Rigel system

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The Rigel system was a star system in Federation space. It was the location of twelve planets, most of them inhabited. It was also home to at least five intelligent species which form the Rigel Colonies and/or the United Rigel Colonies as well as the Aggregation of Rigellian Systems.

Contents 1 Planets in the system 2 Inhabitants of the system 3 Animals native to the system 4 History 4.1 Prime universe 4.2 Mirror Universe 4.3 Alterante universes 5 Other Information 6 Connections

[edit] Planets in the system

• Rigel I
• Rigel II
• Rigel III
• Rigel IV
• Rigel V
• Rigel VI
• Rigel VII
• Rigel VIII
• Rigel IX
• Rigel X
• Rigel XI
• Rigel XII
• Rigel XIII
• Rigel XIV
• Rigel XV
• Rigel XVI

[edit] Inhabitants of the system

• Rigellian (primitive humanoids)
• Kaylar (warrior caste to the humanoids)
• Chelon (turtle-like)
• Orion
• Rigelian (a humanoid race with four or five genders)
• silver-skinned (a silver skinned humanoid race)
• vulcanoid (vulcanoid species)
• Rigelians of Rigel IV
• fur-covered species (furred species with a reputation as master traders who had no rivals until contact with the Ferengi).

(TOS episode "The Cage", TOS movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture, STA novel Oblivion, TOS novel The Final Reflection).

[edit] Animals native to the system

• C'Tuka (an animal that can sense seismic vibrations)
• Orion wing-slug
• Regelian Decapod
• Rigelian hypnoid
• Rigellian ox
• Rigelian winged raptor-wolf
• Rigelian ring serpent
• Teleraptor

(NF short story: "Oil and Water", STA novel Oblivion, TOS comic: Worldsinger, Who is... Enigma?).

[edit] History

[edit] Prime universe

The Rigel star system was astrologically located in the Coreward side of the Orion Arm of the galaxy which consisted of a belt of ionized hydrogen rich bright stars. The system consisted of three stars; Rigel A was the primary star, Rigel B and C orbit each other from a great distance from Rigel A. Whilst located in a region noted for being poor in planets, the Rigel system was actually incredibly rich in them as it possessed 14 worlds within it with more than half of them being inhabitable. (ST roleplay module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

Over ten thousand years ago, the worlds of Rigel III and IV were inhabited by a highly advanced spacefaring race known as the Shoul. In the centuries that followed, these planets produced at least three more native civilizations and were occupied by countless others. A million years ago to fifteen thousand years ago, the race known as the Masters developed on Rigel IV where an early understanding of philosophy and science led them to establish a mighty empire that lasted for centuries. During this time, the race performed many experiments on races and even interfered with the development of other civilizations.

Twelve thousand five hundred years ago, began extensive program of terraforming on Rigel III whilst they preserved Rigel IV as a memorial and workyard. By eleven thousand five hundred years ago, they began a process of refueling as well as cleansing the star Rigel A. The helium core was used as part of a stellar engineering project that was used on Rigel B and C. They were later responsible for planting new and promising life forms on Rigel VII and VIII over ten thousand years ago (TOS roleplay module: The Orions: Book of Deep Knowledge)

By the mid 24th century, the Rigel systems main claim to fame were two factors attributed to Rigel IV; the first were the humanoid appearing inhabitants who had a Vulcanoid biology and the second was Rigelian fever. (TOS novel: Catalyst of Sorrows)

The Barros Inn was considered to be one of the wildest bars in the Rigel system. (DS9 episode: "Rejoined")

In 2371, Commander Benjamin Sisko expressed his fears of a Dominion attack on the Rigel system to his old friend Jadzia Dax. (DS9 novel: The Search) Sisko's fears would later be realized during the Dominion War. The Dominion invaded the system, but were pushed back by Starfleet. Cole of Section 31 claimed the only reason Rigel and the Rigel system remained in Allied hands was due to the sacrifice of New Beijing. (DS9 novel: Abyss)

In early 2375, a Starfleet battle group, including the USS Enterprise-E, defended the Rigel system from Cardassian forces. Four ships were destroyed, while the Enterprise was able to limp to Starbase 133. (TNG novel: The Battle of Betazed)

[edit] Mirror Universe

In the mirror universe, the Rigel system was under the control of the Terran Empire throughout much of the 22nd and 23rd centuries.

Although the system had three native species, by the 2260s Terran colonists outnumbered all three of them combined. Key planets for the empire in the Rigel system included Rigel II which was known as "the pleasure planet," Rigel III which was served as a manufacturing center and trans-shipment point, and Rigel VII which was heavily colonized by Terrans once the local Kaylar population had been enslaved. (ST roleplay module: Through a Glass, Darkly)

[edit] Alterante universes

In one alternate timeline where Earth never joined the Coalition of Planets, the United Earth government was known to had been using political influences in the Rigel system in order to keep control of the Dilithium resources within it. This led to the Earth government supporting the inhabitants of Rigel IV in dominating the Chelon and later they supported the Kaylar in actions against the other two dominant species after peace talks emerged between them as well as the two races getting aggressive over Earth dominating their politics. By 2264, the United Earth agreed to stop further influences in the system in exchange for membership into the Interstellar Coalition. (ENT short story: "A Less Perfect Union")

[edit] Other Information

Given the number of "Rigelian" species and the large number of inhabited worlds, it is also possible that there is more than one "Rigel" system, that the system is actually more of a "star cluster" than a single system, or that some of the species called "Rigelian" (or "Rigellian") are not actually from the system. Source material tends to be vauge on these matters.

In Star Trek: Star Charts, author Geoff Mandel establishes that there are two "Rigel systems": Beta Orionis, the "true Rigel," and Beta Rigel which is the system in Federation space. If this is the case, than the planets listed in this article may not all orbit the same star. The first Pocket Books novel to specifically reference Beta Rigel system was Star Trek: Destiny: Lost Souls, but the name was used for a planet, not a system.

Before the end of the publishing history of the Last Unicorn RPG, one of the books in development was going to be known as 'The Sky Pirates of Orion: The Rigel System', however, this book was never published. Though the author has posted parts of the book on an rpg forum but considering the fact that the book was never published, along with newer information on the Rigelians shown in Enterprise, it cannot be considered a source material for Memory Beta. The material can be found in the following link: [Sky Pirates of Orion: The Rigel System].

[edit] Connections

• Rigel system article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.