USS Galileo :: Wiki - 05 - Custom Species

5.1 Akkadian

GENERAL DATA

Akkadians are a humanoid species from technically the Beta Quadrant. Akkadia lies on the border between the Alpha and Beta quadrants and at the intersection of the Sagittarius Arm with the Orion Arm. They are native to the planet Akkadia beta, one of two known habitual worlds, one moon and one world with a section of M class atmosphere. Akkadians call their planet Akkadia.

They are notable for having a bradymetabolic metabolism, transitional compound eyes, henimetabolic development and females with wings. Akkadians are sexually trimorphic (three distinct body shapes). Click to view Medical Database - Akkadians.

Overall Akkadians are seldom found off planet and the entire world has a xenophobic tendency. Akkadia proper is not a Federation member but only an allied world. There has been no demonstrated warp capability and the few visitors note that the entire world has a bucolic feeling to the culture presented. Normal contact would have never been made but for indications from ruins on nearby stars and surprisingly very sophisticated medical techniques that Akkadians at one time had a much more technological culture.

PHYSIOLOGY

Breeding males run approximately 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall but weight less than the average human adult male with ranges from 63 to 70 kg. Females, which are all fertile, range in height equivalent to breeding males but more gracile in structure with weights around 40 to 50 kg. Non-breeding sterile males are very muscled and range taller (1.9 to 2.2 meters) with weights of 95 to 115 kg.

Hair colouration tends to be black, but red and blonde are not unknown. However each member in addition to the basic hair colour is noted for having bright metallic looking streaks. These metallic looking streaks are red, blue or green and have intense patterns when viewed in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum.

All encountered Akkadians seem to be quite clever but some which the Akkadians themselves admit reluctantly seem to be gifted with the ability to make intuitive leaps. When commented on by outsiders, uniformly such ability is frowned upon by Akkadians and the terms A'burab'atu and A'ksu have been heard to be uttered. Translation of these words have been A'burab'atu - To do something quickly or fleetingly and A'ksu - something dangerous. When questioned by culturists, Akkadians in high position will only say that such gifted individuals lead to a calamity in the past and will not elucidate much further.

The other noted feature of Akkadians is that once fully mature, each individual seems to stop aging and display remarkable abilities to heal and regenerate. It is only toward the last year that aging seems to take place and then at a highly accelerated rate. This has caused some to refer to Akkadians as the 'Dorian Grey' people after reference to human Oscar Wilde novel of the same name. Life spans seem to be typical of the average human.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Akkadian culture is matriarchal with females holding more senior positions. All males whether fertile or non-fertile are deferential to any female.

The culture is organized into various Guild Houses, each with a particular talent and territory or island holding. Each Guild House as indicated specializes in some aspect of culture, transportation, art, science, healing and so on. Individuals brought into a house (see physiology) are raised in that environment but aptitude and interest are considered as the individual matures and can be sent to a different house.

Marriages are always arranged between houses and each is carefully considered for both the match in bringing in desired traits but also the compatibility of the individuals. Bonding is for life and is done with first mating and accomplished through multiple sexual acts and mutual ingestion of each pairs blood.

Females before marriage are permitted sexual encounters but only with the non-breeding males in institutions known as an Irsemia house which translates to virgin house. After marriage it is generally frowned upon for a female to visit such a house unless widowed.

Fertile males always marry into a new house though they continue their profession but take on the appellation of illm New Guild House. There are no surnames in Akkadia culture just a given name and then illm (translation - of or belonging to) whatever Guild House they are associated with. Titles as well are very uncommon as well. Females of the Guild House once past their initial education are referred to as Guild Member. Apprentices always refer to a teacher as Guild Mother, but the title itself is only used by Guild Members to the most senior female who is in charge of the Guild. Each Guild Mother then sits on the Council that deals with global and external contact issues.

Most of the culture and technology presented on Akkadia seems to be rural and bucolic. There are remarkable exceptions. Culturists have decided that at one time Akkadia had much more technology then now but have deliberately chosen not to use such technology. A few rare telling of stories seem to back this up and curiously when questioned, if an answer is given, the few Akkadians have said: 'They have been put away'. Some culturists have indicated that it means not destroyed but simply stored away someplace, others argue that it is simply a mistranslation.

One particular aspect amoung some of the females is something called Water Dancing. It is similar to Terran ballet but with somewhat less formality. It involves using the female wings so that their toes and feet just touch the surface of a body of water preferably an ocean. As one dances, the idea is to catch water with feet and toes to make arcs but not splash unduly. It is considered a form of art but a tribute to the Twins and after a performance the Thank you for wind and wave, mind and body is recited (see below). One could also consider it an exercise as well since it requires very fine and controlled movements to as the practioners say: Balance wind and wave.

