Benzite


This article is official Star Trek canon.This article is an official Galactic Anthropology Committee Article.
Benzite.jpg
Benzite
Survey Data
Star System:

Delta Pavonis System

Region:

United Federation of Planets

Quadrant:

Beta Quadrant

Classification:

Class-M, Borderline Class-O

First Contact:

2249

Political Information
Affiliation:

Federation

Capital:

Morneth, Benzar

Political System:

Monarchy

Population:

8.3 Billion

Biological Information
Type:

Amphibious Humanoid

Atmosphere type:

Oxygen/Nitrogen/Hydrogen with other gases

Development Stage:

Warp Capable

Character:

Intelligent, Straightforward

Number of Eyes:

2

Empathic species:

No

Telepathic species:

No

[ Source ]


Benzites are a humanoid culture from the planet Benzar, a vaguely watery world with traces of rare gases in its atmosphere that are inert to most species but biologically necessary for the Benzite people. They are very intelligent, but see no need for structure in social settings as other species see it. Rather, they approach the person most likely able to assist them or that they need to assist and they continue from there.

History

Scientists are unsure of the Benzites' distant past but it is believed that they were even more advanced than the ancient Mayans or Incans on Earth. These people were thought to have achieved, if not technology, then at least the beginnings of it. There are also indications in the Belross ruins that the Benzites may or may not have been visited by an advanced race anywhere from 5600 to 7620 BC.

It is known, however, that the Benzite people began to achieve industrialization again almost 1200 years ago. The Benzites began building great ships and submarines that allowed them to travel from one geostructure to another. One would think that the Benzites would attempt to conquer one another in this way, but they did not preferring to trade instead. Indeed, what one geostructure lacked, another had in abundance such as food, ores, or fertilizer for farming. This codependency allowed them to coexist in peace for many years. And unlike other worlds, Benzar came under one government much easier than others. Indeed, it was not until first contact with an alien race that the Benzites even considered the thought of war. This revelation, as it did for Earth and many other planets, united the world of Benzar as nothing else could.

The Benzite people, once they learned that they were not alone, began in earnest to find ways to defend themselves. Thus, they began to put their keen intellect to use to build weapons for the first time and also began to build warp ships and finally achieved it in 1921. They explored their own solar system, finding many of the planets uninhabitable, especially for their species as they needed certain gases, not just oxygen, to survive. In an effort to grow more food for their expanding population, they began to build a starbase in orbit around the star. This starbase was intended as a means to grow food such as fruit and grains to feed their people. In 1982 they managed it, and soon began looking for other starsystems to inhabit. Unfortunately, they were not able to find any worlds that they could inhabit due to the lack of gases necessary for their people to breathe. Instead, they began to build more starbases in orbit around stars without other races in their systems in an effort to grow food, continuing in this way until they had 4 starbases total. The Benzite people were quite intelligent, but they were also pragmatists and did not waste energy and resources on needless endeavours such as building starbases that were not yet necessary.

In 2249, the first Benzite ship met a Federation vessel under the command of Captain Robert April. Due to the Benzites' previous experience with aliens, they were understandably hesitant to make such interactions again. Eventually the Enterprise was able to convey that they did indeed mean no harm and the Federation]] and Benzar began a cordial, if not close, friendship. This friendship was strengthened with treaties over time as the Benzites assisted the Federation in the design and building of better starbases and the Federation gave the Benzites food slots and assisted in their archaeology techniques. Due to such a close friendship, it was only a matter of time before Benzar became part of the Federation.

In 2339 the Benzites joined the Federation, quickly becoming valued scientists, if not necessarily likeable ones. By 2345, most of the Benzite Defense Militia had been absorbed into Starfleet, yet the Defense Militia, being only for one world, was not very large in comparison to Starfleet and as such it was uncommon to have a Benzite officer or enlisted personnel aboard one's facility. The Benzites did need to attend Starfleet Academy but the curriculum itself was fairly easy for the Benzites to understand. Indeed, the social concerns were much more difficult for the Benzite cadets due to the structure of Benzite schools. Another concern was the Benzites' breathing in a mostly oxygen atmosphere. The Benzites, being natural scientists, solved this problem by creating a specialized breathing apparatuses that could be used by their people to allow them to coexist offworld with other races though there was the rare Benzite that was able to "wean" him/herself from the gases.

In 2373, the Dominion War broke out in earnest and began threatening Federation space. The Benzites watched closely as the Dominion came closer to their system. While the Federation was attempting to convince the Romulans to join their side in the war, Betazed was captured by Dominion forces, thus opening several worlds to attack, including Benzar. In early 2374, both Bolarus IX and Benzar fell to Dominion and Cardassian forces, even though they were under the protection of the 11th Fleet. The Romulans were convinced by the Starfleet officer and Bajoran emissary, Captain Benjamin Sisko, to join the fight against the Dominion. One of the Romulans' first acts was to liberate [Benzar, though some Federation officials did wonder whether the Romulans would be willing to give the planet up again after the war, as their habit was to keep any conquered world.

At the close of the Dominion War, the Federation Council representatives from Benzar were some of the most outspoken against aid given to the Cardassian people due to their actions in the war. However, their representatives were eager to allow the Bajorans into the Federation.

After the Dominion War, the Benzites spent a great deal of manhours trying to reconstruct their battered world, and save their natural resources such as they were. For the most part, the Benzites were able to save the ruins and most of the cities, though in Chadock, the volconoes did considerable damage to buildings there. Today, the repairs are almost complete.

