Talaxian

The Talaxians were a warp-capable, technologically-advanced species native to the planet Talax in the Delta Quadrant.

History
The Talaxian race was an ancient one and they may have been warp capable as far back as the 1450s, when their race was contacted by the Vaadwaur. It was unclear as to how this contact went, however a legacy of this contact survived in the Talaxian language as the word "vaadwaur", which meant "foolish"- later interpreted by historians as being a reference to the fact that it was foolish to trust the Vaadwaur- seemingly suggesting it didn't go well. The ancient Talaxians referred to themselves as Talax-ilzay. The Talaxian race engaged in a war with the Haakonian Order in the 2340s and 2350s. As a result of the war, many Talaxians emigrated to different regions of the Delta Quadrant. At least one group of emigrants had reached as far as the Delta/Beta Quadrant border. The war ended in 2355 with the deployment of the metreon cascade on the Talaxian moon of Rinax. Seeing the devastation caused by the cascade, the Talaxian government surrendered unconditionally. The Borg referred to Talaxians as Species 218. A small freighter was encountered by the Borg in the Dalmine Sector. The crew of 39 was easily assimilated. A small fleet of Talaxians aided Tom Paris in retaking USS Voyager from the Kazon-Nistrim in 2373. They lured the captured ship into a nebula where Paris, with his shuttle, disabled critical systems, forcing the Kazon to abandon the ship. Five years later, Voyager encountered a colony of Talaxians, of at least five hundred people, living in an asteroid. They were wary of visitors and were plagued by miners who tried to drive them out. Neelix, the Morale Officer of Voyager, assisted them by putting a plan in motion to place shield generators at key points around the asteroid. This successfully repelled the miners from evicting the Talaxians from the asteroid. Neelix later returned to the colony and assumed a post as Federation Ambassador to the Delta Quadrant.

Physiology
Physically the Talaxians were humanoid, with large amounts of yellow to reddish-brown spotting on their heads, arms and bodies. They had pale skin and a plume of ginger hair across the top of their heads. Males also had ginger whiskers growing on either side of their face, these developed during puberty, much like facial hair in Humans, however the whiskers also have a pleasurable application as when tugged, the whiskers induced sexual arousal and feelings. Talaxians were generally stocky and the musculature of their upper bodies was very dense. The Borg believe that this fact made Talaxians excellent combat drones. Talaxians had spotted feet with long toes; the little toe was enlarged and rivals the innermost toe in size. Their blood was red. The respiratory system of a Talaxian was directly linked, in various points, to their spinal cords. Unlike humans, who had one spine, Talaxians have two spinal columns. It is hinted at that Talaxians have a higher tolerance for spicy foods than other races, or at least Vulcans and Ocampans. In 2371, Neelix prepared a modified plomeek soup, a mere sip of which Tuvok found to be unpalatably "piquant". Neelix, on the other hand, was able to drink the soup as a beverage. In 2372, Tuvix reduced the spiciness of one of Neelix's usual recipes, which Kes found rather pleasing. On the other hand, this may be a reflection of Neelix's individual tastes, and not of Talaxians as a whole.

Society and culture
Talaxians tended to be a whimsical race with a well developed sense of humor. They were usually very friendly and helpful and were willing to offer their services to anyone who required them. Talaxians tended to be a spiritual people, known for their enjoyment of stories and the company of others. Talaxian burial ceremonies were elaborate, involving a full week of mourning. Their mythology had a belief in an afterlife known as the Great Forest, where a great tree stands at the center. It was said that upon death, a Talaxian goes to the afterlife and meets the souls of his deceased family upon arrival. Many Talaxians kept models of the Guiding Tree and other religious/ceremonial objects. The Talaxians had an old expression: "When the road before you splits in two, take the third path." The meaning of this expression was to offer an individual a third option when the two they were offered are equally unappealing. The Talaxians celebrate a religious holiday called Prixin, which was a celebration of family life. Talaxians had a great enjoyment of food and meals. It was customary for a Talaxian to tell the story of how a meal was prepared to those eating it. Talaxians did not usually take baths in water, as their sector does not have a lot of it. Water was a high commodity in the Delta Quadrant in 2371. Talaxian proper names usually have the letter "x" in them. Exceptions include the Godo Mountain Range and the Pyrithian Gorge.