#Andorian fashion

[indignantlemur]

My dear Indi, I need your expertise !

Do you have any ideas or headcanons for Andorian outfits, from lighter to warmer? What would they look like in general, what texture is most appreciated or considered fashionable ?

Thanks ! 💙

Hello Zier! Let's see what I can do for you! Fair warning, this one is going to be image-heavy.

For the most part, Andorian fashion in my headcanons isn't unified. Different folks prefer to wear different things, same as Humans, but there are broader elements that are quite common.

Firstly, we know from ENT and subsequent appearances in the modern Treks that Andorians tend to wear a lot of leather, often embossed or tooled to have a particular sort of feel. The samples below from Discovery give me powerful 2009-2013 Gareth Pugh vibes.

Beyond that, the only other time we see Andorians is when they're in Imperial Guard or Starfleet uniforms, which mostly just gives an overall impression of leather, suede, and future-kevlar.

The Andorian ambassador in "Terra Prime" had a very different feel from these, of course, and that shiny outer robe ultimately inspired Thoris' official get-up.

By contrast, some super early screen tests and comic book depictions for everyday Andorians look rather different, however. We've got draping fabrics, robes, tunics, some thigh high boots, and what looks like bits of armoured studding and chainmail. That's quite the departure from the other depictions!

And then, of course, we have Shran's post-Imperial Guard coat. This one gets its own mention, because that coat is fabulous.

Honestly, this isn't a lot to work with. It's better than nothing, of course, but the different depictions feel very disjointed and all over the place. There's no sense of unity in the designs across the board.

So, from there I looked to real-world fashion to help me build a better idea of what I wanted my Andorians to actually look like outside of a uniform. As much as their depictions would lead us to believe that Andorians have an oddly prevalent leather kink, that's really not practical. Leather is a useful material, and certainly a heavily carnivorous population would end up with quite a lot of it, but surely that can't be everything they wear. So, I started looking around for things that felt like they fit the vague aesthetic we were given to work with.

Below are some samples from the ungodly huge pinterest board I keep for ideas and references for Andorian fashion. I think these mostly hit all the key notes for my headcanons.

A lot of these images are very bland in terms of colour, particularly by Andorian standards, but I think you should be able to see what I've drawn inspiration from.

What I ended up with was a combination of future-fashion elements, and influences from places like Japan and India - with a heavy slant towards using leather, silk, velvet and occasionally soft, drapey fabrics. Heavy ornamentation, such as embroidery, is very common but lacework on clothing is actually quite unusual. Andorians tend to find it catches on their chitin and tears too often to be worth the fuss.

In particular, I really like the idea of layers, off-set or asymmetrical necklines, and elements of structural/architectural fashion for Andorians. Tooled leather is very popular, as well.

Another detail about Andorian fashion that I've mentioned a few times in other posts is that they like to show off their chitin patterns. Often this is done using leather as the medium, but embroidery is also a perfectly acceptable option. Often times, these articles of clothing (usually outerwear but not always) will have a Clan sigil somewhere on it as well, but it's not at all a requirement. These practices accomplish a couple of different things:

Firstly, it offers prospective playmates a tantalising 'preview' of what's underneath. Andorians are not shy about these things, nor do they understand why aliens think they should be. Some Andorians find particular types of chitin patterns very attractive, while some are averse to partners with what they perceive to be too much or too little chitin - or worse, chitin patterns that are far too similar to their own, which would suggest a shared lineage somewhere.

Secondly, it shows off Clan affiliations, especially for Clan members who were not born with their Clan's 'typical' chitin pattern. (Married individuals will often wear things that show their affiliation to both their birth Clan and their marriage Clan, as well, though these are usually ornamental items such as jewellery or hair pieces.)

Thirdly, wearing one's Clan affiliations stamped on their sleeves can sometimes serve as a conflict deterrent. Some Clans are just not worth picking a fight with, and knowing who's who ahead of time instead of after someone says something spectacularly stupid tends to save lives. Since the Unification, the need for these sorts of deterrents has dropped substantially, but it's never entirely gone from Andorian society.

This is not to say that I imagine that all Andorians wear the same things. Being able to express individual preferences is very important, especially in a society where most other individualistic pursuits are seen as counter-productive to the harmony and unity of a community.

Shral, for example, deviates from the norm by preferring dark colours and minimal ornamentation. To other Andorians, his sartorial choices are almost conspicuously bland. On the other end of the spectrum, Thelen adores vivid colours - neon oranges, shocking yellows, acid greens - and fully embraces the bombastic colour palettes his people are known for. Thoris is doomed to be trapped in billowing robes he'd much rather burn in a steel drum behind the embassy under cover of darkness, but he prefers layered tunics, boots, and breeches that don't inhibit his movement. Vrath is in the middle of the road, favouring bold colours and practical clothing but never quite able to resist bits of ornamentation that give her wealthy Tha'an Clan allegiance away. Miraal, on the other hand, adore soft, draping fabrics and wears very little leather, or any other similarly heavy materials, and she prefers to wear minimal ornamentation so as not to distract from her wares.

In terms of seasonal clothing, Andorians can tolerate very broad rangers of temperatures, and they have thermal regulators built into much of their clothing. They can get away with quite a lot, in terms of weather, but a heavily cultivated sense of caution generally prevents them from wandering out into surface conditions wearing anything less than full winter gear - though, naturally, their idea of full winter gear is rather lighter than what a Human would go in for. In extreme heat, Andorians have no problem wearing as little as possible - often to the consternation of other species who do not share their total lack of nudity taboos.

