The Xindi weapon was a massive, mobile particle beam weapon designed to destroy entire planets. There were actually three weapons built while the design was refined. The weapons were constructed by the five Xindi species in cooperation, at the instigation of the Sphere Builders, who had informed the Xindi that Humans would be responsible for the destruction of the future Xindi homeworld in the 26th century. The final weapon's primary goal was the destruction of Earth.
Certain steps were taken to prevent any one species from controlling the weapon. The final version required activation codes from at least three of the five species in order to function. However, it could be fired instantly if all five codes were used. It could not be armed while the propulsion system was online.
Building the weaponst
The weapon was designed primarily by Degra, a Xindi-Primatescientist and member of the Xindi Council, and constructed by the Aquatics. Most of the weapon's components were built by the Xindi, but at least one component came from the year 2573, supplied to the Xindi by the Sphere Builders.
Another key component of the weapon was the mineral kemocite, which was provided by Gralik Durr's refining facility.
Research on the weapon was very dangerous. In September of 2153, there was an accident in Degra's laboratory. Nearly all of his laboratory was destroyed, and three of his researchers were killed. The loss of the data caused the weapon's development to be set back by months, which induced the Council to consider developing a bioweapon.
Probet
The Xindi weapon prototype
The first prototype of the weapon was a small, one-man probe launched against Earth in 2153. It was constructed with the assistance of the Sphere Builders, who provided at least one component from the future. The pilot was a Xindi-Reptilian personally selected by CommanderDolim, a Reptilian representative on the Xindi Council. Arriving at Earth through a subspace vortex, the probe fired a particle beam which cut a destructive swath from Florida to Venezuela, killing seven million people. The probe subsequently self-destructed, the debris landing in Central Asia. The wreckage and body of the pilot were recovered by a Vulcan transport and brought to Starfleet Command for analysis. Acting on intelligence provided by the Suliban Cabal's mysterious benefactor, Jonathan Archer – captain of the Enterprise NX-01 –quantum dated the fragment of the probe provided to the Xindi by the Sphere Builders, proving that it came from 420 years in the future.
Second prototype
The second prototype in the Calindra System
The second weapon prototype was unmanned and test-fired in a "proving ground" in the Calindra system inside the Delphic Expanse, under the supervision of Degra himself in December 2153. The test did not go as planned, as the weapon's materials had been sabotaged by Gralik on behalf of Jonathan Archer. The weapon was subsequently stolen by the Andorian warship Kumari. The Andorians had hoped to take it home to use as a deterrent against the Vulcans. It was destroyed when T'Polentered the activation codes and issued an overload command. The Kumarijettisoned the prototype before it exploded, but the shock wave caused significant damage to their power and engine systems.
V'Las later used recorded footage of this test to justify preparations for a preemptive strike on Andoria to the rest of theVulcan High Command.
Final weapon
The weapon core prior to destruction
The final version of the weapon was substantially larger than its two predecessors and was designed to be manned by a skeleton crew. The interior of the weapon was mainly hollow. The exact core, however, contained the control area, where the weapon could be activated, fired or repaired. The only known way to deactivate the weapon was to invert a series of conduits in the proper sequence to cut power. Explosives could then destroy the core of the weapon.
The eventual weapon was constructed in secret on Azati Prime, though when Enterprise discovered it there, it was moved to the Xindi Council planet. (ENT: "Azati Prime") When it became apparent that Captain Archer was becoming successful in convincing the Council to delay the attack on Earth, Commander Dolim's forces, working in concert with the Insectoids, hijacked the weapon. They also kidnapped Enterprise linguist Hoshi Sato and brainwashed her into decrypting the third activation code.
Enterprise, along with forces of the Primates, Arboreals, and Aquatics, attempted to stop the weapon from entering the vortex to Earth, but were repelled by a Reptilian and Insectoid fleet. The Reptilians and Insectoids were assisted by the creation of numerous anomalies by the Sphere Builders, and one ship of each race escaped into the vortex with the weapon. The Insectoid ship was very shortly destroyed by the Reptilian one, however, when its commander questioned Dolim.
The Xindi weapon is destroyed
The weapon emerged in Earth orbit ten hours later, but very close behind it was thevessel of the late Degra, manned by Enterprise personnel including Jonathan Archer,Malcolm Reed, and Hoshi Sato, as well as a MACO squad. The Kumari ran interference for Degra's lightly-armed vessel, enabling the Enterprise team to board the weapon and destroy it by overloading its reactor. Captain Archer was initially thought killed in the attempt.