Physiology

A Benzite hand
Benzites are a somewhat amphibious humanoid species, suggesting that, in the distant past, they lived underwater; this theory is supported by ruins in the Sea of Entock and in one of the oceans. An extension of the skull comes down over the upper part of the face, displaying a prominent nasal lobe as well as a large brow. In their infancy, they are wonderful swimmers and can easily spend 4 hours in the water. As they grow, they become accustomed to walking on legs, and tend to lose some of their swimming ability, though they remain natural swimmers throughout their lives. To further suggest this ancestry, Benzites have three lungs and two hearts to aid in endurance and strength. Even with three lungs, though, they will become incapacitated quickly without breathing apparatuses to allow them certain gases required for their physiology such as hydrogen and others. Their body temperature is 31 C (87.8 F), much lower than other species and causing them prefer warmer climates. Their average height for males is 1.9m (6'3) and 1.75m (5'9) for females. Males and females both tend to have more muscle than humans due to the high gravity on Benzar. Females carry their children for around 32 weeks (8 months) and are generally around 50cm (20in) down the middle of their stomachs due to the size of their children. The average Benzite life expectancy is approximately 145 years.

Appearance

Benzites are, to other races, amphibian-like in appearance. Their skin is blue, smooth, and hairless with certain points of color on their faces and bodies, the color determined by the person's geostructure. Benzites from the same geostructure are so similar in appearance to each other that it is impossible for anyone but other Benzites to tell each other apart. Among the colors known, people from Utva geostructure have orangish colored points, people from Chadock have bluish violet, and people from Belross have yellowish point. Other geostructures are generally unknown. Benzites also have appendages on either side of their head for ears and on either side of their mouth are tendrils. They also have two thumbs on each hand, another characteristic unique to the species.


Culture and Society

Hoya, a Benzite female
Benzites have always been intelligent and pragmatists rather than insisting on what they consider unnecessary rules. In schools and universites on Benzar, teachers assist each other their students, each teacher or professor teaching every student they need to or assigning them work. The students likewise go to the teacher most likely to be able to assist them. This environment in a center of learning can be very confusing to students of other races and so many choose to go to other schools like those on Trill or Vulcan and this practical mindset can be seen as belligerence by other races.



This attitude is present in every aspect of Benzite life, enabling the Benzites to complete tasks faster than other races. Due to this difference between Benzite culture and other races, it can be difficult for Benzites to interact with other races in a structured setting such as Starfleet or similarly structured organizations.

Like Vulcans, Benzites are talented scientists and engineers, and have assisted the Federation with designing and building computer systems and starbases even before their admittance into the Federation. They also are not only natural researchers and scientists by nature, but also pragmatists. A Benzite will never do any action without a good reason and the Benzite government never wastes manpower or resources. The Benzite mind is such that if something is not needed, even something as jewelry or new clothes, then don't do it.

Political System

A Benzite rebreather
The Benzite political system is made up of three parts: the monarch, the legislature, and the judicial body.

The Monarch

The Benzite Monarch is referred to as the First Father or the First Mother, meaning that they are the people's parent and must take responsibility for taking care of the people of Benzar. This person is able to create laws for the good of the people, and is the one who must sign into law any act of legislation by the Senate. S/he approves it and signs it into law, or denies it. If there has ever been a poor First Mother or First Father, it is unknown to Federation historians as the Benzites do not wish to discuss it and insist that due to their nature as pragmatists, their leaders are quite honest.

One month out of their calendar, Benzar citizens are able to approach the First Father/Mother with their problems and ask for help. They must have an offering in exchange for the monarch's help and though the First Father/Mother is not always able to help, s/he lets the people know that s/he cares.

The Monarch is also the last chance for any trial to appeal their case, being the highest person in that world.

The Senate

The Senate is the legislative body that drafts pieces of legislation that they feel will benefit the people of Benzar. A senator drafts a law, and the Senate, depending on negotiations and arguments, passes or disapproves it with a 2/3 majority vote. It is illegal to "lobby" for votes, as in, reward a senator with something of value in exchange for support on a law, whether it be money, vacations, or even an exchange of votes. Again, due once again to the Benzites' natural tendency for practicality, the Senate finished their duty in due course and then could very possibly be dismissed for months on end, not having the need to meet to pass new laws.

The High Court

The High Court is the highest court in the land besides the First Father/Mother. The High Court is comprised of 7 judges who hear the evidence and then give their decision on it. The High Court is used to help the First Father/Mother to keep the Senate in line, such as a crime committed by a member of the High Court is judged by the Monarch with members of the Senate representing the plaintiff and the defendant. In the High Court itself, lawyers bring their cases before the Court to be judged. A majority is needed to be in favor of one party or the other. However, the High Court is prohibited from legislating from the bench upon pain of death.

Religion

Benzites believe in the existence of the Great Brothers, great deities that watch over their world in times of trouble and in times of peace, they allow them to be. Some scientists are scorned by other Benzites because they believe that these deities might actually be aliens that visited Benzar in the distant past.

Contact

Benzar's first contact with an alien race may have been thousands of years ago, though not all Benzites believe this. The first accepted contact was with the Ferengi, a very uneasy contact which the Benzites escaped for the worse. The Ferengi took slaves and goods to sell and were fought vehemently by the Benzites, who in turn rescued the people taken as slaves. This awoke the Benzites to the fact that they were not alone, and thus they began to look to the stars.

Technology

The Benzites are great builders of underwater domes, though not as good as the Bolians or Tellarites. They are, however, very great designers of computer systems for starbases and starships and have been assisting Starfleet since the 2200s. Benzites were also present in the designing of several starships, such as the Vesta-class and the Excalibur-class starships. Benzites are also very skilled science officers and scientists, almost, if not quite, as gifted as Vulcans. The Benzites are also Federation members and have access to transporters, and holodecks as well.

OOC Information for COs