RELIGION

Akkadians are polytheistic expressing a belief in a series of the gods and goddesses that seem to be aspects of order and chaos. However, most are not very practicing or seem to pay much attention saying that they created the world but for Akkadians to live and enjoy it.

Uniformly one thing all Akkadians refer to is the Twins and sometimes as the Lovers. The actual names which are almost never reference are Damqim and Alu'u. The A reference to the Twin Suns that comprise the Akkadian system. It actual reference it deals with two mortal to divine subjects. The twins were two mortal lovers that in mythology defied the curse placed on them by the gods. Thus a reference to the Twins is a reference to defy the gods or in human terms, to defy the odds.

Another religious reference is The Queen of Nights Promise. A reference to the great rings that encircle Akkadia. Again based on mythology, after the gods had been humbled by the Twins and what had been done to them, one goddess put the rings in place around the world as a promise that never again would the gods never curse the mortals again. The rings are virtually invisible during the day, but quite spectacular in the later evening as the light of the suns reflects off of them.

Then there is the H'oni A'likoa - Blood Kiss. A term derived from ancient times in which in times of famine the males would provide their own blood for ensuring the next generation. It has now devolved into more a ritual in which just a little is taken between mates, lovers and in exceptional cases close friends. It has both a cultural and somewhat religious meaning to it as it is usually performed if a female has for one reason or another lost her wings.

Akkadians have a general belief in reincarnation. An example of this belief is from the ritual of burying the wings if a female has lost them: 'Haku ala Hakuina ena A'oe ea po'lealu, Houniana eta hap elalu pillia'tu din'atu L'ani. Mai Po'lealu'. Which translates as 'Lords and Ladies of Light and Darkness, from earth you raised us up so we could touch the sky. From earth we came, to sky we go, and then return back to earth. Accept my thanks for the gift of flight and grant that another year be given unto me.'

Another reference to the Twins as being divine is the recitation of the thanks after water dancing: 'Thank you for wind and wave, mind and body that like the Twins we may dance our joy.'

Finally, as the twin suns form an eclipsing binary when the two gas giants align (the lock and key), the gravitational effects can cause the Roche limit of the suns to be exceeded. The Twins then 'kiss'. When this rare periodic event happens it is believed to be a time of great changes.

ECONOMY

Akkadians do not do much commerce with the rest of the galaxy but one item that is exported and highly prized is Trellium silk. This comes from a set of spiders that spin this special silk. Though imitations have been made, none have managed to compare to the real thing in the softness, tensile strength and the colours that are presented.

HISTORY

Little is known of the full history of the Akkadians. Akkadians will say that their ancestors evolved from smaller creatures that feed on fruits and nectars of various plants. Sometime in this past, a famine occurred and some individuals either found or managed to obtain blood from some of the other species on the planet. The extra protein from feeding from this food source caused increase in size both physically and in mental capacity. At some point in time, the Akkadians indicate that they had much more sophisticated technological society. This has been borne out by archaeological evidence elsewhere, but that some sort of societal calamity occurred that made the Akkadians decide not to utilize very much sophisticated technology. What is interesting is that dating from these archaeological sites that have been linked to Akkadians are not more than several hundred years old indicating there was some sort of rapid advance and collapse.

5.2 Axans

APPEARANCE

The Axans are a humanoid species, with very similar characteristics of humans. They have five fingers per hand and five toes per foot, with forward-facing eyes, noses and ears. They are distinguished by their flat foreheads and lack of eyebrows, as well as paler markings on the face, usually in the middle of the forehead and/or neck and cheeks, which is shared by all species branch (even if there are other differences) There’s three species branch of Axans with different traits, as listed below.

Axan’ka are the majority species on Axan’na, with skin tones ranging from light orange to black. Their hair is always a few shade darker than their skin. It has been theorised that thousands of years ago they shared traits with Chamaeleonidae and could adapt their appearance based on their surroundings. As Axan’na is an iron-heavy planet and as a result the sand is red, their skin tones settled to reflect it as the Axan’ka hunted primarily in the sands. They are mostly immune to disease but can be carriers.

Axan’e are a minority species on Axan’na, noted by their blue to green skin tones and hair. A sea-faring people, they have webbed fingers and toes, as well as increased lung capacity, making them excellent swimmers and divers.

Axan’hen are a minority species on Axan’na, noted for their pale white to grey skin and hair, as well as the webbing from their armpit to their wrists. Originally thought to be able to glide down from high points, as their ancestors settled in the mountains, they lost that skill but have retained the webbing.