Regarding colours, I headcanon that much like how Vulcans view green as a traditional mating colour owing to the hue of their blood, and Humans view red much the same way, so too do Andorians with the colour blue. Just wearing blue alone isn't an invitation for anything, but it is very noticeable and considered a very attractive colour. Wearing a particularly fetching shade of blue while lurking in a bar and being very noticeably single, however...

Andorian silk is a luxury item, and one in high demand. Made from cocoons harvested from a domesticated relative of the infamous Andorian ice borers, it's ten times stronger than Terran silk, rendering it resistant to slashing and piercing damage. It can be woven into heavy brocades or crafted into a diaphanous, organza-like material, or blended with other fibres. It almost always has a slight iridescent or even metallic shine to it, a highly coveted property, and it is ludicrously expensive.

Hope this helps! <3

[deadheaddaisy]

Oooh yes. I could absolutely see Andorians be more interested in texture than colour. The intricacies of embroidery or etching signify much greater concentration and attention to detail, important for beauty.

...it was a dagger, with a black hilt and a deeply curved blade decorated with swirling embossed figures along the spine. Her eyebrows shot up. “It's beautiful,” she said, her vocabulary deserting her.

“If a thing is to be made, it should be made well, and made beautifully.”

Andorian Aesthetics

Karveth isn't just saying that as a personal opinion - he's expressing a deep-seated cultural mindset. Andorians see no reason why functional objects should not also be beautiful and pleasing to the senses, and in fact, cutting corners and producing something subpar and unattractive is an insult to anyone who will be using or viewing the thing in question.

Hard objects produced in metal, glass, clay, or stone are frequently embossed, etched, or carved. Figurative art is common for decorative purposes (usually representations of predatory fauna) though fractal patterns mimicking ice crystals are considered timeless and classic, as are decorative touches like complex leather or cloth wrapping on handles or other commonly touched areas.

Many humans' first impression of Andorian fashion is that drab and uninteresting, mostly because of its limited and largely monochrome color palette. Andorians don't place a high importance on color to create visual interest - though their eyes are capable of sensing the same portions of the visual light spectrum as humans (and their visual acuity in the lower, infrared range is far better), they place far greater emphasis on texture, either complimentary or contrasting, an effect usually achieved by layering. Tone-on-tone embroidery or beading are very common, as are knit insets and fur lining or trim.

[fauvester]

OK I GOT MYSELF EXCITED.... ANDORIAN LATE 1860S

[technoxenoholic]

Do you have any recommendations on where to find good jhashrancher content (fic/art/analysis/etc)?

only source i've got is the confines of my brain, unfortunately... it's been quite a while since i even looked, but when i did, it didn't seem like there was anything at all. there's some stuff for shrancher, of course, but i saw nothing for the three of them.

if there's new stuff that's been made since, that would be fantastic, don't get me wrong. i'm just not aware of it.

[cal-1maf]

[nichestartrekkie0-0]

Fic- Net Worth

Words: 1.8k 

Summary: Hemmer and Spock crash a science gala, and Hemmer makes a plan. He executes the plan, and the plan works. The plan works a little too well. Chaos ensues. 

Rating: pg

Aenar Words: (Afgain'im) =my friend (Han'gain-at)= respected guest, male form

Net Worth

Sam Kirk’s lips curled into a smile. “Sorry, you’re not invited. Maybe next time though.”  

Both aliens were left speechless. Neither Hemmer nor Spock had anything quick to say. As Sam turned and stalked away, Hemmer leaned in, finally controlling his temper. “Oh. We’re invited.”

“What are you implying?” Spock said flatly, “We very clearly are not invited to this Andorian Science gala.”

“My mother is the Speaker of the Aenar. Your father’s an ambassador. We’re invited.”

Spock paused, seemingly collecting himself. After a moment, he scoffed, “Are you…suggesting we go not as Starfleet officers, but as members of our families? This is an abuse of-”

“-No, it’s not. My mother is off-planet right now. She won’t be attending.”

“That means you can attend,” Spock sighed, “I fail to see how this involves me.”

Hemmer’s face split into a devious grin. “I need a plus-one, don’t I?” 

Another pause. Spock nodded slowly, “I…understand. I would enjoy going to this gala, there will be many prominent xeno-biologists in attendance. If it would not trouble you-”

“-Spock. I’m the one who asked.” Hemmer smiled, patting his friend lightly on the shoulder, “Wear something nice.”

“Is that not a requirement?” 

…

“What is that!?” Spock spat, somewhat emotionally.

The gala had already started, but it was Aenar custom to show up fashionably late. The building was modern, sleek, and incredibly well-heated as the Vulcans were to be in attendance. However, Hemmer was dressed for something much more casual. 

“It’s Aenar party wear,” Hemmer said smugly, adjusting his belt. 

“That’s not-” Spock took a deep breath, “That is not formal attire.” 

Hemmer tugged on his armband. Technically, Spock was right. What little clothes he had on were certainly not to the standards of a human ‘black-tie’ event, and certainly too risqué for any Vulcan occasion. 

“I was also unaware that you possessed tattoos,” Spock murmured, head turning slightly to the side. “Are they of significant importance?”

“Of course they are. I cover the ones on my forearms and chest for privacy reasons, but the rest can be displayed.”

“Privacy reasons? You’re practically shirtless, and in-” Spock huffed, “you’re wearing something translucent. I am grateful you put the thought into wearing shorts, but I cannot be seen in a manner such as this.”  

Hemmer snorted, “Please. As I have said, nudity isn't a popular concept amongst the Aenar.” He pushed past his friend, “Clothes are a formality, not a necessity in temperatures like these.” 

