Timshel was a planet located in Federation space within the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants. It was a popular shore leave destination and site of a Federation colony.
Specifics[]
Timshel orbited 0.97 AUs (145,000,000 kilometers) from a G2 type star. It appeared blue and white from orbit, with five green and brown colored continents and polar ice caps, as well as many island groups. Terrain included snow-capped mountains, plains, rivers, and streams. Timshel was slightly warmer than Earth, with less seasonal variation, a slightly lower gravity and an atmosphere with a slightly richer oxygen content. A pleasant aroma pervaded the air.
A diverse range of animal life lived in its oceans, ranging from minnow-like fish to large diaphanous globes to armored fish.
History[]
Colonized in the early 22nd century by 2,000 rationalist Deist settlers led by Praxiteles Timshel, settlements had a few crops but mostly focused on art and creativity. Following a loss of 500 colonists, settlers used genetic engineering to create a virus that not only defended against infection but enhanced resistance capability. The population had increased to one million by the early 23rd century, when citizens volunteered to limit reproduction to two children, stabilizing the colony's growth.
By the 2260s, the world was known for its coffee. Its total population remained less than 1 million, with 100,000 residing in Timshel City. Communications satellites were spread over populated equatorial regions. Probes were sent to asteroids, moons and gas giants in Timshel's system.
In the 2250s and early 2260s, James T. Kirk spent three months on Timshel, having visited twice for shore leave, when he befriended Kemal Marouk.
Not long after Kirk's visit, philosopher Emanuel De Kreef denounced the pleasantness of life on Timshel, suggesting that humanity required a more Puritan work ethic. With the help of Marouk, he engineered an AI Joy Machine that led to the De Kreef Revolution, which instituted a system of work rewarded with remote transmissions of joyful feelings. Museums, theaters, libraries, universities and laboratories were converted into places where people could toil at mindless tasks. The machine took care of planetary responsibilities such as communications, transport, sewage, and water purification.
The Machine's control over society became pervasive, and in 2265, Timshel imposed a self-quarantine.
In 2266, Federation agent Stallone Wolff visited and never returned. Nine months later, agent Danielle Du Molin visited, but contact was lost a day later.
Three months afterward, the USS Enterprise visited surreptitiously in 2267 to investigate and rescue the agents if possible. Kirk visited and contacted his friend Marouk, but Kirk, Spock, Leonard McCoy and Nyota Uhura were subjected to the Machine. Eventually, Kirk was able to return free will to the citizens by convincing the Joy Machine that happiness was fleeting. (TOS novel: The Joy Machine)
Notable residents[]
- Miriam Achebe
- Sam Chang
- Emanuel De Kreef
- Danielle Du Molin
- Frank
- Linda Jimenez
- Arne Johannsen
- Lintzman
- Kemal Marouk
- Mareen Marouk
- Noelle Marouk
- Tandy Marouk
- Paco
- Jawaharlal Srinivasan
- Praxiteles Timshel
- Stallone Wolff
- Gregor Zworykin
Landmarks[]
- Timshel City
- World Government Center
- Museum of Humanity
- All-Faiths Chapel
- Wampus research camp
Lifeforms[]
- wampus