Tzenkethi
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The Tzenkethi are the natives of the planet Tzenketh and a spacefaring civilization led by a ruler called the autarch.
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[edit] History
The Tzenkethi were a highly territorial and xenophobia species and were known to launch devastating attacks even for an accidental violation of their borders. (Star Trek: Swiftfire: "The Only Thing Necessary")
The United Federation of Planets and Tzenkethi fought a war during the 24th century. The USS Okinawa, under the command of Captain James Leyton, fought against a number of Tzenkethi raiders during this war. (DS9: "The Adversary", "Homefront") En route to head off the Tzenkethi during the war in 2360, the USS Cartwright, under the command of Captain Sydney Caldwell, went missing and was presumed destroyed. (Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions: "Dakota", "Bitter Sweet")
- No "official" dates were pegged down for the Federation-Tzenkethi War, but for Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions, the author came up with the year 2360 as being a year in which the war took place. This would allow for Benjamin Sisko to have his promotion to lieutenant commander and first officer aboard the Okinawa before his assignment as first officer aboard the USS Saratoga and explains why the war was never mentioned on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In late 2371, Federation ambassador Krajensky told Deep Space 9 Captain Benjamin Sisko the Tzenkethi Autarch has been deposed. In response, the USS Defiant was to proceed to the Federation-Tzenkethi border, reinforcing the Federation presence to the new leading faction. Investigation en route led the Dominion had engineered the mission to start another war between the Federation and Tzenkethi. No coup d'etat had taken place on Tzenketh. This Krajensky was, in fact, a Founder, who attempted to commandeer the Defiant to attack a Tzenkethi settlement on M'kemas III. The Founder was stopped before the Defiant could reach the planet. (DS9: "The Adversary")
- Captain Sisko stated in "The Adversary" a line implying there have been more than one war between the Tzenkethi and Federation, but this could have been a script error or implying there were skirmishes or several periods to the same war.
Cantabrian first officer Elizabeth Singh claimed, in 2372, she'd seen one or several Tzenkethi before. (Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions: "Catalyst, Part One")
[edit] Biology
[edit] Star Trek: Swiftfire
The Tzenkethi were a reptilian species that resembled large bipedal goannas. They possessed a venomous bite. David Tiki was bitten by one on the forearm and lost feeling and use of his entire arm. It also had an anticoagulant that prevented an affected person's blood from clotting. (Star Trek: Swiftfire: "The Only Thing Necessary")
[edit] Background information
- It is often assumed that Tzenkethi was intended to be a near-anagram for the Kzinti from Larry Niven's Known Space universe and TAS: "The Slaver Weapon". Robert Hewitt Wolfe has stated that he believes that he formed the name by Kzinti with Tsankth, a race from the RuneQuest and HeroQuest RPGs. Wolfe also said he did not picture them as cats like the Kzinti, but saw the Tzenkethi as being "heavily-armored lizard things". [1]
- Star Trek: Liberty assumes the Tzenkethi are felinoid, replacing the Kzinti in that continuity. In Star Trek: Pendragon, however, the Tzenkethi are reptilian.
[edit] External links
- Tzenkethi article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Tzenkethi article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
