Aske

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch Novelizations separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

Aske is an elderly humanoid slave serving the Chitain on their homeworld. He is a descendant of the original human colonists from Poseidon, whose population was enslaved by the Chitain after suffering genetic mutations from environmental contamination on their home planet.

Physical Description

Aske appears as a withered old man with pale brown, leathery skin and a completely bald head marked by distinctive ridges running along the middle of his skull. He has no teeth, which Apollo interprets as a sign of advanced age rather than a species characteristic. His arms are elongated to the point where they would drag on the floor if not occupied carrying burdens. He is described as "stooped" and "pointy-eared" with "lazy yellow eyes," presenting an overall appearance that is "hideous" to human observers.

Despite his humanoid structure—possessing two arms, two legs, head, shoulders, and torso—Aske's appearance is so degraded that Starbuck initially questions whether he and his fellow slaves are "native to this planet."

Background and Origins

Aske is a descendant of the original human colony on Poseidon, his grandmother having been among those taken by the Chitain (whom the slaves call "stingers") when the colony began to fail. According to Aske's account, his grandmother spoke Kobollian, which he learned from her, though his version is "truncated" and "guttural."

The Chitain claimed they were "saving" the colonists from poison in Poseidon's water supply, though Aske's grandmother never believed this explanation and always wanted to return home. The genetic damage affecting the colonists resulted in increasingly mutated offspring, with those born "like Aske" being considered unfit by some standard the Chitain applied.

Encounter with Apollo's Delegation

During the diplomatic mission to the Chitain homeworld, Aske infiltrates the quarters assigned to Apollo's delegation through a hidden servant's entrance. Initially discovered by Apollo's telepathic senses as a "blind spot" in his mental scan, Aske is physically apprehended by Gar'Tokk before being released when his peaceful intentions become clear.

Mistaken Identity

Upon meeting the Colonial delegation, Aske immediately believes they have come to rescue the slaves, asking "You help us, yes? You here to take us away? To take Aske home?" His belief stems from multiple factors:

• The delegation speaks his grandmother's language (Kobollian)
• They appear "like us...only better. Like new"
• He associates their arrival with "glass stars, shiny glass stars"—his term for the Ships of Light

This misidentification leads Apollo to realize that Aske believes they are representatives of the Lords of Kobol, come to deliver the slaves from bondage.

Role as Guide

Despite his terror of the Chitain, Aske serves as a guide for Apollo and Gar'Tokk through the citadel's hidden passages. He leads them through servant corridors that run "between the kitchens and utility areas," paths used exclusively by the humanoid slaves and apparently unknown to or ignored by their Chitain masters.

When Apollo senses Sheba's presence and demands to be taken to her, Aske initially resists, crying "No! No! Run! Stingers come! Run!" His terror is so complete that he trembles and whimpers, but ultimately agrees when Apollo makes his assistance conditional on helping Aske's people return home.

Later, Aske successfully guides Apollo's group to the Starlight, leading them through "old part of city" where "no one come here any more."