It is worth noting that they cannot interbreed.

LIFE SPAN/IMPORTANT STAGES IN LIFE

The Axans have a lifespan of 60-90 years. They are seen as adults when they turn 14 summers, regardless of when they were born. However, that does not mean they are biologically adults, but rather that society recognises their voice.

The aging process slows down when they hit 20, only to speed up when they enter their mid-50s.

Women who have had a child will often get a piercing to show she has given to the people.

SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT AND CULTURE

The central government of Axan’na is the Aeth, or Council. The Council represents their highest achieving matriarchs, although in the later years male members have also been joining at the lesser role of Advisor. As the population is not very large, motherhood is placed high within the society.

The government is not elected but rotated every five years. The cycle means that the same 15 linages always are in control over the space of 30 years. The Aeth rules on laws as well as any arguments that are brought to them, no matter how small. By law, they have to convene once a month and listen to anyone who stands before them.

Axans are a matriarchal society, where historically the matriarchal line is noted. Historians have surmised it is due to the culture of hunters. The males were out gathering food, so the females minded the home and raised the children, therefore being the leaders and educators. While still prevalent within the society, it has become more focused on equal rights and the removal of gender stereotypes. Males are now able to inherit land and contribute to the raising of children.

The Axans also are polygamous, and it is rare for them to only have one partner. There are often ‘clans’, where a woman is the matriarch (either by age or elected by the other lovers if there is more than one female).

It is seen as bad luck to heal scarring, although a scar does not enhance your standing in society. The body is viewed as a map of experiences and to remove a scar is considered trying to wipe out your past, which will anger nature. This only applies to scars and regenerations of limbs or bones does happen as a regular occurrence.

Their economy is mostly barter-related, with exchange of goods or favours being the accepted currency. This includes trade with off-worlders, as there is technology and materials not available on the planet.

As their main trade and export is mining the rich metals of their planet, the Axans have become more prominent within the Federation. They have applied to join the Federation, although currently they are seen as an ally. As a result of their trade, they have a small fleet of ships they have built, and most educated professions live in Euris’Axan (Belly of the World), the capital city. There are schools for the different professions that is open to anyone who shows the aptitude for it.

Singing is another part of the Axans culture, and most will sing when working, when praying or any chance they get. Music is seen as an expression of the soul, although there are few instruments native to the planet. The official language of the Axans is an artificial language, created by merging words from the three surviving dialects of the planet. Prepositions are not part of the language and instead there is a focus on where you put the emphasis of the sounds on to determine what it should be. For instance, a direct translation of their Capital is Euris meaning belly (coming from Auris, because of the ancient belief that the life force was in the belly, giving it a name sounding similar to the mythical creator of the universe), and Axan, meaning World or Planet.

Due to a short fertility window, males and females are encouraged to have children as soon as they are able to. If the woman does not wish to raise the child she has borne, she can give it to her clan’s matriarch to raise, or to the Fellowship, a government run clan.

RELIGION

The Axans believe that when you die, you go to the stars and become part of the universe, or as they call it ‘Auris’a’. While most believe in the creation by Auris, a star-giant who created the universe, there are no temples. Most Axans pray to the stars or nature, doing rituals such as planting (for new beginnings) or stargazing (for peace and inspiration). There are ritual texts and prayers but those are passed from mother to children and there is no sect leader recognised within their society.

In recent years, other religions from other planets have started to take hold, which the Axans have been welcoming of.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY

There is a unified armed force on Axan, known as the Spears. Originally created from warriors from different tribes, they now act as the law enforcement of the planet. They are also in charge of the Star-cannon, the set of weapons in orbit to protect the planet from attackers.

Mostly, the villages use Guardian, a local who knows the laws to make sure no one is breaking them. If a law is broken, the matriarch decides if the crime needs to be taken to the Aeth or if local justice can be given. This is often just working the debt off for smaller offences, although harsher punishments, such as exile and imprisonment, can be given by the Aeth.

MARRIAGE RITES AND RITUALS

The Axans do not marry but form ‘clans’ with their lovers. A matriarch is elected to lead the clan and any children had will be considered hers. This ensures they will inherit and always be protected by the plan.

For births, the Axans plant new trees to symbolise giving something back to the planet that nourishes them.

For deaths, the bodies are burned, and their ashes scattered over farmland, to symbolise returning to the planet. The tree planted for their birth (if marked) will be cut down as well. If no tree exists, a stone with the carving of a tree is placed on the pyre instead.

Older generations will smear the ashes from the pyre on their foreheads, although that tradition has only been maintained in the most remote areas.

