Name: Neen
Homeworld: Nee Prime, Teneebia Sector, Alpha Centauri Block
Estimated Population: 6 Billion (Nee Prime), 500 (Orbital station), 5000 (Lutharis, Nee Prime Moon), 1000 (Nee IV Colony)
Discovered: 2287
First Contact: 2394
Political Status: Federation
Compiled by Lieutenant Daniel Thompson, U.S.S. Greenfield.
Annotations made by Captain Zel'drith Quen'fhoz, U.S.S. Praxis.
Neen Male
Neen Female
Biological Notes:
The Neen are a race of omnivorous humanoids with close resemblance to mammal species like that of Humans. They are relatively small in stature, the average height for their species being approximately 170cm. The Neen have agile physiques and possess a startling sense of balance; they are natural runners as a result of this. They display skin with a distinctive reddish hue, and usually have a collection of dark spots running up from the mid back to the side of the head. The most distinctive features of the Neen, however, are their large eyes and pronounced earlobes.
Their eyes are typically golden-yellow with a dark slitted pupil, and have unparalleled clarity of vision. Their eyes are able to catch movement very quickly, as well as see acceptability in low-light conditions. Apparently up to 1 percent of the population can see well into the infrared light spectrum, but this group of individuals are also more likely to develop extreme sensitivity to bright light sources.
The pronounced earlobes the Neen possess allow them to accurately detect sounds in nearly all directions, and at greater distances than that of a human. Unfortunately, about 1 in 100,000 of the Neen develop extremely sensitive hearing, to the point where they must wear noise-canceling devices in their ear canals to prevent debilitating pain.
Neen mature mentally very rapidly, becoming mentally mature at the age of 15 but apparently do not completely mature physically until the age of 20. Of particular note in Neen females is the occurrence of the mammary glands continuing to grow after the age of 20, perhaps in the preparation for future childbearing. The Neen appear to have lifespans comparable to that of humans, commonly living up to the age of 100. They appear to remain youthful and vigorous until the last few years of their life, leading to a relatively high birth-rate.
Societal Notes:
Neen society is made up of closely-knit family units, primarily living in centralized city-states. A small percentage of the population prefer to follow “The Old Ways” and live as their ancestors did amongst the fields and grasslands. There is no stigma with this way of thinking; it is actually seen as a respectable choice. However, the modern means of communication and medicine are still utilized, but only used when necessary.
Generally, the Neen population are instilled with a sense of honesty and cooperation. Since the dissolution of the clan system, Neen know that they must work together of the betterment of their species. Armed conflict that was prevalent in the past is no longer a normal occurrence. While not an aggressive people, they can become fierce opponents should their territory become threatened. Thankfully for the Neen, their close proximity to the Sol system has prevented most hostile powers in the Teneebia Sector from encroaching on their holdings.
The Neen do not have any formally established religion, although many are practiced. A common practice is reverence of clan ancestors, and as such when a Neen dies, their body is often returned to the traditional clan ancestor shrine. Such a shrine is usually out in the wilderness of the plains on a high mound. It is there that the body of the deceased will be cremated in order to “return their ashes to the land from whence it came.”
Government:
The Neen were once formed into separate clans, each distinguished by the characteristic dark spots on the sides of their heads. The subtle differences in these spots would only be noticed by another Neen. Having long abandoned the idea of separate clans, the Neen now govern themselves with a world-wide council. Each city-state has its own representative, and they in turn will represent their continent at the council. Each member of the council will vote to elect a chairman to oversee the council's decisions. The chairman is meant to be an impartial arbiter of sorts, to resolve disputes and ensure that disagreements do not stall important decisions.
Technology:
The Neen have a level of technology equivalent to that of Earth in the early days of the Federation. Having finally developed FTL flight, the Neen have begun to colonize the other planets in their system.
Homeworld:
Nee Prime is a class M planet with lush prairies and grasslands, rugged mountain ranges, and clear oceans. Most of civilization is contained in massive, self-contained pillar cities, also known as arcologies. The Neen prefer to build up rather than out in order to lessen the footprint left on the planet. One city-state pillar could easily contain millions of inhabitants. Most city-state pillars are connected by elevated, high-speed monorail transportation.
First Contact:
Despite first being discovered in 2287, the Neen did not develop the capacity for FTL flight until 2392. Their species had grown remarkably in the century following their discovery. When first discovered, the Neen were an industrialized society, but clan politics still controlled the planet and short but brutal conflicts were common. Soon after their development of spaceflight, the Neen realized that they could accomplish so much more as a united planet than as warring clans. While this was a gradual process, the clan system was eventually abandoned, with a unified council taking its place.
It was during the fifth successful FTL flight attempted by the Neen that the U.S.S. Greenfield arrived in the system to survey their progress. The Greenfield was soon discovered by the Neen and responded to their hailing attempts. Soon afterward, Nee Prime and the Neen people were accepted into the Federation of Planets.
Assessment:
The Neen have quickly become an enthusiastic member of the Federation. It is common for their best and brightest to be sent to Starfleet Academy to train, and over the past ten years have fostered a strong relationship with Starfleet.