Xindi
Encyclopedia
The Xindi (ˈzɪndi) is the collective term for six fictional races in the science fiction
television series
Star Trek: Enterprise
. They are native to the planet
Xindus in a region of space
known as the Delphic Expanse. They consist of five separate species resembling familiar Earth animals (a rarity for alien races in Star Trek) and a sixth resembling humans.
The entire third season of the series centered on this group of previously unknown aliens. At first they appeared as violent enemies wanting no interaction with humanity, but common ground gradually emerged as the crew of the Enterprise (NX-01)
discovered that the Xindi were being manipulated into this enmity by the Sphere Builders.
The season was broadcast in 2003 to 2004. Some Xindi became important recurring characters as the 24-episode story arc unfolded.
episode "The Battle" (the captioning spells them "Xendi," but they were pronounced the same way). This episode was set in the Xendi Sabu star system, as Captain Picard
notes in the introductory log entry. Later, Picard receives his old ship the Stargazer, and Data
informs the bridge crew that a tug-ship is to take it to Xendi Starbase Nine. This is seen to fulfil the words of the time-travelling Crewman Daniels in Star Trek: Enterprise, who two centuries earlier reassures Archer
that the Xindi will one day be a part of the Federation.
The Xindi's presence was first established in the second season finale of Star Trek: Enterprise, "The Expanse", in which they launched a probe that attacked Earth
in April of 2153, killing 7 million people in a narrow strip of destruction stretching from Florida
to Venezuela
. They appeared again in the third season premiere, "The Xindi", to play a major role in the story arc of season three.
All six of these intelligent species on Xindus were involved in a war lasting about 100 years and ending in the 2030s. Alliances among the Xindi species were forged and changed continuously throughout the war, so much that 50–60 years into the war, most Xindi forgot what started it. However, everyone remembered how it ended. In an act of desperation, the Insectoids and Reptilians detonated several charges beneath the 8 largest seismic fissures of the geologically-unstable planet Xindus, leading to its destruction and ultimately the extinction of the Xindi-Avian race.
After the war, the Xindi scattered throughout the Expanse into several colonies
. As a whole, they have a passionate desire to establish a new homeworld and unify all Xindi, but differ greatly on how to accomplish this and on who should hold the ultimate reins of power.
The Xindi were actually pawns in the Temporal Cold War
, as they were informed at least as early as 2152 by a trans-dimensional race known as Sphere Builders from the future that they would be victims of a genocidal
attack from humanity in the 26th century. The Xindi came to revere these creatures, whom they called the 'Guardians,' and following their guidance, launched a preemptive strike on Earth as a precursor to a genocidal second attack.
The Xindi spent the early part of 2153 deciding how to confront the threat of humanity and planned a biological weapon based on the Human genetic profile. This was ultimately rejected by the Xindi Council (the Reptilians went along with the bio weapon but were eventually foiled) and so they worked on a weapon to blow up Earth. (They technically succeeded, however that timeline was undone.)
However, with the help of Captain Archer's knowledge of the future cooperation between humans and Xindi against the Sphere Builders, the Xindi Council began to split over the issue of whether the "Guardians" were the real enemy or not. This was helped along especially when Reptilian Council Member Dolim killed Primate Council Member Degra.
With the help of the Sphere Builders, the Reptilians and Insectoids took control of the finished Xindi weapon and set on a course for Earth, thus beginning a new civil war
between the Xindi species. A single vessel of Arboreals, Primates, and Humans pursued the weapon.
En route to Earth, a rift appeared in the Reptilian-Insectoid alliance when the Insectoids proposed delaying the destruction of Earth in light of Archer's revelation about the true nature of the Sphere Builders. The Reptilians, determined to see the task completed and thus unwilling to risk any obstruction to that end, eliminated the accompanying Insectoid vessel.
The pursuing vessel caught up with the Xindi weapon near Earth. An Andorian
vessel, commanded by Shran, unexpectedly entered the fray and engaged the Reptilian vessel, which provided enough cover for the Humans to board the Xindi weapon and destroy it.
