star trek deltan oath of celibacy

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The Deltans were a humanoid species originating from the Federation planet Delta IV , which was located in the Alpha Quadrant .

• 1 Physiology
• 4.1 Appearances
• 4.2 Background information
• 4.3 Apocrypha
• 4.4 External link

Physiology [ ]

Externally, Deltans were physically indistinguishable from Humans but were identified by their bald scalps and were known to wear head dresses . Their strong sexual attraction could be a distraction for members of other species , which is why Deltans swore an oath of celibacy upon entering service in Starfleet . ( ENT : " Bound "; Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

While Deltans had pain-relieving abilities that manifested during tactile contact, this ability did not heal injuries. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition )

History [ ]

In 2141 , the ECS Horizon encountered a group of Deltans. Travis Mayweather , who was fifteen at the time, later described them as very attractive and very open. On the advice and invitation of his father , he dealt with the feelings they engendered in him by performing exhausting workouts in the gym , a method he returned to (and recommended to Lieutenant Malcolm Reed ) while three Orion slave girls were "guests" aboard Enterprise in December 2154 . ( ENT : " Bound ")

One Deltan serving aboard USS Enterprise , Starfleet Lieutenant Ilia , made direct contact with the V'ger entity when it approached Earth in the 2270s , whereupon she was listed as missing in action. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture ) Another Deltan served as an officer aboard the USS Excelsior in 2285 . ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ) Four male Deltan ambassadors later served on the Federation Council in 2286 . ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ) Six Deltan ambassadors were later present at the Khitomer Conference in 2293 . ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

A Deltan female

In 2364 , an illustration of a Deltan appeared when Data was reviewing all literature on the Dixon Hill series of novels in the USS Enterprise -D database . ( TNG : " The Big Goodbye ")

In 2401 , Doctors Soji Asha and Agnes Jurati visited the Deltans on Raritan IV as part of a goodwill tour on behalf of synthetics . ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ")

• Unnamed Deltans

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
• TNG : " The Big Goodbye " (on display)
• PIC : " The Star Gazer "

Background information [ ]

Deltans were originally to have been part of the ultimately scrapped series Star Trek: Phase II . The writers/directors guide for that series stated, " The Deltan race is much older than Humans , with brains much more finely evolved in areas of art and mathematics , " and postulated that all Deltans were "completely hairless except for the eyes." The guide also suggested that esper abilities were common to the Deltans living on their homeworld and that, in their culture, virtually everything (i.e., all social interaction) was sex-oriented, with sexual foreplay consisting "largely of lovers placing images in each other's minds." ( Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series , pp. 90-91)

A character study of Lt. Ilia, written by Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek: The Motion Picture , included more information about the Deltan race, stating, " Deltans, at first impression, may seem to be proudly aloof. However, a quick-eyed observer becomes immediately aware that Deltans actually have a splendidly developed sense of humor and fun lying immediately beneath that poised exterior. Their graceful carriage has lured many a Human into believing them cool intellectuals, only to discover that the Deltan is enjoying a good-humored joke at that Human's expense. Unlike the Vulcan race, Deltans value and delight in emotion – they see emotion as one of the myriad delights of being a life form. They are a sensual race – they enjoy the sensation of feeling hunger and fulfilling appetite in every form from satisfying their palates with exquisite foods, to the caress of a warm breeze or the bite of a bitter wind, the touch of an infant's hand, and especially all the shared communications and physical sensations of acts of love. Along its path to individual awareness, all the five (perhaps six) senses of the Deltan become highly acute and sensitive. Their taste buds, the rods and cones of their inner eyes, even their smallest epidermal nerve ending, all are sensitive far beyond the Human norm. " The same character study also mentioned historical similarities between the civilizations of Earth and the Deltan homeworld and that the Deltans "long ago lost their interest in space voyaging (concentrating on their own inner-space)," so that, by the time of The Motion Picture 's setting, there were only a few Deltans who had joined Starfleet, even though " the highly evolved Deltan intelligence can handle the most complex spherical trigonometric complexities of space navigation as easily as a Human learns simple multiplication tables. " ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , pp. 107-108)