HISTORY

The Axans have a strong oral history, although most is now seen as morality tales. The story of the planet’s creation goes as follows:

When the sky was dark and no star shone, Auris stood in the great vastness and felt alone. She clapped her hands and from her hands flew sparks, and each spark became a star.

Her older sister, seeing this, said: “They are pretty but quiet” and so she sung to each star. From the notes came the People. But each note was different and hit the different places, so the people were different too.

The Sky people were the high notes, the Wood people the shrill notes, the Sand people the long notes and the Water people the deep ones. Auris saw it all and said: “These songs will sing and return to us once their songs are finished”. And so it was.

Axans historians and archaeologists have surmised that there was a common species, the original Axans, who had the ability to change their bodies depending on their environments. Originally, they were a nomadic species, going where the food was plenty. Over the thousands of years, different groups settled in different places, most likely clan groups that fought to stay and drove off smaller groups. As the different groups settled in different environments, they did not need to change their appearance and lost the abilities.

As they developed and got different tools, they lost a lot of their other traits as they no longer needed them.

The first written record, from the Clan Danur, writes of the Matriarch building houses of sandrock for her people. It is said in this place the capital city was built on the red sand, under a mountain, with sea at one side and woods at the other.

Like most species, conflict or natural disasters drove their development. During the great foods, when the red sand became red lakes, they started building dykes and homes higher up. During the Great Draught, they started developing water filtration and the tools to dig. When they needed material, they started to mine.

This continued with the main highlights, including building flying ships and looking to the stars.

SPACE HISTORY

In 2289, the first spaceship with a crew went to the stars. In 2293 they built a space station. By 2340, they had invented their version of a warp core and first contact happened in 2341.

The Axans were open to trade with the Federation but recognised quickly that the more sophisticated technology meant that they were an easy target. In 2345, they had set up their weapon satellites, to be able to protect their planet should they ever need to. They also had a small fleet of spacecrafts, to travel and trade within the nearby planets. During the Dominion Wars, they declared themselves a neutral party and took refugees from former colonies in the DMC, both Cardassian and Bajoran, but only if they came unarmed.

In 2380, the Axans applied to join the Federation as a member rather than a trade partner. They also offered to have volunteers join Starfleet, as well as an exchange to have people from the Federation join them.

5.3 Cereijan

APPEARANCE

The Cereijan are a humanoid species. While their body is very similar to humans in the sense of number of fingers and toes and their mannerisms, what distinguishes them from humans is that their skin is covered with scales, like a snake. Most Cereijan are white, with darker markers over their skull. They are hairless as a species and do not have eyebrows. The skin on their lips and eyelids, as well as their genitals are the only bits that do not have the pale scales, and instead show the darker layer underneath. This is often dark grey or near black.

Male and female Cereijan are almost indistinguishable apart from their genitals. Female Cereijan also have breasts, although these tend to be small. The vocal ranges are similar as well and outsiders often struggle to find the difference between them. The average height for both males and females is around 170cm.

Their eyes range from light yellow to light blue and their eyesight has been said to be similar to that of a feline.

While not natural fighters, they possess good reflexes and an ability to be trained to fight.

LIFE SPAN/IMPORTANT STAGES IN LIFE

The average Cereijan life span is between 100 and 120 years, with no one exceeding 120 years as they are deemed too fragile to get much joy of life after that age.

There are three set stages for a Cereijan, all which are celebrated. The Years of Innocence, called ‘Rash-ya’, start when the child speak their first words. This can be anywhere from 1 year to 3 years. The stage ends when the child is 12 and is taken into an Academy where they will learn their future professions.

The second stage, Years of Community, ‘Narsh-ya’, start from the age of 12 to the age of 20, where they attend the Academy to learn their future profession. This is followed by the third stage, the Years of Service, ‘Inish-ya’, where the Cereijan start their profession. This lasts until they die.

SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT

The Cereijan society relies heavily on science and technology, where it is all for the betterment of their species. Their Government is headed by the ‘Professors of Ideas’, a group of seven individuals who have been selected based on their logic and knowledge, all in different fields. They govern the laws and the decisions that the Cereijan take as a collective people.

With science forever in the foreground, it is recognised amongst the Cereijan that it is both a blessing and a curse. Their ancestors tried to breed a superior race, which eventually led to a infertility epidemic which still lasts. While science and technology has kept their species going, groups have been fighting for years to end it, allowing those that are fertile to naturally repopulate and letting those that cannot die out. Other groups argue that the way to secure the future of their species is to mix their DNA with other species. The most popular line though is to try and make sure the next generation are fertile and therefore it will all happen naturally.

