- This article is about the non-aligned race. You may be looking for the Arcturians, Federation members.
An Arcturan freighter captain in the 2280s
Arcturans were a non-aligned humanoid species from the planet Arcturus in the Alpha Quadrant.
They had nearly-translucent, chalk-white skin, deeply-wrinkled brows, and large earlobes. They were bald except for small tufts of platinum hair on the crown of their heads, with similarly small eyebrows, and tufts of facial hair (on the males). Their hair and ears were generally adorned with exotic ornaments. Typical Arcuran garments consisted of a mix of furs and shiny, metallic spangles.
Arcturan society was anarchic, with no centralized government. They had resisted all overtures from the Federation, Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire, and remained staunchly neutral well into the 25th century.
There was no formal education on Arcturus. Despite this, most Arcturans spoke several languages, though they grafted on their own unique grammatical structure. (TOS novel: The Lost Years; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek: The Fall novel: Peaceable Kingdoms)
Arcturans were known as independent traders and merchants, and operated throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Many had less than savory reputations. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek: Excelsior)
In 2254, a group of Arcturans joined with Khodini and Orion brigands in attacking Starbase 13 in hopes of destroying the Pharos Project that would establish a "lighthouse" in the Marrat Nebula, bringing order to a region that had up 'til then been a hub of illegal activity. (Star Trek: Early Voyages comic: The Fires of Pharos)
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Names[]
- Female
- Ziza
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Though the species of the alien captain who met with McCoy in Star Trek III was not identified in the film, J.M. Dillard's novel The Lost Years clearly identified the species as Arcturan, from the planet Arcturus. That identification has persisted in the Trek fandom, and has been referenced many times, including in the Starship Excelsior audio drama. However, this conflicts with the background material created for Star Trek: The Motion Picture that identified another species, the Arcturians as being from Arcturus. That species had a vastly different appearance, culture and history. As one was identified as "Arcturian" and the other "Arcturan," it is possible that both names are accurate, though some confusion between them exists.
External links[]
- Arcturan article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
- Arcturan article at Star Trek Expanded Universe, the fanon and fanworks Star Trek wiki.