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2304/10/05

About the Starwalkers

Introduction

The Starwalkers are a felinoid race, officially members of both the Commonwealth of Species and the Legion, though they belong to neither. Starwalkers roam the galaxy in massive clan-ships, that harbour their whole family, often a few generations.

Name Meaning

The reason these space-faring creatures are called the Starwalkers is because of a simple problem of linguistics. Many people have trouble calling the Starwalkers by their actual names, the Ki'adar'ra'no'vas'shti'kad'ar'nasa'vin'tik'ri'kiad'ro'yor'nak'tinn'va'allas'dun, which roughy translates as "Wandering Nomads of the Stars". In short, Starwalkers.

Anatomy

Morphology

The Starwalkers are tall, lithe, flexible beings, with a human-like posture and digitigrade feet. The cranium has a cat-like face, with a mid-sized muzzle and long ears, which are rotatable and flexible, often bearing a tuft of fur at the end. However, these features vary between the subspecies. The eyes are large and almond-shaped, generally a brilliant colour, like green or blue. Their mouths bear a feline dentition, with sharp pointed teeth, and molars in the back.

The claws on a Starwalker hand are fully retractable, while the claws on their toes are fixed. The feet and palms of these creatures bear thick pads, that are sensitive to touch and temperature. Despite having these pads, they're capable of the same manipulation as humans, though their longer fingers may mean a bit more. A Starwalker's claws, interestingly, are actually liquid, while inside the hand. When the Starwalker tenses the right muscles, the claws extend, shaped by the recesses in their hands, and solidify when not surrounded by the chemical that keeps them liquid.

A Starwalker's tail is long and feline, which the individual has full control over. A Starwalker female possesses no obvious breasts, with them being hidden behind the thicker chest fur a female possesses. However, they may be more noticeable if the Starwalker is a mother with children still weaning, a period of about 4 standard months.

Genetics and Taxonomy

Taxonomically, Starwalkers are entirely feline, sharing many characteristics of the known feline species, like the cats of Earth and the zima of Taria. Starwalkers share most of their traits with smaller felines of earth, such as caracals, servals, lynxes and cheetahs. A Starwalker's fur colour and pattern generally imitate the afore-mentioned cats.

Body Types and Morphological Mutations

What's known about the Starwalkers is that there are at least four subspecies, generally named after the regions on their planets where they are believed to have evolved.

North Starwalkers: The rarest breed of Starwalkers, north Starwalkers originate in the north of their homeworld, Kira, and generally have thicker fur than the average. North Starwalkers also bear tufts of fur on their cheeks, like a lynx, and also share the fur-tipped ears. The fur colour on these Starwalkers is generally a reddish-brown colour, though it will gradually turn grey-white in the cold.

South Starwalkers: These Starwalkers bear yellow fur as a whole, generally like the cheetahs and lions of earth. Similar to these creatures, South Starwalkers also have black spots, that sometimes merge to create black lines, in a pattern known as a "King Cheetah" pattern. In Starwalkers, this trait is called "Alpha Starwalker". South Starwalkers also bear shorter ears than any other breed, appearing like a lion's or a cheetah's.

East Starwalkers: Possibly the most common breed of Starwalker, eastern Starwalkers are the ones most people are familiar with as Starwalkers. Thinner than most other breeds, these Starwalkers generally have a brownish-reddish fur, though they can have many colours. East Starwalkers have the largest ears of any Starwalker breed, and occasionally have spots.

West Starwalkers: Similar in appearance to the southern Starwalkers lie the western Starwalkers. These felinoids have the same patterns and general appearance of a south Starwalker, but with grey fur. This fur colour stems from the rocky southern part of the planet they originate from.

Fur

The fur is a noticeable trait in the Starwalker species. The entire body of a Starwalker is covered in a short fur, with the tail sometimes ending in a tuft of fur, with the ears possibly bearing it as well. The fur is not waterproof, but is usually set in a way so that water drains from the body, preventing hypothermia or pneumonia.

Though some Starwalkers are capable of growing a mane, this is a rare mutation, but it is admired nonetheless. Starwalkers have the capability to grow the fur longer around the tops and sides of their heads, as well as on their upper neck. It is unknown why this occurs, but some Starwalkers let it grow, and style it like humans do with hair. However, most Starwalkerskeep it trimmed low.

Abilities

Eyesight: A Starwalker possesses keen eyesight, that remains sharp through the entirety of its life. Also, a Starwalker's eyes glow in the dark due to the presence of a unique chemical dubbed Ritoxi by humans, which gives them exceptional nightvision. Their eyes are capable at seeing at a framerate of almost 2000 FPS.

Smell: Starwalkers have a keen nose, and their sense of smell is beat by few races, like the Wulven. This sense of smell allows them to identify each other by smell, and identify most races by smell as well.

Hearing: Depending on the subrace, Starwalkers have exceptional hearing. South and west Starwalkers have poor hearing in comparison to north Starwalkers, who pale in comparison to eastern Starwalkers. In fact, eastern Starwalkers have as good of hearing as Wulven, though the Wulven don't like to admit it.

