The Elysian Ruling Council was the governing body of Elysia, an alternate universe in the Delta Triangle inhabited by representatives of 123 races, the existence of which dated back more than a thousand years as of 2269. At that time, its spokesman was Xerius, a Romulan, and its Interpreter of Laws was Devna, an Orion. Other members included a Klingon, a Kzin, an Andorian, an insectoid, a Phylosian, an amphibian, a Vulcan, a Tellarite, a Human, and a Gorn. Each of its members was centuries old, but appeared younger due to time passing more slowly within Elysia than outside of it.
The Ruling Council's prime concern was enforcing peace among the diverse inhabitants of Elysia, many of whose species had been in conflict with one another before they became trapped there. To this end, the Council strictly forbade violence of any kind, neutralizing the effect of weapons and imposing severe penalties upon those who would break the peace, including the complete immobilization of an offender's vessel for up to a century. Such measures were enabled by individuals gifted with psionic powers, such as Magen.
When the USS Enterprise and the IKS Klothos were drawn into Elysia in 2269, Captain James T. Kirk and Commander Kor were brought before the Ruling Council, and were told of the laws and rules governing the civilization. The Council strongly advised against their joint attempt to return home by means of combining the two ships into one, but declined to interfere with their efforts until Kaz, one of Kor's crew, started a fight and attempted to kill Dr. Leonard McCoy. As punishment, Xerius proposed that the Klothos and her crew be frozen for a century, but relented at Kirk's behest. As the Klothos and Enterprise made their escape from Elysia, the Council acted to warn the Enterprise crew of an explosive device that had been planted aboard the ship by Kali under Kor's orders. (TAS: "The Time Trap")
Members of the Elysian Council[]
Named[]
Unnamed[]
- See: Elysia inhabitants
Background information[]
It was not made entirely clear whether Magen was a member of the Council proper, as she never appears in scenes where the whole Council is assembled together. She does, however, sit in a councilor's chair in scenes where only Devna and Xerius are present.
Similarly, it was not made clear if there were additional unseen members of the Council. Devna tells Kirk and Kor that they stand before the Ruling Council, and then goes on to say that "Elysia is comprised of representatives of 123 races. Our existence dates back over a thousand years." It is unclear whether either or both of these statements apply specifically to the Council itself or merely to Elysia in general.
The 1976 edition of Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance interprets that the Council has indeed existed for more than a millennium, and that the episode shows only a small selection of its members.
The identifications of three of the councilors as a Kzin, an insect, and an amphibian, are derived from the final draft of the script, dated 19 October 1973, and from its associated storyboards. [1]
The first draft of the script, dated 26 August 1973, includes a number of other previously-seen species as part of the Council, such as Zeon, Ekosan [sic], and M-113.