At the time, there was something I was trying to remember that I don't think anyone else mentioned. Well, now I finally remembered--though the thread appears to have disappeared.

Alpha Centauri. I remember there was a neat book that came out once--gray/silver cover and it was an encylopedia of alien races from the Star Trek universe.

I'm sure it wasn't "canon"--the Klingon homeworld, for example, was called Kling instead of Q'onos--but the stories about first contact with each race were really entertaining.

If I recall correctly, the people of Alpha Centauri look perfectly human...and I think in the timeline presented in this reference, these were actually the first aliens contacted rather than the Vulcans. (So much for that history now, right?) And it was a logical first contact given that it's the closest star to Sol. I think this reference mentioned something about how humans were relieved that the first outworlders looked just like them. (Though, of course, they certainly weren't going to be the last human-looking alien race.)

Still, I think it would be really neat if we could have an Enterprise episode where we see Alpha Centauri and learn something about the people who live there. Sure, they look perfectly human (at least if we follow the encylopedia), but what about the culture(s) on this world? And what about the history of this planet and its first contact with Earth?

Aside from a TOS novel about Dr. McCoy's daughter, I'm not aware of any other references to Alpha Centauri in any Star Trek story.

The Alpha Centaurians are ancient Greeks that were settled by the Preservers on the eight planet. The UNSS Icarus made contact with them in 2048. The same book states Cochrane to be inhabitant of those Centauri.

quote:

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the Klingon homeworld, for example, was called Kling instead of Q'onos

---

But Kling is canon. It was the name of the homeworld during TNG's 1st season.

quote:

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Originally posted by Fitz:
But Kling is canon. It was the name of the homeworld during TNG's 1st season.

---

Shhhh! The gushers don't want to hear about canon!

Seriously, I can't help but think they've bypassed Alpha Centauri because TPTB have forgotten it altogether. Or perhaps they think we'll confuse it with Lost In Space.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fitz:
That's no error. Kling was the name of the homeworld during TNG's 1st season.

---

The reference to Kling was made by Korris in "Heart Of Glory" as an intended reference to the Klingon Howeworld early in TNG....but was subsequently changed into a more 'exotic' name by ST VI. The ST:Encyclopedia rationalizes this by asserting that the reference was either made to a prominent city or a district on the Klingon Homworld.

Other references to Qo'nos (Kronos) before TUC name include Picard's reference to the 'First City' in "Sin Of The Father".

[It's quite possible the 'First City' or some major capitol on Kronos is referred to as Kling OR that Korris was simply referring to Kronos in a non-native style reference, since Korris assumed that Worf was still unfamiliar with his Klingon background.]

----------------

And since you brought it up, here is a summary of their long lost ST history:

