Bolian

The Bolians are a humanoid species native to the planet Bolarus IX. They are a highly outspoken, most often at times when it is not requested, member of the United Federation of Planets.

The Bolians have made their mark on Bolarus IX as much as it has marked them. Primarily a water world, the small landmasses of the planet required that Bolians work well together in order to accomplish much. Such small cultures provided little room for anyone who could not work well with others. That the Bolians could build such a successful civilization on a planet of limited landmasses shows the effectiveness of their cooperation.

Personality

The Bolians' famed drive, devotion and ability to cooperate won the race praise within the Federation and contributed to the growing number serving in Starfleet. Indeed, the Bolian work ethic strikes many observers as an inherent part of the race, as natural to them as their blue skin. Those who work hard and work well with one another garner great respect and admiration. An inability to do so practically marks one as a social reject.

Bolian work ethic differs in a number of ways from humans', though at first glance they are extremely similar. Both focus on effort and accomplishment, and both feature some version of the phrase, "work well done is its own reward." Where they differ, however, is in the role of individual accomplishment. Bolians long ago accepted the idea that a team could accomplish more and do a better job than a single person, even if the time spent coordinating everyone meant that the entire job took longer. While the human work ethic glorifies individual accomplishment, Bolians feel that one's own success means little if the entire team does not succeed.

As a result, while Bolians can work alone when they need to, they much prefer to work with other like-minded individuals. A Bolian, doing his job as part of an efficient team, finds himself fulfilled and happy. Not only does he receive the approval of his teammates, but he also knows he can count on their support if anything goes wrong. When he works alone, or the team does not succeed, he may find himself unhappy or even depressed.

This does not mean that Bolians turn into mindless worker ants, or that they subordinate their own interests to those of the group. Bolians can become very critical of their group if they feel it is straying off course. The success of the group means much to them and makes them leery of anything that could contribute to its failure. A Bolian's teammates can expect his complete cooperation if they seem destined for success. Bolians avoid much (though not all) of the petty internal politics that mar many other groups. Should the group begin to fail, however, a Bolian can turn into its harshest critic.

The Bolian tendency to meddle with group dynamics leads many people to view Bolians as interminable busybodies. They constantly seek out teams with which they can work, and they subconsciously see many of their social groups as groups that they have to help succeed. As such, they constantly give advice or look for other ways to support their teammates. This can reach into many areas of their friends' lives. After all, if a friend's personal romantic problems begin to interfere with her work, or even look like they might, the Bolian feels he must do what he can to keep the friend effective as a teammate.

Physiology

Bolians are distinctively known for their blue skin, which is occasionally accented with dark blue bands on the head. Bolian males are completely bald and are on average, as tall as, but less physically fit than average human male. Bolian females are also completely bald, however, there have been rare appearances of females with hair; as well as some males having even been known to wear a toupee.

Their legs, chests, and arms are usually a little thicker than humans. Their skin tone, similar to some ways to that of the Andorians, ranges from a yellowish green tinge to a darker blue-green tinge to medium blue.

They are readily distinguished by their bifurcating (cartilaginous) ridge running vertically along their heads. Some Bolians also exhibit a series of lesser ridges running perpendicular to this along the head at intervals of a few centimeters, spanning from ear to ear across the top of the scalp. They also noted for have cartilaginous lining on their tongues that allows them to consume foods not normally palatable by many Federation races, including strong acids. One such example of traditional Bolian cuisine is the consumption of meat that has been allowed to partially decay.

The Doctor was particularly interested in the topic of the Bolian digestive system, and put together a piece on the topic in "Hints for Healthful Living" in the daily U.S.S. Voyager morning show, "A Briefing with Neelix."

When removed from the body, Bolian blood is blue in color with a high content of cobalt. The chemistry of their blood is very different from that of other species, especially Vulcans. If a blood transfusion is given from a Vulcan to a Bolian it would result in the death of the Bolian. There have been instances, however, when artificial blood was unavailable and existing blood cells were genetically altered for inter-species transfusions to be successful. Intimate relations between Bolians and humans typically causes adverse effects to the latter, which may include fatigue, nausea and joint inflammation. In extremis, it's possible for a Bolian to receive specially-treated Andorian blood, a sign of the basic similarities in their physiologies.

History and Culture

Despite their tendency toward collaboration, serious divisions once rent Bolian society. Prior to its membership in the Federation, three nations dominated the planet. Their constant strife put the world in peril, and its earliest extraterrestrial contacts only exacerbated the problem. Alien races managed to play on Bolian group pride, turning it into jingoism and a hatred of others. As Bolian society developed, however, many began to realize the troubles this rampant nationalism caused. Contact with the Federation caused the other alien races to retreat and gave Bolarus IX the chance to form a united front.

While national divisions still mark Bolian culture, most consider themselves primarily members of the Federation and Bolarus IX, and only secondarily members of their own nations. Even though they only joined the Federation in 2320, Bolians have already made marked contributions to this new team. Their natural inclination toward industriousness and their desire for approval from their coworkers makes many Federation members happy to work with them. Not many Bolians have joined Starfleet yet, but those who have serve with distinction.

The Bolian desire for teammates applies to almost every part of their lives, not just their professional roles. Bolian marriages often involve multiple partners, and for a man to have a wife and co-husband strikes none as unusual. All the partners' children are welcomed into the group, and Bolians take almost as much pride in their family members' success as they do in their own. Dysfunctional families prove a real embarrassment to their members and coping with them a major part of Bolian psychology.

Bolian psychology also addresses the race's desire for praise. Such praise does not have to be overt. Bolians relish the slightest recognition for their actions, and the most trivial positive feedback can turn into the approval a Bolian needs. While Bolians do no require extravagant praise, they do like a lot of it. They would rather receive many small compliments than one large commendation. Those who get neither tend to become morose and melancholy.

No Bolians like to see a teammate suffer, and they do their best to care for one another. Caregivers earn great recognition in Bolian society, and their compassionate nature surprises many who view this race as one of nonstop workers. This teamwork goes all the way to the deathbed, and assisted suicide has a long and honorable place in Bolian society. Known as "the double-effect principle," it legitimizes actions required to relieve suffering, even when those actions lead to death.

Bolians also seek out artistic endeavors that work best in teams. Dance, drama, and musical symphonies attract many. Expert teams craft giant statues out of Bolian crystal steel. Bolian cuisine suffered from this, however, with many seeing cooking as a solitary endeavor. Lacking innovative mixes of spices, Bolians developed a taste for partially decayed meat. This became a staple of their diet, much to the consternation of many alien visitors, who often stick to the many varieties of Bolian tomato soup. Bolian drinks gained popularity throughout the Federation, though some joke that this is as much for the beauty of their glasses as it is for the taste of the Bolian Sunset Martini and Bolian tonic water.

While Bolarus IX's three main nations each have their own ancient languages, a common Bolian tongue came to prominence shortly before first Federation contact. Most refer to this language as Bolian, though native speakers also know it as Clifsonian. Structurally close to Federation Standard, its linguistic similarities have caused some past embarrassments. For instance, the human name Frederick translates in a Bolian obscenity.

Reference(s)

• Bridges, Bill, et al. Star Trek Roleplaying Game Book 5: Aliens, Decipher, 2003. ISBN: 1582369070.