“Also,” He grinned, “You’re my plus one. If anyone should be wearing something translucent it should be you.” Chuckling to himself, Hemmer gestured to the entrance of the Gala. 

Shaking his head, Spock followed. He was dressed in formal attire, covered from his shoulders to his ankles- a complete contrast to Hemmer. 

“You are also not wearing the correct footwear.” Spock sighed, “I fail to see why your outfit is necessary. As you have told me, the Aenar do not care for decoration.” 

“Oh, you’ll see.” 

Before Spock could comment, the doors opened. The event hall was spacious, but the murmurs of the crowd were almost at a dull roar. Hemmer could have sworn he had been inside stadiums that were quieter. 

An Andorian diplomat greeted them almost immediately. “Hemmer’ash’acht.” He bowed slightly, “I am aware you are substituting for the Speaker this evening.”

“I am,” Hemmer said flatly. Almost dully, as if he was uninterested. 

The diplomat bowed again, slightly, to Spock. His face contorted in confusion for a second, then relaxed. “This is your Han’gain-at?”

Spock’s head swiveled towards his friend. No words were necessary, his surprise and confusion were apparent on his face. 

“Yes. He is my guest.” Hemmer nodded, his tone even. Before Spock could interject, he held up his hand in an Aenar gesture. 

Wait.

Spock held his tongue. 

The diplomat nodded slowly and walked away, spouting off a polite goodbye that was entirely too long for either man’s liking. 

“What is that word?” Spock asked, “Han’gain-at?”

“It means ‘guest’ but is loosely referred to as ‘friend’. It’s a respected term. It means you are to be held in high esteem– and as I am substituting for my mother– you are to be respected as she is… as I am.” 

“I am starting to suspect you had ulterior motives in inviting me here.” Spock snapped lightly, “May I inquire as to what they might be?”

“My ‘ulterior motives’ are primarily to piss off Kirk…and to allow you to have a good time.” Hemmer smiled, “The Andorians in attendance have to treat you with the utmost respect, but this applies to every species. Anyone who dares to cross you will be the subject of my wrath.”

“The Aenar do not believe in wrath.”

“We do not. However, we are very very good at bluffing.” He scoffed, “And economic blackmail.”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “What are you suggesting?”

“I am aware that you are not treated kindly by your peers- Vulcan, Andorian, and others– due to your heritage. I may be blind, but I’m not deaf.” Hemmer sighed, “I would like you to have a nice evening, free of unsolicited comments, insults, or aggressions.” 

“You-” Spock smiled slightly, “You wore that outfit on purpose to draw attention to yourself.”

“Yes, I did. Also, because it’s hot.” He chuckled, “I own half of the companies that are represented in this room. If anyone were to say anything rude to either of us I can and will retaliate.” 

“Economic blackmail? I was…unaware that the Aenar possessed such abilities. I thought-”

“-We don't use money internally, yes. We are, however, the sole exporter of yttrium on this side of the quadrant. I am not a poor man and neither are my people.”

“May I ask, what is your net worth?” Spock asked, shifting a little.

“You don’t want to know.” Hemmer smiled darkly, “Go. Enjoy your evening. I am a mechanic and not a scientist, so I will be resigning myself to exile by the dessert table and the punch bowl.” 

“Hemmer-”

“-No. Go enjoy yourself. I’m not wearing chiffon for nothing.” 

Spock sighed heavily, but he left to join the larger conversations of his academic peers. 

Hemmer watched from a distance. Using his connections, he kept an eye on his friend throughout the entire evening. There were no slip-ups, no unwarranted comments about his mother, his home, or his family. Spock was allowed to exist without judgment. 

Even though it was only for a few hours. 

As Hemmer gazed across the room, even though he couldn't see his friend's face, he could tell that he was happy. Content even. 

The Vulcan was practically glowing as they left. “I was able to secure a connection to one of my academic superiors.” He said with a slightly satisfied huff, “I am to contact her immediately when my research for my latest experiment aboard the Enterprise is done.” 

“Hm. Good.”

“Thank you.” Spock said, turning his head away, “I…” After a moment of silence, he collected himself and nodded. “Thank you. It was nice to experience a quiet evening.”

The quiet unfortunately didn’t last much longer. 

“Spock? Hemmer?” Captain Pike’s voice carried through the hall. Sam Kirk followed close behind, stifling a chortle. 

“What are you wearing?” Kirk sneered, hand plastered to the lower half of his face. 

Hemmer groaned, turning around. “You’re the xeno-anthropologist, shouldn’t you know?” 

“Ok!” Pike smiled painfully, diving in between the two men and clasping his hands together. “Alright, can we please not argue in public again? After your last spat on Vulcan, I had to call eight other captains to assure them that I was able to control my ship.”

Rolling his eyes, Hemmer nodded. The last argument he had with Kirk escalated quickly- too quickly. He had barely managed to control his temper. 

“What?” Kirk scoffed gruffly, “I’m asking Spock, not Hemmer. I know what Aenar traditional clothes look like!” 

Hemmer turned. “Spock, what are you wearing? I cannot see, I assumed it was Vulcan robes.” 

A pause. 

“I’m wearing a formal Earth outfit. Human robes. It was a gift from my mother.” 

Pike took a sharp breath, “Lovely. Kirk, we can continue this conversation later-” 

“Are you sure it was a gift to you?” Kirk snickered. 

Hemmer stepped forward. “Stop badgering him. It is none of your business to inquire why he received it-”

“-Hemmer.” Spock sighed, “Kirk, why do you ask?”

“Spock,” Kirk giggled, “Spock, those aren't formal Earth robes, that's an antique evening dress. A classy one, –and an expensive one by the looks of it– but it’s usually worn by women.” he inhaled “Are you sure your mother gifted it to you or your fiance?” 

