Calhaven
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BASIC INFORMATION:
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Official Name in Standard: Calhaven
Native Name: Vay'la (VA-ya-LA)
Governing Body: The Syndicate
Title of the Head of Government: Unknown (if any)
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GEOGRAPHY/POPULATION
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The Calhaven System is located rimward of the Federation, near
the Ferengi/Federation Border. As a free world, Calhaven enjoys
its location between Starbase 25 and the Ferengi Alliance by
using established trade and shipping routes.
Quadrant/System: Alpha Quadrant/Calhaven System
Distance to Nearest Starbase: Starbase 25 (20 days)
Suns/Planets: Blue Quasar
Four Planets
Planetary Configuration of System: Calhaven I
B Class, No Moons
Calhaven II
D Class, Two Moons
Calhaven III
L Class, No Moons
Calhaven IV
M Class, No Moons
Land/Water Ratio(s) of Planets: Calhaven I
None
Calhaven II
Methane/Argon Ocean
8%/92%
Calhaven III
None
Calhaven IV
Liquid Water Ocean
60%/40%
External/Outlying Settlements: Mining Stations, Calhaven III
Gas Collectors, Calhaven II
Inhabited Areas: Calhaven IV is the only
inhabited planet in the
system.
CALHAVEN IV:
Of the four planets in the Calhaven System, only Calhaven IV is
capible of sustaining humanoid life. It is a dark world. A
blue-black ocean with little or no tide patterns. Soil that
ranges in color from light gray to black. The surface of the
planet is covered by a massive city. What open land remains is
blanketed in a thick rain forest.
Note - The planet of Calhaven IV is orbited by ten massive
weapons platforms. These defensive stations are self-sufficent
stations the size of a Class-Two Starbase. These platforms can
protect the planet from any bombardment or fleet invasion.
Capital City: Calhaven, Calhaven IV
(This city covers 60% of the planet)
Largest Cities: None (Calhaven is the only city)
Satellites/Space Stations: No moons
Satellite Communication Net
Orbital Tethers/Docking Ports
Orbital Weapon Platforms
Population: 70 Billion
Climate Controlled: Yes
Race(s) of Native Sentients: Calhavian 90%
Ferengi 5%
Other 5%
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ECONOMIC SUMMARY
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Economics:
The economy as well as the society (see below), is based around
crime and criminal activities.
On-world, there exists a circular economy that allows the
criminals (theives, organized gangs, industral spies...etc.) to
prey upon the "normal" citizens (farmers, merchants,
teachers...etc.). Then, in turn, the criminals must pay a tithe
of 50% of their acquisitions to the local arm of the planet-wide
Syndicate. These funds are then trickled down to the "normal"
citizens.
Off-world, the planet specializes in importing and exporting the
materials/goods that are illegal elsewhere in the quadrant.
Calhaven always use offworld smugglers to ship their goods as
they are reluctant to leave the planet. The Calhaven black market
is famed throughout the quadrant for its ability to acquire
almost anything and deliver goods without alerting local
governments.
Monetary Unit: Gold Pressed Latinum
Principal Products: Computer "Hacking" equipment
Pharmaceutical Products
Assassination Contracts
Exports/Imports: Illegal Goods / Illegal Goods, Food
Major Trading Partners: Ferengi Alliance
Illicit Drugs: All
Agriculture:
Only forty percent of the surface of Calhaven IV is open land,
and none of it is arable. This open land is covered with thick
jungles of dark twisting trees, blood-red vines, and dangerous
animals. All planetary agriculture takes place within huge
greenhouses and processing factories. The products this industry
creates are distributed to food-collection centers across the
planet.
Percentage of Arable Land: None
Natural Resources: All of the food goods for the planet
are either grown in massive factories
or imported
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GOVERNMENT/HISTORY
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The Syndicate of Calhaven is an organization whose structure is
still a mystery to Federation Intelligence. The following is a
amalgamation of rumor and speculation.
As best our sociologists can determine, the planet-wide city of
Calhaven is divided up into four quadrants. Each of these
quadrants is further divided into several regions. Finally these
regions are comprised of several zones.
Local Government:
Each of the zones has a local Syndicate proctor. This
representive is not elected by the citizenry at large, nor is
there ever an explination give as to why he/her is replaced. The
proctor, and his/her staff, is responsible for the collection of
tithes from criminal activity, enforcement of Syndicate laws, and
peacekeeping.
Regional Government:
The local proctors report directly to a mid-level Syndicate
director. This individual is responsible for the upkeep and
profit margin for his/her region. Such concerns as the
distribution of food and other resourses, the maintenance of
public facilities, and other similar items are all the purview of
the Regional Director.
Higher Government:
The upper eleshion of the Calhaven Syndicate is a total mystery.
It has been speculated that the regional directors all report to
a central figure, a prefect or govenor, who directly controls all
of the activity in his/her quadrant of the city. Further, these
four Prefects, together in a counsel, might rule the entire
Calhaven System. But this is purely conjecture. A single being
might, in fact, rule as a "godfather". But whatever the physical
make up of the higher government, one thing is certain. It
regulates all import and export, all interplanetary trade, all
diplomatic affairs, and all planetary defenses.
Member of Federation: No
Diplomatic Status: Federation Censure
Form of Government: Criminal Syndicate
History:
The Calhaven species emerged from their primordial oceans
millions of years in the past. Over the course of time, they
evolved into sentient beings. But the relative isolation of the
planet limited the growth of the culture to a mid-21st century
level. This stagnation gave rise to rampant crime and the entire
society moved toward the edge of anarchy.
In a move similar to that of Kahless the Klingon, a single figure
rose to reform and rescue her dying culture. Though the name of
this person was lost over time, she remains as a patron saint of
the Calhavian people. Called the "Hooded Woman", she is a
quasi-mystical figure of both prosperity and death.
