Nausicaan

The Nausicaans were a humanoid species whose homeworld was Nausicaa. (TNG: "Tapestry"; ENT: "Fortunate Son") They occupied a region of space located in the Alpha Quadrant. (VOY: "Q2")

Physiology Edit

Nausicaans were large aliens renowned for having a lack of subtlety and a surly, ill-tempered manner. They were generally tall humanoids surpassing two meters in height, with great physical strength. Their faces were commonly ashen in color and were distinguished by a prominent bone structure, with sharp tusks protruding at either side of their mouths. Some Nausicaans also had a line of four small horns that ran vertically down the forehead, though this trait seemed to have become less common by the 24th century. (TNG: "Tapestry"; ENT: "Fortunate Son", "Canamar", et al.) In some ways, Nausicaans were physically similar to the Chalnoth and the Kradin. (TNG: "Tapestry", "Allegiance"; VOY: "Nemesis")

According to Doctor Phlox, the Nausicaan adrenal gland gave off a fragrance not unlike the scent of some female Humans' sweat after performing exercise. (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

The first draft script of ENT: "Fortunate Son" established that Nausicaans were known to smell even worse to Vulcans than Humans did.

The Nausicaan speaking voice was deep, with a distinct accent. However, they were commonly the silent, brooding type.

The Nausicaans in Star Trek: Enterprise differ slightly from those seen in every other episode in which they appear. Most noticeably, they are smaller in stature and are a yellow and pinkish in color, with an additional line of spikes running down their forehead ridges. They also speak more clearly and are generally more humanoid in their 22nd century portrayal. While this could be attributed to simple variations within the species, their more civilized manner could be seen as an indication of a cultural shift away from a more structured society by the 24th century.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, their voices were electronically altered, giving them a far more alien sound. However, Star Trek: Enterprise used no such adjustment in their two appearances on that series.

History Edit

During the 22nd century, the Nausicaans were well-known pirates, attacking freighters in various sectors for years. The ECS Horizon had a run-in once with some Nausicaan pirates.

In the year 2151, Earth Starfleet made first official contact with the Nausicaans when the Earth starship Enterprise NX-01 intervened in a conflict involving the ECS Fortunate and a force of Nausicaan pirates. In that point in their history, despite their renegade behavior, they were seen working in larger groups, like a military. (ENT: "Fortunate Son") Such organization in their society and space ventures, however, seems to have apparently dissolved in later years.^{(citation needed • edit)}

Brunt and Nausicaans — Liquidator Brunt accompanied by Nausicaan bodyguards

In the mid-2320s, Cadet Third-Class Jean-Luc Picard was assigned to training on Morikin VII where he had his first encounter with Nausicaans, who had an outpost on a nearby asteroid. (TNG: "Tapestry")

In 2327, the newly graduated Picard and two of his friends, Cortan Zweller and Marta Batanides, became involved in a fight at the Bonestell Recreation Facility on Starbase Earhart after a trio of Nausicaans cheated during a game of dom-jot. During a melee, one of the Nausicaans stabbed Picard through the heart, severely injuring him and necessitating the implanting of an artificial heart. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare", "Tapestry")

In 2371, a group of Nausicaans used an ultrasonic generator to break in and rob the Central Museum of Remmil VI by breaking down one of the walls. (DS9: "Heart of Stone")

A Nausicaan was seen in a bar on Dessica II while the senior staff of the USS Enterprise-D was searching for clues about the whereabouts of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in that establishment. (TNG: "Gambit, Part I")

The Nausicaans were infamous thugs, and were a common choice as bodyguards or hired muscle – FCA liquidator Brunt used two Nausicaans as bodyguards in 2372, when he investigated a labor union set up by employees of Quark. The Nausicaans severely beat Quark in an unsuccessful attempt to force Rom to shut down the union. (DS9: "Bar Association")

In 2374, Quark proposed using Nausicaans to break his brother out of his holding cell. For five bars of gold-pressed latinum, Quark could hire five Nausicaans, a fast ship, and very few questions. Breaking Rom out of the holding cell would have been child's play compared to the things Nausicaans are used to doing. (DS9: "Favor the Bold") Later that year, Quark made 200 bars of gold-pressed latinum by selling Denevan crystals to a Nausicaan entrepreneur. (DS9: "The Sound of Her Voice")

