OOC: Story spam!
Colonization, even in these modern times of warp drive, has always been a little hit or miss. Certainly, you could get anywhere in the galaxy given enough time, but given the unpredictability of the routes, people would much rather stay closer to home, closer to the possibility of resupply and retreat. And while in theory you could wander far enough to eventually find a perfect planet every time, most people are far too impatient to engage in such an activity. So what kind of world you end up with – well, that is entirely up to chance.
Sathan was an unlucky strike, of course, given the recalcitrant natives, but it was the closest thing that the Fehan had found to Helan proper. Some hundred systems near Helan were being exploited thoroughly for their mineral contents, both rare and commonplace, but they bore few planets suitable for habitability, and the colonies there were more outposts than anything else. Helan remained the gem of Fehan space.
But quite suddenly, the dynamic changed...
Hu spun the globe before her idly, nudging it this way and that with her snout. It was a pretty world, this one. Karaith, they called it. She liked that name. It sounded like something she would have picked. Karaith.
But even though she was the head of this whole project, she hadn’t yet gotten to see the damn place in person yet. There was some series of “scientific tests” that had to be done on the surface before she could go down there. Or something like that. Her scientists had been frustratingly unable to explain the possible problems in terms that anyone except an antisocial bookworm could understand – some nonsense about “potential for carbon monoxide” or “unpredictability of interacting biochemistries.” Who gave a flying heap of dung? If there was oxygen on the planet – and that the scientists had assured her – she’d be able to breathe. Who cared about anything beyond that?
But then they said something that she understood quite well, thank you very much. Sort of. “Say that again?”
“We’ve found sentient life on this planet.”
Okay, she didn’t actually know what that meant. “What does that mean?”
The scientist paused for a moment, as if she was stupid or something. “Alien life with an intelligence much like our own.”
“Really?” Now she was genuinely interested.
“Yes. It escaped our notice until now, because they don’t exactly build things the same way as us, or even act like us on the most basic of levels. You see, they don’t build cities, or even cluster together like every species we’ve encountered. Granted, we probably should have been aware from the start that the sociology of different evolutionary lineages would be vastly differ –”
“– You’re speaking scientist again, uh... whatever your name is.”
“They don’t interact in crowds. They live with their immediate family and them only. There’s about six of them to the average den.” The scientist made a subtle gesture with one of her paws, and a hologram of the species replaced the globe in front of her.
“You forgot one thing,” Hu said, and the scientist looked curious. “They also look ridiculous.”
The scientist started to say something, but Hu utterly ignored her to continue looking at the hilarious creature. It looked like... a fish flipped on its back? With giant legs that arched behind themselves before planting on the ground. And then the hologram started moving, and she nearly cracked her nose from whacking it on the pole so hard – it was skidding along on its belly, propelled by the legs.
“You’re telling me this thing is supposed to be even close to how smart we are?”
“Rather smarter than you,” the scientist muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing. But Hu, the xenosociological implications of this species –”
“Please save it for someone who cares. Which means, I’m guessing, that you’ll start talking to yourself more.” She hit her nose on the pole a few more times.
“As you say.”
“Now, get me more videos of these things. Especially doing hilarious things. Alternatively, get me started towards the surface. I'd like to walk around my new domain for a while."
* * * * * * * * *
Tunului/North King*
Species: “Tunului” is the Fehan name for this species; it means “belly-back”. This refers to the species’ habit of propelling themselves in a bizarre fashion – they slide along on their back, their bellies up in the air, while their legs, arched behind them, propel them along. In their native glacial terrain this is actually a rather efficient mode of transportation; their expansion to the rest of the world has prompted some of their kind to invent coverings for their backs in the rougher regions. Their ancestors resembled porpoises more than anything else.
Tunului are a solitary hunting species, and as a result are highly territorial. Most extra-familial interaction comes with courtship rituals, and territorial marking displays which have become, with their growing intelligence and thoughtfulness, more tense negotiations than anything else. This has led to a number of unusual characteristics – firstly they
Forces: The Tudului rarely do anything that could even be construed as “working together,” so their “military” capabilities largely amount to whatever any one individual can do – not completely insignificant, but on a galactic scale largely so.
Technology: A brief overview of the technologies available to your species and fields of specialization. Most starting species will have some form of faster than light travel and an assortment of relevant technologies.
*To the extent that they have a player, anyway, being a highly fractious group.
