Vulcans Update I

Founding members of the United Federation of Planets, the Vulcans have a very individual and distinct history and culture.

The Vulcans are one of the Federation's most ancient and advanced races. Exactly how ancient and how advanced is open to question, though sources suggest that the Vulcans may be related to a humanoid race that lived on Sargons planet 500,000 years ago.

For many years, Vulcans were fierce and violent and many of their disputes were bloody and savage affairs.

The philosopher Surak is looked upon as the father of modern Vulcan civilization. By preaching the twin ethics of peace and logic more than 2,000 years ago, he was instrumental in converting Vulcans from an emotional race plaqued by infighting into a peaceful society that valued pure logic as its ultimate principle. This period of Vulcan history is known as the Time of Awakening.

Around this time, a (family?) group of Vulcans left their planet and eventually founded the Romulan Star Empire. The exact date of the Romulan departure is unknown. many people believe that the founders of the Romulan Empire left Vulcan because they disagreed with Surak's teachings, but ruins of an offshoot of the Romulan Empire, the Debrune, place the Vulcan/Romulan schism more than 2,000 years in Vulcan's past, suggesting that the Romulans left before the Time of Awakening.

Vulcans were the first species to contact humans after Zephram Cochrane discovered warp drive (See Startrek:First Contact)

Peace and Logic
In the ensuing years since Surak, there has been little to disrupt the peacful and logical existence of the Vulcans, and their message has traveled further afield thanks to the formation of the Federation of Planets in 2161.

However, in recent years an extreme isolationists group of Vulcans has suggested that Vulcan should withdraw from the Federation to prevent the pollution of their culture. It seems that this group has relatively little support. (See the novel 'Spocks World').

Vulcans have often been at the forefront of peace negotiations in the galaxy. Ambassador Sarek, a true successor to the illustrious Surak, had been instrumental in some of the galaxy's most historic alliances. Among his most notable triumphs are the Treaty of Alpha Cygnus IX and the Coridan entry into the Federation, while he laid much of the groundwork for the Khitomer conference of 2293, which eventually led to the historic Federation-Klingon alliance. His last achievement was the conclusion of the Federation treaty with the Legarans in 2366 - after some 93 years of painstaking negotiations.

Reunification
Sarek's family continues his diplomatic work. In 2368 Sarek's son, Spock, goes on a secret mission to Romulus in an attempt to bring about a Vulcan-Romulan reunification. Though the plan is ruined by a secret Romulan plot to invade Vulcan, Spock continues his work on Romulus and there will undoubtedly be other Vulcans willing to carry their doctrine of peace across the galaxy.

Vulcan mind-melding
Vulcans are touch telepaths and can join mind with most other species. While serving aboard the USS Enterprise NCC 1701, Spock mind-melded with a silicon-based life form, the Horta, and even reads the memories of the Nomad probe.

Planet Vulcan
Class: M Reg. No Unknown
Also known as Vulcanis
Native Name: unknown
Primary Star: unknown
Atmosphere: Thin, but capable of supporting life
Description: Hot and arid
Moons: None
Life Forms: Primarly Humanoid, mammalian
Important Features: High Gravity, sister planets are exteremly close to Vulcan (Starship Log ST:TOS 'Amok Time', 'Jounry to Babel'; ST:TMP; ST:SFS; ST:TVH; ST:TNG 'Sarek','Unification')

Vulcan Facts
Vulcans used to kill to obtain their mates, just as many Terran animals do. The Vulcan marriage ceremony is called koon-ut-kal-if-fee

During pon farr, the normally stoic Vulcans experience complete emotional abandon.

Vulcans have their mates chosen for them by their parents when they are still children, at about seven of age.

Vulcans are touch telepaths, but they can sometimes have telepathic experiences over long distances.

The so-called Vulcan Death grip does not actually exist. It was a pretence used by Spock to fake the killing of James Kirk in order to help his captain escape from the Romulans.

Sarek did not speak to Spock for 18 years after his son joined Starfleet rather than the Vulcan Science Academy.

Notable Vulcans
Spock: Son of Sarek, first Vulcan to join Starfleet
T'Lar: High priestess who oversaw the fal-tor-pan between Spock and McCoy
Valeris: Traitor to the Khitomer Peace process. Played a fundamental part in the assassination plot against Chancellor Gorkon
Tuvok: Security|Tactical Officer aboard the USS Voyager. Previous spy in the Maquis

One of the galaxy's more historic civilizations, the Vulcans have evolved from a warlike and emotional race into a peaceful society whose very existence is built around the tenet of logical thinking.

Although they are a humaniod race, Vulcans differ quite considerably from humans in physiological, social and intellectual terms. They have a rather elf-like appearance, with long slanted eyebrows and delicately pointed ears, and they also possess a second eyelid to protect themselves from the powerful light of the Vulcan sun.

Vulcan strength
Because Vulcan also possess a higher gravity and thinner atmosphere than Earth, Vulcans, in comparison to humans, tend to exhibit greater strength and a far more acute ense of hearing in similar surroundings. The Vulcan heart, while similar to that of a human, is located where a human's liver would be - and even if the heart is damaged, the Vulcans have a unique way of repairing injuries to the body. Through a form of self-hypnosis they can focus their blood, strength and antibodies towards the damaged organs.

Highly logical
Vulcans are relentlessly logical, honest, and loyal, though the traits of individuals vary, of course.

While Vulcans do not lie, they will 'exaggerate' if they believe they have a logical reason for doing so. They claim not to have a sense of humor, though some have been observed using sarcasm.

Looking for love
Once every seven years, however, logic takes the back seat for Vulcan males. This is because they go through pon farr, the part of the male Vulcan life-cycle, when he must return home and seek a mate. During this time the male experiences a mating drive know as plak-tow (or blood fever). All logic flees, and the subject is left only with the strongest urge to mate. Two occasions on which Spock goes through pon farr are well-recorded - once while serving on the USS Enterprise, and again while regenerating on the Genesis Planet.

Spock's body ends up on the Genesis Planet after he dies while saving the Enterprise. However, prior to his death he deposits his katra in the mind of Leonard McCoy, the ship's chief medical officer. The katra is the soul of a Vulcan and is mind-melded to a trusted friend when the body is about to die, in the hope that the spirit can be returned to planet Vulcan.

Thanks to the regenative powers of the Genesis Planet, together with McCoy's hosting of the katra, Spock's body and soul are reunited on Vulcan's Mount Seleya after the high-priestess T'Lar successfully attempts the ancient but highly dangerous ceremony of fal-tor-pan.

End.