Deltans were additionally mentioned in notes that Costume Designer Robert Fletcher wrote about the aliens in The Motion Picture . The note specifically concerning the Deltans described them thus: " Hairless people from Planet Delta IV . Deltans are great jewelry makers. Their jewelry is sold throughout the galaxy and is very popular. " In the same note, Fletcher went on to state some plans for what a Deltan male would look like, despite the fact that Ilia is the only Deltan seen clearly in that particular film. This section read, " Male Deltan wears traditional caftan with Deltan symbol on sleeve. Made of gabardine. " ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , p. 133)

During a press conference, Ilia actress Persis Khambatta playfully announced, " Sex with a Deltan woman is like nirvana. After that no man can be satisfied with anyone else. The Deltan woman is so sophisticated sexually that any contact with a Human man would drive him insane. It's wonderful. " After her hair was shaved off by makeup artist Fred Phillips , the Indian actress joked that the new bald appearance made her look like a Hare Krishna. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 8 , pp. 29 & 30)

In the script of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , stage directions indicated that Project Genesis scientist Jedda was intended to be Deltan.

Apocrypha [ ]

The Deltans' strong sexual presence, even without physical contact, was explained by pheromones and sub-conscious telepathy in Gene Roddenberry 's novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . When Ilia first appeared in the novelization, James T. Kirk reflected that he seemed to instinctively perceive her as naked, despite the fact she was in uniform, and realized this illusion was due to her baldness.

The novelization of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan expanded on the suggestion of Jedda being Deltan, adding a female Deltan partner. It was also said that sexual activity between a Deltan and a non-Deltan means risking insanity for the non-Deltan.

According to the Star Trek: Star Charts ("United Federation of Planets I"), Delta IV joined the Federation in 2223 , the year the Deltans became warp-capable .

In the first issue of the Doctor Who crossover comic Star Trek: The Next Generation - Doctor Who: Assimilation² , the Deltans fall victim to an attack on their homeworld by the combined forces of the Borg and Cybermen as their first attack against the Federation on Stardate 45635.2. Their largest cities were targeted, followed by the destruction of their command-and-control infrastructure. Delta IV was overwhelmed in a matter of minutes, forcing its prime minister to order a planetary evacuation well before Starfleet's defensive task force could arrive.

External link [ ]

• Deltan at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)

The Deltans were a humanoid species originating from the planet Delta IV. They were members of the United Federation of Planets.

Physiology [ edit ]

Deltans largely resembled Humans with the exception of having no surface hair except for eyebrows, lashes, and (occasionally) a very thin layer of soft down along arms and legs. They are, on the average, slightly slimmer than Humans, and their cheekbones, eye shapes, and jawlines are slightly more symmetrical, Humans (and many other humanoid species) often find Deltans quite attractive. (Decipher sourcebook: Starfleet Operations Manual) Deltans were telepathic and empathic allowing them to sense other peoples emotions and administer medical aid by absorbing and minimising pain, this "Mind-meld anesthesia" meant Deltans made excellent medical personnel.

Deltans were perhaps best known for their high sexuality, both sexes emitted some of the most potent pheromones know to Federation science. As a result Deltans were something of natural aphrodisiacs, most intensely among their own race, but with a strong effect on most other humanoid species. Because of this Deltans swore an "oath of celibacy" when serving in Starfleet, they also developed chemical applications to diminish their pheromonal effect. To limit exposure to Deltan pheromones off-world visitors are not permitted to visit Delta IV itself, instead being restricted to the planet's moons Seyann and Cinera. (TOS movie: The Motion Picture; ST references: The Worlds of the Federation; Star Charts)

The Deltan oath of celibacy served not only to curtail sexual promiscuity with other races but also ensured the safety of non-Deltans; the long evolvement of the Deltan race not only heightened their sensuality but has also resulted in the sex act becoming a complete union in which both body and mind are shared. For Deltans this was natural and pleasant, but the experience of actually becoming part of another persons mind almost always incapacitates a human partner. It was sometimes said that a non-Deltan who entered into a physical relationship with a Deltan risked insanity. (TOS novelization: The Motion Picture)

History [ edit ]

The Enterprise episode "Bound" establishes Human contact with the Deltans as early as 2141. "Star Trek: Star Charts" claim the Deltans became warp capable in 2223 and joined the Federation in the same year.

