S'Kandarai

Synonyms:
See also:	Pre-Reform Vulcan
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S'Kandarai is a fanon word to describe the traditional ancient bonded warriors on the planet Vulcan.

The term was created by Gayle F and used in Night of the Dragon, the third story in The Cosmic Fuck Series.

Other fans used this term in their fanworks: one example is Nightmare Road, where it was spelled "S'Kandari."

This misspelling is an organic mistake, or fans followed the lead of one prominent zine editor who misspelled it in her zines. In 1985, Barbara P. Gordon said:

It is S'KANDARAI, not S'Kandari, which is Doreen's long-ago typo/misspelling. It bugs me when fans borrow from someone (Gayle, in this case), and get it wrong!

Fan Comments

1984:

I've noticed that any number of writers have adopted (and adapted) [Gayle F's] creation of the S'kan'dari, the Vulcan version of the Theban Band, and usually without citing the source, (which, incidentally, is her series DESERT HEAT).

1984:

S'Kandari? — Uh, I'm not sure but it looks a little like she took the phrase "S K and I" and ran it all together. Is this close? Setarcos/Socrates was easy. It might be kind of interesting to know what influenced Gayle's development of the S'Kandari. To me they've always been reminicent of the Mongol horse warriors of about 1200 A.D., especially the costumes and braided hairdos she sometimes draws them wearing.

1985:

I always assumed that "S'Kandari" was derived from "Alexander." I don't know the Greek form of Alexander, but in Arabic it is pronounced Iskandar, and Arabic forms are usually similar to the Greek with the addition of an "I" at the beginning.

1999:

Most of the basic ideas about Vulcan warrior society were inspired by [Gayle F's] S'Kanderai; I took the view that a chaotic, disorganised society would neither work nor survive, so the rules and codes of honour were important."

2000:

Ruth Lym remembers that "S'Kanderai was a concept used in the third story ("Night of the Dragons") of the Cosmic Fuck Series by [Gayle F]. Not sure where it first appeared, but Gayle got the name -- S'Kanderai -- from the name that Hephaestion [or maybe it was Bagoas: the reference is to Mary Renault's novels] called Alexander: Skander.

From "Night of the Dragon"

"Spock...you said that on Vulcan, in the old days, there was male bonding?"

"Yes, a tradition of the warrior elite, though not confined to it. There were several Earth parallels, I believe. Perhaps the Theban Sacred Band, of your Greek civilization, is the closest to the S'Kandarai. They too were mated warriors who fought at each other's side, and loved each other's honor."

"Was there a custom, a ritual they used to bind them?"

Spock turned away, obviously embarrassed.

Returning so soon to the habits of our mortal flesh?

"Yes," Spock whispered, flushing. "They drank each other's blood."

Kirk laughed softly.