#t'khut

[purpleenma]

Vulcan goddess T'Khut

Pencil sketch

A closer look below the cut ✨

*please click the images for better quality

More Vulcan deities art here and here.

[stra-tek]

When the Vulcan sister planet T'Khut is canonized in Strange New Worlds screengraphics (by Timothy Peel) and you only notice months later.

The name was first coined in Lora Johnson's 1989 book Worlds of the Federation

[toooldtotobedoingthis]

The problem with Spock's World, is everytime I reread it I end up craving lasagne.

Via @timothypeel1 on Twitter: this quiet shout-out to Spock’s World in ST:SNW s2e5, revealing that T’Khut has become canon. ☺️

[varlysca]

okay can some astronomy nerd help me out here: how many moons/planets are visible from Vulcan?

I know it's locked in geo-orbit with T'Khut, which itself has a moon (T'Rukhemai), as well as being visibly close to Delta Vega, but the memory alpha site is unhelpful as to which of these are acutally visible from the planet surface.

Technically, are all three visible?

[u2fangirlie-blog]

Spock's World Inspired Holiday Card circa 1992

December 1992. Spock's World was among my favorite novels. I had just turned 19 years old that month. In keeping with the tradition of making holiday cards, that year I drew artwork inspired by a scene in Spock's World, the Star Trek novel by Diane Duane.

No computer. No printer. This was 1992. I drew it in pencil and darkened it with ink. The message was all hand lettered. My dad made copies of the artwork at his office. Each copy was colored by hand with colored pencils and crayons.

The image centers on the IDIC symbol, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination, a concept central to Vulcan philosophy. Diane Duane wrote the most beautiful passage in Spock's World that simply explained the meaning of IDIC. I copied the passage for the message inside the card. The IDIC symbol was surrounded by animals, plants, and other organisms representing the biodiversity of Earth.

The passage from Spock's World was from a scene where Surak was in the desert and saw the giant sandworm-like creature, referred to as the Underlier (called A'kweth or Tcha'besheh). Both beings paused and beheld one another, the Underlier and the Vulcan, in the vast desert under the light of T'Khut (called The Watcher), Vulcan's sister planet.

"How delightful to be so different from something. No need to understand them, particularly; that might come with time and would be an added delight. But it was enough to accept their difference, to celebrate just that without anything added. Creation, in itself, was joy, the difference was joy, the celebration of it was joy."

Front of card. Star Trek inspired greeting card artwork. Based on the novel Spock's World. Image features the Vulcan IDIC symbol and cartoon drawings of animals representing diversity. Created in 1992.

Inside of card. Star Trek inspired greeting card artwork. Based on the novel Spock's World. Image features a quotation from the novel representing diversity and the IDIC philosophy. Created in 1992.

Front and back of card. Star Trek inspired greeting card artwork. Based on the novel Spock's World. Image features the Vulcan IDIC symbol and cartoon drawings of animals representing diversity. Created in 1992. (Copyright Myers Cards 1992.)

The passage in the novel continued:

"There was nothing that could stand against that joy: sooner or later it would triumph. All evil, all death, was a tiny, fretting, posturing thing that knew its own defeat was coming, and it might rage and destroy as it liked. It was doomed. Celebration would win, was winning, had won now. Everything was one moment, and the moment was nothing but triumph and joy."

This resonated with my 18/19 year old self. This still resonates with me today. Oh, my heart! I cry for joy! Such beautiful ideas and words to live by!

Regretfully, I didn't credit the author on the card at the time. I assumed friends and family wouldn't care. It was yet another weird, cheap, homemade holiday card from their weirdo sister / niece / daughter / student / friend.

I hope you enjoy the amateur artwork and Diane Duane's message. Enjoy the diversity and differences. Embrace and embody IDIC.

Thank you, @dduane.

Peace and long life,

Amy

[electronickingdomfox]

"Spock's World" review

Novel from 1988, by Diane Duane. In a similar vein as her previous work, "The Romulan Way", is a combination of novel and historical account, this time about Vulcans instead of Romulans.

