Star Trek: Vulcan Read online

  Calling All Kal-toh Players!

  Forget three-dimensional chess, poker, or even Fizzbin! True gamesters know that a greater challenge comes from channeling one’s intellect toward finding the seeds of order in the midst of profound chaos. No other game offers such a formidable trial as kal-toh, the ancient Vulcan game of strategy. For millennia, kal-toh has challenged the planet’s foremost minds, and each year the Vulcan Science Academy’s annual interplanetary kal-toh tournament attracts players from numerous worlds, each of them seeking to pit themselves against the game and one another. Though the tournament is open to competitors of all skill levels, only the most accomplished players will advance to the championship round, where the final game can last for days. Do you have what it takes to win it all? Contact the tournament’s liaison office on the academy campus for more information.

  Multicultural Mercantile District

  Initially a small collection of restaurants and shops intended to cater to non-indigenous embassy employees and the Starfleet personnel stationed here, the Multicultural Mercantile District has expanded and evolved to become a hub of dining and entertainment for locals, transplants, and tourists alike. It’s here that you’ll discover a wondrous assortment of local fashion items and cuisine, as well as all manner of handcrafted art and gifts. For example, Dr’thelek silk, which cannot be synthesized via replicators and is renowned for its resilience and spectrum of brilliant colors, is a prized material used in the creation of Vulcan clothing. The material is not exported; the only way to obtain dr’thelek silk is to buy it on Vulcan. Similarly, Vulcan’s volcanic rock harbors an unmatched beauty that is channeled into the creation of sculptures and other gifts that you’ll find nowhere else. As for entertainment, don’t let Vulcans fool you with their stoic nature. Like everything else, they approach the performing arts with a drive for perfection. This has produced some of the most complex and beguiling musical pieces you’re likely to experience. There is no shortage of live performances in the city, delivered by Vulcan’s legions of artists, authors, and poets. Additionally, ShiKahr’s diverse population has seen generations of non-Vulcans born and raised here contribute to a marvelous variety of performing arts, from live music to stage and dance shows to holographic cinema. You’ll also find that competitive sports and gaming are popular in ShiKahr, and everything from kal-toh to three-dimensional chess to Texas Hold’em poker has at least one tournament held here each year.

  DON’T MISS: ShiKahraoke

  Like nothing else on the planet, the ShiKahraoke club is one of the Multicultural Mercantile District’s most popular magnets for tourists who want to stretch their vocal chords while enjoying a night on the town. Though the club originally catered exclusively to outworlder residents and visitors, don’t be surprised to see locals trying their hand at singing timeless classics and current hits. Nothing compares to hearing a Vulcan sing a twentieth-century Earth hit, like “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” ShiKahraoke’s musical selection is unparalleled, and you may find yourself sharing the stage with T’pril or one of the many other professional recording artists who like to surprise weekend audiences with their own bit of impromptu entertainment.

  Subspace

  While Vulcan music and performance art tend to be rather reserved, ShiKahr’s multicultural allure has seen the planet’s nightlife scene grow in recent years to rival that of Earth or Risa. Designed like a concert hall, Subspace’s interior reflects its status as one of the planet’s hottest modern dance destinations. There is no one musical focus, with the owners welcoming live bands and playing recorded classic and contemporary offerings from around the planet and beyond. That said, if you’re not a fan of eccentric musical styles like Sinnravian drad, you’ll want to pass on the Battle of the Bands live competitions held every Thursday night.

  ShiKahr Interplanetary Arts Festival

  Thousands of visitors descend upon this weeklong gala that showcases the works of local and new artisans of every stripe. Music, live theater, literature, and crafts are just some of what you’ll find as you walk the festival grounds. Many artists debut their latest works here, including one of the planet’s most revered players of the Vulcan lute, S’tana. Much like the harp from Earth, this musical instrument takes years of practice to master, and S’tana has been regaling audiences for decades with his singular blend of traditional and contemporary musical flair. Though he eschews publicity while living alone in the L-langon Mountains, S’tana emerges from seclusion each year for the festival, to the delight of devoted fans.

  DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

  * * *

  Offering a smorgasbord of local and off-world cuisine, ShiKahr caters to the strict vegetarian diet observed by most Vulcans while providing no shortage of options for tourists and permanent outworlder residents, as well as Starfleet and civilian diplomatic personnel stationed on the planet. Finding something to eat or just a place for a relaxing drink is easy anywhere in the city, but the broadest selection of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs is located in the vibrant Multicultural Mercantile District. No matter your taste in dining or after-hours pursuits, the district is the destination of choice for many tourists when visiting ShiKahr.

  T’vela Sochya

  More than a dozen vendors from around the planet come together at T’vela Sochya to create a zesty blend of culinary delights showcasing the very best of local cuisine. Adronn feltara, m’lu, and farr-kahli are among the most popular dishes, in keeping with the Vulcan custom of adhering to a strict vegetarian diet. Pick your favorite or enjoy samples from each of the world-class chefs on hand to dazzle you with their unmatched talents.

  Edrann

  You could order something else, but locals as well as outworlders come here for the signature kahri-torrafeiaca, a fusion of Vulcan, Rigellian, and Earth vegetables. Yes, it’s delicious. Edrann doesn’t accept reservations, so expect to wait on weekends.

  DON’T MISS:

  THELIN’S CROSS-TEMPORAL TAVERN

  Official records list the proprietor of this popular district bar as an Andorian expatriate, but ask any of the regular patrons, and they’ll tell you a different story. Local folklore holds that Thelin came to Vulcan via a doorway through time. In business for decades, though no one seems to know when the owner arrived, Thelin’s bar is a favorite watering hole for Starfleet personnel. The walls are covered with all manner of memorabilia and keepsakes left behind by Starfleet officers dating back two centuries. Tourists often pack the bar on weekends, but locals tend to avoid it in favor of more conservative environs. Don’t leave without trying a mug of Thelin’s own signature microbrew, “Yesteryear.”

  Quark’s Bar, Grill, Gaming House, and Holosuite Arcade

  What began as a single-proprietor club on a Cardassian space station decades ago has in recent years become a full-blown franchise, with locations on more than eighty different planets. There are a number of Quark’s restaurants in Vulcan’s larger population centers, each offering similar menu selections as well as casino gaming and holosuites. Individual outlets offer merchandise and souvenirs exclusive to that location, but word to the wise: Don’t try to steal the menus. Replicas are available at the gift shop.

  LODGING

  * * *

  Hotels are abundant throughout the city, though those looking to escape Vulcan’s intemperate climate are best served by one of the Multicultural Mercantile District’s numerous hotels designed with all manner of outworlder species in mind. Several of the establishments mimic Vulcan architecture, as seen in numerous ancient shrines and other structures of cultural significance, and offer a genuine traditional flair. There are also a few all-inclusive resorts, some of which feature casinos catering to tourists who want to mix a bit of local atmosphere with some familiar creature comforts.

  Firr’creeta ShiKahr

  Located downtown and a stone’s throw from the city’s best dining and shopping areas, this luxurious hotel features a long list of amenities. Its circular design encloses a trio of natural hot
springs of the sort Vulcans have long incorporated into holistic healing practices and used as a way to relax the body and mind before meditation. Water travels via underground channels from Vulcan’s Fire Plains to feed the hotel’s four pools. The therapeutic waters also supply the hotel’s award-winning spa. The hotel’s service is first-rate from the top down, routinely placing the Firr’creeta on numerous “best of” lists. Regional and outworlder cuisine are in ample supply at the hotel’s main restaurant, while satellite cafes, coffee shops, and a wine bar offer their own menus and libations.