Spock paused. “...She didn’t deliver it in person. There was a note.” He sighed. 

“No one told you?” Pike asked, “No one pulled you aside to ask about your attire?”

“No.” Spock glanced at Hemmer. 

Hemmer groaned, “No, they wouldn’t. Spock was my Han’gain-at for the evening. If anyone had pulled him aside to ask it would be considered rude.” 

Inwardly screaming, Hemmer put a hand to his face. His plan had worked. Only, it had worked a little too well. 

“At least you got that superior’s number, right?” He asked, face still in his hands. 

“Yes.” Spock’s hands reached up to touch his brow for a moment, “Although, I am unsure now whether it was given in jest or not.” 

“Probably not. If she had given you a fake number, it would be considered a death warrant for whoever she worked for.” Hemmer shrugged, “To those who interacted with you this evening- the ones who were more than polite– we now know that they can be trusted. That they do not judge easily.” 

Pike smirked, “Ah, trial by fire- a litmus test.” 

Pinching his nose bridge, Hemmer nodded, “I guess, although that was not my intent.” 

“Afgain’im.” Spock huffed, nudging him slightly, “Your efforts are not unnoticed or unappreciated.”

“Thank you, Spock. Let’s…leave. I’ll buy dessert and coffee for everyone unless you’d like to change.”

“No.” Spock smiled a bit, “I have worn this for a few hours, and it is not uncomfortable. Since I was able to wear it in front of my academic superiors, I think the waiter at a dessert bar will not be fazed.” 

Pike looked between his chief engineer and his spunky xeno-anthropologist officer. “If you two can behave, I’ll pay.”

Hemmer scoffed. 

“Sir.” He chuckled darkly, “Have you learned nothing from this evening? I am not a poor man. At least let me atone for my mistakes this evening.”

“Mistakes?” Pike smiled, “You know, that dress is certainly an antique, but I disagree with Sam.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. Then, he stepped forward, smiling more genuinely and eyeing his Chief Science Officer. 

“Spock, you look great.” 

[open-hearth-rpg]

RPGCovers Week Twelve Star Trek Lower Decks (2023) Eva Lara

So this is potentially a dumb one, but I love the choices made for this campaign guide. Obviously I dig seeing the quartet of Lower Decks’ characters headlining. I enjoy the way the cartoony art is given a dust of realism with the lighting and the haze. But what I really dig is the way it references the other Star Trek Adventures releases, remixing the core book with perhaps a little nod to the Division sourcebooks. 

While Boimler, Tendi, Mariner, and Rutherford don’t exactly replicate the figures from the core cover, they echo them. We have the same sense of collapse and devastation happening in the background. Tandi’s excited as opposed to the dour, serious expression on the Vulcan science officer from the main book. Rutherford’s examining the same weird coffin artifact that the angry Andorian is, and Boimler’s less about gallant protection than utter panic. Mariner’s the new figure in the set, but the posing is just right– looking like the strange action-fashion model stances of the figures on those division books. 

There’s a lot of ways you could have done this cover, but like the show it emulates, it tries to integrate these characters into the real world of the setting (i.e. game) as it has been presented to us before

[raisinchallah]

painting an andorian for my star trek fashion thing im like wow i finally count as a real sci fi/fantasy artist ive painted my first blue woman

[menstruatingfanfiction]

A coming of age for Seven

All the info about menstruation in space comes from some readings I did a long ago and I may misremember, so take the science with a grain of salt, just in case.

Once Seven of Nine was more established and more used to human rhythms, the Doctor took one of their weekly medical evaluations to let her know that her reproductive organs seemed to be working. They hadn’t been modified by Borg implants in any way, and so, there was a possibility that she would start menstruating at some point.

“What is “menstruating”? she asked. “Of course she doesn’t know” he thought. She had been taken as a child, she may have never menstruated at all. He explained that it was part of what Humans with ovaries and uterus experience, usually once a month. “It is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina”. He then went on a long and deep explanation about how Bajorans actually menstruate in a more irregular fashion, how Vulcans basically go in heat during pon farr so they don’t menstruate (ovulation occurs only during the intercourse in pon farr, hard conditions for the Vulcan reproduction but very effective), he wasn’t up to speed about Cardassians’ reproduction, but Andorians very interestingly have menstrual cycles but do not bleed and it is a rarity, you see, humanoids…

“Thank you, Doctor. I will inform you if I start menstruating” she interrupted him and left.

“But I didn’t have time to explain to her what to do when that happens!”

And so time went on and Seven had started eating with Neelix’ help, which also meant she started needing to evacuate. This was a difficult moment because, while her reproductive organs where in perfect shape, if a bit atrophied, her digestive system was very much completely atrophied and so was her sphincter control. “We can train your sphincters, but it will be a long process and it may be still insufficient. You haven’t used them for decades, you would need to wear a diaper, remember to change it several times a day to prevent infection and rashes… Would you be able to do that? Sometimes you still forget to eat or sleep. There are other solutions, but they could be more invasive…” “I am a Borg, I am full of implants. Invasive solutions don’t scare me.”

And so, the Doctor adapted some of her Borg implants to give her what he called a discharge bag, similar to a colostomy bag, but that could also handle urine. With the help of B’Elanna, they adapted her Borg alcove to clean and sanitise the bag while she was regenerating.