The historical chapters present different moments in the life of the planet and its peoples, from the very creation of the rock known as Vulcan out of primordial stardust, to the initial career of Sarek as ambassador and his encounter with Amanda. Many of these chapters have a chilling, somber ending, always presided by the ever-watchful eye of T'Khut (Vulcan's moon, which isn't really a moon). My favorites were the ones dealing with primitive Vulcan, at a time when speech wasn't even invented and everything had a touch of the mythical, and the ruthless story of a family of Vulcan asteroid miners, destroyed by their greed for diamonds (this was before Surak, obviously). Some details about Vulcans seemed a bit weird to me, like their wide array of customized psychic abilities, or the technological advancement in pre-Reformation times. I had this image of pre-Reform Vulcan as some sort of "warrior and monk" society. Though this is probably a silly complaint, since not much is known about Surak's times... Yet I still have difficulty picturing Surak as a corporation accountant, I don't know... I liked more the version of Romulan history from the other book, though these episodes were also beautiful in their own way.

As for the main plot (if you can call it "main"; it doesn't take more pages than the history part), is set in post-TMP times. Vulcan threatens to leave the Federation, in a climate of political discontentment, so Kirk, Spock and McCoy are invited to join the public debate, to defend the pro-Federation position. It's a simple but compelling story, more focused on discussing the different worldviews than in actual plot. Though there's also a conspiracy for the protagonists to uncover, but I won't spoil it here. Despite the cover and the title, Spock doesn't have such a big role. McCoy is actually the one who's doing most of the investigations, having become kind of an expert in Vulcan (including learning the language and speaking it with a Southern accent). The plot also shakes a bit the usual status-quo, by turning a well-known character from the series into villain, and killing another. On the other hand, and as minor nitpicking, some things about Duane's Enterprise still seem strange to me. The wild parties aboard, and the opinion network of the ship (where everyone can freely publish their opinions about anything, including invectives against Vulcans) make the Enterprise seem more like college than a ship at times.

Spirk Meter: 1/10*. I can only think about the encounter between Spock and a vengeful T'Pring, who threatens him with taking away his career and his Captain, the same way that Spock made her lose Stonn (it's a long story). It would seem that, in her mind, Kirk means for Spock the same that Stonn meant for her... Though on the other hand, she could mean it just in a professional way.

For his part, McCoy has a tendency to whisper into Spock's ear, from time to time.

*A 10 in this scale is the most obvious spirk moments in TOS. Think of the back massage, "You make me believe in miracles", or "Amok Time" for example.

[jennelikejennay]

Planet naming conventions! This works for Star Trek fics or anywhere else, because this is one of several ways planets are named in real life.

Start with the constellation the star is in (from Earth). Say Cygnus, the swan. Put that in the possessive form (us turns to i, a turns to ae). Then the stars are named with Greek letters from the brightest to the dimmest. So the third-brightest star in Cygnus is called Gamma Cygni.

Then you can letter or number the planets. Real astronomers tend to use letters (Alpha Tauri b) whereas in Star Trek it's often Roman numerals (Ceti Alpha V). Either is fine.

Does this sound really terrocentric to you? It is! The Federation has the bad habit of naming things and keeping those names over the names given to them by the people who live there. I.e. Vulcan over T'Khasi, Kronos over Qo'noS. If you are coming up with the name the inhabitants call it, you'll want to use an alien sounding word, not this system.

(Also Delta Vega is the fourth star in the constellation Vega, not anywhere near Vulcan, which is in the Epsilon Eridani system.

Can we all just agree that where Jim gets marooned in the 2009 movie is T'Khut? It's the only place that makes sense.)

[ex--astris--scientia]

Qui'lari

According to the Deep Space Nine episode "the Muse" (season 4, episode 21), the telepathic openings within a Vulcan's psionic system are called "qui'lari". These are commonly also referred to, though mostly in fanfiction or beta canon, as "meldpoints" due to them being most often used for melding. But just what are qui'lari? Based on canon and my own musings, I've come to the conclusion that they are a type of telepathic chakra. They are a pinwheel of psionic energy that can be opened in order to facilitate deeper telepathic linkages and mental mingling. They act as sluice gates for kash-tepul (mental energy) and the proper health, alignment, and care of the qui'lari assists in the flow of kash-tepul throughout the Vulcan psionic system as well as keeps them healthy and skillful enough for melding. While the entire Vulcan body is open to telepathic touch, the true depth and breadth of it comes from the stimulation of the qui'lari.