While not isolationists, their doctrine of service to the people prevent many Cereijan ever leaving their planet and as such they are a rare sight. Some would also argue that with their history not just of bioengineering but creating bioweapons in the past, they belong where they are.

Their homeworld is a moon orbiting their former home planet. During the civil war 300 years ago, the planet became uninhabitable and the Cereijan were forced to evacuate to one of their three moons. The Moon, Dereijan, was only meant to be temporary and as such the structures were all made from the ships that got them there. As it became clear that the planet, Cereji, would not be able to support life, the ships became homes and the original ships are were the Academies for the children are.

CULTURE

The Cereijan are dedicated to science and to supporting their own species. All children are everyone’s children and as such they do not have the standard structures of families. Rather, you have different classes of people, all equally important. The Breeders are the ones that are able to reproduce. They are considered the most important people for the Cereijan and great honour is granted them. The Teachers are not just teachers in that sense. They are the record keepers and lawkeepers and the only ones allowed to wear any weapons or receive any training with weapons. The Carers are the ones that take care of the children that are born, but they are also doctors and nurses. They are responsible for the children in their care until they reach the age of 12. The Workers are the ones that make sure everything is running, from equipment to trading and making sure they have the resources they need. Lastly are the Scientists, those that work on the future of the species and any technological and scientific advancements.

Outside of these groups are the ‘Professors of Ideas’, who govern the Cereijan. The seven are elected for life, although it has not been unknown for assassinations to happen.

RELIGION

Science is a religion for the Cereijan, both the good and the bad. Their teachings all surround the cost of science and the benefits from it. There are however texts of their ancestors gods, know as the Rashian-ya, who were said to have come from the stars and made the Cereijan from the organic materials they found on the planet.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY

While there is no set military for the Cereijan, or even law enforcement, the people known as Teachers are the ones to uphold the law. The moon the Cereijan live on is surrounded by a forcefield and they do have weapons to defend it. Criminal behaviour is punishable by prison or exile, depending on the severity of the crime. The Cereijan have a very low crime rate due to the collective mindset of the community, but it is also frowned upon to break the unspoken rules of them.

MARRIAGE RITES AND RITUALS

The Cereijan do not marry or perform any set marriage rituals, but there are still couples who come together. With no real set up for families, those that decide to live together as companions or lovers often do an agreement, recorded, declaring their bond. This also allows them to share resources. It is not unusual for up to ten people living together in such a way.

PROCREATION

The majority of Cereijan are infertile and procreation happens with harvesting eggs and sperm before growing the child in a lab. Artificial wombs, known as tanks, are used. There are no rules about a Cereijan having a baby naturally, but it has not happened for hundreds of years.

BURIAL RITES

The Cereijan use cremation due to the lack of space and the ashes are repurposed for the best of the community’s needs. There are no words spoken and it happens in a very clinical manner. Family collectives will at times hold a gathering of friends and family on the day of the cremation where they exchange memories of the departed.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Cereijan’s planet, destroyed years ago, was a mostly land covered planet with rich resources. Their current homeworld has rich mineral deposits and they are often used in trading. Food is grown on the terraformed underground, with artificial light. There are not any animals on the planet so all their food is vegetable and grain based. As such, the Cereijan are by default vegans.

SPACE HISTORY

The Cereijan were an advanced species who, while humans were starting their industrial revolution, sent their first manned flight into space. They explored their 3 moons and started setting up a mining colony. In 2016 a civil war left the planet uninhabitable and all survivors were evacuated to the biggest moon, Dereijan. In 2055 they reached warp capability.

Since then, Cereijan have not explored much of space. They have made contact with the Federation but did not join the Federation. Instead they simply opened trading routes. When the Klingon wars started, the Cereijan stayed neutral, citing that they had already destroyed one planet with war and would not partake in another. Because of the heavy defences of Dereijan, they were untouched during the war, although the trading stopped during this period and several thousands died of starvation.

Currently, the Cereijan are mostly unknown to the general population of the Federation, except for those planets that trade with them. On occasion, a Cereijan will join Starfleet, although the cost tends to be that they never go back to their home as they are seen as having left the Community.

5.4 Nekomi

APPEARANCE

The Nekomi are for the most part human apart from their catlike features and mannerisms. They have tails covered in short but fluffy fur that reach the floor and large ears covered in the same fur.

A fully grown Nekomi typically stands between 5 and 6 foot, some male Nekomi grow taller than this. Male Nekomi have more body mass and strength then females.

Their hands are very similar to human hands except for where the fingernails would be are very sharp but retractable claws and they also have rather sharp elongated canines.