Following the Deltans becoming full members of the Federation in 2259 Starfleet teams were assigned to Delta IV. The Deltan Ilia worked closely with these teams and formed a strong attachment to the Human Willard Decker. The two later served together briefly on the USS Enterprise before both were reported "missing in action" after the Enterprise encountered the V'Ger when it approached Earth in 2272. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The Project: Genesis research team assigned to Space Station Regula I was made up of two Deltans; Jedda Adzhin-Dall and his mate, Zinaida in 2284. (TOS novelization: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

In 2141, the ECS Horizon encountered a group of Deltans. Travis Mayweather, who was fifteen at the time, later described them as very attractive and very open. His method of dealing with the feelings they engendered in him was exhaustive workouts in the gym, a method he returned to (and recommended to Lt. Malcolm Reed) while three Orion slave girls were "guests" aboard Enterprise. (ENT: "Bound")

A Deltan served as an officer aboard the USS Excelsior in 2285. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) A male Deltan ambassador served on the Federation Council in the same year. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Apocrypha [ edit ]

The Deltans' strong sexual presence, even without physical contact, was explained by pheromones and sub-conscious telepathy in Gene Roddenberry's novelization. When Lt. Ilia first appeared in the novelization, James T. Kirk reflected that he seemed to instinctively perceive her as naked, despite the fact she was in uniform, and realized this illusion was due to her baldness. References to some of the Deltans' sexual tendencies and oaths were removed from some versions of the filmed appearance.

In the script of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, stage directions indicated that the Project Genesis scientist, Jedda, was Deltan. The novelization of Star Trek II expanded on this, adding a female Deltan partner. It was also said that sexual activity between a Deltan and a non-Deltan means risking insanity for the non-Deltan.

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The Deltans are a humanoid species originating from the planet Delta IV. They are members of the United Federation of Planets .

• 1 Physiology
• 2 Telepathy
• 3.1 Star Fleet Regulations
• 4 Homeworld
• 5 Federation Space Rules

Deltans are very similar to humans in almost every outward way and even in regards to most of the major organs, but there are still distinct differences. They are genetically compatible with human s. Half-Deltans have significantly reduced physiological features, and often take an appearance more like a human.

Deltans tend to be lean, but not so thin as to look unhealthy. Their height tends to be average to humans, perhaps slightly shorter in most. Full-blooded Deltans almost always lack any body hair or hair on their heads. Very rarely they will grow hair, but most often shave it or have it permanently removed.

Deltans tend to be comparable to humans in physical strength, perhaps slightly less strong in benchmarks.

Deltans have some glandular differences from humans, and in fact this is where they differ the greatest. Deltan hormone glands are much higher charged than humans and most other species. They have a mating drive which if left unchecked can become uncontrollable for long periods of time. Powerful mating hormones are released, and these can cause the Deltan to lose control of themselves when near a member of the opposite sex, or in some cases the same sex if both have a strong enough hormone level. This can trigger excessive hormonal releases, and telepathic contact during touch.

Deltans possess pheromone emission glands which are located where the neck and shoulder meet. They are sub-dermal, and the pheromones are released through the skin, sometimes causing slight moisture to form when the release is particularly strong. Deltan pheromones are very powerful and can draw in almost any species that senses them, often without the target knowing its happening—and sometimes without the Deltan being fully aware of this as well. Deltan pheromones are sold on the black market as 'love potions', although they lose their effectiveness after a very short period of being extracted, and really do not work if stored for more than several minutes.

Deltans have pain-relieving ablities that manifest during tactile contact. This ability does not, however, heal injuries.

Deltans possess a telepathic nodule in their brain . This nodule is notably only active during mating periods, or when the mating drive is strong; but can sometimes allow for a more permanent connection with another who has been intimate with the Deltan. Deltan telepathy is by touch only, however there are unconfirmed reports of lovers sensing one another from very short distances—usually within a few meters. Most notably, the telepathy is used to form a strong empathic bond between lovers.

This telepathic bond is very dangerous to non-Deltans. It has been known to drive the non-Deltan insane with desire, commitment, and obsession.

Culture and History

The Deltan culture is ancient and rich in tradition. In most aspects, Deltan culture is similar to that of Terran culture, having grown through similar phases of development.

The Deltans achieved interstellar travel approximately 250 years before the people of Earth did, and so were introduced into the galactic community somewhat earlier; however they limited their travel and contact with other species.

Deltans are typically very friendly and passive. They are not a particularly 'excitable' race emotionally, except under certain circumstances (to be explained below). They are highly intelligent, and make excellent analysts, scientists, theoretical engineers.

