Jake Sisko.
It was a very difficult decision to not paint Jake in horrible clashing colors and terrible patterns.
Damar
Klingon redesign
Klingons as a species are larger than humans, males and females both averaging 6’-6’2”. They have heavy bones, thick muscle, and often have a layer of fat over the muscle that is considered healthy and desirable. Overall, their body is thick but flexible.
Much of the Klingon body is covered with hair, from very short (pob)—on the thighs, arms, and torso, to very long (jIb), as around the crown. Klingon hair varies in texture and color. Females may have finer hair, but it is not a rule (and one unfamiliar with Klingons would not likely know the difference.) The distinctive odor associated with Klingons comes from the sebaceous secretion that protects and cleans the hair. How the jIb is worn varies based on culture, class, and trend, but its upkeep is a sign of health and pride.
Klingons have heavy skulls, supported by a thick neck and shoulders. Their jaws are large, their bite strong. The Ho”elthDu’ protruding from the lower jaw are on average 3-4.5 inches long, and there is no significant difference between the tusks of males and those of females.
Klingons are highly omnivorous, and diet, like the jIb, is subject to cultural differences. Other species should be aware that even though a Klingon can probably have whatever you’re eating, you might not be able to have what they’re having. Not comfortably, at least.
Klingons have acute senses of sight and smell. Their eyes are protected by heavy brows and deep sockets, and though they are small relative to their body size, they function equal-to or better than the average humans’ due to a high photoreceptor-to-ganglia ratio. Klingon eyes have a relfective layer of tissue behind the retina (as the tapetum lucidem in many Terran animals). Klingons can detect light into the infrared (though they cannot sense heat, as the Cardassians can), and cannot see blue.
I’m going to write up a separate section on their reproduction, since just doing this has taken far too long to put up. Also, the picture have captions, so click those babies.
Jem’Hadar redesign
Less funky than the Vorta, but a wee bit tougher.
As the genetically-engineered foot soldiers of the Dominion, Jem’Hadar are designed for combat. They have dense, sturdy bones that support powerful muscles. Their skin is thick and leathery, tough enough to render them impervious to weaker energy beam attacks and bladed weapons. They are surprisingly fast, given their weight, about as fast as a human or Cardassian, and have excellent stamina. Their reflexes are extremely fast, and they hit hard. In hand-to-hand combat, they are nearly unmatched. Even seasoned Klingon warriors would find a Jem’Hadar soldier a difficult opponent to best.
They have superb eyesight, able to see movement clearly as well as a broad spectrum of colors. Their sense of smell is not good, however—that neither Jem’Hadar nor Vorta have an acute sense of smell may indicate an overlook in their design by the Changelings, which do not have a sense of smell themselves. The Jem’Hadar’s hearing, however, is sharp. The aural openings are located just behind the frill [so you can’t really see them].
The ‘shroud’ is a sort of personal cloaking device, provided by the Jem’Hadar’s armor itself and controlled via an implant at the base of the skull that connects with the brain stem [this prevents enemies from being able to use it, and makes shrouding fast and easy. Plus, the control can’t be taken away or damaged during combat]. If a Jem’Hadar is white-deprived, it loses the focus needed to activate the control.
White intake is through a port device on the chest, and delivers the enzyme directly to the bloodstream. The skin is thick enough to support the device without it puncturing the muscle. Both the shroud control and the port are surgically installed in adolescents.