SPACEFLIGHT CHRONOLOGY

1957 Sputnik I launched
1961 Vostok I carries first man into space, Yuri Gagarin
1969 Apollo 11 lands first men on the Moon
1980 Space Shuttle begins flights
1982 Galileo probe leaves for Jupiter
Lunar Polar Orbiter studies Moon
1983 Hubble Space Telescope is orbited
Venus Atmospheric Balloon studies Venus
1985 Halley Comet Probe flyby with comet
1986 Asteroid Probes begin asteroid rendezvous missions
1988 Mars Sample Return Mission launched
1991 Saturn Dual Probe (Cassini) arrives at Saturn
1992 Space Shuttle completes its 12 years of service
1994 Manned mission to the Moon begin again
1996 DY-100 class ships enter service, and becomes the first manned ship to Mars
Eugenics Wars end
Khan Noonian Singh leave Earth in DY-100 sleeper ship
1998 Goddard Moonbase opens, the first large scale international space project
1999 Asteroid Belt Lander confirm asteroids have raw materials suitable for industry
2001 Mercury Rover sends back soil samples
2002 Construction begins on the first L-5 city
2003 United Space Initiative agreement signed, to focus and accelerate exploration of the Solar System
Lindbergh class Space Ferry (X-33 VentureStar) replaces Space Shuttle
2004 First major expansion of Goddard Moonbase
Farside Moonbase radio telescope operations begin
Mass Driver in use at Moon's Clavius mines
2005 First spacechild born at Goddard Moonbase
2006 Thomas Morrison, first person to die in space at Goddard Moonbase
2007 Tsiolkovskygrad, first L-5 city, opens with 250 in residence
2008 Aventeur class of fission ships enter service, first ships assembled in Earth orbit
2009 Second L-5 city opens
2010 First space census reveal 1500 people living off Earth
Solar Power Satellite system accounts for 40% of US energy use
2012 Marsbase One opens
2013 DY-300 prototype has serious flaws and nevers enters service
2014 Space Homesteading Act allows pioneers to acquire property in Solar System
First manned mission to Jupiter launched
2015 Marsbase Two opens
Stellar series launched, first interstellar probes
2017 U Thant Stellar probe finds large amounts of antimatter in interstellar void
2018 Marsbase Three begins studying Martian moon Phobos and Deimos for mining
First homesteaders leave for Asteroid Belt
2019 Temporary mining base established on Phobos
2020 First manned mission to Saturn reveals evidence of alien visitation
2021 Fossil lifeform remains discovered on Mars
2022 DY-500 ship UNSS Courageous cannot return home, 62 lives lost
2023 Fusion R&D funds increased for use in spaceship propulsion
2024 Venus Terraforming project receives approval
2025 Twelve probes sent into Jupiter's Red Spot
2026 Capital city of Asteroid Belt, Asteropolis, opens
2027 Terraforming of Venus begins
2028 Jupiter Base opens on Ganymede
2029 Project SETI succeeds with first extraterrestrial communications rec'd at Farside Moonbase 2C
2031 Second base opens on Ganymede
2032 Second generation of interstellar probes launched
2034 UN commissions United Nations Solar Fleet
Saturn Base opens on Titan
2035 Major setback with the loss of Advanced Fusion Prototype One, all lives lost
2037 Spacefarms, huge orbiting constructions, become new food supply for Earth
2038 Crew training begins for first interstellar missions
2039 Pluto Base opens
2040 Solar Spacelines begins first interplanetary commerical travel for tourists
2041 UNSS Adameve, first interstellar manned mission, leaves for Barnard's Star
2042 UNSS Icarus leaves for Alpha Centauri
2044 Interplanetary Communication Network established
2047 Venus Terraforming Project succeeds with opening of North Pole Base on Venus
2048 UNSS Icarus makes first contact with humanoid life at Alpha Centauri
Zefram Cochrane of Alpha Centauri presents warp drive theory to UNSS Icarus crew,
who transmit news to Earth
2051 Interplanetary super cargo carriers boost solar trade and industry
2052 First contact news and warp drive theory rec'd on Earth, Warp Drive Studies Program begin
2054 UNSS Icarus returns to Earth, UN mission dispatched to Alpha Centauri
2055 Warp Drive One prototype is first vessel to exceed the speed of light
2058 UNSS Bonaventure undergoes testing as Earth's first warp drive ship
2059 UNSS Bonaventure leaves on first mission to Tau Ceti
UN mission arrives at Alpha Centauri to establish formal relations
Advanced Pluto base opens
2060 Warp drive ship UNSS Powell leaves for Alpha Centauri
2061 UNSS Powell returns to Earth with Zefram Cochrane
Solar Spacelines offers tourist cruises to view Halley's Comet
2062 Fundamental Declaration of the Martian Colonies grant autonomy to inhabited solar system regions
2064 Rapid improvements in warp drive technology result in new Verne class ships
2065 Disabled Vulcan ship rescued by UN Solar Fleet, diplomatic relations established
2066 Earth's first warp drive ship, UNSS Bonaventure, lost on its third mission
2068 Pluto base reveals proof of pulsating universe
First Vulcan delegation is welcomed on Earth
2069 First contact with Andorians
2070 For next three years, 10 Space Arks with disenchanted families leave Earth, never to return
2071 Undeclared alliance of nearby star systems continue to expand diplomatic, cultural and commerical ties
2072 Tellarites claim Earth's Solar System. The incident is resolved peacefully and an ally is gained
2074 Warp Radio introduced
2077 Unofficial diplomatic meeting discusses possibility of alliance of Earth, Alpha Centauri, Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar
2078 Messier class ships enter service, the last entirely Earth built series.
2079 Rigel trading planets visited
2082 First call for a "United Federation" fails to win approval
