, another less powerful planet began to ply the space lanes. In 2151, at the height of the Nausicaan Era of High Piracy, a Nausicaan pirate ship attacked the Terran Freighter Horizon. Horizon’s distress call was received and answered by NX-01 Enterprise, the first warp 5 capable starship in Starfleet. After fighting off the Nausicaans, Captain Archer warned the pirates that a lot more of their starships would be joining Enterprise soon enough. The Nausicaans had heard this before, and figured that as the Humans became too powerful, the pirates would instead focus on weaker people.
In this, they were wrong. With the foundation of the Federation in 2161, starships began protecting the spacelanes. Weaker freighters suddenly had assistance even if their worlds had no warships of their own. The Nausicaans adapted their methods, turning their pursuits to hit and run raids. Through much of the 22nd and 23rd century they had success in this, but by the end of the 23rd century Starfleet had had enough. Nausicaa was presented with an ultimatum. Either rein in its pirates, or be considered directly responsible and pay the price. The Nausicaans, knowing too well when they were dominating and when they were being dominated, accepted the terms.
In the years since then, Nausicaan traders have taken up the very same roles as the prey they followed for so long. Those Nausicaans who could not stand a peaceful life hire themselves out as muscle, doing what they do best across the galaxy. Today, any less reputable port likely has some Nausicaans aboard, and they remain dangerous if not handled correctly. It was a Nausicaan who stabbed Ensign Jean-Luc Picard through the heart, after a disagreement over dom-jot. Even as far away as Federation starbase Deep Space 9, Nausicaans can be found terrorizing bartenders and tailors when they can get away with it.
By the 23rd century, Nausicaa faced the repercussions of two centuries of heavy industrialization. Their ecosystem had suffered extreme damage from pollution, strip-mining, deforestation, and overfarming. Over the years, various warlords have requested assistance from the Federation. Because of the fragmented nature of Nausicaa's government, the Federation has wisely avoided entanglements in Nausicaan affairs; typically, these rejections elicit threats of attack from the Nausicaans. Today, Nausicaans work as bodyguards and mercenaries throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, and manage their own affairs.
Government
No single government controls Nausicaa. It is a feudal warlord society led by seven powerful military rulers. Each warlord commands as much territory as he can hold on to, typically as far as his soldiers can shoot. Leadership is determined by strength; from tribal leaders to warlords, the Nausicaan in command is typically the one capable of defeating all challengers. This power vacuum contributes to the problems presented by Nausicaa's ravaged environment and collapsing infrastructure. The warlords nominally meet in a Council of Command, but this group has met sporadically over the past few decades. Nausicaa makes no claims to the safety of visitors, and there is no central government to which one can appeal. The planet has no police force, fostering lawlessness and an open-air black market in contraband.
The Nausicaa system lies near the borders between Romulan and Klingon space. It is sure to be a strategic pawn if those two races ever go to war against each other again. Instead of being smart enough to exploit this for their own gain, the Nausicaans seem content to sell their services to whomever can pay for them, or to follow the orders of whichever race controls their system.
Internally, the various warlords fight with one another for dominance. Currently, the strongest warlord is Gr'rak'taa, who sporadically fights with lesser tribes over resources. In the cities, rival gangs fight each other for territory and supplies. He claims leadership over Nausicaa, but in truth is one of seven rival warlords. He is certainly the strongest, and controls the military base at Melvar, the Kyroa habitat, and various settlements on Edara and Sandala. He currently vies for control over the mines on Rylon with Warlord Kr'kall'a. Reputed to be sly as well as bullying, Gr'rak'taa is a force to be reckoned with in Nausicaan space.
Externally, the Nausicaans know better than to pick a fight with the more powerful groups along their borders - the Klingons, Romulans, and Federation. Several warlords support piracy along the border of Nausicaan space, harrying both Federation and Klingon shipping. Both can do little more than protect their freighters with convoys. Nausicaan fleets prowl nonaligned star systems, however, looking for new planets to conquer. Various tribes become involved in whatever conflicts their employers hire them to become involved in.
Economy
The most common Nausicaan export is the services of her people. Nausicaans can be found throughout known space serving as intimidating bodyguards, muscle for the unscrupulous, and mercenaries. Less able warriors find employment as heavy laborers, working in a variety of dangerous environments. The Nausicaans export fire crystals from Mount Kyroa and salvage parts from their own habitats; that this only hastens their planet's decline does not concern them. They also export the dangerous local fauna for use as guard beasts, in particular to the Klingons, who enjoy the Nausicaan devil dog.
Nausicaans have to import nearly everything, having exhausted their planet's natural bounty. They import food from their client worlds of Edara and Sandala, and mineral wealth from the Inner Belt and Rylon. What money they earn from their employers, they spend on much needed technology, to repair their aging infrastructure or support their military. Nausicaa desperately needs replicators and terraforming technology, but only the Federation can supply these in bulk.
Places of Interest
There is one place on Nausicaa where violence and competition is not the norm. The Great Silver Plain, over Nausicaa’s north pole, is a glacier of smooth ice and clear skies, with little food. The ice is very thick, and almost polished by the constant winds. Even snow does not tend to accumulate on the Great Silver Plain. Nausicaans who seek enlightenment take a pilgrimage across the Great Silver Plain — a journey of 300 miles — without ranged weapons of any kind. No Nausicaan may attack or fight another on the Great Silver Plain, but neither can they help each other. Survival is said to bring understanding… or madness.
Mount Kyroa, one of the largest volcanoes on Nausicaa, is the result of geothermal mining gone awry, and the site of the largest city on Nausicaa. All manner of trade, both legal and illegal - in armaments contraband, and slaves - can be found in Kyroa. According to the best geologic predictions, the Mount Kyroa volcano is expected to erupt within the next fifty years. Despite this, the warlord of Kyroa refuses to evacuate the city. The volcano produces rare Nausicaan fire crystals, one of the few items of value exported from Nausicaa.
Nausicaan fire crystals are rare gemstones created by the rich mi of pollutants in the Nausicaan soil and volcanic activity. These multicolored crystals have small internal reactions, causing them to glow. Many citizens of the Kyroa habitat spend their time prospecting on the slopes of the volcano, searching for these jewels. Prospecting, like most activities on Nausicaa, is extremely hazardous.
Creatures
The few creatures which continue to survive in Nausicaa's harsh environment are inimical to most lifeforms. One example is the toxic slug. It can grow to over ten feet long, and thrives on waste products. Toxic slugs pose little threat to other lifeforms, and are sometimes exported to other worlds to help clean up chemical spills and treat similar environmental problems.
Nausicaan Behemoths remain the stuff of children's nightmares throughout the known galaxy. With wild specimens over 500 meters in girth rumored to exist, these creatures strike terror into the hardiest Nausicaan warrior. Ancient legends tell of tamed Behemoths leading seaborne Nausicaan legions into battle - whatever the truth of such tales, Behemoths have become scarce in the oceans of modern Nausicaa, although these gigantic creatures occasionally still plague traditional shipping and fishing concerns. Their true nature belies their terrifying appearance; similar to Earth's whales, Behemoths have adapted to feed on the pollution and waster products of Nausicaa's oceans.
Ripperworms live in the filth of Nausicaan habitats. When fully grown they range in size from one to four feet in length. The first quarter of their bodies contains nothing but poisonous barbs and teeth. Attracted to heat sources, they attack in large swarms. Ripperworms devour their prey completely, leaving no trace of the remains. Kaldo Pell, a reputed Orion crime boss, allegedly disposes of rivals and double-crossers by tossing them into pits of ripperworms.
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.