The Yridians were a warp-capable race from the Yridian homeworld in the 24th century. They were regarded as information merchants and smugglers, and were generally considered devious and untrustworthy. (TNG: "The Chase", "Birthright, Part I"; DS9: "Melora", "Facets")
Physiology[]
Yerdrin Lek, a Yridian male in 2165
Yridians were humanoids who were usually bald; others had black or brown curly hair. They had wrinkled skin. They also had large rodent-like pointy ears but small eyes and noses. All Yridians had an indented ridge running across the full length of their heads and extending down their nose. Most Yridians had no thumbs, and possessed only four fingers on each hand.
The actors wore a glove that covered their index finger and thumb, making it appear to be one large finger. These four-fingered hands can be seen in close-up in TNG: "Birthright, Part I" and "Firstborn", as well as DS9: "A Simple Investigation" and "Business as Usual". There are two exceptions – one is Ashrock, the other is Yranac – that have other small changes, such as hair and a darker complexion.
History and politics[]
Ashrock, holding one of the Rings of Paltriss
It was not known if the Yridians had a central government. The Yridians encountered by the Federation appeared to be loosely aligned and concerned with their own interests, often serving as hired agents for other races and operating as groups or individuals. (TNG: "The Chase") They were often unwilling to reveal information they collected without payment. Despite their reputation, the Yridians were often seen on space stations and planets within Federation space. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I", "Gambit, Part I"; VOY: "Non Sequitur") However, the shady dealings of some Yridians earned them arrest warrants issued by governments such as the Klingon Empire (TNG: "Gambit, Part I") and their trading goods were often confiscated. (DS9: "Facets")
In an alternate timeline, the first Human encounter with this race took place during the 2160s, when explorers found notes about the Yridians in the Vulcan database. (ENT: "Twilight")
At some point before the 2360s, the Federation believed that the Yridian race had gone extinct. This disappearance was so total that it even convinced the Borg, who designate the Yridians as Species 6291, that the species was no longer in existence. However, Rudolph Ransom, a Starfleet exobiologist, discovered that there were some still alive and carried out first contact. This act directly led to his promotion to the rank of captain. (VOY: "Equinox")
The strange extinction of the Yridians can be explained by assuming that some natural (or unnatural) disaster befell the race sometime between the 2150s and the 2360s. It is possible that the group later encountered by Captain Ransom had not had previous contact with Humanity and therefore counted as a true first contact. Presumably, the numbers of Yridians were still very low.
Yridian script
After this point, Yridians were encountered throughout Federation space. A group of Yridians learned of the research of Dr. Galen sometime prior to 2369. The Cardassian Gul Ocett purchased the information they had obtained, and the Yridians later attacked Galen's shuttle to steal further data. Their ship was destroyed by the USS Enterprise-D before it could return to the Cardassians with its findings. (TNG: "The Chase")
No explanation was given for the destruction of the Yridian ship following a single phaser blast from the Enterprise. However, in the original teleplay, Data said, "The Yridian vessel was overloading its power generators. That, combined with the phaser blast, caused it to explode." Nevertheless, the teleplay does not explain exactly why the ship was overloading its power generators.
In 2370, Starfleet caught Yridians acting as a third party, shipping weapons from the Cardassians to Bajoran extremists. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I")
A group of Yridians bought magnesite ore, stolen from a Pakled mining colony in the Kalla system, from the Duras sisters in 2370. (TNG: "Firstborn")
The Yridians were known to be targets of Maquis raids in late 2370 as Starfleet put together a Yridian convoy as lure for a Maquis attack. The convoy of six ships left Deep Space 9 for the Demilitarized Zone, destined for Cardassian space, carrying a supply of isomiotic hyposprays, plasma flares, and quarantine pods. (TNG: "Preemptive Strike")
This also indicates that it was not uncommon for the Yridians to carry supplies through the DMZ and that they had a political relationship with the Cardassians.
An unnamed Yridian had dealings with Elim Garak, and in 2371 Garak identified the Yridian as someone who would want him dead. (DS9: "Improbable Cause")
Two Yridians used a gravimetric scanner to cheat on Quark's dabo table in 2373. (DS9: "Nor the Battle to the Strong")
A Yridian worked for Quark in 2373. (DS9: "Business as Usual")
In early 2374, during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space 9, a Yridian was seen in Quark's. (DS9: "Sons and Daughters")
Culture[]
A Yridian called "Paltriss" created several rings, later known as the "Rings of Paltriss". They became extremely valuable and, as such, were removed from the Yridian homeworld over time. In 2370, Quark came into possession of forty-two of them. (DS9: "Melora")
The Yridians exported several beverages to the Federation, Klingons, and Ferengi, including Yridian tea, Yridian ale, and Yridian brandy. (TNG: "Eye of the Beholder"; DS9: "The Sword of Kahless", "Who Mourns for Morn?")
The Yridian yak was also well known. (DS9: "Accession")
Technology[]
Yridian destroyer
People[]
- Named
- Unnamed
Appendices[]
Appearances[]
- ENT:
- "Twilight"
- TNG:
- DS9:
- "If Wishes Were Horses"
- "In the Hands of the Prophets"
- "Melora"
- "The Sword of Kahless"
- "Sons of Mogh"
- "Accession"
- "Rules of Engagement"
- "Body Parts"
- "The Assignment"
- "Rapture"
- "The Darkness and the Light"
- "In Purgatory's Shadow"
- "A Simple Investigation"
- "Business as Usual"
- "Ferengi Love Songs"
- "Call to Arms"
- "A Time to Stand"
- "Sons and Daughters"
- "Favor the Bold"
- "Who Mourns for Morn?"
- "In the Pale Moonlight"
- "When It Rains..."
- VOY:
Background information[]
While known to be hailed from a world only explicitly described as the Yridian homeworld, the species might be connected to Yridia, that star's system, Yridia I, a planet in that system, or the nearby Yridia Nebula.
A Yridian was briefly considered as a regular character on Star Trek: Voyager. (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 177)
According to the script for "Accession", the species name was pronounced as "yir-ID-ee-uhn". [1]
A Yridian Symphony is mentioned in the script of DS9: "Starship Down".
In the first draft script of ENT: "Fusion", Szon remarked that Yridians were "a very passionate people." The species was said to hail from a planet known as "Yridian Prime".
Apocrypha[]
Yridia (β) has previously been established as the name of their planet in the Pocket DS9 novel Hollow Men.
In Star Trek Online, the Yridians are a minor non-playable race. They are currently in game as opponents in a few missions, or as crew on the player's ship.
External links[]
- Yridian at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- Yridian at the Star Trek Online Wiki