Learning Rate: This here is where the Starwalkers truly set themselves apart. These cat-like creatures have an extremely fast maturity rate (covered in Life Cycle and Family Structure), so they have a learning rate to match. Starwalkers have an unchartable learning curve, and the first known Starwalker contact to humanity learned English in fifteen minutes. Even Starwalkers born with disabilities retain their high learning rate.

Long Youth: Due to the Starwalker's unique way of maturing (covered in Life Cycle and Family Structures), they have youth that lasts well into their sixties. This means that a Starwalker at age fifty is just as capable for anything than a Starwalker at age twenty. If the Starwalkers formed a unified army, they would be trouble for any opposing force.

Reflexes: The Starwalker's extremely fast learning rate would only be possible if they had a brain that moved equally as fast. Naturally, that means that their reflexes accompany this. Starwalkers have exceptional reflexes and good hand-eye coordination, making them good fighters.

Musculature: Another useful Starwalkers bargaining chip is their extreme musculature. A Starwalker is, by default, incredibly strong for their size, since their planet has 1.35 G. This means they are 35% stronger than your average being of this size, and show little of it on the outside.

Alcohol Immunity: A Starwalker boasts two livers and a heightened alcohol use rate. This means that Starwalkers physically cannot get drunk. It'd take enough alcohol to kill a human, before a Starwalker would even_start_ feeling dizzy. And if they took a minute's pause, they would be sobered again.

Poison Resistance: A Starwalker's twin livers are a handy feature to possess. With them, a Starwalker can filter out most poisons in their blood, making them very resistant creatures. Adding to this, Starwalkers also have a special organ that attaches to their blood stream that removes many poisons by adding a neutralizer to the blood. This neutralizer is also a fuel that aids the Starwalker brain in its endeavours.

Disabilities

Memory: Though a Starwalker may boast the ability to think faster than any other known race, including that of the Dreamers, they pay for it heavily by suffering mild dementia. Unless information is accessed on a semi-regular basis, a Starwalker will forget it. This frees up valuable mental space, but also limits a Starwalker's usefulness.

Super-fast metabolism: To help support their super-fast brains, Starwalkers need more energy that your average human. To help along with this, Starwalkers have a super fast metabolism, and must eat often. Starwalker society consists of six standard meals a day.

Sensitivity: One of the Starwalker's greatest advantages, their powerful senses, can be turned back against them. Due to their senses, a Starwalker is easily affected by loud noises, bright lights and foul smells. Interestingly, directly inverted from the Wulven species, Starwalkers find humans to smell repulsive, and may wrinkle or cover their noses around humans.

Weakness to Heat: With the exception of the south Starwalkers, the species is absolutely intolerant to heat. Most comfortable in temperatures ranging from 5* Celsius to 15*, Starwalkers are uncomfortable in 20*+, and downright weak in 30*+.

Attention Span: Because Starwalkers minds move so fast, by human standards, they have extreme ADD. Though not usually hyper, a Starwalker is easily driven to boredom in a human academy. While the rest of the class may struggle with the subject matter, a Starwalker will be sitting there bored, eyes roving around the room. It's probably a good thing that Starwalkers are natural introverts, or they'd likely be a major distraction.

Eyes: This is one of the key differences between a Starwalker and an earth cat. A cat's eyes have a tapetum that allows them to see in the dark, meaning a greenish reflection in bright light. Starwalkers, on the other hand, have glowing eyes, that can clearly be seen even if there isn't a light source. A Starwalker may be ill-suited for stealth, due to this trait.

Habits

Diet

Starwalkers are non-strict carnivores. Though meat, and plenty of it, is required in their diet, they are capable of eating many things, like wheat, fruits and vegetables. When Starwalkers are present at human bases, they are often served a special protein paste, to supplement the fact that meat can't be provided in huge portions. Despite the fact that humans protest this stuff as tasting like cardboard, Starwalkers love it, which ultimately turns out for the better.

Starwalkers don't naturally suffer from allergies, though most Starwalkers seem to have an intolerance to some human foods, like curry and chili, while absolutely all Starwalkers hate, of all things, potatoes. Its unknown why potatoes, but they can't stand it. Additionally, Starwalkers also are capable of consuming a whole carcass, meaning that they'll eat bones and fats as well.

Due to their advanced immune system, twin livers, and blood neutralizer, Starwalkers can't get high, nor can they form an addiction to drugs. A dual problem lies in this, preventing Starwalkers from receiving pain medication, since it does no good. Medications need to be injected directly into the brain, which can be risky.

Life Cycle and Family Structure

Starwalkers are born as small, mewing kits, incapable of defending themselves when born. At birth, a Starwalker doesn't know how to extend their claws, nor does one have front teeth. Starwalker mothers, interestingly enough, lose their high metabolism for the first while, meaning that they have nutrients to provide for their children. Within a period of about two weeks, a Starwalker kit will gain its legs, and will walk around, not like a human baby, but like a terran cat. Within two to three weeks after this, a Starwalker kit will have gained its two feet. This is when the extreme growth rate of Starwalker kits comes into effect, as they will grow steadily from this point, appearing about the same age and mental capacity as a five-year-old human, all at the age of two. Also in this period, a Starwalker kit's legs and arms will grow significantly, until it is proportioned about the same as a human.