  ShiKahr Pinnacle Downtown Hotel

  Located less than a kilometer from Embassy Row, this hotel is popular with visiting VIPs and other diplomatic personnel. Its prime location also makes it a convenient home base for tourists wishing to spend an extended stay in the city. The building straddles the Sirakal Canal, allowing visitors access to the hotel via one of the numerous computer-guided gondolas that traverse the waterway snaking around and through the city. Keep your eyes out for o’ktath, gentle dolphin-like mammals, that travel the canal in schools and will swim up to your gondola looking for attention. Though the species was hunted to extinction more than a thousand years ago, modern genetic engineering has allowed o’ktath to be reintroduced in limited numbers via cloning. Their diet is strictly regulated by veterinarians from the Vulcan Science Academy, so please do not feed the o’ktath!

  Lucky Latinum Lagoon Resort

  This little slice of Ferenginar is located on the city’s outskirts, with the entire resort contained within its own climate-controlled habitation dome. While the resort caters to Ferengi working or visiting their embassy, all species are welcome. Guests can expect to be treated like the Grand Nagus himself for the duration of their stay. The hotel’s central attraction is its three-story casino featuring the latest table and interactive computer games of chance. Dom-jot, dabo, and poker tournaments are frequent events, attracting players from numerous worlds.

  LAKE YURON

  * * *

  MAP OF LAKE YURON

  GETTING AROUND

  SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES

  Beach Volleyball

  Celjok Shrine

  Eridani Beach

  Golf

  Hiking

  Petrified A’kweth Dung

  P’Tranek Monastery

  Scuba Diving

  SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

  Asuvuh Fashion Mall

  P’dralek’s Last Chance Bazaar

  DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

  Antimatter

  Derelict Ship Dive Shop and Diner

  Okona’s Outrageous Emporium

  LODGING

  Alwa’laha Inn

  Esh-fam

  The Fountains of Lamneth

  The Slumbering Sehlat

  DEALING WITH AN UNEXPECTED OR UNWANTED KATRA

  LOCATED WITHIN THE PROVINCIAL LIMITS OF SHIKAHR, the Lake Yuron region has evolved into one of Vulcan’s most popular vacation destinations. Once a small settlement dedicated to agriculture and holistic medicine, this once quiet community’s beautiful beaches and resorts have made it a target for tourists from throughout the Alpha Quadrant. Tranquil daytime pursuits are balanced against a high-energy nightlife, which makes Lake Yuron a favored getaway locale for university students and Starfleet Academy cadets, especially during the annual uzhaya wak-krus, or “season of renewal,” which is roughly equivalent to “spring break” on Earth, though far less outlandish. Members of other species who call Vulcan home are also attracted to the lake and the small yet energetic city that has grown up around it, but don’t be surprised to see a number of locals enjoying the lively atmosphere.

  One of the few sizable bodies of water on Vulcan, Lake Yuron spans an area of more than eighty thousand square kilometers and is fed by an expansive system of underground rivers. Most of the region’s major villages and other settlements occupy the area along the lake’s southern edge, though there are several smaller settlements and monasteries scattered along the shore and in the neighboring foothills. The region plays host to several festivals and other events throughout the year, so plan your trip accordingly, as resorts and hotels fill up quickly.

  GETTING AROUND

  * * *

  Once you arrive via air or ground transportation, the fastest and most enjoyable way to get anywhere on or near the lake is by boat. Ferries run around the clock on regular schedules to a dozen major hubs and minor harbors. Private transportation with optional chauffeurs is also available. Among the most popular boats are those guided by scholars from the nearby P’Tranek Monastery. Despite the availability of transporters, the lake still supports an extensive shipping industry, which serves several of the smaller settlements and monasteries where the use of modern technology is restricted or sometimes prohibited.

  Trails and paths connect most of the southern boundary’s major points of interest, as the region’s original layout was designed to accommodate walking and other self-propelled personal conveyances. This sensibility has remained a priority even as the region continues to expand and evolve to welcome an ever-growing tourist clientele.