The Xindi weapon was a massive, mobile particle beam weapon designed to destroy entire planets. There were actually three weapons built while the design was refined. The weapons were constructed by the five Xindi species in cooperation, at the instigation of the Sphere Builders, who had informed the Xindi that Humans would be responsible for the destruction of the future Xindi homeworld in the 26th century. The final weapon's primary goal was the destruction of Earth.
Certain steps were taken to prevent any one species from controlling the weapon. The final version required activation codes from at least three of the five species in order to function. However, it could be fired instantly if all five codes were used. It could not be armed while the propulsion system was online.
Building the weaponst
The weapon was designed primarily by Degra, a Xindi-Primate scientist and member of the Xindi Council, and constructed by the Aquatics. Most of the weapon's components were built by the Xindi, but at least one component came from the year 2573, supplied to the Xindi by the Sphere Builders.
Another key component of the weapon was the mineral kemocite, which was provided by Gralik Durr's refining facility.
Research on the weapon was very dangerous. In September of 2153, there was an accident in Degra's laboratory. Nearly all of his laboratory was destroyed, and three of his researchers were killed. The loss of the data caused the weapon's development to be set back by months, which induced the Council to consider developing a bioweapon.
Probet
The Xindi weapon prototype
The first prototype of the weapon was a small, one-man probe launched against Earth in 2153. It was constructed with the assistance of the Sphere Builders, who provided at least one component from the future. The pilot was a Xindi-Reptilian personally selected by Commander Dolim, a Reptilian representative on the Xindi Council. Arriving at Earth through a subspace vortex, the probe fired a particle beam which cut a destructive swath from Florida to Venezuela, killing seven million people. The probe subsequently self-destructed, the debris landing in Central Asia. The wreckage and body of the pilot were recovered by a Vulcan transport and brought to Starfleet Command for analysis. Acting on intelligence provided by the Suliban Cabal's mysterious benefactor, Jonathan Archer – captain of the Enterprise NX-01 –quantum dated the fragment of the probe provided to the Xindi by the Sphere Builders, proving that it came from 420 years in the future.
Second prototype
The second prototype in the Calindra System
The second weapon prototype was unmanned and test-fired in a "proving ground" in the Calindra system inside the Delphic Expanse, under the supervision of Degra himself in December 2153. The test did not go as planned, as the weapon's materials had been sabotaged by Gralik on behalf of Jonathan Archer. The weapon was subsequently stolen by the Andorian warship Kumari. The Andorians had hoped to take it home to use as a deterrent against the Vulcans. It was destroyed when T'Polentered the activation codes and issued an overload command. The Kumarijettisoned the prototype before it exploded, but the shock wave caused significant damage to their power and engine systems.
V'Las later used recorded footage of this test to justify preparations for a preemptive strike on Andoria to the rest of theVulcan High Command.
Final weapon
The weapon core prior to destruction
The final version of the weapon was substantially larger than its two predecessors and was designed to be manned by a skeleton crew. The interior of the weapon was mainly hollow. The exact core, however, contained the control area, where the weapon could be activated, fired or repaired. The only known way to deactivate the weapon was to invert a series of conduits in the proper sequence to cut power. Explosives could then destroy the core of the weapon.
The eventual weapon was constructed in secret on Azati Prime, though when Enterprise discovered it there, it was moved to the Xindi Council planet. (ENT: "Azati Prime") When it became apparent that Captain Archer was becoming successful in convincing the Council to delay the attack on Earth, Commander Dolim's forces, working in concert with the Insectoids, hijacked the weapon. They also kidnapped Enterprise linguist Hoshi Sato and brainwashed her into decrypting the third activation code.
Enterprise, along with forces of the Primates, Arboreals, and Aquatics, attempted to stop the weapon from entering the vortex to Earth, but were repelled by a Reptilian and Insectoid fleet. The Reptilians and Insectoids were assisted by the creation of numerous anomalies by the Sphere Builders, and one ship of each race escaped into the vortex with the weapon. The Insectoid ship was very shortly destroyed by the Reptilian one, however, when its commander questioned Dolim.
The Xindi weapon is destroyed
The weapon emerged in Earth orbit ten hours later, but very close behind it was thevessel of the late Degra, manned by Enterprise personnel including Jonathan Archer,Malcolm Reed, and Hoshi Sato, as well as a MACO squad. The Kumari ran interference for Degra's lightly-armed vessel, enabling the Enterprise team to board the weapon and destroy it by overloading its reactor. Captain Archer was initially thought killed in the attempt.