2083 First Earth-alien crews begin working together
2087 United Federation of Planets incorporated at first Babel Conference.
Stardates adopted as Federation's principal interstellar time system
2088 Space census reveals Earth population at ten billion, with eight million residing in space
2089 Space war games disaster speeds up chartering of academy proposal to establish crew training standards
2091 Starfleet Academy opens with a class of 300
Bone setting laser perfected
2092 USS Muleskinner spacejacked by pirates (later to be identified as Romulans)
2093 Horizon class enters service, first UFP sponsored starship
2094 Outpost Delta VII destroyed by pirates (later to be identified as Romulans)
2095 Starbase program begins with opening of Starbase One
2097 USS Archon lost near Beta III system
2099 In worst "pirating" incident yet, transport Diana plundered and 500 passengers killed
2102 Federation tensions mount as outlying sectors fear "pirates" may not be merely renegades
2103 Seven Romulan ships destroy Starbase One. Not knowing the attackers identity, the Federation institutes Mobilization Alert
2104 Advanced laser weaponry, in development for eight years, is approved for use on Horizon class ships
2105 Marshall class destroyers rushed into service, to be prime defender of the Federation in the event of war
Sectors 1-4 and 7-10 go to Code 1 Alert Status
2106 Romulans ambush USS Patton near Rigel system, Romulan War begins
2107 Romulans destroy important Federation resource at Sector 5B Mining Complex
Sector 7 Wing Fleet is victorious over an entire Romulan armada
2108 Romulans kill 200,000 at Alpha Omega B in worst incident of the war
2109 Romulan War ends with decisive victory for Federation at Battle of Cheron
2113 UFP membership reaches 100
Starbase One rebuilt and towed to original location
2114 Prototype battlecruiser built for Romulan War fails Starfleet requirements and is put in storage
2115 Pyrimiis star system found to contain two inhabited planets in same orbit on collision course
2117 Top secret spy ship achieves fastest speed to date, warp 3.84
2118 Galactic Cultural Exchange begins
2120 Remains of galaxy's oldest civilization discovered on Planet 522-IV, 7.5 billion years old
2121 Starfleet Museum opens on Memory Alpha
2122 Subspace Radio introduced
2123 First interstellar liners, the Declaration class, begin service
2124 First evidence of extra-galactic life with discovery of alien probe in Sector 24
2125 UFP's major space development complex, Centauri Spaceworks, opens
2127 Largest nova in recorded history (Phi Puma star) observed by doomed research ship Kepler
2130 First violation of Prime Directive by Captain James Smithson
2135 Theory of molecular integration achieves major breakthrough with successful transmission of organic life
2136 Funding for new starships not approved, Marshall and Horizon class remain in service
2138 Interplanetary war near Neutral Zone escalates tensions between Federation and Romulan Empire
2141 Intelligent flying humanoids found on Alpha Virginis II in Sector 14C
2143 UFP planetary weather control turns unproductive worlds productive
2144 Stellarford class liners are most opulent passenger vessels yet
2147 Medical tricorder invented
2148 First new major starship in 43 years, Tritium class, features new three nacelle design that proves unworkable
2151 First contact with Klingon Empire
2152 Federation's largest propulsion and weaponry facility, the Arcturus Test Range, opens
2153 USS Valiant is lost near Vendikar system
2154 Mann class starship launched, first ships to surpass warp four
2155 Orpheus probe transmits data as it descends into a black hole
2157 Back-to-Earth movement proclaimed
2161 Billion ton superconvoys save trillions of credits and years of travel time
2162 Prototype military carrier is Starfleet's largest ship to date: 1,989,000 tons
2163 Back-to-Earth movement gains strength
2165 Largest spacelift in history, 10 million people of Bayard's Planet are evacuated before Phi Puma supernova of 2127 strikes
2166 Theta VII becomes 500th member of UFP
2167 Inhabited waterworld of Hydra II in Sector 16C is discovered
2168 Galactic Cultural Exchange Project celebrates 50 years
2169 CR-594 Construction Rig permits small fleets of ships to be built at one time
2170 Fastest ship to date enters service, the Baton Rouge class--first ship with transporters, last without dilithium
2171 Richard Daystrom introduces duotronics breakthrough in computer development
2172 Disapproval with UFP inner workings cause members to question present structure
2174 Transporter becomes reality as first experiment using human subject is successful
2175 Continued discord with UFP policy cripples economic strength
2476 Rigel XII Mining Complex discovers dilithium properties
2177 Resolution to dissolve the Federation is introduced at Babel conference. Crisis is averted
2179 R&D for Subspace Radio results in warp 20 transmission velocity
2182 Construction begins on Constitution class starships
2183 Daystrom's M-1 computer prototype fails to perform as expected
2184 Largest space rescue recovers 600 passengers from starliner Juliana
2186 Dilithium crystals are integrated into new generation of warp engines
2188 Constitution class starships enter service
2190 USS Wells travels through time and returns from three years mission in 33 days
2193 Debris from USS Ajax found in the form of a comet
2195 Starbase 25 opens in this 100th year of starbase operations
2198 New weapon system undergoes testing: phasers
2199 Extra-galactic probe design completed based on "superwarp" (transwarp) theory
2207 USS Enterprise begins a five year mission under Captain James T. Kirk