On their homeworld, Deltan sexuality is what other species would consider to be rather promiscuous. Often paired in "triads" with three adults, usually consisting of two females and one male, Deltans almost always also have 'open' relationships. This dates back to an early time in their history when their home world was nearly devastated by a natural disaster, breaking up several continents into island groups. The island groups and species survived via an extremely aggressive mating drive, and a culture which built around it. As the culture, technology, and social structure advanced and the need to reproduce reduced, rather than suppressing a natural mating drive, the Deltans instead produced advanced contraceptive methods.

As the Deltans met other species, it became rapidly apparent that their natural pheromones along with their limited telepathy, which peaked during mating activities, could prove dangerous to the others. As such, the Deltans developed a strict set of social and legal customs in dealing with outsiders, including a strict policy of controlling their pheromones and telepathy via medical and in some cases technological means. To this day, Deltans who are not on the home world often avoid extended close contact with non-Deltans. It is a matter of personal honor to Deltans that they not 'corrupt' non-Deltans if possible. And Deltans who fail to do so are often shunned by other Deltans.

While it is not a Deltan crime, it is considered socially unacceptable for a full blooded Deltan to engage in intimacy with a non-Deltan, especially away from the home world.

Star Fleet Regulations

Star Fleet has very strict regulations regarding Deltans that serve or interact with Star Fleet personnel or in or on Star Fleet facilities and vessels:

Deltans must commit to an oath of celibacy for the duration of their service, including during shore leave periods, excepting if they spend time on their homeworld. During that time the oath is lifted, but must be reaffirmed upon departure from Delta IV.

Deltans must use a contraceptive method approved by Star Fleet and administered and validated by the highest ranking medical official for the area in which they serve. This must be a semi-permanent method which can only be disabled by direct intervention.

Deltans must regularly use a medical means of suppressing their sexual drive, pheromones, and other mating needs and effects. Most commonly this is done via a custom programming of their replicator to introduce a small amount of medication into their food supply, but in some cases an injection is also used. This also suppresses the telepathic side-effects of the Deltan sexuality.

Failure to comply with the above results in immediate expulsion from Star Fleet via a medical discharge, and return to the Deltan homeworld. Star Fleet and the Deltan government have agreed to a zero tolerance policy on this for the safety and security of the Federation .

The Deltan homeworld, also known as Delta IV, is a world which is almost entirely water-covered. At one time it had a single large continent along with several large islands and small scattered islands across the surface, but a meteor impact several thousand years ago destroyed the continent, and caused disruption across the planet surface. There now exists one sub-continent which has mountains and various climates, and thousands of inhabited islands, most the size of a large city or smaller.

The planet has a standard gravity, a size almost exactly the same as that of Earth, and a standard atmosphere. It has an extensive hydrosphere, and there are several underwater communities in addition to those on the islands and the subcontinent. The subcontinent has been left almost completely natural, with only limited settlement, and it has most of the few land-dwelling species which survived the great disaster.

Federation Space Rules

Players of full blooded Deltans (and half-breeds as applicable) are required to abide by the above, or their character will be subjected to the last paragraph above . Because of the sensitivity of telepathy and the potency of the Deltan effect on others, all parties concerned must be in agreement on any interaction with Deltans; and any inter-species intimacies need to be pre-approved by the Commanding Officer AND Fleet Commander of the characters involved.

Because of past issues on Federation Space, we are highly sensitive to the unpleasant situations that such things can bring, and must unfortunately take a very restrictive role in the administration of Deltan and similar species' effects.

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The Deltans are a humanoid species originating from Delta IV . They're known for their highly-evolved sexuality.

• 1 Home System
• 2 Home World
• 4 Government
• 5 Description
• 6.1 Empathic Abilities
• 6.2 Compatibility with other Species
• 7 Psychology
• 9 Mythology
• 11.1 Politics
• 11.3 Science
• 11.4 Sports
• 13 Technology
• 14 Military
• 15 Starfleet Intelligence Files
• 16 References

Home System

• Location : Coordinates 0.21S 1.02W
• Other names: Deltan system
• Distance from Star :
• Companions :
• Proper Name : Delta IV
• Diameter : 15,000km
• Gravity : 0.95 standard gravity
• Axial Tilt :
• Orbital Period :
• Rotational Period : 20 hours
• Classification : M
• Surface Water : 40%
• Atmosphere :
• Population : 3.8 billion (as of 2370 census) [1]

Description

Deltans rarely have surface hair except for eyebrows, lashes, and (occasionally) a very thin layer of soft down along arms and legs. Other than this, they closely resemble Humans or Betazoids. Deltans are, on the average, slightly slimmer than Humans, and their cheekbones, eye shapes, and jawlines are slightly more symmetrical and many humanoid species often find Deltans very attractive.

