This blog will talk about the Humans who live in the Eta Hercules region in our galaxy. Their Solar System will also be talked about. All info is from Sheldan Nidle's book Your Galactic Neighbors.

Status and Location

The Star-Nation of Eta Hercules was first accepted into the Galactic Federation Of Light nearly 2.4 million years ago. Originally, Eta Hercules had been one of a series of strategically located defence colonies settled 2.5 million years ago by Galactic Federation Of Light Human colonists from the Andromedan Confederacy, and Human Star-Nations located in the constellation of Lyra. The Constellation of Hercules, one of the five largest in our night sky and a major summer star-group in our Northern Hemisphere, is located between the constellations of Draco and Ophiuchus. It is best known for its great globular cluster (M-13), which formed more than 11 million years ago. You can find Eta Hercules by looking for the four stars that comprise the 'keystone' in the constellation of Hercules: Eta Hercules is in the upper northwest corner, pointing toward the constellation of Bootes and its brightest star, Arcturus. Eta Hercules is 112 light years from Earth.

Eta Hercules Solar System

The Solar System of Eta Hercules consists of six planets. As is usual in this galaxy, the smallest is closest to the sun and the largest farthest away. The innermost planet in this system is half the size of our Earth. This planets thin atmosphere glows from constant discharges from her sun, Butok ('Bright One'). Perpetual electrical storms light this planet, turning her atmosphere into a collection of rare, charged gases that reduce it to a mix of principally methane and nitrogen. The only life forms able to survive in such a caustic environment are chains of very primitive bacteria and algae. The next world is more amenable to life. Nearly the same size as Earth, this sphere's atmosphere is similar to our own. However, unlike our Earth, this planet possesses a hot climate and semi-arid topography. The shorelines of her two continents are covered mainly by lofty coastal mountain ranges, which contribute, in turn, to the existence of broad interior deserts. These landmasses are surrounded by five small, shallow, interconnected seas; a high mountain range extends down one continent's center. Life here is extremely diverse: reptilians, amphibians, birds, bats, and small, shrew-like mammals comprise, in part, the land's varied ecosystem. In its seas swim a multitude of species: among them, primitive, armored fishes, crab-like creatures and assorted, rudimentary aquatic arthropods. The Eta Hercules people treat this semi-arid world as an elaborate, on-going study by their life scientists in biological diversity. Plant and animal life unheard of elsewhere in their solar system or in other parts of this galaxy exist here in abundance. The remaining outer planets in the Butok Solar System are gas giants similar, in many regards, to the large of other systems, including that of our own Sun. Still, differences do exist. These planets not only spin much faster than our Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, but their atmospheres possess anomalies more akin to the giant red spot found on Jupiter. These include interconnected large spots that look like, multi-colored ink blots. The fifth (outer) world of this solar system has a very large and beautiful ring system that is easily the equal of Saturn. This ring system exists because, in the last seven billion years, several comets and other stray chunks of space debris occasionally passed to close to this planet's small, inner moons. The impact set a chain of events in motion that drove the moons too close to their world and caused them to explode. The outcome was a series of three multicolored rings.

Description Of Home World

The Eta Hercules' home world, called 'Shom-Fes' ('The Holy Place') in their language, is the third planet in this solar system. Of her solar system's twenty moons, Shom-Fes has four. Just like other planets, she is hollow and has a double-layered firmament and a global, semi-tropical climate. She is nearly one and one half times bigger than Earth, with four continents and seven oceans. The largest continent, called Q'fuir Daj ('high ridges') in Eta Herculean, is famous for the high saw-toothed mountain ranges that extend down through her interior. The blue seas' floor contains enormous canyons, like those of Earth.

Origins Of Eta Hercules Society

The ancestors of Eta Hercules originated in the constellations of Andromeda and Lyra. While they shared perspectives on the formation of Galactic Society similar to the people of Epsilon Eridani and Alpha Aries, the cultural and artistic priorities of the inhabitants of Shom-Fes were somewhat different. Humans embody a higher emotional condition, a state of grace and compassion. Whereas the people of Alpha Aries feel that the highest expression of that compassion is in art, those of Eta Hercules believe that it is communicated best through science. On their primary home world, the Eta Hercules people gradually established a society that would serve as the embodiment of art and spritual science on a grand scale. For the individual Eta Herculean, art included subjects of taste, style and imagination, while spiritual science contained a natural flow around which this ever-growing art could be structured. To the peoples of Butok, art and natural logic are the dual expressions of being Human and represent ways to honor the Creator's greatest gifts - the soul and the physical universe to which we all belong. The Galactic Human society that sprang from Eta Hercules is entirely unique. Indeed, the Galactic Society of Butok demonstrates a society's ability to unite two such totally distinct concepts as art and logic. What are the best qualities of each? How can they be communicated to their society? To what wonders does that society give form? By examining the community's creations, we can understand how it manifests its wonders to their highest possible level. Finally, in what way can its different components be merged? This is the decisive point of our discussion, and the basis of the Eta Herculeans' social contract.