There are several differences between the Gamma-bred Jem’Hadar and those bred in the Alpha quadrant, which reflect a change the Dominion’s centuries old-military tactics. Gammas are resilient, able to take enormous punishment and hold their ground, and though their reflexes are quick, they are more suited to slow fighting. The Federation (and its allies) challenged the Dominion with faster combat, and the Jem-Hadar’s design was changed accordingly. Though they are less heavily armored [uniforms can cover that], Alphas have longer legs, slimmer bodies, and move faster than Gammas, allowing them to keep up with the Federation defense. Internally, they are ‘programmed’ to lose several digestive organs as they age, making them more reliant on Ketracel-white than the Gammas, which could, theoretically, overcome the addiction and revert to a more normal humanoid diet. Like the Vorta, Jem’Hadar are sexless [not an all-male species], and are produced in ‘hatcheries,’ which are really just birthing-chamber facilities. They are not clones—each is a unique combination of genes, and each has a distinct personality. Far from being mindless drones, they are intelligent and often inquisitive, though they are prone to violence. They have a code of honor, but it differs from most other species’, revolving around the execution of orders and the serving of the Founders alone.
[The EU books make it sound like Jem’Hadar have claws, but these don’t because the original species was not predatory. Some of the most aggressive animals I’ve had to deal with were ungulates, so that’s where I got a lot of my inspiration. These Jem’Hadar would deal a lot more blunt-force damage than the canon ones—more smashed skulls and fewer torn throats.
Questions, comments, song lyrics, insults, chemical formulas, whatever, drop me an ask! There’s always stuff I’ve left out of the description or not even thought about.
Pose references: CathleenTarawhiti ]
Vulcan Redesign addenda
My redesigned Vulcans, unlike the canon species, do not have an excellent sense of smell that would be useful to find water, but they evolved other senses. The face and fingertips of Vulcans are dotted with electroreceptive ampullae. In the hot, dry, environment on Vulcan, electric signals do not travel well, but, unlike the aquatic animals that precise (active) electrolocation to find prey in the water, Vulcans use less specific fields to find water and to judge the weather. Since the air is usually dry, any humidity causes electrical signals to travel better, allowing Vulcans to sense different fronts. This sense is especially useful in the wadis, which provide shelter from the harsh sun and wind, but can flood violently. A Vulcan would be able to feel the change in humidity through electricity, and escape to higher ground.
It takes a Vulcan some time to adjust to a more humid environment, like Earth’s atmosphere. It could be likened to stepping into a candle shop—the odor is overwhelming at first, but you gradually get used to it. It takes time for the Vulcans to adjust to so many electric signals. It should be noted, however, that the Vulcan electrolocative sense is not particularly accute, and they would not be able to make out specific movements, only a generalized (to go with the candle shop analogy) ‘scent’ of activity.
Vulcans sense electric fields best with their fingers straight, since curling them pinches the ampullae and prevents the currents from reaching the nerve ending at the ends of the tubes (towards the heel of the hand.) The presence of the ampullae is what gives Vulcans their famed touch-telepathy, though we’re not exactly sure how. The people are notoriously closed on the subject. In any case, the face and hands of Vulcans are sensitive areas culturally and biologically.
The green areas just show where the ampullae are usually found on the face—around the eye socked (above the zygomatic bone) and around the temple. The tubes of the facial ampullae are shorter and don’t sense as well. If a Vulcan manages to find a storm front (which is the entire purpose of the ampullae) the facial ampullae help them avoid the most electrically active parts, so they don’t get struck by lightning. So—find a storm, which are usually pretty fierce, but don’t get struck by lightning. Two major concerns for ancient proto-Vulcans.
Nowadays, the ampullae aren’t necessary for survival (you’d survive pretty well without a sense of smell, right?), but their use has become a part of the culture. By touching someone, they can feel the currents running through the body, and certain types of touch have become intimate, symbolic gestures.
Vorta redesign
I guess read more cuts don’t work on text posts anymore *sobs quietly in corner*
The Vorta are a genetically engineered species used as diplomats and envoys by the changelings, and make up the majority of the Dominion’s government. Their skin is usually a pale purple, and burns easily in sunlight. Due to their artificial development as a species, when compared to a natural species, Vorta have much less phenotypic variation [it’s not that they don’t have any, just not nearly as much as other species.]