Their skin ranges from a light sandy colour to an darkish brown and their fur can come in almost any colour imaginable however the most common are blacks, browns and greys, a few have even had extremely bright green fur.

Nekomi are extremely lithe and nimble and are capable of extreme feats of acrobatics and speed if the need arises.

The Nekomi can do a range of typical feline sounds from meowing and purring to hissing. They can occasionally be caught cleaning their fur in the typical way terran cats do and can get hairballs if they do this.

LIFE SPAN/IMPORTANT STAGES IN LIFE

The average Nekomi life span is between 80 and 90 years, a few occasionally exceed 90 years.

The Age of maturity, when a Nekomi reaches 18 they are officially classed as mature/adults, meaning they can do several things they are not allowed to do as a Kit. This is also the time when Nekomi in arranged marriages are required to undertake the marriage ceremony with their arranged partner, if a marriage is not prearranged a Nekomi can marry anyone so long as they are passed the age of maturity.

SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT

Nekomi society is based around mutual cooperation, everyone working together for a mutual advantage.

The Nekomi are semi isolationist after their first experiences of the wider world were (with a couple of exceptions) extremely bad. Since then they don’t tend to venture beyond their homeworld for reasons beyond limited exploration and a little trade, their only mass voyage from the homeworld was to set up Kemi colony.

The homeworld is fairly small and most of its surface is water, there are only 3 major land masses where the majority of the population lives, residing in 15 large cities. Each city is led by an elected mayor and his sub council and the planetary council known as the council of 15 is made up of a representative from each city.

Nekomi are very passive and will defend themselves if attacked only long enough to escape but if they are sufficiently provoked they will respond with bouts of extreme violence and aggression although it takes a lot to provoke them.

To a Nekomi, family is the most important thing.

CULTURE

Nekomi are naturally gifted athletes and acrobats, they hold intercity sporting events every other year and every 6th year they hold a planet wide competition instead.

Despite so much of the homeworld being covered in water Nekomi do not learn to swim as young children. However it is a requirement for Nekomi wanting to work in the fishing fleet and courses are available.

RELIGION

The Nekomi do not worship any gods.

They do however heavily believe in fate, to a Nekomi Mosti katia, katia What happens, happens and there is almost nothing they can do to stop or change it.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY

Due to the Nekomi’s natural disliking of violence, violent crime is almost non-existent but should any be committed the city council will send out enforcement and investigation teams to handle the situation and detain the perpetrator/s, the enforcement and investigation teams are made entirely of volunteers and they are specially trained in law enforcement, crime scene investigation, forensics and the use of the Nekomi’s wide array of non lethal weapons ranging from simple batons to sophisticated stun weapons. Other crimes are handled by the same enforcement and investigation teams.

Nekomi do imprison perpetrators if their crime is bad enough to warrant it, they have a handful of prisons on some of the smaller land masses, however they believe strongly in rehabilitation and reform and make every effort possible to ensure when they are released they do not re-offend.

For crimes that are so heinous that their rehabilitation system would not work for example a serial killer, they are exiled to one of the uninhabited islands far from the mainland, there are enough natural resources on the islands for them to survive if they are smart and strong enough but they will inevitably die, the islands are so far from the mainland that even the strongest swimmer would not be able to swim the distance and the islands are monitored to prevent escape.

The Nekomi have no standing army but in extremely drastic circumstances the council of 15 and the city mayors can authorise the use of lethal weapons to be issued to the enforcement teams, however they do not posses ground to space weaponry or large scale weapons such as ballistic missiles, chemical weapons etc.

They do possess a handful of ships with low warp capability but they are relatively small and are used primarily to explore their solar system and trade with the only civilisations they do have regular contact with on a nearby planet. They are very lightly armed but have extremely good shielding, sub-light speed and manoeuvrability meaning they can generally outrun any ship wishing to do them harm at impulse speeds.

The Nekomi's neighbours the Bespiri consider themselves the guardians of the Nekomi, they are technologically advanced compared to them and have peacefully expanded into several systems. Any ship passing through their space or attempting to enter Nekomi space is investigated and if required forcibly turned back.

MARRIAGE RITES AND RITUALS

Nekomi are somewhat divided when it comes to marriage. Some follow the newer more preferred choice where anyone may marry anyone else (of the correct gender) at any point in their life they choose so long as they are both past the age of maturity, the marriage ceremony is performed by the city’s Mayor, his assistant or a representative of the city council.

Many still follow the older tradition of arranged marriages, a suitable mate is found for the child upon their 2nd birthday and they are required to marry that person upon reaching the age of maturity the ceremony like with the more common marriage form is performed by the city mayor, his assistant or a representative of the city council. There are only a few ways where a Nekomi that is in an arranged marriage is released from oath to marry.

