The Trill, or Trills, were a humanoid species native to the planet Trill in the Alpha Quadrant. A small percentage of the Trill population harbored a sentient lifeform known as a symbiont inside their bodies, a symbiotic relationship that played a significant role in Trill culture and society. Such "joined" Trill had personalities that were a synthesis of the two beings, and could access the memories and skills of previous hosts. Since the 23rd century, the Trill have played an important role in the Federation.
History
Two major factors contributed to the rise of Trill technology: the memories of symbionts, and easy access to ores and heavy metals. The symbionts could communicate with the humanoid Trills through joining, although the ways and means of the first jining remain shrouded in secrecy by the Trill Symbiosis Commission. Symbionts passed from host to host but retained their memories and friendships, and kept Trill society centered on a long-term view. Geologically, the planet Trill's heavy tectonic activity led to the formation of quakecaverns and eroded tunnels, through which the Trill could easily gain access to deposits of iron, aluminum, and other useful metals. The combination of the two factors led to the rapid rise of technology.
As Trill society grew, their governments adopted a system influenced by the symbionts. The symbiont populations grew much more slowly than the humanoid Trill populations, so many Trills competed to have the right qualifications to be selected as a host. This general competitiveness showed through academic achievement and philosophical development—the symbionts made it clear that they would reject violent individuals who tried to become hosts by force. As a result, all Trill civilization stressed a high level of education and ethical personal responsibility. By the time they had covered all of their planet's landmasses, the Trill already had a unified world government, a meritocracy run through systems of examinations and scientific appointments. This system was well in place by the time the Trill met the Federation, but matters were still cool between the two powers. Trills valued their independence and their position as a neutral party. Over the exchange of several decades, it became clear that the Federation stood for the same high values that Trill society encouraged—and that the members of the Federation had embraced those values, due to long years of struggle and learning, having worked hard to establish what came naturally to Trill culture. Eventually, the Trill applied for and received Federation membership in one of the fastest turnaround times from application to completion.
Trills have a civilization marked by a decided lack of conflict. The combination of environment taking off population pressures, crossed with the stabilizing influence of the peaceful symbionts, helped to make the Trill into intellectuals instead of warriors. Their war was not to subdue other cultures for resources, but rather to tame the environment.
Biology
Most Trills were distinguished by two rows of dark spots going down each side of their bodies, from the top of their forehead down their neck to their toes.
Trill were marsupials, and as such, had abdominal pouches with which to provide incubation for their newborns. Both males and females had pouches, and both sexes were capable of incubation. The pouch was also used as a conduit for medications to quickly enter the body, as well as the joining point between host and Trill symbiont.
The few Trill that were given a symbiont were typically joined in their early- to mid-twenties. The physical process of being joined was irreversible. Once joined, the host and symbiont were dependent on each other after a ninety-three-hour period in which the symbiont bound itself to its host's nervous system. If the symbiont was removed from the host, symbiont and host would die within hours, even if they were otherwise healthy, unless they were implanted into another host or with another symbiont.
Joined Trills were also extremely allergic to insect bites; the biochemical connections between the host and symbiont could not tolerate the reaction caused by the insects' venom.
Society & Culture
On average, only three hundred symbionts were available for hosting each year and about a thousand Trills apply for joining. Because there were many more humanoid Trills than symbionts, prospective hosts were weeded out by a demanding selection procedure, overseen by the Symbiosis Commission. The competition for the few symbionts was fierce and attracted the brightest and most highly motivated of Trill society. Often, the would-be hosts excelled in their chosen fields and it was not uncommon for them to hold several degrees or distinctions prior to their joining. Prospective hosts may eventually become initiates under the supervision of a field docent, a joined Trill who evaluates the prospective host's suitability for joining and makes a recommendation to the Commission. A negative recommendation usually meant the initiate was cut from the joining program.
The Trill ruling council was divided into junior and senior members. Senior members, whose symbionts had lived more than one lifetime, were allowed to call general meetings. Junior members, whose symbionts had lived only one, were not. Membership was restricted to joined men until the 21st century.