In traditional Vulcan religion, there is an emphasis on the Inner Chorus, a grouping of numinous beings that seem to represent the inner emotional landscape of any individual Vulcan. These beings are named for the planets in the Vulcan solar system, which leads me to believe that the solar system itself is the Outer Chorus with which the Inner Chorus is meant to be aligned. Thus embodying the idea of one's inner life being just as ordered as the mechanisms by which planets find their orbit. The harmony that is produced between the Inner and Outer Choruses is the song of C'thia ("reality-truth" or the religious doctrine of logic that Surak preached). It is my belief (which is to say, not backed by canon or beta canon or anything of the sort), that the Eridanic solar system therefore plays a strong symbolic role in Vulcan thought and religion (due to the realities of pon farr and its homeward draw, as well as the tendency of Vulcans toward tradition, I believe the hearth plays a central role for them and once they'd become aware of their planet as the ultimate hearth and the way it's situated in space, the entire system, with its mathematically clean and organized movements of the cycles of the celestial bodies, would represent the ultimate proper ordering). Due to this, I've decided that it's pretty likely that the qui'lari would be organized and named for the celestial bodies.

This is completely of my own invention but the qui'lari system is as follows:

1. Alam'ak. Named for the primary of Vulcan's three suns, this meldpoint is located around where the third eye is, at the center of the forehead. Since Alam'ak is the deity of divine illumination and inspiration, this qui'lar is the one used for connection with the Econ, the universal mind or the mind of God.

2. Behr'ak. Named for one of the suns that are in binary orbit, this meldpoint is found on the left temple.

3. Czar'ak. Named for the other binary sun, this meldpoint is found on the right temple. Both of these temple qui'lari are indicative of mental revelation and inspiration that is a little more enfleshed and closer to home. These are the primary receptive meldpoints, typically passively accepting kash-tepul and mind connection.

4. Ket-Cheleb. Named for one of the planets, this qui'lar is found in the mouth, under the tongue. Ket-Cheleb is known as the Destroyer and is a violent deity aligned in the Inner Chorus with emotions such as rage and anger. This meldpoint is the one that is most hidden and the cultivation and health of it has to do with the Vulcans' belief in sacred privacy. The keeping of ones thoughts to one's self (keeping them under the tongue, as it were).

5. T'Khut. The left hand. While technically made up of a system of minor qui'lari which are all located on the fingertips, due to their closeness and the tandem in which they work, the hand meldpoints are taken as one.

6. T'Khasi. The right hand. Alongside T'Khut, these two qui'lari (or systems of qui'lari if you want to be technical) represent the active meldpoints, as opposed to the passive ones found at the temples. It is through the fingers that Vulcans touch another mind (as opposed to being touched).

7. Valdena. Located at the heart and named for the deity aligned with feelings of love and joy, this meldpoint is the emotional center. Thoughts flowing from Valdena tend to be wordless and more emotionally charged. This meldpoint is meant only to be utilized, therefore, by bondmates or other close relationships.

8. Tel-Alep. While the other meldpoints are typically a single point (such as a fingertip or one place on the skull), this qui'lar is the entire length of the twin tentacle-like organs near the Vulcan genitals that are called fra'als. These are the most telepathically sensitive locations on a Vulcan's body and melding with them is the most telepathically erotic.

9. Kal-Apton. The left ankle.

10. Kir-Alep. The right ankle. Both this point and the previous one are the primal meldpoints. Typically unused for connection with another humanoid mind, they are instead meant for mental focus and rootedness. Essentially anchoring one's thoughts to the ground they walk on. The connection to the living web of a planet. A Vulcan may self-stimulate these points in meditation in order to achieve emotional and mental grounding.

[ifdragonscouldtalk]

Dsc and snw can pry T'Khasi and T'Khut from my cold dead hands

[star-trek-pop-quiz]

Star Trek POP-QUIZ #18

( 10 / 02 / 2024 )

Question 1. Which of these is not a stated location on Terra Luna? a. Tranquility Base b. New Berlin c. Lunmji d. Lake Armstrong

Bonus Question: According to memory-alpha, how many Humans live on Terra Luna?

Question 2. TRUE OR FALSE Vulcan has two moons, Delta-Vega ( where we see Spock in the Star Trek Reboot ) and T'Khut.

Question 3. Which of these characters were born on Terra Luna? a. Beverly Crusher b. Julian Bashir c. Tasha Yar d. Tom Paris

Question 4. In the episode "How Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth", they encounter a god-like alien who names themself as: a. Chiwen b. Quetzalcoatl c. Shun Long d. Kukulkan

Bonus Question: Where does the title come from?

Question 5. Fill-in Question! Which Starfleet ship was the first Space-Shuttle named after?

Bonus Question: TRUE OR FALSE: This shuttle never made it to space.

Score: __/ 5 + 3 bonus ( Answers under cut )

Question 1. c. Lunmji

+ 50.2 million Humans are stated to live on Terra Luna.

