Altairians
Planet:
Altair, lower gravity than Earth
Altairians
are superb movers in low gravity, very graceful and swift, but need
to wear a back brace in Earth-normal gravity. They are tall and
slender, a little taller than the average for humans. Instead of hair
on their heads, they have cranial spines, like a coxcomb, which rise
and move when they are excited or agitated. Their skin is very pink
in the oxygen-rich atmosphere on board Kestrel – the oxygen level
is lower on Altair.
They
don't sing, but make a kind of hum which can be soothing or
irritating. Their voices are melodious, which can be deceiving, as
they have no problem with violence for the right reasons.
Altairians
appear to live in family-type groups, but relationships are never
explained, they just introduce others by name without saying what
their relationship is. Their mating practices are not known – they refuse to
talk about them.
They
can seem rather silly, but it is mostly their mannerisms. They are
excitable, and may be incautious, but they are actually very
intelligent. They live three times as long as humans.
The
Kestrel has an Altairian crewman, Shom Reuel, who is very
soft-hearted. He shares a cabin with the only other non-human on
board – Balitoth the Zoan. They have become friends, and make an
odd pair. Reuel is always trying to understand humans better, and is
particularly fascinated by idioms and strange sayings, which he
struggles to understand.
No comments:
Post a Comment