Following the destruction of their weapon, the Xindi council reconvened (the Reptilians were reluctant, but were eventually convinced to return). The Xindi abandoned their hostile intent toward Humans.
In Daniels' timeline, Xindi crewmen serve in the Federation
in the 26th century.
ns, swimming underwater and speaking through echolocation
. Aquatics have a reputation for taking a very long time to make a decision, but are more readily convinced by visual evidence. The Xindi have a saying, "It's easier to count the stars than it is for an Aquatic to reach a decision."
Even though the Aquatics are peaceful, they have a strong military. Their warships resemble large Earth manta ray
s and are filled with water. However, there is at least one section of the ship that is sealed and filled with air for land-based races. This room also has a window so the visitors can communicate with the Aquatic crew. Aquatic ships carry extremely powerful weapons and are more than a match for Insectoid and Reptilian ships.
Aquatic warships are huge and one of them was depicted carrying the Enterprise NX-01
to Earth inside a chamber within the vessel after the Xindi weapon was destroyed. The size of the chamber was like a shuttle bay compared to the Aquatic vessel. Aquatic vessels can also emit a field that disrupts targeting scanners. This can also be applied to protect other ships. However, their ships are very slow and cannot travel much faster than Warp 2. The appearance of the Aquatics was inspired by the Mosasaurus
.
, and resemble Earth sloth
s. They run kemocite-production facilities throughout the Delphic Expanse. Gralik, a Xindi-Arboreal, gave Degra a shipment of impure kemocite, to sabotage
production of the Council's weapon prototype
. They have shown the least interest in destroying humanity. Arboreals are also afraid of the water. They are well known as scientists.
like Xindi with the ability to fly, although all that is ever seen of this species is a single skull, identical to that of a giraffe
. They once darkened the skies of Xindus, the Xindi homeworld. They are thought to be extinct since the Reptilians and Insectoids planted explosives that destroyed the Xindi Homeworld after the Hundred-Year War. The Avians, having primitive technology, couldn't leave the planet and were wiped out. Because of this, the Reptilians say that their lair, in which the Xindi Council now convenes, has a "stench of failure."
Curiously, the Avians had a presence on a planet other than Xindus at least as far back as the 2nd millennium BC
. This location would later be used as the site of the Xindi Council.
, flies
and ant
s. They speak a clicking language
, of which there are 67 dialects. Insectoid
iconography
is radically different from that of other Xindi. They have a long-standing alliance with the Reptilians and with them destroyed the Xindi Homeworld after the Hundred-Year War. Insectoid personal names get longer with age. Insectoids have a reputation for rushing into decisions.
Insectoids have an average life span
of 10–12 years. They are hermaphrodite
s, and reproduce by laying egg
s, which take about a week to mature. Egg sacs are suspended from ceilings, and tubules connected to them spray chemicals that cause passers-by to reverse-imprint
on the hatchlings, protecting them as a parent
would. Hatchlings are so important to Insectoids that hatcheries are aboard starships and are heavily shielded. In the event of a problem with the ship, the Insectoid crew will sacrifice themselves to preserve their unborn offspring.
Insectoid starships are designed differently from other vessels. They don't have one area designated for bridge duties; command functions are distributed throughout the ship. Assault vehicles are designed for Insectoid anatomy and not humanoids. Also, insectoid chairs are not built for humanoids.
s and have a similar brain structure to the Xindi-Reptilians. They were one of the first Xindi species (including the Reptilians) to be informed of the "threat" posed by humanity. Degra, a Xindi-Primate, was assigned to develop the weapon which was to destroy Earth. In late 2153, the crew of the Enterprise
boarded and studied a Primate's vessel and interrogated the crew. In the episode "Stratagem", Archer learned from Degra that a colony of Primates resides on Azati Prime, where the weapon was being constructed. Like humans, Xindi-Primates have differences in skin tone.
s. This species is responsible for a preemptive attack on Earth in 2153. They use weapons with regenerative biological power cells that overload if another species tries to use them. Reptilians prefer to be low to the ground, as opposed to high-rise buildings. They use thermal chambers on board their ships to keep their energy. They are the most aggressive race of Xindi and seem to be more interested than the other races in destroying Earth. Along with the Insectoids, they are responsible for the destruction of the Xindi Homeworld. The military leadership of the Reptilians appear to be obsessed with eugenics
.