Subliminal scents called pheromones are released by both Deltan males and females, triggering hormonal responses in most humanoid life forms of the opposite sex. Heightened emotional states, including but not limited to arousal, increase the production of these hormones. Around large groups of Deltans, production can escalate to the point where everyone nearby is aware - and affected - by it. Their pheromones also intensify the act of lovemaking; heightening sensitivity for both partners to the point where a simple touch can induce incredible pleasure.

Empathic Abilities

Deltans are an empathic species, highly attuned to the feelings of others. Wars are rare in their documented history as the accompanying violence is psionically harmful for all parties involved. Their empathic abilities also manifest in the ability to relieve physical pain by touch; by sharing the pain, it can be reduced.

Compatibility with other Species

The intense combination of Deltan pheromones and mental link created between partners during sex means that while Deltans are physically (and genetically) compatible with other species, very few couplings occur. More often than not, the mind of the non-Deltan cannot cope with the onslaught of physical, mental and emotional sensations and is driven to insanity, a condition which may develop instantly or over the course of several years.

Among themselves, Deltans are relaxed, comfortable, sensual and receptive to each other's interests, needs, and emotional states. They take great pleasure in caring for one another and often will describe themselves as loving a great many people. Non-Deltans do not always react well or predictably to a bath of physical and emotional support and so among outworlders, Deltans can be stiffly formal until they form close friendships.

A tropical, ocean planet, Delta IV's unpredictable tides and otherwise hospitable ecology combined to create a culture at once polyglot and unified; although many microcultures evolved on the planet's myriad islands, they could never remain isolated long enough to develop either xenophobia or devastating cultural advantages. To avoid inbreeding, the island-bound Deltans also developed a very open sexual culture; stranded mariners were often adopted into large group amours to blend genes more effectively. Brought together by ties of sex and geography, Deltans learned to get along with each other by necessity; with a nurturing planet and a low species birthrate, wars over resources were almost unknown.

There is a strong undercurrent of martyrdom running through Deltan society. With an emphasis on pleasing one's partner, some choose to forgoe their own desires in order to fulfil those of others; a practice which can extend beyond sex and into other aspects of Deltan life. This is exemplified in those who join Starfleet or otherwise leave the homeworld and take the Oath of Celibacy, severing themselves from their most basic needs.

Sexuality is at the core of Deltan society, though considering the overwhelming affect of their pheromones, many anthropologists believe that the species had little choice in doing so. Sex is a part of their everyday life and they have few taboos regarding sexual behaviour, considering the idea "uncivilised" and "archaic".

The period of time after sex has reached an almost mythic status in Deltan culture; featured in more stories, poems and songs than any other part of the act. It is considered the ideal time to understand one's partner; revealing hopes, fears and secrets to one another. An old proverb describes foreplay as the emotional tie, sex the physical tie, afterplay the intellectual tie and the whole experience the spiritual tie.

As with everything else; sex is an important part of Deltan politics. Political opponents will frequently bed one another after a passionate discussion, working out their differences afterwards as they relax in each other's arms. This behaviour is not only accepted, but expected, due to the Deltan reverence of "pillow talk" and the bond it can create between two people.

As a social people, Deltans prefer the performance arts; music, dance and the theatre, where they can loose themselves and embrace the emotions of the artists. Visual arts are much less popular and holoprogramming in particular, while popular in much of the Federation, is relatively rare on Delta IV.

Deltans are known to have an inherent talent for mathematics and geometry, thinking along rational and practical lines but, unlike the more logic centred Vulcans, they allow their familiarity with emotions to mix in, giving them the best of both worlds. This predicilation makes them excellent navigators, both on their oceanic homeworld and among the stars.