quote:

---

The ST:Encyclopedia rationalizes this by asserting that the reference was either made to a prominent city or a district on the Klingon Homworld.

---

Go figure.

I guess we're just living in one huge continuity error, huh?  Damn B&B to Hell!  They're in league with Lucifer (or Satan, or Beelzebub, or Mephistopheles, or the Devil, or... well, I guess depends on who you're talking to, huh?), I tells ya!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fitz:
That doesn't explain why a planet on the map in "Conspiracy" was labeled with "Kling".

---

The assumption in the Encyclopedia remains only conjecture, of course, but likely doesn't take into account the reference on the Galactic Map.

If this is the case, then the reference to Kling (as previously stated) might have been a 'Terran' equivalent made by Korris which is also documented in Federation maps and references. [But it remains curious however that references to 'Kronos' were still made in the 23rd century by the UFP president and Valeris.]

We might also entertain the possibility that Kling itself is the reference to the Klingon star system, rather than the planet itself.

----------------

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fitz:
That doesn't explain why a planet on the map in "Conspiracy" was labeled with "Kling".

---

For the same reason that Earth is called "Earth", "Terra" or "Sol III"- a planet can have more than one name, just like a country can (The United States" or simply "America".)

Besides most people agree that "Kling" sounds silly.

If the planet were called "Kling" it would problably then be more proper to call the race "Klingers" instead of Klingons. And despite what Riker said in "Liasons", Worf would look awfull in a dress.

Kling, Klingon, The Klingon Homeworld, Qo'nos, Kronos, etc...

Just like Vulcan, Vulcanis, Vulcania, etc...
Just like Earth, Terra, Sol III, etc...
Just like Andor, Andoria, etc...
Just like Talax, Talaxia, etc...

Need I go on?

This ain't nothin' new, folks!

quote:

---

Originally posted by bolian12:
Seeing Alpha Centauri would be great. The inhabitants would be called the Centauri, they would be almost identical to humans except they would have hair crests like peacocks. Their name for their homeworld would be Centayri Prime and their government would be called the Centauri Republic.

---

What's wrong with AC being uninhabited? We've never seen anything to suggest that any race other than humans live there, and I think it would jive well with that line in "Terra Nova" or whatever ep it was about there not being an inhabited planet within xLY from Earth, or whatever it said.

Why does AC have to be inhabited by an intelligent species? (Besides Earth colonists.)

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim:
So...um...

What's wrong with AC being uninhabited? We've never seen anything to suggest that any race other than humans live there, and I think it would jive well with that line in "Terra Nova" or whatever ep it was about there not being an inhabited planet within xLY from Earth, or whatever it said.

Why does AC have to be inhabited by an intelligent species? (Besides Earth colonists.)

-MMoM

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by MajorBarcalow:
Maybe because it's already been established in Trek that the Alpha Cenariens are a humanoid race already indigenous to Alpha Centauri? Zefran Cochran is an Alpha Cenataurean.

---

Erm...no.

No such thing has ever been established.

Cochrane was a HUMAN, dude. Have you not even seen Star Trek: First Contact? He just moved to AC after he invented Warp Drive. (For humans, of course.)

This is what people have been trying so hard to explain to you, Major. All that stuff you seem to think has been 'established', HASN'T. That stuff from the sourcebooks and FASA and Worlds of the Federation is all non-canon. In other words, it doesn't count. (At least not in the official view of the ST universe.) The only stuff that is canon (the only stuff that counts) are the shows themselves, and the Okuda and Sternbach reference books. Anything else is disregardable in the sense that it may be discounted by TPTB at any time. It is not kept track of, nor is it consulted or adhered to as the shows continue. The majority of it has no validity.

Do you understand? Nothing in any onscreen Trek (TOS or otherwise) confirms what you have said, and in fact, some stuff has CONTRADICTED IT, as I've said.

Get it?

-MMoM

quote:

---

Originally posted by MajorBarcalow:
Maybe because it's already been established in Trek that the Alpha Cenariens are a humanoid race already indigenous to Alpha Centauri? Zefran Cochran is an Alpha Cenataurean.