Aided by trans-dimensional beings, the Reptilians traveled to 2004 to collect blood
samples for their bio-weapon in the future but were foiled by Jonathan Archer
and T'Pol
.
The Xindi-Insectoids are the race that the Reptilians are closest to. The attack squadrons seen at Azati Prime consisted of two Reptilian ships and two Insectoid ships.
al body of the Xindi races. It was seen in many episodes of season three of Star Trek: Enterprise.
The Council was formed after the destruction of the Xindi homeworld Xindus in the 2030s. It consists of 5 Xindi species: arboreals, aquatics, insectoids, primates, and reptilians. Each race has two representatives. It was formed to find a new homeworld for all the Xindi races. However, although they found a few suitable planets, they could never agree on a final choice.
The Council chamber is located on a planet 15.6 light-year
s from Azati Prime. The land-based races sit at a large round table in the center of the room, while the aquatics look on from a large tank adjoining the chamber by a window. The chamber has built-in equipment for holographics and a viewscreen for telemetry. The chamber itself was actually a stronghold built by the Xindi-Avians before they were wiped out.
The names of council representatives were not revealed until the late third season episode "The Council". They are:
Circa 2152, the council discovered that humans were going to destroy them in four hundred years. In a panic, they assigned the Primate scientist, Degra, to construct a weapon to destroy Earth.
After a number of disagreements, the Council was dissolved. In order to do the Sphere Builders' bidding, the Reptilians and Insectoids broke away from the Primates, Arboreals, and eventually the Aquatics. Civil war
ultimately broke out when Commander Dolim killed Degra. After Dolim was killed, the Sphere Builders were discredited, the super-weapon destroyed, and the Council reconvened.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
. They are native to the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
Xindus in a region of space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
known as the Delphic Expanse. They consist of five separate species resembling familiar Earth animals (a rarity for alien races in Star Trek) and a sixth resembling humans.
The entire third season of the series centered on this group of previously unknown aliens. At first they appeared as violent enemies wanting no interaction with humanity, but common ground gradually emerged as the crew of the Enterprise (NX-01)
Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
discovered that the Xindi were being manipulated into this enmity by the Sphere Builders.
The season was broadcast in 2003 to 2004. Some Xindi became important recurring characters as the 24-episode story arc unfolded.
First appearance
The Xindi were first referenced in Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "The Battle" (the captioning spells them "Xendi," but they were pronounced the same way). This episode was set in the Xendi Sabu star system, as Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
notes in the introductory log entry. Later, Picard receives his old ship the Stargazer, and Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
informs the bridge crew that a tug-ship is to take it to Xendi Starbase Nine. This is seen to fulfil the words of the time-travelling Crewman Daniels in Star Trek: Enterprise, who two centuries earlier reassures Archer
Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is the protagonist of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he is played by Scott Bakula...
that the Xindi will one day be a part of the Federation.
The Xindi's presence was first established in the second season finale of Star Trek: Enterprise, "The Expanse", in which they launched a probe that attacked Earth
Earth in fiction
An overwhelming majority of fiction is set on or features the Earth. However, authors of speculative fiction novels and writers and directors of science fiction film deal with Earth quite differently from authors of conventional fiction...
in April of 2153, killing 7 million people in a narrow strip of destruction stretching from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. They appeared again in the third season premiere, "The Xindi", to play a major role in the story arc of season three.