“Will this help with menstruation if it happens?” Seven asked. “It will not. They are different processes and it’s best if they do not enter in contact, the reproductive system is very delicate and we want to prevent infections there. If you menstruate, there are other things we can do. Very often, Humans get hormonal implants to inhibit menstruation in long trips like this one. There are other inhibitors but some find them more unpleasant, particularly in space where the circadian rhythm is already altered and gravity isn’t the same. They are more planet-oriented. A more manual solution that seems to work well when menstruation inhibitors don’t work is a tampon. It has been used for centuries now, the design has been improved and the risks have been completely eliminated but it really is one of the best solutions for menstruations in space, where gravity is less stable than in a planet.

“Why is gravity a problem?” “Ah. Yes. Well, you see [he turned on a screen to show her her own reproductive system as an example]. In a planet, where gravity makes things fall to the ground, the blood from the endometrium also falls to the ground, so to say. It would actually fall to the ground, now that I think of it. Anyways, over the centuries, people have used all kinds of things to not make it fall to the ground. When space travel began, we faced a problem: no gravity means no falling to the ground. And worse, it meant the blood and other fluids from the menstruation could actually go any other way, stay in the uterus, go up the Falopian tubes… And *this* is a problem. It can cause all kinds of health issues, it really is a risk. The first solution Humans developed for it was a solution that already existed: a tampon. The original tampons where just some cotton given a cylinder shape that you would put up your vagina. They then were given a more suitable form, like a small tube of hardly pressed cotton. The thing about this is that it attracts fluids, so they don’t wander around where they shouldn’t, very convenient in space. Using a tampon at that time had some health risks, but overall it outweighed the inconvenients. But now [he went to look for something in one of the cabinets, turned around and showed a very small white tube], the design is basically the same, but we are using Tellarite cotton and some special treatments that make it much more absorbent and much more safe. You change it once a day until the menstruation is over and that is it. You can dispose of it as you dispose of all other disposable things in this ship.” He then gave her some to keep in her alcove and to carry one with herself just in case, and reminded her that they could try the hormonal implant if she found the menstruation unpleasant. However, he wasn’t sure if she would ever menstruate, so there was no need for it yet.

One day, Janeway went to look for her at her alcove because she hadn’t showed up for work. She was still regenerating, which was not a common occurrence for Seven. When she felt Janeway’s presence, she woke up. “What are you doing here, Captain?” “Well, you were late and weren’t replying to your communicator, so I decided to come and check on you. Are you alright? You have been regenerating for over 10 hours now” “Have I? I don’t feel like I have regenerated at all. As a matter of fact, I don’t feel well, Captain” “You do look pale. I’m taking you to sick bay”.

“The good news is, if you want to call them that, that you can menstruate” said the Doctor. “The bad news is it seems you are having one of the bad ones. We can give it some more months, see if it improves on its own, but given that there are Borg implants all around your uterus, and the discharge bag too, I cannot say for sure. For many people, their first periods are hard but then, they get better. For many others, it’s always a nightmare. There is medication I can give you so that you are not in pain, I’m sure the captain will give you as many time off as you need to rest, if you feel like seeing how it naturally goes. But a spaceship is not as stable as a planet, even if we try to make it so, and that also affects how your body feels and how your organs react, which is why most space-people choose to inhibit their cycle one way or another. Whatever you want to do, we can do. So far, I haven’t had problems replicating inhibitors for any of the crew.”

“I will try the tampons this time. If it happens again, and it’s as bad, we’ll see about the inhibitors.” “It will happen again. If everything goes as it should, it should happen again in about a month, month and a half. It can take up to a year to find its rhythm, or at least on a teenager living on a planet does, and if it doesn’t after a year or so, there are treatments we can try. Again, you are an adult woman in a spaceship, menstruating for the first time in very unlikely circumstances. I will give you painkillers, muscle relaxants and any treatment you need to be at your best, including as many days of rest as you need.”

During the following year, Seven asked about all the usual treatments for painful and debilitating periods that the Federation had developed and tried several, but they all had their share of problems for her. If she used the tampons, she also required painkillers to sleep an elephant. If she used hormone treatments, she had severe mood swings. If she used the general period inhibitor half of the crew used, not reliant on hormones, some of her Borg implants stopped working. None of the treatments helped regulate her hormonal cycle in any way, which made it unpredictable. In the end, she was one of the few who needed to spend some days resting, regardless.

“Doctor, since I must stay in my alcove regenerating and resting, could I develop a similar system to the one we have with the discharge bag? I can speak to B’Elanna, figure out a way to connect my regeneration alcove to my menstrual cycle and help regulate from it. The equipment is already there.” “I don’t see why not. Any other thing seems to cause you more harm than good.”

And so, after some researching and playing around, B’Elanna and Seven managed to make the alcove recognize her menstrual cycle, and work in advance. It would use the regeneration periods to help her regulate her hormones and the function of her organs to prepare for the menstruation itself. When it happened, the alcove recovered the fluids the same way it did with the other discharges and offered improved support for her back. During that time, she was now better rested and in less pain, but she still took days off. B’Elanna quickly saw the possibilities a similar system could have for people like Lt. Weraras, who was one of the ones who could not take any inhibitors and needed days of rest every month. It would require adapting the Borg technology for a variety of metabolisms, both alien and human, but it felt like a good project to work on. Seven loved the idea and offered to help in any way she could too.

[aspiringnexu]

'Whom Gods Destroy' or 'the episode where I laughed about that Andorian's fashion sense for far too fucking long'.

I mean, did the writers gather together and decide that the only way they could convince the audience that these people are 'crazy' was to dress them up like they raided a children's pantomime? Which genius decided to give the Andorian a bright pink feather boa?? Where did he get a feather boa? Do the replicators have the pattern for feather boas???

