Rapala
There are coincidences in life and then there are the Rapala, who have caused an uproar in human biology circles of a supposed panspermia origin of the Earth’s biosphere - just to turn out to be just a very strange case of convergent evolution, all because they look very similar to humans sans feathered flying-arms and bird-like legs.
Nonetheless, the Rapala are close to Humanity. Maybe a little too close for their masters, leaving their home planet and their scant colonies in a precarious situation as being both the Unathi gateway into Commonwealth politics while also harboring separatist and human-aligned sympathies… Diplomats and rebels both, it isn't a surprise that Rapala can be found as far away as possible from this.
Overview
- Rapala do not have their own language, but they are raised with Sinta’unathi, which you can access with ,o
- Rapala possess the traits Flight and Soft Landing, meaning they take less damage from falling and are capable of flying!
- Rapala are not barred from any job. They have a slight preference for pilot positions, but this is not mandatory.
- Rapala have no dietary restrictions. They can eat everything.
Naming
Rapala have lost much of their native language, of its few remnants being the family names they bear. Given names tend to be of Unathi origins, heavy on E's, I's and O's and S's, almost sounding hissing, or guttural, although younger Rapala are named in more human fashion as sort of cultural trend. Their family names however tend to be more traditional, with heavy emphasis on the syllables Ze, Keh, Kah, Ku, Zwak, Kwah and Kre, being three to four syllables long overall. However, this is not strictly necessary and outside Rapala might follow completely different naming schemes.
Biology
The average Rapala is an omnivorous humanoid with winged arms and bird-like feet. Their hands are technically five fingered, however what would be the ring finger and pinkie are instead elongated to provide the membrane upon which their flight feathers grow, leaving them to grasp objects with only a thumb, index finger and middle finger. However, this gives them enough dexterity with most human ergonomic tools, even though they prefer their own ergonomics.
The average height for Rapala differs between females and males. The average female is 5’10”/178cm , while the average male is 5’5”/165cm.
Clearly descended from an endurance flight hunter much like terran eagles, they possess both sharp senses and magnetic field organs in their sinuses, allowing them spatial senses that can effectively navigate three-dimensional spaces. This translates to them being naturally more adept to avionics and space piloting, a fact exploited by their Unathi masters or appreciated by their allies - this is not to say that every Rapala is a good pilot, just that they have an easier time to achieve proficiency.
The similarities to human biology are readily apparent when comparing a Human and a Rapala. Both species possess little body hair/feathers, walk upright and have even near-identical facial structures with philtrum-pitted noses and lips and similar musculature. This specifically caused the interest in their anatomy in the first place - Rapala emote in a similar way than humans without being exposed to the diasporan culture.
However, these striking, if superficial similarities end here. Rapala, while red-blooded, do not produce their red blood cells in their bones, but in their liver and and lymphatic vessels, as their bones are filled greatly with air pockets, reducing their weight and increasing oxygenation - combined with their flight-winged arms, they are capable of sustained flight.
Genetics
Furthermore and more interestingly, the Rapala possess a much, much more complex sexual differentiation than Humans.
While the presence of X and Y chromosomes does determine primary sexual features of a vulva or phallus with external gonads, Rapala also possesses a second pair of chromosomes, who are vaguely shaped like a W and a V. This chromosomal pair has a much higher impact on outward sexual differentiation - members of the Rapala possessing a WW chromosomal pair usually express with a height towering six to twelve inches higher than their counterparts, while possessing larger hips, pronounced adiposity in their mammaries and duller plumage, as well a more aggressive and domineering behaviour in social and sociosexual contexts. WV individuals express much less adipose tissue, are shorter and leaner and have a tendency to be more passive, even submissive. Rapala society assigns WW individuals a female social role, while WV individuals are assigned male, regardless of their X and Y expression.
Reproduction
Similar to Monotremes of Earth, Rapala carry eggs (usually single, rarely two) for five months, before laying them and brooding them for additional four months, a task often associated with community, as communal creches are a norm, where professional and volunteer brooders take care of growing eggs. After the children hatch, they are fed with mammary milk and undergo maturation for several years - sexual maturity is reached usually by fourteen, but virtually all Rapala recognize adulthood to start with nineteen years of age.
For a long time the cultural norm was that only WW and WV individuals should mate, although it’s entirely possible for two WV Rapala to achieve pregnancy - however VV Rapala do not exist and lead to a terminated egg development. Modern medicine has allowed for this social taboo to fade into the background of the cultural Zeitgeist, with only conservative voices still showing disdain for such unions.
It’s known that Rapala that overeat lay unfertilized eggs. This can be a source of embarrassment.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of a Rapala is 90 years, although modern medicine often can make them exceed a century and a half in age before they die of old age.
Culture
For information on their history, see : Kelezakata (When it's done!)
Modern birds of a modern age
The modern Rapala are a dynamic species who express intense curiosity and eagerness to alien cultures and technology after years of static isolation at the hands of their masters - undoubtedly they have suffered during the Hegemony war by fielding most of the auxiliaries and providing material support for the Unathi legions, but the end and peace treaty also made them the treaty port of Unathi space for trade with Humanity.
From there they prospered and have touched and studied many differing ideologies, philosophies and economic models from not just Human space, but Skrellian, Tajaran and other diasporan species. Kelezakata has become the jewel of the southern tributaries of the Unathi Empire, even if their loyalties are constantly questioned by their masters.
Benefitting from this, the average Rapala is a cosmopolitan entity, familiar with at least the basics of many cultures and adopting galactic common easily, as well as Sinta-Unathi and trade languages - their own, native language long lost to the dustbin of history by the extensive Unathization of the previous decades.