Vorta have four eyes, two larger eyes located lower on the face and two smaller eyes located slightly anterior and superior. The color vision in the smaller eyes is better than in the larger eyes, and though Vorta have few red retinal receptors, their vision does extend somewhat into the ultraviolet. The two larger eyes have fewer rod and cone cells, so have poor color vision, but are better at detecting motion. The placement of the larger eyes and the horizontal pupils allow the Vorta a wide field of vision.
Vorta have sensitive hearing, and slight tilts of the head help them to establish the direction of the sound and to pick up certain subtleties. They’re also known for a peculiar diagonal tilt, as their anatomy makes it difficult to directly below themselves. Their senses of smell and taste are negligible.
The hands consist of four tentacles, each supported by a highly flexible central column of cartilage. This column creates a single knuckle which articulates with the bones of the hand [which are actually mostly cartilage as well.] The entire hand is supple but powerful appendage, capable of complex manipulations and sensory acquisition. The feet are modified, having a more rigid internal structure to support the body’s mass, but being flexible enough to absorb shock. The two front lobes are fused, creating a fleshy pad, while the hind two remain separate [I drew a picture of how it works when they walk because describing it was hard :P ] It seems like their feet are small and balance would be difficult, but the split heel (what would be the thumb and third finger on the hand) can spread out and support them.
The plates on the body are not hard or bony—rather, they are fleshy and cartilaginous. They may have originally served as a sort of armor, but they have little purpose in their modern state.
Vorta are an middling-sized biped, averaging around 5’5”-5’9”. They sometimes bear scars on their necks and abdomens from the feeding tubes that are used during the cloning process. This is especially common in the clones that are brought up quickly as emergency replacements.
Modern clone Vorta are a sexless species, though this is through their genetic engineering rather than their natural state. Having any sort of sex is unnecessary for their function as the diplomats of the Dominion.
As for their immunity to toxins, I imagine the Vorta have an both extremely sophisticated immune and filtration systems, which would have been bioengineered. Certain resistances could have been built up during the cloning process as well, through whatever chemicals/nutrients they are fed [and by ‘fed’ I mean ‘had piped into them’ because they are vat babies, yay.]
[an aside—I tried doing more with the body design with the Vorta, at least on the surface. As a genetically engineered clone race, environment wasn’t as big a factor as with some of the other designs. They probably look significantly different from the ‘natural’ Vorta.]
As always, my askbox is open to any discussions/questions, as I never put everything in the description because A) that would make it even longer and B) I forget stuff
Betazoid Redesign
Betazoids are a borderline humanoid species. They have the same fundamental layout as humanoids (a spine, head, jointed legs) but are often more comfortable utilizing quadrupedal locomotion. Neither quadrupedal or bipedal locomotion is particularly energy efficient, but the conditions on Betazed did not force them to evolve for energy efficiency. A year-round supply of sugary, high-calorie fruits and high-fat nuts did not pressure Betazoid ancestors into developing energy-saving modes of locomotion. Modern Betazoids are omnivorous, but have a genetic sweet tooth.
When walking bipedally, Betazoids have a prominent up-and-down motion—anyone who’s been around them can describe the characteristic ‘Betazoid flounce,’ which has earned them the affectionate nickname ‘bobbers.’ Walking quadrupedally, Betazoids have a rocking gait. Because Betazoids do not have the spinal curves present in many humanoids, they are unable to walk bipedally for long periods of time without discomfort due to the pressure.
Their hands padded but dextrous [think raccoon]. It is a common Betazoid practice to wear gloves, to keep off the grime.
Their scenting organ is covered by a flap of skin on the lip that can be pulled up to expose the chemical-sensitive tissue beneath. The tissue is covered in thousands of scent-receptive buds, the wrinkles adding surface area [the texture is a bit like a tongue, yay.] Betazoids have an extraordinary sense of smell, as pheromones are an important part of Betazoid communication. Pheromones communicate mood and intention.