While many observers claim that sex is Delta IV's favourite team sport, the truth is that sports do have a prominent role in Deltan life. Most activities take very little time and individual competitions (such as track and field) are as popular as team sports. The most popular game on the planet resembles the human game of soccer; though with much more use of the hands.

Unlike many other cultures, child-rearing is not a central aspect of day-to-day life on Delta IV. For the most part, children receive only cursory attention by adults outside of their families - who find it difficult to interact with them until they are physically, emotionally and sexually mature. Teachers and members of similar professions are an prime example of the Deltan martyrdom complex; individuals who choose to spend most of their time with people who cannot fulfil their emotional needs.

Starfleet Intelligence Files

• ↑ Delta (planet) , Memory Beta

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A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• View history
• Deltans develop warp drive . [1]
• The Andorians make first contact with the Deltans . [1]
• The Deltan oath of celibacy is developed by Niro after this year. [1]
• A major earthquake strikes San Francisco . [2]

References and Notes [ ]

• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Decipher RPG module : Starfleet Operations Manual
• ↑ TOS - Starfleet Academy novel : The Gemini Agent

Connections [ ]

• 2182 article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .

• View history

Ilia , a Deltan of the 2270s

The Deltans were a humanoid species originating from the Federation planet Delta IV .

Deltans were identified by their bald scalps and were known to wear head dresses. Their strong sexual attraction could be a distraction for members of other species, which is why Deltans swore an oath of celibacy upon entering service in Starfleet . ( ENT : " Bound "; Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ) While Deltans had pain-relieving abilities that manifested during tactile contact, this ability did not heal injuries.

External links [ ]

• Deltan article at Memory Alpha , the canon Star Trek wiki.
• Deltan article at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
• Deltan article at Star Trek Expanded Universe .

Den of Geek

Picard Season 3 Calls Back to Star Trek: The Motion Picture in One Unexpected Way

Deltans have popped up several times since we first met Ilia in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but Picard gives us a unique update on the elusive race.

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This Star Trek: Picard article contains spoilers.

Only two episodes in, it’s clear that season three of Star Trek: Picard has a lot more on its mind than just bringing back the crew from The Next Generation . Already, we’ve seen callbacks to not only Deep Space Nine and Enterprise but to the movies starring The Original Series cast, including the boatswain’s whistle from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and a surprise twist very reminiscent of The Wrath of Khan .

So it’s no surprise that the series would give some love to the first movie in the franchise. Released in 1979, after the success of Star Wars convinced studio execs that Gene Rodenberry’s long in gestation TOS follow-up should be a movie instead of the TV series Star Trek: Phase II , Star Trek: The Motion Picture remains a controversial entry in the franchise . For some, it’s a pure distillation of what the series did best, humanist exploration and a celebration of the wonder of discovery. For others, it’s “the motionless picture,” a plodding and indulgent embrace of the series’ worst impulses.

Whatever your thoughts on the movie, most agree that it had some memorable imagery, and not just the oh-so-comfy space pajamas worn by the Enterprise crew. The movie featured Persis Khambatta as Ilia, a Deltan Starfleet officer who becomes the vessel of the V’Ger probe. With her bald head and shifting mannerisms, from warm and open to cold and machine-like, Ilia/V’Ger was a standout from the film.

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So strong is the shadow cast by Ilia that when Lt. T’Veen was spied on the bridge of the new USS Titan in Star Trek: Picard , her bald head immediately brought to mind the Deltans, despite her clearly Vulcan features. T’Veen’s actor Stephanie Czajkowski told Cinemablend that the similarity is no accident. In fact, Czajkowski envisioned her science officer as a Vulcan who also had a Deltan lineage.

Starting from the position that a bald Vulcan would be interesting, Czajkowski wondered, “What happens if she has a little Deltan in her? What does that do in terms of scientific acuity?” Where logic drives Vulcans, Deltans embrace sensuality (which is why they swear a vow of celibacy when joining Starfleet, to avoid distracting others). The combination makes T’Veen an interesting character. “[I]f you throw a little Deltan spice [into a Vulcan], their senses are really on high alert all the way through,” explained Czajkowski. “But also, they can process information so much faster than a human can. So I think, for all of those reasons, she was very, very, much wanted.”