The Orion Syndicate was also known to hire Nausicaans. Miles O'Brien was attacked by several of them on New Sydney in 2375. (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter")

A Nausicaan representative was part of the holographic diplomacy scenario 12-alpha aboard the USS Voyager, in which Q Junior was to act as a mediator. Here, amongst other species, Nausicaans and Bolians were fighting over the mining rights to a dilithium-rich planetoid. The holographic Nausicaan, notable for his green skin, claimed that the planetoid was within Nausicaan space and warned that they would attack anyone who came near it. (VOY: "Q2")

Technology and culture Edit

While little has been seen that would indicate any governmental or military organization in Nausicaan society, the 22nd century saw coordinated acts of piracy. Hunting parties of several warp-capable starships, armed with plasma cannons and protected by shields, worked out of Nausicaan cargo stations. The pirate crews were armed with hand-held directed energy weapons. (ENT: "Fortunate Son")

In the first draft script of "Fortunate Son", the Nausicaans were referred to as indeed having a government on their homeworld. However, it was said that, according to the Vulcans, this government was in a constant mode of "transition," resulting in them being typically unresponsive to complaints. One such complaint had recently been filed by Admiral Forrest, regarding the problematic Nausicaan piracy, and the Nausicaans were also referred to as having no formal relations with Vulcan.

Nausicaan culture appeared to be firmly rooted in violence. Most Nausicaan games involved inflicting pain or injury, including one played by liquidator Brunt's bodyguards, which involved tossing darts at each other's chest. (DS9: "Bar Association")

People Edit

See: Unnamed Nausicaans

Appendices Edit

Appearances Edit

Additional references Edit

Background information Edit

There were at least two pronunciations of this species' name. One pronunciation, from the script for "Samaritan Snare", was "NAW-sik-can". [1] The other pronunciation, from the script for "Bar Association", was "NAW-si-can". [2]

According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 2, p. 68), this species was "named for the Greek princess of the wind, as well as for the 1984 animated fantasy film Nausicaa." Coincidentally, Patrick Stewart later lent his voice talent to an English redubbing of that anime film, in 2005.

In the final draft script of TNG: "Tapestry", this species was introduced with the description, "The Nausicaans are large, burly with hideous features." [3] The Nausicaan makeup consisted of a facial mask which was painted virtually the same color as bones. (Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts, p. 120)

In the audio commentary for "Tapestry", Denise Okuda erroneously told Ronald D. Moore that a Nausicaan appeared before that episode, in the installment "Allegiance"; she was likely thinking of the Chalnoth instead, due to the similarities in their physical appearance. As the commentary proceeded, Okuda referred to the Nausicaans as "great" and agreed with Moore that the Nausicaan mouth appliance looks especially good.

The depictions of Nausicaans as thugs and enforcers on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was partly due to their introduction in "Tapestry", as it was considered effective, and because they had considerably striking makeup. (Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts, p. 120)

In "The Magnificent Ferengi", the Nausicaans were originally to have captured Grand Nagus Zek and held him prisoner. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 29, Nos. 6/7, p. 55) Ira Steven Behr commented, months before that, "We'll do a show about [the Nausicaans] being an enemy for an episode." (Star Trek Monthly issue 30) Zek's captor was instead ultimately changed to being the Dominion.

In the stage directions from the script of "Fortunate Son", the Nausicaans were described as "tall with crab-like mandibles and a bad attitude." In an ultimately unused line of dialogue from the first draft of that script, Travis Mayweather commented Nausicaans were "the last people you want to meet out here." They were referred to as "a nasty-looking species" in the script of "Canamar", which also noted they had last been depicted in "Fortunate Son".

A Nausicaan knife from "Tapestry" was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [4]

ApocryphaEdit

Nausicaans appear as enemies in the video game Star Trek: The Next Generation - Klingon Honor Guard, where they are called "Nausicans".

In Star Trek Online, Nausicaans were a playable species for the Klingon faction. The Nausicaans were mercenaries allied with the Gorn during the Klingon-Gorn War and when the Gorn surrendered, the Naussicaans did too, becoming formal allies with the Klingon Empire. A few episodes in the game feature the Nausicaans as the player's opponents.

External linkEdit

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

FANDOM