Medusan

The Medusans were highly intelligent telepathic and empathic non-corporeal lifeforms.
== History ==
The Medusans had become a spacefaring civilization by the mid-23rd century, sending out ships to the far reaches of the galaxy. They were in contact with the Federation, to whom Kollos was appointed as an ambassador. (; )
The Borg Collective was aware of the Medusans and designated them Species 802. ()
A group of Medusan explorers had reached the Delta Quadrant by 2383. One of them, Zero, was separated from their hive mind by Kazon slavers and sold to the Diviner, who used them to induce compliance in his other slaves. They later helped a group of youths escape in an abandoned Federation starship, the . Zero eventually joined Starfleet with their friends, serving as the flight and medical officer of the Protostar and later the . ()
In 2384, Zero was drawn to the planet Ovidia IV where a number of non-corporeal beings were residing, including a fellow Medusan named . The planet's unique properties allowed the inhabitants, including Ion, to gain corporeal bodies which they gave to Zero as well. However, Zero chose to leave with their friends rather than remaining on Ovidia IV. ()
Prior to 2399, Cristóbal Rios had deleted Medusan navigational techniques from 's Emergency Navigational Hologram, Enoch. ()
== Biology ==
As energy-based lifeforms, Medusans had no physical body. They were known to identify as genderless. Individuals lived together in hive minds. ()
Medusans are telepathic and empathic, and capable of projecting their thoughts as speech to other species; they also cannot read the minds of species with special brain structure, such as Ferengi and Vau N'Akat. Medusan thoughts were regarded as the most sublime in the galaxy, but their physical appearance was exactly the opposite. The sight of a Medusan rendered any corporeal viewer mad, and soon afterwards could cause death by massive organ failure, although some species with telepathic aptitude may be affected differently. Even viewing the reflection of a Medusan could cause catatonia and memory loss, though not permanent harm. Vulcans, as well as Kazon, were capable of viewing Medusans, but only with the use of a specially filtered visor; upon direct exposure, it could induce a form of involuntary mind meld between the Medusan and Vulcan. Vau N'Akat were also somewhat resistant to direct contact, yet suffered mental instability and total amnesia before complete recovery. For these reasons, Medusans usually used an opaque carrier pod or a containment suit when interacting with other species. (; )
The Medusans were renowned for their navigational abilities. ()
Medusans could be affected by certain telepathic spores. Those produced by the cilium-like vegetation of Murder Planet had the same effect on them as any corporeal lifeform. () They could also be assimilated by the Borg, but since the process was non-physical, the Medusan could resist the influence of the Collective if properly motivated. ()
Medusans did not age as organics do, rendering them immune to the chronometric radiation emitted by the Incursor which rapidly aged any living thing that came into contact with it in mere moments. The only effects that the Incursor had on Zero was able to rapidly age the corporeal form that they had adopted and cause Zero great pain as a result. Even so, Zero was able to resist the effects far longer than anyone else before their corporeal body finally gave out. ()
== Technology ==
Medusans made use of starships similar in configuration to Federation vessels. One Medusan, Kollos, was brought aboard the as an ambassador to help with that very purpose. ()
A Medusan known as Zero cobbled together a containment suit unassisted, despite their non-corporeal nature, so that they could interact with corporeals. Zero later received a new and improved suit from Starfleet and a second new suit crafted by Jankom Pog using the 's vehicle replicator following the loss of their corporeal body. At the suggestion of The Doctor, Jankom utilized Starfleet's recent advances in artificial physiology to give this new suit sensory inputs, allowing Zero to feel physical sensations both good and bad. This third suit incorporated Zero's own original design which was perfected by Jankom. ()
The residents of Ovidia IV were able to use the planet's unique properties to give non-corporeal beings corporeal bodies, including Medusans such as Zero and . However, these bodies would eventually begin to break down once away from the planet. Zero's body suffered damage that not even The Doctor could fix, forcing them to get their newest containment suit as a replacement. ()
== List of Medusans ==
;Named
* Kollos
* Zero
* 
;Unnamed
* Unnamed Medusans
== Appendices ==
=== Appearances ===
A list of all appearances of Medusans (excluding the regular appearances of Zero):
* 
* 
** 
** 
=== Background information ===
The Medusans were named for the Greek mythological character of "", one of the three Gorgon sisters. The Gorgons were said to have such a frightful appearance that gazing upon them would turn living beings to stone.
According to the story outline and script of the episode, their name was spelled "Medeusan".
A planet was seen on screen in the original "Is There in Truth No Beauty?", but in the remastered version of the episode, a Medusan vessel was seen instead.
=== Apocrypha ===
According to the reference book The Worlds of the Federation (p. 60), Medusans are native to the Venus-like planet Medusa, also known as Visalayan by the native Medusans. It is the fourth planet orbiting . Contact between the Medusans and the Federation was also extremely limited.
The non-canon Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual spells it "Medusan". The Officer's Manual also states that Medusans were permitted to serve in Starfleet as emergency navigators on board starships. Such Medusans were honorary lieutenant commanders and had special quarters off an emergency navigation center, which kept them isolated from the rest of the crew.
A Medusan character named Korgan appears in the A Time to... novel series who was one of only twelve active Medusans in Starfleet as of the late 2370s.
=== External links ===
* 
de:Meduser
ja:メデューサン
Category:Species
Category:Non-corporeal species
Category:Telepathic species