As far as showrunner Terry Matalas, the unique backstory Czajkowski formed for her character totally works. Says Czajkowski, “I was like, ‘Hey, I have a feeling when this comes out and people see this head it’s going to be striking. What’s the story? I think it’s this, are you cool with that?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, dude, yeah, I’m fine.’ So we said she’s a quarter Deltan. Her grandma’s Deltan.”

T’Veen isn’t the first Deltan (or partial Deltan) we’ve seen since 1979. Members of the race have served as crewmen on Federation ships in several of the movies, and season two of Picard began with Soji and Jurarti meeting with Deltans. But they’ve been largely underutilized, perhaps because planned storylines for Ilia’s character in Star Trek: Phase II were given to Deanna Troi, with Betazoids taking the place of Deltans.

But if indeed Picard season 3 isn’t the final frontier for these characters, maybe we’ll get to see more of T’Veen and her Deltan relations in the future. The series is airing now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

Creating Lieutenant Ilia

Gene Roddenberry created the character of Ilia for the aborted second Star Trek television series Phase II . The show’s 1977 bible described the young navigator as “breathtakingly beautiful” and second in intelligence only to the ship’s Vulcan science officer. (Leonard Nimoy hadn’t been interested in reprising his role as Spock for television but was persuaded to return for The Motion Picture .)

Her smooth, slender bare head has the almost sensually quality of delicately contoured nudity, always hidden before in other women. It gives her a striking, almost “Egyptian” look, particularly when wearing a Deltan jewel-band head ornament.

The Deltans set up an interesting contrast with the Vulcans. They could not mind meld but rather sense the emotions and thoughts of others in the form of images. Whereas the Vulcans repressed their feelings, Deltans were extremely sensual:

On 114-Delta V, almost everything in life is sex-oriented; it is a part of every friendship, every social engagement, every profession. It is simply the normal way to relate with others there.

This is the origin of the “oath of celibacy” Ilia had to take before joining Starfleet.

Costume designer Bob Fletcher borrowed heavily from the Phase II bible in his own notes for The Motion Picture , which he shared with Fantastic Films and Starlog magazines in early 1980. (Links point to scanned version of the interviews by My Star Trek Scrapbook .) He described the Deltans as “poised, proud, somewhat aloof, but with a keen sense of humor.”

Achieved Earth’s technology 100 centuries ago, but then turned away from the materialism of technology toward the richer rewards of self-realization. Have learned to live each moment of life to the fullest. Unlike the Vulcans, they value and delight in emotion. A sensual race, their senses are far more sensitive than humans.

Fletcher suggested the reason Deltans make such excellent navigators is that their highly evolved intelligence can “handle the most complex spherical trigonometric complexities of space navigation as easily as a human learns simple multiplication tables.”

He also described the Deltans as great jewelry makers:

Their jewelry is sold throughout the galaxy and is very popular.

In several of the costume and makeup tests that were shot for what was then still Phase II , Persis Khambatta, the Indian actress who had been cast in the role of Ilia, can be seen wearing various pieces of jewelry.

Khambatta told Star Trek Communicator in an interview that was published in December 1998 — four months after her death from a heart attack at the age of 49 — that hundreds of actresses had tested for the role:

There were a lot of women with hair that looked really stunning, but when you remove the hair they somehow lose the look. Basically, they had asked me if I would shave my head or wear a bald cap. I said look, if you are doing a series for five years I would want to shave my hair because I would go bald with all the gum and glue from the bald cap. Besides, a bald cap would have never looked real.

She told People magazine in January 1980 ( My Star Trek Scrapbook has the original version , with pictures) that she seldom wore wigs or hats during production. “I thought I was very pretty without hair,” but — “some people must have thought I was an exhibitionist or religious fanatic.”

Khambatta’s skimpy outfit as the V’Ger-controlled Ilia probe was the actress’ idea.

“I was supposed to wear one of those same grey uniforms,” she told Star Trek Communicator .

[B]eing bald and wearing that grey starship uniform, I would have looked like a boy. I wanted to look like a sexy female.

Khambatta’s unique look was an ubiquitous part of the movie’s advertising campaign. Film critic Jordan Hoffman writes for the official Star Trek website that back in 1979, a woman with no hair was still quite a shocker:

Indeed, Khambatta’s real-life head-shave was enough of a news item that it was filmed for promotional purposes.