Xindi history
The Xindi are collectively a race of six different intelligent species which evolved simultaneously on the same planet (Xindus). These six intelligent species are: The Aquatics, a water-breathing species which evolved in Xindus' oceans; The Reptilians, a bipedal species which evolved in the way earth's dinosaurs might have if they hadn't become extinct; The Arboreals, a group of humanoid creatures who evolved from tree-dwelling mammals similar to earth's sloths; The Primates, a group of creatures who evolved along the same path as humans and who are consequently hairless and in appearance vaguely similar to homo sapiens; The Insectoids, an intelligent species which evolved from the insects on Xindus; and The Avians, an intelligent race which evolved from birds on Xindus. The avians are now extinct, but all five of the other intelligent species continue to coexist. Despite the radically different appearance of all six species, they all share identical ridges on their cheekbones.All six of these intelligent species on Xindus were involved in a war lasting about 100 years and ending in the 2030s. Alliances among the Xindi species were forged and changed continuously throughout the war, so much that 50–60 years into the war, most Xindi forgot what started it. However, everyone remembered how it ended. In an act of desperation, the Insectoids and Reptilians detonated several charges beneath the 8 largest seismic fissures of the geologically-unstable planet Xindus, leading to its destruction and ultimately the extinction of the Xindi-Avian race.
After the war, the Xindi scattered throughout the Expanse into several colonies
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
. As a whole, they have a passionate desire to establish a new homeworld and unify all Xindi, but differ greatly on how to accomplish this and on who should hold the ultimate reins of power.
The Xindi were actually pawns in the Temporal Cold War
Temporal Cold War
The Temporal Cold War is a fictional conflict waged throughout history in the Star Trek universe, predominantly during the 22nd century AD...
, as they were informed at least as early as 2152 by a trans-dimensional race known as Sphere Builders from the future that they would be victims of a genocidal
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
attack from humanity in the 26th century. The Xindi came to revere these creatures, whom they called the 'Guardians,' and following their guidance, launched a preemptive strike on Earth as a precursor to a genocidal second attack.
The Xindi spent the early part of 2153 deciding how to confront the threat of humanity and planned a biological weapon based on the Human genetic profile. This was ultimately rejected by the Xindi Council (the Reptilians went along with the bio weapon but were eventually foiled) and so they worked on a weapon to blow up Earth. (They technically succeeded, however that timeline was undone.)
However, with the help of Captain Archer's knowledge of the future cooperation between humans and Xindi against the Sphere Builders, the Xindi Council began to split over the issue of whether the "Guardians" were the real enemy or not. This was helped along especially when Reptilian Council Member Dolim killed Primate Council Member Degra.
With the help of the Sphere Builders, the Reptilians and Insectoids took control of the finished Xindi weapon and set on a course for Earth, thus beginning a new civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
between the Xindi species. A single vessel of Arboreals, Primates, and Humans pursued the weapon.
En route to Earth, a rift appeared in the Reptilian-Insectoid alliance when the Insectoids proposed delaying the destruction of Earth in light of Archer's revelation about the true nature of the Sphere Builders. The Reptilians, determined to see the task completed and thus unwilling to risk any obstruction to that end, eliminated the accompanying Insectoid vessel.
The pursuing vessel caught up with the Xindi weapon near Earth. An Andorian
Andorian
Andorians are a fictional race of humanoid extraterrestrials created by D. C. Fontana for the Star Trek universe. They are native to the icy M-class moon Andoria , which orbits a blue, ringed gas giant. Definitive traits include their blue skin, a pair of cranial antennae, and white hair...
vessel, commanded by Shran, unexpectedly entered the fray and engaged the Reptilian vessel, which provided enough cover for the Humans to board the Xindi weapon and destroy it.
Following the destruction of their weapon, the Xindi council reconvened (the Reptilians were reluctant, but were eventually convinced to return). The Xindi abandoned their hostile intent toward Humans.
In Daniels' timeline, Xindi crewmen serve in the Federation
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
in the 26th century.