---

All that was established was that Cochrane was "from" there. They never said how he got there. Since FC shows that he's an Earthman/human/Terran I suspect he moved there from Earth. Much in the same way I moved from Texas to California and went from being a Texan to being a Californian.

Mike

quote:

---

Originally posted by MajorBarcalow:
Then all those races met each other and fought as they explored outer space and tried to colonize the sam planets. .

---

Interesting, I've never heard of these "Sam Planets." That sounds like a great idea for an episode of "Enterprise." All of the races would fight for control of the Sam System.

BTW: Why the gre'thor would they all develope warp simultaneously?

quote:

---

Originally posted by MajorBarcalow:
The Alpha Centauri are almost looking like humans. They look like us outside, but inside, their internal organs are different.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by MajorBarcalow:
It WAS established that Zefran Cochran was an Alpha BEFORE First Contact came along and ruined the continuity.

---

Cite your source, please?

I am disappointed that Trek has basically ignored Alpha Centauri, unless it has been established that the system was intially uninhabited, only to be later colonized by Earth. But it would seem that there are no native Centauri races.

Kirk says,
"Zefram Cochrane? Of Alpha Centauri?"

THAT'S canon!!

Now you tell me me, how the hell do you interpret that?? Which is the more likely conclusion after hearing that line:
1) Zefram Cochrane is from Alpha Centauri
-or-
2) Zefram Cochrane is a colonist who ended up on Alpha Centauri

How about "Charles DeGaulle? Of France?"
"Abe Lincoln? Of America"
"Papa Doc? Of Haiti?"

Really, what's the most likely conclusion with Kirk's line??
ZC is FROM AC!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by SchwEnt:
Kirk says,
"Zefram Cochrane? Of Alpha Centauri?"

THAT'S canon!!

Now you tell me me, how the hell do you interpret that?? Which is the more likely conclusion after hearing that line:
1) Zefram Cochrane is from Alpha Centauri
-or-
2) Zefram Cochrane is a colonist who ended up on Alpha Centauri

How about "Charles DeGaulle? Of France?"
"Abe Lincoln? Of America"
"Papa Doc? Of Haiti?"

---

I could interpret the line either way. Ever hear of Lawrence of Arabia? T.E.Lawrence wasn't born in Arabia, he became famous there in later life.

Lincoln, DeGaulle, and Papa Doc are famous for RULING the countries you mention, and would be associated with those countries even if they'd been born elsewhere. If someone says he's Abe Lincoln, the response would be "PRESIDENT Abe Lincoln?" or "Abe Lincoln as in Gettyburg Address?", references to his fame, rather than "Abe Lincoln of Kentucky?", a reference to his birthplace.

quote:

---

Originally posted by trowa0300:
Napoleon is often considered French when he is really ethnically Italian. He was born in Corsica!

---

Corsica, French Island in the Mediterranean.
1300 to Genova, 1768 to France

Napoléon Bonaparte (Napoleone Buonaparte) *Ajacciao (Corsica) Aug 15, 1769

Technically he was French (and involved in globalisation)

But back to topic, has someone read the book Federation? Cochrane is depicted as being an Earth citizen that moved to Alpha Centauri.

quote:

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Originally posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim:
This is what people have been trying so hard to explain to you, Major. All that stuff you seem to think has been 'established', HASN'T. That stuff from the sourcebooks and FASA and Worlds of the Federation is all non-canon. In other words, it doesn't count. (At least not in the official view of the ST universe.) The only stuff that is canon (the only stuff that counts) are the shows themselves, and the Okuda and Sternbach reference books.

---

Actually, unless they're directly citing something already stated on filnm someplace, not even the Okuda and Sternbach books count. They're speculating, too. They've done a lot of very good speculation, but also some not-so-good speculation, not tomention the conjectures they've made that TPTB have contradicted on film, anyway.

It happens. Nature o' the beast.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bulldog19:
But I'd still like to see Cochrane as a native Centauri!

---

Well, it ain't gonna happen, buddy. He was a human. That was concretely established in the movie. Unless of course he was really an alien who landed on Earth as a child and was adopted by Terrans and grew up never knowing the truth...

...Oh wait, wrong series. I was thinking of Smallville!

-MMoM

quote:

---

Originally posted by SchwEnt:
2151 First contact with Klingon Empire

---

Now that is funny.