Betazoid skin is suede-like, and covered all over with short downy hair, the only exceptions being the soles of their hands, feet, the plates on their throat, and stripes. The skin below the stripes is composed of clusters of specialized cells that can change color by expanding/contracting pigment-containing organelles. The color of the stripes often changes with the production of pheromones and making mood very visible. However, the stripes’ color can also be consciously controlled, and coordinating stripes and clothing has become popular. The relaxed or ‘pure’ color of the stripes is generally just a few shades darker than the surrounding skin. Betazoid skin ranges from pale beige to russet to deep mahogany.
In addition to being able to show mood through color changes and chemical excretions, Betazoids posses telepathic abilities that allow for further nonverbal communication. All of these methods of communication make the Betazoids an intrinsically honest people—it’s hard to lie when others can literally smell your intentions, and hear your mind. The openness of Betazoids can be unsettling for some other cultures. Betazoids do not have nudity taboos, for example, and clothing is worn purely for aesthetics or protection, rather than as a cover to hide behind.
The spiracle behind the eye socket is the ‘nostril,’ located just above the optic nerve. Betazoids can breath from their or from their throat. Breathing from the spiracle, some oxygen is delivered from the airway to brain by diffusion into blood vessels surrounding the thin lining of the airway before the air reaches the lungs.
[As always, I’ve probably left some stuff out here, you can reblog with a question, come directly to me, whatever. CLICK THE PICTURES THEY HAVE CAPTIONS! :D
There aren’t any portraits because I’ve spent too long on this design and I wanted to get it out. I’ll still make them, keep watching. My personal favorite part of this design is all the awkwardness surrounding half-Betazoids. I know you’re wondering about it. Also, I have an explanation for the telepathy, it’s because *furiously recites treknobabble* so now you understand.]
Wonderful!
Vulcan redesign
Vulcans evolved in a hot environment, and their physiology helps keep them cool. Their tall, slim figure decreases the amount of sunlight that hits them and allows them to dissipate heat. Large, thin ears also help to cool blood. They’re also great for hearing things.
Vulcans are almost completely hairless, except for whiskers and eyebrows. Slanted eyebrows and a V-shaped groove above the lip evolved to catch rainwater—an ancient Vulcan could just cup their tongue under their upper lip and drink up. They don’t need to drink very often, and modern Vulcans retain their two “drought bladders,” which store water.
Vulcans inhale and exhale through the openings just under their jaw. The openings are surrounded by a ring of muscle that enables them to close against strong winds to keep out sand and dirt. However, when under stress, such as when running, Vulcans can use a circular breathing system, inhaling through their through and exhaling through their mouth. This provides a steadier stream of oxygen and keeps the individual from becoming fatigued. Though the length of their legs gives them a longer stride length, Vulcans are generally about as fast as humans when running, but their fantastic endurance gives them an advantage when going long distances—a well-trained Vulcan can keep up a ten mph pace for one or two days with minimal rest and no water.
Vulcan blood is green due to a mix of respiratory and immune fluids. Oxygen-carrying haemocyanin (blue) and xanthocytes from the immune system (yellow) give Vulcans their characteristic greenish hue. Illnesses that affect the immune system can impair this balance and cause Vulcans to take on a blue or yellow tint (So a Vulcan “feeling blue” would mean sick, not sad XD)
Um, nictitating membranes—they have ‘em. Keeps the dirt out of their eyes.
OH and I have this whole thing about a “sense of weather” and electricity and mind melds but I’m going to save that for another post because this is long enough already.
Tuvok and T’Pring at the bottom!
Since Vulcans are so peaceful and shit all of my poses are weapons-related. Referenced from SenshiStock, Trekcore, and a random Googled image.
Hit me up with questions, discussions, issues with stuff, whatever. I like to hear from you guys. Seriously, I always have more to write, I just don’t.
Also if there are any mistakes up there I’m sorry, I’m so tired right now it’s not funny.
cucumber-s