Desperate their elaborate backstory, Deltans were seldom seen in Star Trek again. But they were reinvented. The Next Generation introduced the empathetic Betazoids, which were based on the Deltans. The character of Deanna Troi, and her history with First Officer Will Riker, was based on Ilia and her relationship with Will Decker.

It was always a shame that the Deltans were not used in subsequent productions of Trek (big screen or small).

Thank you for this insightful report on this pivotal actor/actress (politically correct wasn’t “in” then) to the Trek universe and her character’s link to Star Trek: The Next Generation . The movie demonstrated some of our frst concerns over AI and is still relevant today. Her dedication to her role and her craft was important. May Pariss Khambatta NEVER be forgotten!

Submit comments by email .

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Deltan (Star Trek)

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The Deltans are an extraterrestrial humanoid species from planet Delta IV and are members of the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd century. They physically resemble humans with smooth skin and no body hair except for eyebrows. They are known for their peaceful, unified culture, emotionally balanced nature and open sexuality. However, Deltans who serve Starfleet are required to swear an oath of celibacy to not get involved in relationships of other species. It is likely that Deltans are telepathic to some extent. They are known to have the ability to relieve pain with physical contact, although the effects are purely psychological and don't have an actual healing effect.

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Picard brings back the original star trek movie's "attractive" aliens.

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Star Trek Confirms Doctor Phlox's Fate Centuries After ENTERPRISE

Star trek confirms the harsh reality of seven of nine's life after starfleet, star trek confirms captain shaw's story isn't over.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Episode 1 - "The Star Gazer"

The Deltans return in Star Trek: Picard season 2 after originally being introduced in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . A year and a half after the ending of Star Trek: Picard season 1, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) now confronts questions about his lifelong choices as he's called upon to confront an incursion by the Borg and a new, alternate timeline created by Q (John de Lancie) . But Picard's motley crew also find themselves at new stages in their lives, and this includes Soji (Isa Briones), who establishes contact with the Deltans in the Beta Quadrant.

The most famous Deltan in Star Trek was Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta), who was the navigator of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Like all Deltans, Ilia was bald and strikingly attractive. She was also the love interest of Captain Will Decker (Stephen Collins), who had a romantic past with Ilia years before they served on the Enterprise during the mission to stop V'Ger from reaching Earth. Ilia and the Deltans were originally created for the Star Trek Phase II TV series that was eventually turned into Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Paramount following the blockbuster success of Star Wars in 1977. Along with being bald, Deltans are known for being extremely sexually attractive. As such, Deltans like Ilia swore an oath of celibacy when they joined Starfleet.

Related: Star Trek: The Original Movie Had The First Version Of Riker & Troi

The Deltan homeworld is Delta IV in the Alpha Quadrant but in Star Trek: Picard season 2's premiere, "The Star Gazer," Soji met with a delegation of Deltans in the Beta Quadrant world of Raritan IV. Now a free citizen of the United Federation of Planets after the ban on synthetics was lifted, Soji has become an ambassador for her race of androids built from the deceased Commander Data (Brent Spiner) who live on the planet Coppelius. Also present was Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill), who, as a human, was notably suffering from the effects of close contact with the alluring Deltans. A Deltan male even tried to charm Jurati by asking to see the "hands that built" the synthetic wonder that is Soji. However, Agnes was already reeling from her rocky relationship issues with the USS Stargazer's new Captain, Cristobal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), and she quickly beamed aboard the starship, leaving Soji behind with the Deltans on Raritan IV.

After Lt. Ilia and Captain Decker merged with V'Ger and left their plane of existence at the end of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , other Deltans made a few canonical appearances in Star Trek. There was a Deltan serving on the USS Excelsior in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and Deltan ambassadors appeared in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. On Star Trek: Enterprise , Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery) also told a story of his encounter with Deltans when he was a teenager. However, there have been no major Deltan characters in Star Trek since Lt. Ilia.

When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek: The Next Generation , he repurposed the initial concepts for the Deltans, Ilia, and Will Decker into the Betazoids, Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). Riker and Troi had a past romance like Decker and Ilia, and the Betazoids had a sexy component like the Deltans since they were known for marriage ceremonies in the nude. It's unclear whether the Deltans will play a larger role in Star Trek: Picard season 2 but the bald aliens continue to thrive in the early 25th century.

Next: Star Trek: How Picard's Time Travel Compares To The Voyage Home

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Deltans are an alien race in the Star Trek Universe.

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