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writes_with_digital_inkMemory Alpha articles: Orion (People); Orion Slave Girl; Orion Syndicate.
Presence In The Alternate Timeline:
Unlike in the main continuity, the AOS has two Orion women in Starfleet (one Gaila, and one unnamed science officer on the Enterprise) and one in a London crowd. It's my headcanon that this is one of the ripple-effects of Nero's attack on the USS Kelvin: in this timeline, when an internal ethnic conflict caused the redhaired Orions to flee, Starfleet was in a position to help them. The refugees have now settled in the Federation, and a number are working for Starfleet.
Physiology:
The Orions are a green-skinned humanoid species originating from the Orion system. The colour of their skin is due to the chlorophyll; Orions are a photosynthetic species, which makes sunbathing not just fun, but a requirement. Their blood is more like sap than not - greenish-gold and clear-ish in appearance, rapidly becoming sticky when in contact with the air. They are visually sexually dimorphic, with males being taller, more muscular, and bald. Females tend to have thick/bushy dark-with-green-highlights hair, but at least one ethnicity has red curls. Both sexes have pheromones that they can consciously control and which affect other species, but females have the more potent variety. These pheromones can both attract and repel other species, but when used on each other, it's another form of complex communication and social marking.
It's been noted that most humanoid species find female Orions incredibly sexually attractive; this isn't random. Orion reproduction involves partible paternity - one genetic mother, at least two genetic fathers - and they have also evolved the ability to use genetic material from other species. As long as one of the fathers is Orion, the Orion traits will be dominant, the species will continue, and the children will have some added genetic diversity. Should both the fathers be non-Orion, unlike most half-breeds, the child is still fertile, albeit with only with Orions. It's unclear which came first, the pheromones or the genetic-filching ability, but together the traits aid in the Orion species' survival.
Society:
The Orions, much like the bonobo species on Earth, also use sex as another aspect of social interaction. They are not only not wired to be monogamous (serial or otherwise), but regard the entire concept as highly bizarre. This is not to say they don't have emotionally devoted relationships and marriage (they do), but as a species, they are polygamous, polyamorous, and pansexual. Orions are group-orientated, including in romance and family.
Due to the complicated genetic inheritance structure, Orion society is matrilinial, and tends to be matriarchal. However, this doesn't mean every woman is free and powerful. While different clans and groups have different social structures and class-systems, nearly all Orion groups are based on a slave-economy and female slaves are very much chattel. However, there are differences between the actual slaves, and the con-artists and pirates who pretend to be so in order to steal. Actual slaves - particularly the sex slaves - tend to be put on pheromone suppressors to inhibit their ability to manipulate their owners. In contrast, female pirates use their pheromones as weapons to disrupt and seduce their targets' crews. Given the booming and centuries-old slave trade, the occasional pirate-crew who are caught aren't enough to change public perception or indeed actual reality for the majority of slaves.
Despite being mostly run by what others consider criminals, the Orions have a very long and rich cultural history that they are very proud of.
For thousands of years, the Orions have also had a strong emphasis on scientific discovery. By the 24th century, their renowned Institute of Cosmology was open to non-Orion students.
[MORE WORDS ON CULTURAL THIIIIIIIIIIIIINGS]
Political Structure and Organization
The Orions who live in the Orion Sector have grouped themselves into the Orion Union, a republic headed by representatives from various sub-groups, planets, clans, colonies, etc.
There is also the Syndicate, a collection of pirates, privateers, slavers, and other underworld professions. The relationship between the Syndicate and the Union isn't clear to outsiders and exceedingly complicated to insiders. There are arguments to be made that the Union isn't a republic, but a mafiocracy. However, by the 24th century, a separate group of merchants calling themselves the Free Traders started operating, which further clouds matters.
Presence In The Alternate Timeline:
Unlike in the main continuity, the AOS has two Orion women in Starfleet (one Gaila, and one unnamed science officer on the Enterprise) and one in a London crowd. It's my headcanon that this is one of the ripple-effects of Nero's attack on the USS Kelvin: in this timeline, when an internal ethnic conflict caused the redhaired Orions to flee, Starfleet was in a position to help them. The refugees have now settled in the Federation, and a number are working for Starfleet.
Physiology:
The Orions are a green-skinned humanoid species originating from the Orion system. The colour of their skin is due to the chlorophyll; Orions are a photosynthetic species, which makes sunbathing not just fun, but a requirement. Their blood is more like sap than not - greenish-gold and clear-ish in appearance, rapidly becoming sticky when in contact with the air. They are visually sexually dimorphic, with males being taller, more muscular, and bald. Females tend to have thick/bushy dark-with-green-highlights hair, but at least one ethnicity has red curls. Both sexes have pheromones that they can consciously control and which affect other species, but females have the more potent variety. These pheromones can both attract and repel other species, but when used on each other, it's another form of complex communication and social marking.
It's been noted that most humanoid species find female Orions incredibly sexually attractive; this isn't random. Orion reproduction involves partible paternity - one genetic mother, at least two genetic fathers - and they have also evolved the ability to use genetic material from other species. As long as one of the fathers is Orion, the Orion traits will be dominant, the species will continue, and the children will have some added genetic diversity. Should both the fathers be non-Orion, unlike most half-breeds, the child is still fertile, albeit with only with Orions. It's unclear which came first, the pheromones or the genetic-filching ability, but together the traits aid in the Orion species' survival.
Society:
The Orions, much like the bonobo species on Earth, also use sex as another aspect of social interaction. They are not only not wired to be monogamous (serial or otherwise), but regard the entire concept as highly bizarre. This is not to say they don't have emotionally devoted relationships and marriage (they do), but as a species, they are polygamous, polyamorous, and pansexual. Orions are group-orientated, including in romance and family.
Due to the complicated genetic inheritance structure, Orion society is matrilinial, and tends to be matriarchal. However, this doesn't mean every woman is free and powerful. While different clans and groups have different social structures and class-systems, nearly all Orion groups are based on a slave-economy and female slaves are very much chattel. However, there are differences between the actual slaves, and the con-artists and pirates who pretend to be so in order to steal. Actual slaves - particularly the sex slaves - tend to be put on pheromone suppressors to inhibit their ability to manipulate their owners. In contrast, female pirates use their pheromones as weapons to disrupt and seduce their targets' crews. Given the booming and centuries-old slave trade, the occasional pirate-crew who are caught aren't enough to change public perception or indeed actual reality for the majority of slaves.
Despite being mostly run by what others consider criminals, the Orions have a very long and rich cultural history that they are very proud of.
For thousands of years, the Orions have also had a strong emphasis on scientific discovery. By the 24th century, their renowned Institute of Cosmology was open to non-Orion students.
[MORE WORDS ON CULTURAL THIIIIIIIIIIIIINGS]
Political Structure and Organization
The Orions who live in the Orion Sector have grouped themselves into the Orion Union, a republic headed by representatives from various sub-groups, planets, clans, colonies, etc.
There is also the Syndicate, a collection of pirates, privateers, slavers, and other underworld professions. The relationship between the Syndicate and the Union isn't clear to outsiders and exceedingly complicated to insiders. There are arguments to be made that the Union isn't a republic, but a mafiocracy. However, by the 24th century, a separate group of merchants calling themselves the Free Traders started operating, which further clouds matters.
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