[zineobiology]

Does the biology have to be related to a member of the federations sentient species ( Vulcans, andorians etc.)? I was thinking of creating an old fashion environment layout of the different animals on Vulcan. It is a criminally under developed venture.

We have decided that this would be acceptable! We think it's a super cool idea

~Anat

[indignantlemur]

Larger image (STRONGLY recommended): HERE The resolution on this is painful, so I'm including detail shots below the cut.

This meeting room was furnished many centuries ago by a renowned artisan who could carve stone and shells in stunning detail, and could shape and colour glass in a way that was never seen before and has never been replicated since. He took the secrets of his techniques to the grave, dying at an unexpectedly young age in a duel with a public safety official over the seizure of a rare and extremely toxic pigment imported from a Clan to the far south. His name was Kelenthor, and he was the only Clanless to ever attain such a high level of renown and fortune purely on his artistic talent. He lived during what would eventually be called the Post-Unification Andorian Renaissance. While this artisan was alive, he had a somewhat adversarial relationship with various officials and was known to use his art as a medium to mock and criticize his social betters. He was beloved by the general populace for exclusively taking on students from the lower social classes - almost as much as he was resented by the upper classes for his habit of hiding subversive messages in his commissioned works. Regardless of where one stood with Kelenthor, none could deny his talents. If you wanted the best of the best, Kelenthor was the one to commission. As such, he was eventually commissioned to design and create furnishings for a number of rooms and even entire buildings which are now used exclusively by government officials today or otherwise preserved as precious cultural works.

This particular room is widely regarded as his best work: the walls are conspicuously and almost insultingly plain, barely carved at all. At the centre of the room lies a heavy and imposing table of solid marbled stone - also barely ornamented, save some bevelling along the edges. The surface was treated with a substance which renders the stone almost entirely impervious to damage. No matter how one might rain blows upon it, barely a scratch remains to remember them by - much like many of the politicians who have sat at this table since its creation, which many believe was the subversive message behind the thing in the first place.

The focal points are the throne-like seats arrayed around the blunt instrument of a marble table, intricately carved and inlaid with precious shell and glasswork, iridescent and shining under even the faintest rays of light. Each scatters prisms randomly around the room, illuminating the shadows and often causing quite a few headaches when meetings stretch too long. More importantly, every single one of them was deliberately carved to be as uncomfortable as possible. No one in a position of power, Kelenthor once said, should be comfortable there.

First up, courting and wedding bands! Shral and Dagmar are only courting, so they have simple rings with minimal ornamentation, with Dagmar's being modified to fit as a cuff earring.

Thoris is married, so he has two bands on each antennae. Quite often marriage bands are more decorative and ostentatious than his, but Thoris isn't one for baubles and it's bad enough he has to wear these ridiculous robes. Frankly, if he could get away with just wearing his old Guardsman uniform to these meetings, he'd vastly prefer to. As such, his wedding bands are almost incongruously plain for his rank and status.

Next up, the lady and gentleman in the foreground! These two are Ministers, and high-ranking Andorians besides, so they ornament themselves rather loudly in comparison to our main cast's more sedate preferences. The lady on the left is Minister Zaathi, who we will be meeting in-fic very soon, and she's very fond of gemstones and carved hair beads - and not afraid of losing any, if she sheer number she's wearing are any indications. It's a weighted fashion statement, if nothing else, from a woman whose home province is small and relatively modest otherwise.

By comparison, Minister Bhael - on the right - is much more conservative in his ornamentation, but his robes are heavily embroidered and that is quite a lot of Andorian silk to be toting around. A closer look will reveal that his sleeves are embroidered with an ocean wave pattern, which is particularly interesting given the relationship Andorians have with the sea. Is it some kind of political statement, or just an odd choice of attire?

If those two are making statements with their sartorial choices, then Thoris has them all beat for layered meanings.

The silvery outer robes of office are closer to a cloak than a robe, with an inner layer that is belted around the waist and a loose outer layer that is joined to the inner layer at the shoulders and seams along the upper arms. This permits the maximum range of movement for the wearer. Being made of Andorian silk, which is several times stronger than Terran silk, it is an excellent means of protection against slashing and stabbing weapons. Despite their merits, however, Thoris loathes them. They're lightweight, sure, but they're still long and ostentatious and entirely too liable to get caught on something in a real fight. Sadly, they're also mandatory, or he'd have binned them ages ago.

The vibrant blue mid-layer is a heavy material, durable Andorian silk woven through with tiny filaments of something very similar to a carbon fibre composite, providing a measure of protection against many forms of projectiles, though less so against phase weapons. The innermost tunic is more obviously armoured than the other two layers, with panels mimicking an extensive chitin pattern along the length of the torso and forearms. The sleeves in particular draw attention to a very vibrant yellow flash - much like the chitin of the predatory veeg he is known for hunting in the past.

Next we come to Shral, who is obscured partially by shadow at Ambassador Thoris' right hand - and ready to draw his ushaan-tor at a moment's notice.

This is not standard armour for an Andorian, but rather something one might wear while sparring or training in their personal time. The armour takes the form of layered, almost beetle-shell like layers, layered over a long, cowl-necked tunic. The cowl is an unusual choice for sparring attire, as it provides a potential hand-hold for an opponent - only a very arrogant or a very skilled duelist would wear such a thing while sparring.

In contrast, Dagmar stands in the light on Thoris' left. Her working attire is lightly embroidered, and features large, pearly buttons - but otherwise she's almost conspicuously plainly dressed. Hyper aware of how shockingly pink she is in comparison to everyone else in the room, Dagmar wears muted and neutral colours to try to off-set how glaringly alien she is - which, ironically, only serves to highlight her differences even further.