Xindi-Aquatics
Xindi-Aquatics resemble Earth SireniaSirenia
Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. Four species are living, in two families and genera. These are the dugong and manatees...
ns, swimming underwater and speaking through echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
. Aquatics have a reputation for taking a very long time to make a decision, but are more readily convinced by visual evidence. The Xindi have a saying, "It's easier to count the stars than it is for an Aquatic to reach a decision."
Even though the Aquatics are peaceful, they have a strong military. Their warships resemble large Earth manta ray
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
s and are filled with water. However, there is at least one section of the ship that is sealed and filled with air for land-based races. This room also has a window so the visitors can communicate with the Aquatic crew. Aquatic ships carry extremely powerful weapons and are more than a match for Insectoid and Reptilian ships.
Aquatic warships are huge and one of them was depicted carrying the Enterprise NX-01
Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
to Earth inside a chamber within the vessel after the Xindi weapon was destroyed. The size of the chamber was like a shuttle bay compared to the Aquatic vessel. Aquatic vessels can also emit a field that disrupts targeting scanners. This can also be applied to protect other ships. However, their ships are very slow and cannot travel much faster than Warp 2. The appearance of the Aquatics was inspired by the Mosasaurus
Mosasaurus
Mosasaurus is a genus of mosasaur, carnivorous, aquatic lizards, somewhat resembling flippered crocodiles, with elongated heavy jaws. The genus existed during the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period , around 70-65 millions years ago in the area of modern Western Europe and North America...
.
Xindi-Arboreals
Xindi-Arboreals are covered with hairHair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
, and resemble Earth sloth
Sloth
Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South...
s. They run kemocite-production facilities throughout the Delphic Expanse. Gralik, a Xindi-Arboreal, gave Degra a shipment of impure kemocite, to sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
production of the Council's weapon prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
. They have shown the least interest in destroying humanity. Arboreals are also afraid of the water. They are well known as scientists.
Xindi-Avians
Xindi-Avians were birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
like Xindi with the ability to fly, although all that is ever seen of this species is a single skull, identical to that of a giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
. They once darkened the skies of Xindus, the Xindi homeworld. They are thought to be extinct since the Reptilians and Insectoids planted explosives that destroyed the Xindi Homeworld after the Hundred-Year War. The Avians, having primitive technology, couldn't leave the planet and were wiped out. Because of this, the Reptilians say that their lair, in which the Xindi Council now convenes, has a "stench of failure."
Curiously, the Avians had a presence on a planet other than Xindus at least as far back as the 2nd millennium BC
2nd millennium BC
The 2nd millennium BC marks the transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age.Its first half is dominated by the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and Babylonia. The alphabet develops. Indo-Iranian migration onto the Iranian plateau and onto the Indian subcontinent propagates the use of the chariot...
. This location would later be used as the site of the Xindi Council.
Xindi-Insectoids
Xindi-Insectoids resemble a cross between six-foot Earth praying mantidsMantis
Mantis is the common name of any insect in the order Mantodea, also commonly known as praying mantises. The word itself means "prophet" in Latin and Greek...
, flies
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
and ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s. They speak a clicking language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, of which there are 67 dialects. Insectoid
Insectoid
Insectoid denotes any creature or object that shares a similar body or traits with common earth insects and arachnids. The term is a combination of "insect" and "-oid" . Compare "humanoid"....
iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
is radically different from that of other Xindi. They have a long-standing alliance with the Reptilians and with them destroyed the Xindi Homeworld after the Hundred-Year War. Insectoid personal names get longer with age. Insectoids have a reputation for rushing into decisions.
Insectoids have an average life span
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
of 10–12 years. They are hermaphrodite
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
s, and reproduce by laying egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s, which take about a week to mature. Egg sacs are suspended from ceilings, and tubules connected to them spray chemicals that cause passers-by to reverse-imprint
Imprinting (psychology)
Imprinting is the term used in psychology and ethology to describe any kind of phase-sensitive learning that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behavior...
on the hatchlings, protecting them as a parent
Parent
A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
would. Hatchlings are so important to Insectoids that hatcheries are aboard starships and are heavily shielded. In the event of a problem with the ship, the Insectoid crew will sacrifice themselves to preserve their unborn offspring.
