Astran

Astran
Place of origin:	Astra
Notable individuals:	The Kaplan, the Astran ambassador, 610th Kaplan, 611th Kaplan, Kapbetha
First mentioned in:	Duel of the Daleks
First appearance:	Space Border Battle
Appearances:	see list

Astrans were the dominant intelligent species of the planet Astra.

Biology

Astrans appeared as large egg-shaped translucent blobs, who got about on discs. They had no recognisable facial features, although they had the ability to speak. (COMIC: Space Border Battle) At least one Astran had the ability to shoot a painful and potentially deadly ray from an otherwise-invisible round "patch" on their "forehead". (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears)

Although some Astrans were light blue, (COMIC: Space Border Battle) others had purplish or greenish tinges to their blue membrane, (COMIC: Ceasefire — But War Tension Mounts...) and there existed at least one wholly green Astran and one wholly orange one: the Kaplan Minus and the Kaplan, respectively. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears)

Culture

Astrans playing volleyball. (PROSE: Beatty Trial Sensation)

Astrans called the humans "Solarians", as they were the masters of the solar system. (COMIC: Space Border Battle, Colonel Zodiac Disappears, etc.) They were governed by a figure called the Kaplan, whose elevated status was marked by their personalised purple-and-gold hover-disc. Placed directly under the Kaplan was the Kaplan Minus. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears) A prominent rank in an Astran space fleet was that of Kapt. (COMIC: Ceasefire — But War Tension Mounts..., President Offers Peace...)

Technology

An Astran space fleet. (COMIC: Space Border Battle)

The Astrans' technology and architecture largely reflected their physical appearance, containing a plethora of pastel-coloured spheres. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears) This included their flying saucers, (COMIC: Space Border Battle) which were equipped with long range sonar scopes (COMIC: President Offers Peace...) and target-seeking rockets called Chasers. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears)

Being blobs with a flat underside, the Astrans primarily used hovering personal, metallic discs to get about quickly, both aboard their ships (COMIC: Space Border Battle) and on Astra. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears)

History

The Space War

By 2065, the Astrans had formed an Astran Empire which had initiated tense but generally peaceful diplomatic relations with the humans of the Solar System, whom they called "Solarians". However, early on 1 May 2065, an Astran space fleet patrolling the border between the two superpowers exchanged fire with the human Tenth Space Fleet over a misunderstanding, sparking a Space War. (COMIC: Space Border Battle)

Peace talks

Thanks to the cooperation of the Astran ambassador on Earth, the President of Earth wrote a message (COMIC: President Offers Peace...) which, after being carried to Astra at great personal risk by Colonel Zodiac, was read by the Kaplan and agreed to. The Kaplan agreed to come to Earth personally to sign a peace treaty. (COMIC: Colonel Zodiac Disappears)

Two Astrans in the Dalek Dome. (COMIC: Liberation of the Daleks)

In 2323, two Astrans on hover-discs visited the Dalek Dome on Earth to observe some of the most important moments in Dalek history. (COMIC: Liberation of the Daleks)

Undated events

Two Astrans shopped at the Frenko Bazaar when it was visited by the Second Doctor and his friends. (COMIC: Bazaar Adventures)