@the-lady-general  @starrynightgardens  @emilie786  @horta-in-charge  @emochook  @velvet-luvie  @creature-of-the-stars @unknownfacelessfanfictions @auroramagpie

[andorianminingconsortium]

Watching the first Star Trek movie now! This is a review I'm typing while I watch!

For a second I forgot that I was going into a TOS era movie and the effects made me laugh put loud. But then I got into it and I'm already intrigued by the plot! And like five minutes in, the effects don't bother me anymore! I just came straight from watching SNW hahaha

I don't think I've ever heard full conversations of spoken Vulcan before! It's very cool! Sounds like I hoped it would. The high priestess(?) is slaying with her outfit and her long nails with the mind melt lol. Can't he practical. Fashion > logic.

O! Recognisable music from TOS! Cute clothes on the background characters. Hey Kirk! Not on that Vulcan. Yay Scotty! Ok I don't need an hour long scene of approaching the Enterprise but ok.

Not a fan of the sad beige uniforms. Are those the uniforms? UHURA! Yay. Sulu! Chekov! The gang!

Dude THE KIRK is replacing you as captain, show respect. By the way you get to stay as Executive Office under KIRK? THAT'S COOL. You should accept right away.

Omg that transporter incident was hella scary wtf no thanks

There's a cute Andorian in the scene with the whole crew gathered but I can't take a screenshot :( timestamp 30:44 (mostly for my own reference because I love Andorians and I'm going to play one for a Star Trek TTRPG so I need all the references I can get).

Someone doesn't want to use the transporter. Understandable. Wait, that's going to be Bones, isn't it? YES IT IS! Love him. Pls shave. Thanks

Ooo cool alien girl! I like her. Cool but with the wormhole. Bones, don't agree with the dude. I'm also really liking the soundtrack.

Ooo mystery shuttle, it would be cool if that was - SPOCK! Good entrance, s-tier clothes. Hell yeah, Bones, we ARE pleased to see him. Hehe is he flustered? Cute. I forgot how handsome Spock is.

No wait he seems sad. Wow in the last like five minutes, I think Kirk said he needs Spokc like 3 times. But not like Oh having Spock here might come in handy. No. Kirk NEEDS Spock. If that isn't Spirk.

Oh wow inside the thing are some reeaaallly beautiful visuals and the soundtrack is soooo good!

Just noticed Uhura's hair. It's really cool! Looks gorgeous!

The plot is really cool. It feels cosmic horror-ish, which is my favourite sci-fi theme/genre. The imagery is so atmospheric. Beautiful and unique!

Spock goes on so many solo missions, if he were a D&D class, he'd be a rogue.

THEY'RE SO TOUCHY (Spirk). "This simple feeling". What feeling, Spock? WhaT FEELING? (don't go for friendship my dude, it's pride month). Anyway those sickbay clothes look really good on Spock. Unnecessarily so.

All of the uniforms, but especially those not quite space suits, look like super comfortable pajamas. I want them to sleep in. Btw plot is still really cool. I like that the crew in this movie takes a very diplomatic approach!

Oooo very interesting development and revelation. That's cool. Nice plot. Very clever. I like it.

Very satisfying end! Very comfortable movie! Would watch it again :) enjoyed it!

[fauvester]

what other species and eras can i do next... i'm really feeling bajoran either late 1790s or 19teens with the little false bolero of their uniforms and their overall loose cozycore boho vibe, could do some fun aubrey beardesley paul poiret inspired looks.... which species can I shoehorn into late 1860s (the superior fashion era) or 1780s...

[hermannsprecursors]

Hey guys I'm insane (makes a Pacific Rim/Star Trek au with a full story that I can explain and character designs that feature my interpretations/redesigns of canon Star Trek alien races)

This is a long post. Because I have over thought this. Oops

Anyways let me show you guys some stuuuuuff :)

First of course is the Becket brothers. Well, Ch'borliath brothers in this world, I guess, since Raleigh and Yancy are Andorians. I don't know, I just thought the race fit them.

Andorians are more accustomed to dark spaces, and live in a low-oxygen space, causing them to have a lower body temperature. That, mixed with the chemical compounds in their bodies, makes their skin blue, which then reflects onto the thin layer of fur they have. Each family has a specific fur pattern, so if I were to compare these two to two different Andorians, they wouldn't look the same at all :). Andorians have a concentration of sulfur in their blood, which makes it appear black, as well as making it highly flammable. There have been cases of Andorians lighting their hands on fire after cutting them to wield the flame. Also, they have poor eyesight but aren't blind, so their antennae are sort of like feelers. It's like having extra eyes. Their tails tend to act in a similar fashion. Despite their physical challenges, Andorians tend to act almost lion-like in nature, being passive but territorial, going so far as to have genuinely developed a deep roar when frustrated, or to stake a claim over something.

Also WOAH YANCY ISN'T DEAD! They were raised by a Starfleet family, and preferred human nicknames over their proper given names, which is why they go by Yancy and Raleigh. Raleigh is extra protective over his brother, especially considering the incident that occurred (andyes. I will get to the incident), which can cause some issues, since Yancy is literally a security officer, and needs to be able to be self sufficient. But they're attached at the hip. It works well, considering their small space, at least!

Second, Captain Pentecost and his chief of security, Commander Mori.

Romulans have thin skin, causing one to see lines of green, their blood appearing through the skin, across their bodies in the light. These are often referred to as "sun lines", since they are only visible in the light. Romulans also have two pairs of eyelids, a flatter nose, and sharper ears than their cousin species, Vulcans. Their weird posture comes from the fact that full-blood Romulans, as well as Vulcans, have higher ankles, like the legs of a dog. Due to chemical compounds in their blood vessels, when oxygenized, Romulan blood turns acidic. It takes up to 2 weeks for the reaction to stop.