The death of either participant
If a Nekomi female wishes to marry someone other than they are arranged to marry the two males must compete for the right in the ritual of Vida de garia, Life for love.

The life for love ritual is in effect a no holds barred fight to the death between the 2 males, before the fight begins each male is ritually prepared by the female they are fighting for, a silky cloth is wound around their tail and wrists, a necklace made from the teeth of the planets largest sea creatures is placed around their neck and they are lightly sprayed with a mix of scented oils. During this preparation the female recites the Vida de garia oath to each male, explaining that they will marry the winner of the ritual.

There are no rules in the fight itself other than no weapons other than what they possess naturally and they can’t try to dismember each other. It is seen as an unforgivable breach of the law if someone intervenes in the fight, if that person is acting on behalf of one of the males in the fight then that male forfeits the fight and is disgraced.

In that instance the ritual still demands there be only 1 person remaining alive to have the rite of marriage and the disgraced male is offered the chance to regain some honour and pride by committing a ritual but rather barbaric suicide this is done by them using their claws to rip out their own throats.

When a victor has been determined the marriage ceremony is immediately carried out, the male takes the cloth from his tail and uses it to bind his and the females tails together and the representative pronounces them married. The marriage ceremony can be delayed by a few days if the victorious male is not capable of performing it due to injuries sustained during the fight.

Currently due to their lack of regular contact with other species there are no known times where a Nekomi has tried to marry a different species.

PROCREATION

While being feline based Nekomi do not go through periods of heat and with their single pair of breasts and nipples they cannot support and do not give birth to whole litters of children however births of single children are still uncommon often resulting in twins or triplets.

There are no restrictions on how many children Nekomi can have however the government recommends only a handful on account of the limited space on the planet.

BURIAL RITES

On the homeworld all burials that are not cremations are burials at sea primarily due to not having too much space available on the mainland for cemeteries however small monuments to important people are occasionally erected in the city they were born in, the Nekomi do not grieve for very long, they know that death is a natural part of life that cannot be stopped, if a Nekomi that is out trading with the nearby planet dies the other crew will do their best to return the body to the homeworld for burial at sea.

NATURAL RESOURCES

With the homeworld being 85% water one of their most common resources are incredibly abundant fish stocks. Each city close to the ocean boasts a considerable fishing fleet that has its own rough area of the planet to fish in. The Nekomi that work these ships have through time learned to overcome their tendency to avoid going in water and the vast majority of them are extremely competent swimmers, unlike the majority of the population.

There are a small series of ships that are allowed to and are sturdy enough to hunt the larger creatures that lurk in the ocean depths including the Pakake and Caetus, the catching of these very large creatures similar in size to earth whales is highly regulated, only a handful are allowed to be caught per ship per year.

Almost all power generated on the planet is in the form of sustainable energy coming from off shore wind farms, tidal generators and solar arrays. Their ships and orbital stations are powered by extremely economical warp cores

SPACE HISTORY

One day a fishing vessel reported a strange substance floating on the water in his assigned fishing ground and he bought a canister full of it back to be examined, it was determined to be a highly efficient fuel source, a rig was developed to gather this fuel source and a refinery set up to process it. Several years later this fuel was used to send the first rocket and subsequently probe into orbit of the planet they soon discovered that on the small moon that orbited them clearly visible outcrops of a glittering crystal.

A few years after this probe launch they sent up their first ever manned mission to this moon not only to explore it but to retrieve samples of the crystal.

Eventually they developed the technology to keep a permanent facility in orbit of the planet an unidentified and highly advanced (compared to the Nekomi) ship flew into orbit of the planet and introduced themselves as the Bespiri confederacy they inhabited several planets in the next system.

These Bespiri identified the resources they had found as what they and the majority of the galaxy called Dilithium. And over several years they helped the Nekomi develop impulse and eventually warp technology and the means to protect themselves in space, in exchange for a trade agreement with them so they had a steady supply of dilithium and other resources.

Now with the means to travel the distant stars the Nekomi started to explore their system and the nearby systems, they met a handful of species, some like the Pladimon were very friendly and they still to this day have good relations and a trade agreement with them, others like the Vufziof were extremely aggressive even hostile to the Nekomi.

They decided to have absolutely no interaction with that species what so ever and at a general consensus from the council of 15 the Nekomi decided to limit their exploration and contact with the wider galaxy to just the nearby collection of systems. That ruling stands to this day. It doesn’t mean however that they did not send automated probes out to the far reaches of space sending back information about the galaxy.