Kelezakata is ruled by the Uh’Zata Administration, a de-jure feudal fief of the Unathi Hegemony, with the head of state being the Grand Matriarch (currently Ekzesa IV), although in reality it is an unitary party state under the Planetary Vanguard Party of Uh’zata (PVP-U in short), who espouses the idea of ‘Organic Centralism’, an authoritative form of government where appointed governors work together with regional advisory councils to put assigned budgets to use in semi-planned economies, where key industries are nationalized with the dividends put into a well-developed welfare system. This political model tries to combine traditional matriarchy and Unathi government with Human capitalism and democracies - and so far it worked for them.
A large minority of Rapala and settled Unathi actively resent their part as fief and accomplice in the Hegemony and work either to form dissident colonies in Human space or the Coreward periphery, having led to a rather sizable exodus in the years of peace… Ironically those differ little from their home system, putting similar political systems and even old, absolutist matriarchies up.
The life of the flying
Rapala have evolved from endurance hunters high in the skies and this reflects in their lifestyle - they prefer to sleep and live in the heights of hills and cliffs and their architecture reflects this verticality by being built tall, rather than wide, with apartment complexes, bridges and central spires. Personal land transport, roads and rail are only used for cargo or long distance personal transport. To live in a Rapala city means to have wings - immigrants are often confronted with that when no stairs exist to the local supermarket and one has to soar upwards to the entrance.
Those Rapala that can temporarily or permanently not fly are usually in the care of the community - food deliveries, social calls and more are just commonplace for the elderly and sick. Facilities for permanent care do exist as well, financed by the state dividends. Crippled Rapala were often relegated to this until the advent of cybernetic technology, which allowed replacements of flying capabilities.
Rapala families tend to be complicated, as the ‘traditional’ family is based on the central ‘mother’ and her many concubine males, who may or may not be related to the child. Thus, Rapala often are polyarmorous and have little trouble calling close friends, cousins or siblings when they feel ‘part’ of the family. The concept of a nuclear family is quaint, as many functions of child raising are communal, from egg brooding to teaching young children.
Only in the teenage years and young adulthood do Rapala become more individualistic and leave their family with the intent to form their own.
Modern Rapala find the traditional family even somewhat displeasing, as it diminishes the agency of the male - ‘modern’ families are much more open to relations that deviate from these norms, ranging from polycules to even monogamous pairs, who are much more invested in their individual children.
The world in the peak’s eye
Rapala are communal and hard to politically agitate - they have always looked out for each other and ideological war between matriarchies was rare. Often, it was just personal rivalries and pettiness that drove conflict between the Pre-contact Rapala. After the Unathi declared them a fiefdom, they quietly adapted and made sure they got their due. In a sense, the expressive, passionate birds are actually politically very stoic, able to put the needs of community and state above their self-interest, when they believe it benefits them eventually.
However, sufficiently agitated, either by horror or propaganda, Rapala can quickly become die-hard, stubborn zealots, something seen by dissident Rapala, who often are the last defenders of whatever political ideology they got convinced to. This leads them often targeted by ideologues, given they become ardent defenders and vanguards… Were it not for the initial stubbornness and tendency to communal pacifism they possess.
Rapala also see no problem integrating into other societies and living as a minority - they are used to it after all, already. Often, they become die-hard defenders of that political status quo as well.
The biggest issue the Rapala face today is their status in the Unathi Hegemony. Many war veterans and turncoats that either live in exile in Salthan or have been repatriated are thoroughly disillusioned by the Unathi Hegemony and agitate with demonstrations, strikes and even more brutal means such as terrorist attacks for the Uh’Zata Administration to leave the Unathi Hegemony and form a mutual alliance with Saltha or the Commonwealth to prevent another horrifying loss of Rapala life and prosperity for the benefit of their masters. However, the aforementioned political inertia still keeps them in the Hegemony, especially as their status of privileged trade partners has undoubtedly made them a prosperous society. Some Rapala, especially those of the outer colonies, do not appreciate this politically motivated violence and thus flee away, either deeper into the Hegemony or the Coreward Peripheries.
Ultimately, the average Rapala is uncertain. It is undeniable that the Hegemony harmed many, many Rapala by using them as cannon fodder. On the other hand, throwing your lot with people ready to do violence while one is repelled by this zeal is equally off-putting.
Technology
Rapala are a cosmopolitan society and have imported a lot of civilian talent from the Commonwealth and Hegemony both and enjoy a rather high living standard. They are nearly indistinguishable from the Commonwealth in terms of progress, often either adapting technological marvels of other species to their ergonomics or developing a domestic model with the help of a foreign mega corporation. Their strict nationalization laws however make them an unattractive target of corporate warfare and monopolisation by the TSCs.
Their main exports are organic materials and their own avionic technology, which is prized for its intuitiveness and advancement beyond the human norm. Rapala often find employment as avionic engineers, space travel authority personnel and pilots as well, partly for the legends they spawned during the Hegemony War but also due to their genuine advantage of 3D perception and spatial senses, not to mention their often broad education in diasporan cultures.
Relations
The official Rapala government enjoys splendid relations with nearly every other Diasporan society, even the Saltha Fyrd. By a combination of genuine remorse, compassion, efforts to rebuild and propaganda, they have been largely divorced from their role in the Hegemony War and have since then enjoyed trade with nearly all known races, ferrying and controlling goods in and out of Hegemony space on behalf of the Unathi.
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