Mori was a young Romulan whom he ended up saving during Romulus' destruction, and has since taken care of as if she were his own daughter. Of course, she joined Starfleet of her own accord, but Pentecost requested that she be stationed with him. They've served together ever since, and it looks like they will be serving together for a long time after. Recently, Mori has taken a liking to Pentecost's new second in command, who she has drinks with every Friday night, after they engage together in combat training (Raleigh insisted upon it, as he, upon first meeting her, said he's never met, nor fought, a Romulan before. That was ten minutes before she nearly knocked him out) Pentecost is just glad she's making friends. He thinks she'll need them, considering how precarious the current situation is turning to be.

Ah yes, the two we all were waiting for. Hermann and Newt. They've become my favorite half Vulcan and ex-Borg.

Vulcans, like their cousin species Romulans, have digitigrade legs. That trait, however, gets lost in human genus, so half Vulcans, like Hermann, and half Romulans don't have that. Their blood is copper based, which makes it appear green. Vulcans also have thinner skin, but it appears in more of a radiant glow than it does in distinct lines like it does on their Romulan cousins. Vulcans have developed almost feline features, including their eyes, pads on their fingertips and on their feet, and exceptional strength, especially in their legs. Due to their thin skin, they scar more easily. I don't have much to say about the Borg, but honestly, who does?

The two met in the academy, Newton taking an immediate interest in Hermann being half-Vulcan, since Newton was raised in a sheltered family where seeing aliens wasn't exactly common. Hermann, however, had hardly any information to give him, as he was raised surrounded by humans as well, and knew little of his Vulcan culture. They eventually split apart, though still communicated occasionally, be it through letters or through chats on rare occasions where their paths crossed, until being assigned together to the same station only weeks before service was discontinued there. Hermann's been particularly anxious as of lately, considering what happened to Newt. Newt has no idea why, but the voices in his head are telling him not to worry about it.

And then there's these three. Faithful comms officer, Lt. Choi, Pentecost's retired second in command, Hercules Hansen, and his son, Chuck. Herc is the only human (loser), while his son is half Bajoran and Choi is Betazoid.

Bajorans are, as best described to humans, deerlike in nature. They're an agile race, with thin builds, but they tire easily. Their facial features are flatter, while still being slightly exaggerated (full-blooded Bajorans have big, almost doe-like eyes and digitigrade legs, improving their eyesight and agility, after adapting to being hunted for centuries). They also have better hearing than most races. The markings on their skin are unique to each Bajoran, but their are common patterns. Religious families and sects tend to have more similar patterns to one another than an average citizen would. These marking are less prominent, but still present, in half Bajorans.

Betazoids, on the other hand, are mothlike in nature. The antennae on their head act in part as feelers due to poor eyesight, but also emotional feelers. They pick up a person's emotions like wavelengths and reflect that physically. In neutrality, a Betazoid's eyes are white, however, if they were to pick up a wave of joy, their eyes would turn yellow for as long as that wave resonates within them like sound resonates in a guitar. Due to their bug-like physiology, they're more drawn toward lights. The pads of their fingers have glands beneath them that develop an adhesive, slightly toxic substance for reasons still unknown.

Yeah these guys are just kind of there I'm still figuring out how they line up in the grand scope of things.

Doodle as a page break for STORY TIME

Starfleet needed to cut down on resource distribution. They shut down 13 stations throughout the the outer edges of the Beta quadrant, hoping to save resources, and potentially have less outreach for danger.

The deep space station Shatterdome had just received its newest arrivals from Starfleet. Unfortunately, their comms haven't been receiving any signals from the Alpha quadrant for four years, so they have no idea that they've been completely isolated from their home.

The Shatterdome is now a station lost in space, with all of its inhabitants stuck for the foreseeable future, considering they hardly have any transports, and what they do have couldn't possibly make the trip back to Earth. What is also unfortunate for them is the fact that they border Borg ship hubs on several sides, and stations are... well, stationary. They can't call for backup, due to the cutbacks, there are no longer any ships running missions through their part of the Beta Quadrant, and if they're wiped out, there's hardly anything stopping the Borg from launching an all-out attack on Earth. Suddenly, Raleigh and Yancy have been thrown onto the last stand between life and potential assimilation.

I can't believe I created an entire au and STORY to go with it on a whim. Anyways let me know if you guys want like comics/more art/minifics of it because I know there's a Star Trek fandom in the pacific rim fandom. Yall are out there right????

[bcnes]

@starfleetsxvulcan sent 27 ( queen - good old-fashioned lover boy ) for the spotify wrapped meme

"Alright, what about... there." McCoy lifts two fingers from his glass to point over near the bar, where Jim has just wandered off to in order to get a couple of refills (supposedly; in actuality McCoy can see him hitting on a tall Andorian fellow). "The redhead with the vest."

He'd been admittedly surprised when Spock had agreed to join he and Jim at the bar this evening - though perhaps he shouldn't have been, because disinclined as the Vulcan is when it comes to taking shore leave in the first place, McCoy's not sure what else he would have done otherwise anyhow. Still, he fails to see what the first officer is getting out of being here.

So. You know. Obviously McCoy's got to do all the legwork to hook the damn Vulcan up with somebody, anybody. That's half the point of shore leave: romantic entanglements without the awkward problem of having to work on the same starship as them afterwards. Trouble is the man seems to hold absolutely no real opinions on any of the patrons McCoy has been pointing out.

"Come on, Spock, work with me, here! Everybody's got a type. Even you."