Drennik, a Vissian male.
Vissian script.
The Vissians are a highly advanced (by human standards in the 2150s) humanoid species native to the planet Vissia in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant.
Physiology
Vissians are distinguishable by crescent-shaped, segmented ridges circling the eye at the temple. Unusually the Vissians had three genders: the third gender, the cogenitors, made up only 3% of the population and were treated as inferior, existing only for facilitating reproduction between males and females.
History and Technology
The Vissians claimed to have developed warp drive more than a millennium before Earth. In the 2150s, vissian spacetravel utilized superior warpcore and sensory technology compared with humans along with photonic weapons, rechargeable with sarium microcells. At least one ship type was capable of withstanding temperatures higher than 1100 degrees to withstand exploration within a stellar corona. Their stratopods were able to pass through the hydrogen layer of a hypergiant. The Vissians offered to modify the Enterprise (NX-01) sensors to detect nucleosynthesis.
- Vissian stratopod
- Vissian science vessel
Culture and Philosophy
A standard Vissian meal.
Vissian appreciation of food is based on aroma rather than taste. Of Human foods tried, they tend to like varieties of cheese.
Vissians tended not to travel far, believing that there was sufficient to explore close to their homeworld: their primary goal was to meet new species. They were willing to share their technology with the Enterprise. (ENT: "Cogenitor")
People
Unnamed Vissians
Vissian engineer
The Vissian engineer was married to Calla. The two ultimately decided they would have a baby, and after a long wait, they were finally given a cogenitor with which to breed with.
In 2153, the Vissian engineer was among the members of the delegation which were welcomed aboard Enterprise as a part of a cultural exchange. As part of the exchange, he gave Commander Tucker, the chief engineer of the Enterprise, a tour of the Vissians' engine room, but Tucker was particularly curious about the engineer's cogenitor.
When Tucker lied about his position aboard the Vissian ship in order to teach their cogenitor how to read and think for itself, the Vissian engineer refused to allow Tucker back aboard the Vissians' ship. The issue was further complicated when the cogenitor requested sanctuary aboard Enterprise. The Vissian engineer and his wife demanded that the cogenitor be returned, believing that the Enterprise crew did not respect their culture. Their demands were ultimately met, but the cogenitor commited suicide soon after the Vissians left Enterprise, eliminating the Vissian couples' chances of having a child in the near future. (ENT: "Cogenitor")