In a universe with countless alien species, some of them will come across as the villain. Humans do some good and bad things, but aliens in science fiction can often be boiled down to a single trait. Some species are known for their technological innovations, others for their artistic endeavors, but a few will inevitably be known as fighters. The Nausicaans are one of 90sStar Trek’s favorite pirate races.
Perhaps more than any other franchise,Star Trekis a proponent ofthe Planet of Hats trope. Many early episodes depict a Starfleet crew landing on a new world or meeting a new species, only to learn that they’re all defined by one trait. Some examples make more sense than others, but the idea of a species of muscle-bound brutes is almost as old as science fiction.
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What is the Nausicaan Race?
The Nausicaans first appeared in a 1993Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. They’re introduced in flashback by Captain Picard, who relives the day he lost his original heart at their hands. Nausicaans are very large and muscular. They tend to be well over 6 feet tall and very broad. Their faces are sickly gray, resembling dead flesh. Nausicaans' most prominent trait is their bone structure. Most have sharp protrusions surrounding their mouth, four small horns on their forehead, and an hourglass-like set of ridges down their skull. Visual comparisons to Klingons are common and fair. They’re a classic example ofStar Trek’sRubber-Forehead alien design philosophy. The comparisons don’t stop at the look. Their fearsome appearance reveals their capacity for violence.
Nausicaans are well-known as pirates. They frequently attack large cargo vessels to plunder their valuable resources. Very little is known about their home planet, Nausicaa, other than that it’s a chaotic place in constant transition. Its government isn’t fixed, and it seems to lack any form of law enforcement. Nausicaans also take on legal jobs. They are frequently hired as mercenaries and bodyguards. Any wealthy person in the galaxy knows they can acquire a small team of Nausicaans and a fast ship to get any job done at a reasonable price. They’ve been used as security, muscle, strikebreakers, and even a heist crew by various factions in the universe.Though brutish and violent, Nausicaans can generally be counted upon to complete any dangerous task. On the other hand, Nausicaan prisoners would face no punishment on their home planet. Everyone knows what they’re dealing with when they meet a Nausicaan. Several stories serve as evidence of their impressive reputation.
How Have the Nausicaans Interacted With Starfleet?
As previously mentioned, the Nauiscaans' most famous action in the franchise isstabbing Captain Picard throughthe heart. Picard was a cocky recent graduate of Starfleet Academy. He got involved in a bar fight after a trio of Nausicaans cheated his friend in a game. During the brawl, one of the Nausicaans impaled Picard through his chest from behind. The wound nearly killed him. He had an artificial heart for the rest of his life. The episode that depicted this conflict, “Tapestry,” also demonstrated the wound’s effect on his destiny. Picard learned that the version of himself who never stood up for his friends would never have become a Captain. By the end of the episode,Picard chooses to losehis heart to gain back his spine. He’s depicted being stabbed with a smile on his face.
The first Starfleet encounter with the Nausicaans came in 2151, when a group of Nausicaan pirates attacked the ironically-named cargo vessel ECS Fortunate. The plot gradually reveals that the Fortunate is holding a Nausicaan as a hostage, granting some justification to the pirates. Nausicaans once robbed the central museum on Remmil VI. Ferengi entrepreneur Quark frequently dealt with Nausicaans. He repeatedly proposed hiring them to break his brother out of a cell on Deep Space 9. Quark later traded precious resources with a Nausicaan. They were also used against Quark when his employees formed a labor union. Thecriminal Orion Syndicate frequentlyhired Nausicaans as muscle, once attacking Miles O’Brien in New Sydney. Nausicaan diplomats boarded the Voyager to discuss mining rights for a planet rich with dilithium crystals. An episode ofLower Decksdepicted them being cheated in the same game they played with Picard, leading to another fight.
The Nausicaans are a simple race of mercenaries, pirates, and warriors. They don’t have a lot of complexity. They just do what they get paid to do. A futureStar Trekseries could explore the finer details of their lawless society or lust for power, but they really don’t need extra details. They show up, threaten, maim, kill, and collect whatever they came for.Star Trekhas a lot ofunique and interesting science fiction races, but not every species needs a textbook of lore or a complex governmental structure. Sometimes all they need is a good design and a few well-placed acts of violence.