Question 2. False. According to TOS, Vulcan has no moons. Due to production mistakes, Vulcan has been shown with what appear to be "moons", however they are often referred to as "Companion Planets" instead. https://www.reddit.com/r/DaystromInstitute/comments/55jcgx/is_the_planet_vulcan_actually_a_moon/

Question 3. a. Beverly Crusher

Question 4. d. Kukulkan

+ The title comes from Act 1, Scene 4 of William Shakespeare's King Lear: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!"

Question 5. Enterprise

+ True.

Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate 🖖 ( particularly the dragons )

[purpleenma]

And here it is! The new Purple Enma x Campyspaceslime @ex--astris--scientia collaboration. Prepare yourselves for a new brain chemistry rearrangement, people 🌌✨

See the full artwork here (wish I could show it in full here but you know Tumblr)

[stra-tek]

The TV shows and movies: Everyone has seen them, they're the canon, everyone knows about it, it's all good. Even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff. Even the episodes and movies everyone hates.

The novels and comics: 2% of the viewing audience have read them. They probably happened between episodes, but they're never ever referred to on TV (except that ONE time on Voyager). Vetted thoroughly (well, since Killing Time at least) and approved by people involved in the show prior to publishing.

The fanfic: These adventures are so numerous and secret, not even the people involved in the show knows about them (erm... with the exceptions of Spirk and Garashir, which have been referenced in Lower Decks and the Lower Decks mobile game. And Ni'Var being named for a poem in an ancient fanfic. And T'Khut. And possibly Una but maybe that's coincidence because after all Una = One). Literally anything can and does happen. Did they happen? Who knows? Who cares? They sometimes get to have sex. Gay sex.

The fan films: Non-canon adventures where the uniforms don't fit so well, sometimes featuring some of the actual Trek actors so not very secret at all. Probably happened in alternate universes with inferior Starfleet tailoring.

The fan manuals: Often more detailed and thoroughly researched than the official ones. Deck by deck plans of starships, instructions on what buttons do what on the bridge and extremely exhaustive backstories for starships only mentioned in passing in official technical books. The people in charge know they exist and shut loads down in the 90's for trying to make money off the Star Trek name. Did they all happen? So long as you don't try to actually compare walking routes on the shows to the floorplans of the Enterprise.

The fan art: At a con Mark Leonard (Sarek) once saw a naughty 'zine illo of naked, chained up Spock. Denise Crosby has been sent Data/Tasha naughty art. People involved in the shows sometimes see it, and are often bewildered by it. Oh, and IDW kept accidently tracing fan art of starships in their comic books because I think they just use Google image search. Did they happen? Yes. Especially the naughty ones.

The A.I. art: endless shitposts of your favourite characters doing anything your caffeine addled, sleep-deprived brain can come up with. Spock taking down the Christmas tree? Kirk cleaning the gutter? Picard having a replicator/soup catastrophe? Riker defeating John Cena at Wrestlemania? Janeway making ends meet by posing for naughty magazines in her Academy days? The people involved in the shows probably actively wish it didn't exist (at least until they find a way to monetise it). Did they happen? Well it's kinda like that time Barclay made out with a holographic copy of Troi...

[weerd1]

I maintain that as much as I love Strange New Worlds, they missed a couple of bets by not: 1) Having either Rebecca Romijn or Jess Bush voice the computer.

2) Having James Frain play the Romulan Commander in "A Quality of Mercy." Can we also mention in either show how taken aback inside Spock must have been to find out that Romulans aren't just Vulcanoid, but by T'Khut and Gol, the enemy commander is the IMAGE of the man Spock's been feuding with since he joined Starfleet.

Star Trek: The Original Series - Actors With Multiple Roles

[speedygal]

T'khut?????

[yel-halansu]

Vuhlkansu, gen-lis t'ozhika

Vulcan, the language of logic

Artwork depicts the planet oT'Khasi (Vulcan) and its sister planet oT'Khut (the Watcher).

[pluralzalpha]

Galactic Gazetteer: Vulcan

AKA: Vulcanis, T'Khasi, Ni'var

Class: M

Quadrant: Beta

Primary: 40 Eridani A

Distance from Earth: 16 ly

First appearance: TOS "Amok Time"

Inhabitants: Vulcans, Romulans

Status, Prime Timeline: Rejoined UFP, 3190

Status, Kelvin Timeline: Destroyed, 2258

Sister planet: T'Khut

Fun fact: Vulcan has no moon, honest