Orion

Orion, Ur'eon
INFORMATION
Quadrant:	Beta
Native System:	Orion, Vondem, Kolar, Botchok, others
Status:	Extant
SOCIO-POLITICAL DATA
Affiliations:	Independent; Varies Orion Free Traders Consortium Kolari Vaj Thakolarivaj (extinct); Orion Syndicate
BIOLOGICAL NOTES
END OF BRIEFING
Template:Species

At a Glance

The Orion species are native to a Rimward, Spinward series of sector straddling Klingon and Federation space: it is alternately referred to as The Borderlands, the Orion Neutrality, and the Orion Colonies. Individual Orions can be found throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants and sometimes seem ubiquitous in the sectors along the Klingon, rimward Romulan and Gorn borders of the Beta Quadrant. They are less common in the Alpha Quadrant, save for around Farius Prime and the Navo Jetsam.

While Orion merchants and tradesmen can be found across the Quadrant, they are most well known for their affiliation with piracy, slavery and the Orion Syndicate, a complex, ill-understood criminal cartel. Only a small percentage of Orions have any regular contact or affiliation with the Syndicate. It is a rare Orion, however, who does not at least know of someone who is affiliated.

As wide-ranging as individual Orions can be, as a species they are not pioneers and have little interest in either exploring or conquest. To most, their primary interest is the exchange of trade goods and services. While the Orions have institutions of higher learning, they are sometimes not well-regarded by Orions in general. The enduring stereotype of the Orion race is that they are treacherous, sybaritic, and decadent, preferring both violent bloodsports and uninhibited sexual pleasure. It is a pattern of assumption that individual Orions may embrace or combat freely, but most acknowledge the stereotype as having some truth to it. However, Orions are not monolithic- as a species they are extremely individualistic.

Orion neutrality and the Orion use of slavery are well-documented socio-political phenomena, both playing complex roles within different Orion cultures.

Ethnicities

Pre-Diaspora Ethnicities

Ur'eon

Vondemi (Orion III)

Kolari

Botchoki

Other Ethnicities

Rasticini

Uryeisi

Valaqi

Velodi

Verexian

Kolari Moons

Orion System Moons

Prelinam (Orion II)

Gothei

Erratics

Gray Orions

Evolutionary Origins

Because the Orion civilizations engaged in a diaspora from their homeworld over 200,000 years ago, as a species they have had time to evolutionarily diverge and diversify. This interstellar colonization created new Orion ethnicities and eclipsed some of those that once existed on Orion. However, they share a common physiology, descended from a mammalian primate species under a blue-white star, on a hot and very humid Class M world. They are placental mammals with high but age-limited rates of fertility.

Carno-Omnivorism

Orions descend from a proto-sapient primate species that kept to the trees of Orion's vast jungles. Evolutionarily, this has created a species comfortable with climbing as well as with heights. Very few Orions are acrophobic, though agorophobia (fear of openness/lack of escape routes) is a common phobia. Orions possess two full sets of canines (for a total of eight) and a post-canine tooth where Humans possess bicuspids. The pre-hominid Orion was a meat eater and expanded from obligate carnivorism to partial-omnivorousness. They gained unique amino acids and sugars from this addition to their diet, which expanded their neurological capabilities.

Ambush Predation and Enhanced Coordination

Orions descend from ambush predators, fond of small prey. Because of their arboreal past, Orions are excellent climbers, with a superior sense of proprioception (awareness of self in space) and balance (which may explain why so many are such sensual dancers). Because of the ambush tactics, Orions also tend to be quite stealthy and light on their feet. However, because of their high metabolism, Orions have reduced endurance and are more greatly impacted by sleep deprivation.

Anatomy & Physiology

Hemocyanin-Based Blood

Orion blood is bluish-green while within the circulatory system and oxidizes as bright green when in contact with oxygen-rich atmosphere. Orion blood is slightly thinner than Human blood, similar to some heavy-duty inks.

Blood Types

Orion blood is difficult to match- Rigellians, Romulans and Vulcans, despite being hemocyanin-based themselves, are not compatible. Orion blood comes in a large array of types as well, though they are more easily filtered for universal use than some species' blood. Orion blood expresses as positive, positive-plus or negative and negative-plus; there are additional chemical notes for clotting and oxygen absorption in the plus categories. There are several dominant blood types: B, K and O. V and Ve are recessive blood types. Despite their abbreviations, the blood types are only loosely based on planet populations. Kolari, for example, are roughly 65% Type K, but they also express O and V frequently. Type O can be found in some percentage on every Orion colony. Type Ve is the rarest blood type: it was discovered on Velod where it remains rare- about 13% of Velodi express as Type Ve.

Melanin Expression

Orion skin is naturally a cool gray color. Genetic expressions of melanin turn the skin green. As Humans have yellow or red variation, Orions have yellow and blue variations. Like Humans, increased amounts of melanin darken the skin tone. Orions can be dark or light green, with a yellowish, neutral green or bluish hue.

Orions do "tan" which naturally darkens the color of green they are. An Orion sunburn is extremely uncommon, especially under any sunlight spectrum of less than a cool white star. Orions have a much higher tolerance for UV. When an Orion does get sunburned, it appears as an ashy, freckly patching of very dark green which is quite painful- more akin to a scald than a simple sunburn.

Sensory Systems

Sight

Blue-White and Ultraviolet Tetrochromacy

Reduced Red Light Acuity

Smell and Taste

Savory and Salty

Sweet and Bitter

Proprioception

Other Senses

Dietary Requirements

Sleep Requirements

Pheromones

Childhood and Adolescent Pheromones

Female Pheromones

Male Pheromones

Psychology

Cultural Notes

Cluros

Main Article: Orion Cluros

Orion Caju

Orion Slavery

Interstellar Trade

Criminal Activities

Ethnocentricity

Religion and Mysticism

Orions in Play