  LAKE YURON: CONSISTENT INCONSISTENCY

  * * *

  (First published in the 2379 Edition)

  Though I am only half-Vulcan and was not born here, I remain linked to this world. Perhaps it is my mixed lineage that is responsible, but I have never felt comfortable in any of the larger cities. Instead, I have always been drawn to the smaller settlements and villages far away from the major population centers, with one exception: Lake Yuron, which I have called my home on Vulcan for my entire adult life.

  I continue to be fascinated by the inherent contradiction that is the lake and its surrounding regions. Large inland bodies of water are rare on Vulcan, of course, so it makes sense that the lake would attract natives as well as outworlders. One would think this mixture of cultures would provoke all manner of disputes, but, like the residents of ShiKahr and other metropolitan areas, the people of the lake region have found their own sense of community. This does not preclude a healthy dose of otherworldly diversity and the unpredictability that accompanies such variety, which for me is the lake region’s greatest appeal.

  —Captain Saavik

  SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES

  * * *

  One thing that surprises many visitors to Lake Yuron is the number of businesses operated by Vulcans. It may seem very much at odds with their lifestyle for the locals to be supporting the vast number of frivolous pursuits found here, but many of the region’s best restaurants, popular bars, and hottest nightspots are run by locals.

  Beach Volleyball

  Variations of this sport exist on numerous worlds, though it is most popular on Earth, Pacifica, and Risa. Like the courts on other planets in the tour circuit, Vulcan courts are designed so that each half accommodates the natural gravity and atmospheric requirements of individual players. A force field serves as the net at center court, and the ball is equipped with gravity sensors that alter its mass as it passes back and forth across the net. In recent years and with the resurgence of the Interstellar Association of Volleyball Professionals, the Eridani Beach Open has become one of the most exciting stops on the beach volleyball tour. The beach perennially ranks among the top five locations for tournament play, beating out such venues as Risa, Argelius, and Nimbus III. And don’t underestimate the locals: Vulcans are some of the best players on the tour and, as with anything else, they play sports with cool, logical precision, combining superior athleticism with unerring strategy. If you’re lucky enough to be here when a tournament’s in town, don’t miss out. It’ll be love at first spike.

  Celjok Shrine

  Vulcan historians cannot say with any certainty how long the ruins of this once magnificent structure have stood on the lake’s southeastern shore. Myths and legends describe a shrine serving as a sanctuary thousands of years ago for clerics and other religious leaders fleeing the tyrannical rule of ancient Vulcan warlords. What remains of the structure h
as been deemed a protected historical site, overseen by the Vulcan Science Academy as archaeologists continue to study the ruins and other excavated artifacts.

  Eridani Beach

  The largest and most popular of the three beach areas at Lake Yuron, Eridani’s fine pearl-white sand stretches nearly 5 kilometers around the lake’s southeastern edge. The ruins of the ancient T’rinsha temple mark the beach’s western boundary. Dating back more than one thousand years, the temple once served as a haven for a long-extinct religious sect, the Krah’jehl, whose members worshipped Vulcan’s sun, 40 Eridani A. The ruins are accessible to visitors during daylight hours, and several regional companies offer guided tours. Sandcastle Cove, the beach’s primary gathering spot, attracts heavy traffic from boats that drop anchor at the inlet’s outer boundary. During the height of tourist season, it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of boats floating offshore. Come ready to enjoy full days of sun and fun before darkness falls and the party really starts.

  Golf

  Yes, Vulcans like kal-toh, but they also enjoy a rousing game of golf, perhaps owing to the game’s deliberate strategy and the skill required to navigate some of the planet’s more difficult and even treacherous courses. It’s a mystery to us, too, but Vulcan is home to many of the finest players in the quadrant. Le-matya Flats is designed with an unrivaled aesthetic beauty and is also one of the most intimidating courses on the professional circuit. Dense forests and rolling dunes conspire with water and lava hazards to create a series of increasingly daunting blind shots that can challenge even the most experienced players. Outworlders from lighter gravity worlds may require a brief period to acclimate to the game as played on Vulcan, though anti-grav clubs and balls are available to help overcome this obstacle.