Insectoid starships are designed differently from other vessels. They don't have one area designated for bridge duties; command functions are distributed throughout the ship. Assault vehicles are designed for Insectoid anatomy and not humanoids. Also, insectoid chairs are not built for humanoids.
Xindi-Primates
Xindi-Primates resemble Earth humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s and have a similar brain structure to the Xindi-Reptilians. They were one of the first Xindi species (including the Reptilians) to be informed of the "threat" posed by humanity. Degra, a Xindi-Primate, was assigned to develop the weapon which was to destroy Earth. In late 2153, the crew of the Enterprise
Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
boarded and studied a Primate's vessel and interrogated the crew. In the episode "Stratagem", Archer learned from Degra that a colony of Primates resides on Azati Prime, where the weapon was being constructed. Like humans, Xindi-Primates have differences in skin tone.
Xindi-Reptilians
Xindi-Reptilians resemble a cross between several Earth lizardLizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s. This species is responsible for a preemptive attack on Earth in 2153. They use weapons with regenerative biological power cells that overload if another species tries to use them. Reptilians prefer to be low to the ground, as opposed to high-rise buildings. They use thermal chambers on board their ships to keep their energy. They are the most aggressive race of Xindi and seem to be more interested than the other races in destroying Earth. Along with the Insectoids, they are responsible for the destruction of the Xindi Homeworld. The military leadership of the Reptilians appear to be obsessed with eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
.
Aided by trans-dimensional beings, the Reptilians traveled to 2004 to collect blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
samples for their bio-weapon in the future but were foiled by Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is the protagonist of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he is played by Scott Bakula...
and T'Pol
T'Pol
Commander T'Pol is a fictional character played by Jolene Blalock in Star Trek: Enterprise. She is a Vulcan who serves as the science officer aboard the starship Enterprise.-Concept and creation:...
.
The Xindi-Insectoids are the race that the Reptilians are closest to. The attack squadrons seen at Azati Prime consisted of two Reptilian ships and two Insectoid ships.
Xindi Council
The Xindi Council is the joint governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
al body of the Xindi races. It was seen in many episodes of season three of Star Trek: Enterprise.
The Council was formed after the destruction of the Xindi homeworld Xindus in the 2030s. It consists of 5 Xindi species: arboreals, aquatics, insectoids, primates, and reptilians. Each race has two representatives. It was formed to find a new homeworld for all the Xindi races. However, although they found a few suitable planets, they could never agree on a final choice.
The Council chamber is located on a planet 15.6 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s from Azati Prime. The land-based races sit at a large round table in the center of the room, while the aquatics look on from a large tank adjoining the chamber by a window. The chamber has built-in equipment for holographics and a viewscreen for telemetry. The chamber itself was actually a stronghold built by the Xindi-Avians before they were wiped out.
The names of council representatives were not revealed until the late third season episode "The Council". They are:
- Arboreals: Jannar
- Aquatics: Kiaphet Amman'sor
- Insectoids: (unknown) (most Xindi Insectoid names are unpronounceable by humans; called "Shrest" in the novelizations)
- Primates: Mallora, Degra
- Reptilians: regimentRegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al commander Dolim
Circa 2152, the council discovered that humans were going to destroy them in four hundred years. In a panic, they assigned the Primate scientist, Degra, to construct a weapon to destroy Earth.
After a number of disagreements, the Council was dissolved. In order to do the Sphere Builders' bidding, the Reptilians and Insectoids broke away from the Primates, Arboreals, and eventually the Aquatics. Civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
ultimately broke out when Commander Dolim killed Degra. After Dolim was killed, the Sphere Builders were discredited, the super-weapon destroyed, and the Council reconvened.
Other significant Xindi characters
- Kessick - Primate, enslaved on a Trellium-D mine
- Thalen - Primate, Degra's assistant
- Gralik - Arboreal, chief technician of kemocite facility