It was via one of these probes that they discovered an uninhabited planet almost exactly the same as theirs, it was calculated it would take over a year at their current maximum warp speed for a ship to get there, they petitioned the Bespiri for assistance and they agreed to send one of their much faster ships to the planet and survey it for them. The results came back and they showed the planet was perfect for Nekomi and the council of 15 decided to take the calculated risk of attempting to branch out and establish a colony.

They built a ship capable of making the trip and sent 50 of the best and brightest in the fields of agriculture, marine biology, administration and supply and many other fields. Those 50 that had children were allowed to bring them along to be the next generation of colonists.

5.5 Vaeron

APPEARANCE

Vaerons are humanoids that, overall, have a similar appearance to humans. Known Vaerons have hair colours that include blonde, brown, black, red, silver and white, and eye colours that include blue, brown, green, violet and amber.

LIFE SPAN/IMPORTANT STAGES IN LIFE

Vaeron lifespans vary greatly depending on the ability they develop and their lifestyle. On average, as far as mathematical statistics go, Vaerons live around 600 years, however many live much longer, and many others don’t live that long.

The speed of ageing can also vary depending on the Talent developed, but all Vaerons age much slower than humans.

The only speed of ageing that is the same for all Vaerons is during the younger years before adulthood, after which the ageing process slows down; their ageing slows down even more at around the age of 250.

Between birth and the age of 70, a Vaeron is considered a ‘minor’ and legally still the full responsibility of their parents...during this time they are the physical and mental equivalent of a human child, then developing into the equivalent of a human teenager.

SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT AND CULTURE

No current government; the Vaeron civilisation has been destroyed.

They were ruled by a council; members of this council were known as High-Pralors. These were inherited titles that seemingly offered an elite lifestyle.

Vaerons develop abilities known as ‘Talents’ as they mature into adulthood. The types of Talents varied across the race, and the type of Talent a person developed would dictate the career they would train for. The exception to this; the heirs of the High-Pralors who would be trained to take a position on the council.

It appears that there has always been equality between the genders.

RELIGION

Having two hearts, Vaerons believe that they have two souls rather than just one, and that they have two gods, 'The Brothers'. Priests served both as counsellors/therapists as well as warriors to protect people. Religious exclamations and cursing involve smoke, ash and fire.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY

None; the Vaeron civilisation has been destroyed.

RITUALS

It appears that marriages exist between Vaerons and that they are optional and voluntary.

Vaerons greet each other by touching their chest with one hand, then touching their forehead with two fingers of the same hand, and then motioning to the other person with them.

It seems that their death ritual would have involved sending the dead to sea in some manner. One of their highest holy commandments is that no one should be allowed to die alone, and that the passing must be made peaceful.

HISTORY

As a non-Federation species, most of the Vaeron history is not recorded in the Federation database. The genocide of their people now makes this irretrievable.

The planet was under one nation rule, with the City of Sol serving as the capitol as far back as records began. The second holding city was Ylos.

They appear to have been an equally scientific and spiritual people, with a long-established religion, through which Priests played a big part in society, and a high level of technology.

At some point, a terrorist organisation known as the Ikirus group were active. It appears that the first attacks during their future genocide were initially mistaken as a resurgence of this group.

SPACE HISTORY

As a non-Federation species, most of the Vaeron history is not recorded in the Federation database. The genocide of their people now makes this irretrievable.

The first contact between the Vulcans and Vaerons was logged in 1971 after they successfully built a warp capable drive. Whilst communications and interactions remained cordial, the Vaerons made it clear they preferred to keep to themselves rather than open themselves to the risk of the greater universe, and their wish was respected.

In 2366, Vaeron sent multiple distress calls to Starfleet when they came under attack by an alien force. A week of systematic destruction of the Vaerons ensued. The call of surrender was ignored and the genocide continued. It became apparent that the invading alien force were the Xaeons, the people of a neighbouring planet. They were the only known trading partners to the Vaerons, from a planet in the same system, and while they'd had conflicts in the past, the peace after the treaty had stretched for at least a few generations.

There were rumours amongst the survivors that traitors were involved to allow the Xaeons past planet defences, but this was never proved.

Starfleet did not send help to the planet, but did pick up the few survivors that managed to escape.

Vaeron now is under full control of the Xaeons and all contact with the system has been cut off. With the systematic slaughter that took place during the attack, and the fact that the Xaeons appeared to take no prisoners, it assumed all Vaeron life on the planet is lost, and only the few survivors that escaped the system remain.

05 - Custom Species

Table of Contents:

5.1 Akkadian

5.2 Axans

5.3 Cereijan

5.4 Nekomi

5.5 Vaeron