Jenquai Explorer Faction: The Sha'ha'dem

June 24, 2002

Sha'ha'dem Leader: Merjan Kathrada Official Capital for the Sha'ha'dem: Planet Kailaasa (Capella Sector)

"Eddies of soft yellow, the fury of bright red, splinters of crisp white. All colors of the spectrum join as one in darkness. Without one there can be no other."
-From the Essence of Jupiter: Poise and Prose, Author Unknown

Human beings have an innate need to seek out the unknown and find answers to the unanswerable. Jenquai Explorers, known as the Sha'ha'dem, take this characteristic human trait to the apex of philosophical idealism and acute awareness. Ancestors of the Jenquai were people from Earth, selected to participate in the first manned space mission to travel beyond Mars. Jenquai do not often discuss their terrestrial origins, but if it were not for their ancestors' explorations into the deep recesses of space, the Jenquai would not exist today.

The roots of the Sha'ha'dem philosophy come from Dr. Elias ben Joseph, philosopher-physicist and commander of the Ganymede Project Starship, the Jin-Qui Maru. It was during this expedition that ben Joseph wrote the Four Inspirations, which became the basis for Jenquai society. Arriving at Jupiter after a five-year transit, Ben Joseph and his colonists struggled to build a makeshift base and home, but ben Joseph himself dreamed of something greater. He envisioned an orbital metropolis, populated by those who embraced life amongst the stars. Ben Joseph's vision would find form, but not in his lifetime. Shortly after the death of the great Jenquai patriarch, construction began on the orbital Jove City, which would serve as a capital for the increasingly independent-minded colonists. By 2149, the descendants of the original Jin-Qui Maru colonists had taken to calling themselves the "Jenquai Autonomous Region." Eleven years later, following the War of Secession, they became the Jenquai Hierate. Those scientist-mystics who adhered to the teachings of Elias ben Joseph, and named themselves Sha'ha'dem, took their place as leaders of a fiercely independent people.

The Jenquai strive to maintain their autonomy to this day. Jenquai are the most reclusive people of all the races and also the most xenophobic (fearful of others not of their race and background). Some sects within the Sha'ha'dem take this concept to the extreme. One such extremist group, the Mordana, believe the 'Cultural Experiment' known as the Jenquai must keep completely isolated from all other races. More moderate Jenquai understand the necessity for relying on others at times, but keeping their distance when possible.

The Sha'ha'dem live in a world of technology, mysticism and balance through knowledge and exploration. Their beliefs are based on centuries-old Eastern Philosophy. At the time of the Jin-Qui Maru's departure from Earth, a great cultural divide - a cultural Cold War - had arisen between the two great terrestrial powers, the East Asian Alliance and the North American Bloc. Reacting against the pervasive influence of North American culture, the East Asian Alliance attempted to reclaim the history and traditions of Eastern civilization, to modernize and export them, and to end the dominance of Western culture. The Ganymede Project was founded as a joint venture between the Stanford and Beijing Universities, so it was heavily influenced by the Asian resurgence. Most of its members were steeped in the ideas of a new and vibrant Eastern philosophy. Thus, although the Terrans eventually came to reconcile and unite the cultures of East and West, Jenquai ideology has evolved from a traditional Eastern view of the universe.

For the Sha'ha'dem, discovery is the beginning to finding the answers, but understanding takes eons. A philosophical mix of the mystical and the scientific is reflected in everything they do and it is especially evident in Jenquai technology. Even their technological advancements are elusive in nature. Skills such as cloaking and folding space are methods to move long distances quickly and unnoticed. The Sha'ha'dem's heightened sense of awareness - some call this psionics - stems from both technological advancements and philosophical undertakings. The Jenquai were the first to develop warp technology, but they claim that the Terrans stole the technology from them. The Sha'ha'dem were also the first to discover an Ancient Gate and to pass through it to the unknown space beyond.

Merjan Kathrada
The current leader of the Sha'ha'dem is Merjan Kathrada. Merjan was born in Jove City in 2258 and, at nearly 100 years of age, maintains an extremely active political and social lifestyle, thanks in part to Jenquai anti-aging technologies. Early in her career Merjan was part of the Jenquai Expeditionary Force under Varen Aragotha, serving on the first Jenquai ship to pass through an Ancient Gate into what is now known as the Aragoth system. Later she led the expedition responsible for finding the first Ancient Codex. Merjan also oversaw the research and investigations into the nature of the Ancient Codex, eventually leading to the knowledge of Gate technology. Kathrada was selected to lead the Jenquarum as the First Emissary of the Jenquai, head of the Jenquai Hierate.

The sociopolitical tensions in the galaxy have only encouraged the Sha'ha'dem's reclusive tendencies. Although some members are more accepting and open, others are secretive even amongst members of their faction. This makes a study of the Sha'ha'dem an intriguing, yet difficult task.