Galactic Society Of Eta Hercules

The people of Eta Hercules created their own unique eight clan Galactic Society, which was based upon the retention of the original six clans of the Lyran/Sirian model. But, in a departure from the classic Lyran/Sirian example, the people of Shom-Fes added two additional clans. The first clan creates concepts and refines techniques so that a variety of tasks can be performed holistically. That is, their crucial mission is to preside over the devolopment and application of 'the spiritual logic of the heart'. For that reason, they are called the Perkoh or 'Heart Logic' clan. The second is called the Art and Science (Da-Sang-koh) clan, and is unique to Eta Hercules. Its purpose is to guide society by demonstrating the best expression of 'living art' through various forms of logic, all of which comprise the infinite diversity called Human consciousness or, even better, the Consciousness of the Creator. Mirroring the classic model, each of these clans forms its own main clan governing council. Here, we see yet another contrast to the original Lyran/Sirian model. During sessions of this governing assembly, distinguished liaisons, belonging to the two 'new' clans, act as special presiding referees to assist members of the main governing council in solving any difficulties that may arise. Clearly, the peoples of Shom-Fes have succeeded in adding new, useful components to the Lyran/Sirian model. This astounding aptitude has brought them acclaim throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. The Eta Herculean reflects upon how a society can unite two such totally distinct concepts as art and logic. What are the best qualities of each? How are they communicated to their society? To what wonders does that society give form? By examining its many and varied creations, we can understand how the community manifests its marvels to their ultimate possible extent. For these and other reasons, the people of Eta Hercules are renowed, galaxy-wide, for their perfect melding of art and spiritual logic to create a unique and shining example of a Galactic Human Society. Galactic Human Societies throughout the galaxy acknowledge the unrivaled skills of the people of Shom-Fes and are delighted to call upon them whenever required.

Physical Description Of Inhabitants

The Humans of Eta Hercules resemble the original Sirius B Humanoid colonists. Men's bodies vary from perfectly formed, muscular physiques to child-like builds and range from 6 feet, 6 inches to 7 feet, 4 inches in height. The Women are extremely voluptuous and stand between 6 feet, 2 inches and 6 feet 8 inches tall. Hair is blonde to light brown and eyes are light blue to green. Eta Herculean skin tones are extremely pale, light red, or light blue. Just like their Sirian kinfolk, they require only two hours of sleep per day. The clothing of the Eta Herculeans resembles that of their Sirian ancestors. The people of Shom-Fes have adopted a style that incorporates the same gauzy, flowing, short or ankle-length costumes. The classic Eta Hercules outfit includes a traditional Sirian gown topped by a special, sheer outer blouse that extends to just below the waist. Their garments, like those of the Sirians, take the colors of their clans, and are decorated with ribbons and other symbols of rank and high honor. A two piece jumpsuit is worn aboard Galactic Federation Of Light spacecraft. The pants fit tightly, while the top, like one of their more popular traditional outfits, ends just below the waist. It, too, adheres to clan color codes and is embellished with the special ribbons and epaulettes that designate rank and commemorate distinctions. Boots are integral to this costume and are designed to merge into the pants, creating a seemingly continuous piece. The Herculeans are renowned for their undisputed skills as artists, diplomats, negotiators, and Galactic Federation Liaison Counselors. They excel at bringing together groups of very different Sentient Beings to assist them in achieving their goals as peacefully and amicably as possible. The language of the Eta Herculean Star-Nation is syntactically very close to Polynesian. However, later waves of Andromedan colonists eventually produced a series of variations in pitch that are very similar to Chinese in style and sound. The result is a composite language, largely unique and known for its sweet and musical tones.

Ships Of Eta Hercules

Two types of ships are part of the first contact Earth fleet. The first, an all-purpose scout ship, is used to constantly monitor our planet's harmonics. It is ball-shaped, with a small, lens-like, circular wing attached to its middle and a diameter of more than 100 feet. The second type of ship is a small, low orbit to upper atmosphere command mothership that resembles a cigar with a small bulge in its middle. It is 20,000 feet (slightly more than 6.0 kilometers) long. It serves as the carrier for 5,000 science liason officers who coordinate the preliminary analysis of data from the sector quadrant to which this mothership is assigned.