All crime on the planet was forced into organization. This
centralization took decades and many wars and riots had to be
endured before the end. Finally, however, the government,
economy and society was saved from destruction by embrassing
crime.
Three hundred years before the present era, the Calhavians made
their first contact. A starship landed in the middle of the
central city and its strange large eared occupants claimed the
planet in the name of the Ferengi Alliance. Unfortunately for the
Ferengi, they found themselves on a world more corrupt and more
organized than their own. After days of discussion a political
and trade treaty was formed between the two worlds. The major
result of this agreement was the rapid growth of Calhaven into a
modern power. Warp drive and all of the other technological
advancements were given to the Calhavians and they began to
travel the stars.
Federation sociologists speculate that, due to their organization
and ruthless criminal minds, the Calhavians could have easily
dominated and taken over the economy-based Ferengi. The reason
they did not was due to an ironic turn of events. When the
Calhavians began to travel between worlds and interact with the
galaxy at large, they discovered that they were fiercely
xenophobic. A small few could tolerate other species and these
figures became the basis for the Calhavian Merchant Navy. Of
course by the modern era most Calhavians have no need to leave
their world since every smuggler and outlaw in the quadrant
eventually comes to Calhaven.
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RACE/SOCIETY/CULTURE
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CALHAVIANS
General Physical Appearance:
As a species the Calhavians are of average height but are usually
thin and often gaunt looking. Their unique skin and eye pigments
have evolved due to their Blue Quasar sun. In the prehistorical
jungles that once covered the planet, ancient Calhavians found
their gray hued skin perfect for blending into the dark
undergrowth. It is suspected that the bright purple color of
their eyes once allowed them to see the ultraviolet spectrum, but
this ability has been lost over the eons.
The modern Calhavians are distinguished by the sharp cut to their
facial bones as well as the gauntness of their physique.
(NOTATION - The following statistics are based on average
information for both genders)
Height - 5'8" (Male average)
5'5" (Female average)
Weight - 170lbs(Male average)
150lbs(Female average)
Skin Color - All shades of gray ranging from ash to charcoal
Hair Color - All shades of gray ranging from ash to charcoal
Eye Color - All shades of purple
SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
In most cultures, the rich naturally have sway over the poor.
This is especially true for a planet run by crime. Thus, due to
the criminal hierarchy that dominates all aspects of their lives,
the Calhavians maintain a strict but violent social structure.
They favor groups for the most part; group farming, group
businesses, etc. This has often been compared to the
"gang-mentality" of the late 20th century. A single leader
controls any given group. Beneath him are a handful of secondary
officers, and under them the rest of the group. It is easy to be
ejected from such an association (disloyality being the most
common factor), but there are no outcasts. Ejected members can
easily find a place in another group if he/she has the nessessary
skills. As a result there is a great deal of movement from one
group to another.
In addition wars both physical and economic often break out
between the groups, causing great damage and many fatalities.
Yet, despite how loose this appears, in almost every aspect of
life - from farming to smuggling - there is a carefully
maintained structure. In much the same way as a Klingon officer
rises in rank by killing his superior, the Calhavians can
increase their position by outdoing those above them. This might
be in farming or in thevery. A series of special conditions have
been established to prevent the ambitious from becomming bloody.
To an outsider this appears chaotic and horribly violent, but to
the Calhavians it is order and structure.
LANGUAGES:
With the advent of the modern era, Calhavenese has become a dying
language, Federation Standard is the most commonly used dialogue
with Ferenginese following close behind it. The Calhavians do not
seem to need the national identity which a native language
brings.
RELIGIONS:
As in regard to the language, the native religion of the planet
(a pantheon of deities) is dying out.
CULTURAL INFORMATION:
Aside from the political and social structures mentioned above,
the childhood of the Calhavians should be discussed.
Most children are not acknowledged by their parents. Instead they
spend the first five years of their lives in massive "Nurseries".
There they are raised and taught to read, write, and care for
themselves by staff members.
At age five, the children are "graduated" from the Nursery and
released into the streets. Many disappear into sweat-shops or
prostitution rings. Those that manage to avoid this fate are
recruited into one of the many juvenile street gangs that haunt
the alleys of the city. Within the gang, the young children learn
lockpicking, pickpocketing, begging, mugging and all of the
nessessary skills they need to survive on the streets. Falure or
disloyality is met with harsh retribution. Between that and the
gang wars, many children are killed before they reach the age of
fourteen. Those that survive are rounded up at the age of fifteen
and inducted into the Calhavian military service.
From fifteen to eighteen the Calhavian teen are trained and
educated in self-defense, university-type learning, piloting
skills and gunnery skills. The massive orbiting defensies which
protect the planet are manned by these young men and women.
Upon reaching the age of eighteen, the young adults return to
society to find their place in the many businesses, farms,
factories, smuggling rings and/or illicit entertainment services
available to them.
TRADITIONS:
Thievery - All Calhavians remember their days as thieves and
beggers. As a result they delight in the slight of hand,
lockpicking and pickpocketing. When they become adults, those who
are not professional thieves, often try to steal from friends and
relatives. Though they never admit that they have stolen
anything, nor give anything back, the act has become a sign of
affection and friendship.
Day of Enigma - Perhaps because of how they are raised, the
Calhavians have a strong fondness for riddles and puzzle-solving.
One of the Planetary Holidays is called "The Day of Enigma".
During this planet-wide celebration there are pariades, street
performers, and contests of wit.
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Created by Brian W Suskind (suskind@ix.netcom.com)
Created as background history for a new character -
Davon Talis posted to the USS NELSON.
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Please check one:
This is an original idea, all rights reserved by Brian W Suskind
XX Original - All rights reserved by creator named above.
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