At this point, however, a Starwalker's growth seems to stall, and they remain like a five-year-old for many more years, until they hit the age of twelve. At this time, a Starwalker's extreme learning rate kicks in, along with an event Starwalkers know as the "Ki'ri'a'na'rit'so'far", which translates roughly to "The Emergence". A Starwalker will grow rapidly, from their five-year old body, to a body appearing like a twenty-year-old, all in the space of about two years, from twelve to fourteen. As one can imagine, this is quite a painful time for Starwalkers, and they are rarely seen during this process. However, once it is completed, a Starwalker is now a full adult among their people, mentally and physically equivalent to a twenty-year-old human.

Curiously, this state is held by the Starwalkers for most of their life after this, with Starwalkers not appearing to age until about mid-way through their sixties. At this point, their true age catches up with them. Their fur will grey within the space of a year, and their bodies start to fail, like any species.

Though an adult, a Starwalker is not permitted to take a mate until the age of sixteen. The sense of smell is used in this process, as both genders will be able to tell if another is interested in them. Mating outside individual breeds (i.e., north and south), is rare, but not unheard of. Each Starwalker is capable of getting pregnant at any time of year, but a Starwalker's fertility increases when around other females that aren't family.

Kits are raised in equal parts by the mother and father. Since Starwalkers tend to have many children through their life (though not usually exceeding ten), oftentimes their children will take positions as well, helping to watch the children and teach them. Siblings will impart skills they have learned to their younger siblings. Play-fighting occurs, seeming to humans to be unnecessarily violent, with kits appearing to try and kill each other. However, this violence is simply because the Starwalkers move so fast, it looks more dangerous than it is. And they do this to establish a social hierarchy when young.

Vocalization and Body Language

Body language is important to a Starwalker, but the vocal language they speak is also necessary, as it is in most races. The Starwalker language is unusually complex to some other races, since it is composed of many, many syllables. Every Starwalker syllable (occasionally, two syllables), represents a basic concept. For example "ki" can mean pretty much anything, as an overarching concept of 'person'. So to create words, Starwalkers will combine many of these words together to form a new word, sort of like the human "don't". As far as known, no human has ever successfully learned the Starwalker language, which most of the galaxy knows as Starsong. Though, humanity not learning this tongue is not viewed as an impediment, since Starwalkers have no troubles learning English.

Starwalker make other sounds besides their complex language, that include purrs when content, and hisses when enraged. Body language is also a determining factor to determine emotions. If the ears are held high, it might indicate a stronger Starwalker than one who holds his ears low. Likewise, the tails also help determine this. A twitching or lashing tail might indicate anger, while a smoothly moving tail means calm. Starwalkers tails curve up at the end when angry, and down when happy. Curiously, the tails are one of the only ways to tell a female apart from a male, for unless a female is weaning, there exist no obvious differences. Male tails begin at the left, and swish to the right, while females are inverted.

Reproduction

Starwalker reproduction is similar to human, in that it is between two partners, one male and one female. Also similar to most terrestrial mammals, Starwalker females carry the children, not the males. By the age of fourteen, a Starwalker is considered fully sexually mature, capable of producing offspring. However, they are not permitted to do so until the age of sixteen, where they are classified as citizens.

Starwalker copulation is short and precise, lasting a mere five minutes at best. An interesting fact to note about Starwalker society, is that they do not practice pre-marital sex, because the part of the brain responsible for sexual pleasure is detached from the rest of the brain, meaning Starwalkers feel no pleasure from sex. Because of this, it is also impossible for a Starwalker to get themselves aroused. Only a fertile female in the Starwalker's form of 'heat' are capable of getting a Starwalker male aroused.

Society

Starwalkers have a very interesting culture. When humanity first contacted this feline race, they dubbed them the "Gypsies of the Starways". These cat-like creatures travel in massive 'Clan ships' that contain a multitude of Starwalkers, who are all part of the same family. These clans are formed when a Starwalker, willingly or not, leaves his clan. Once gaining a ship of their own, they are now an officially recognized clan. These clans play a huge part in a Starwalker's life, even down to their names. The "First Finder", an individual known to most humans as Khayal, was actually named Kha'yal'kja'manir, which meant his name was Kha, the firstborn son of Yal, of clan Manir. The first syllable is their name, the second, their father's. The third syllable is their position under their parents (Kja is the first born, nik is fifth, and so forth), while the final syllable is their clan name.

Starwalkers rove with their large, extended families in their clanships, and thus have no unified society. Were they to be unified, the Starwalkers could probably develop a capable military, but they remain loose out of fear, for it is suspected that the Ancestors, the forebearers of humanity, waged many wars with the Starwalkers. The Starwalkers fear yet that the Ancestors are still after them. These clanships are governed by an alpha, the 'father' of the clan. These alphas make sure the clan survives.