Sludir The Sludir were reptilian sapients indigenous to Sluudren . They were large , imposing people , with two arms , six legs , and a thick armored carapace . For millennia , they lived without advanced technology in a society ruled by the proud members of a warrior caste . This changed once Sluudren was discovered by offworlders , as their homeworld was conquered by the Galactic Empire , and the Sludir were enslaved . Biology and appearance . Sludir had six short , stocky legs , with flat , rounded feet . Each foot had three toes with short , blunt claws . They also had two arms , ending in two - fingered hands with an additional opposable digit . Their heads were dominated by long , thick snouts with four nostrils and a sneering , toothy mouth . Though the Sludir were generally reptilian , they did have thick manes of hair on their heads . Some Sludir also grew beards . Sludir typically braided or tied their hair into a range of styles . The torso and back of an adult Sludir was covered with thick , shell - like plates . This was thought to be formed from a chitinous substance secreted from skin pores as the Sludir matured . This carapace protected them against damage from physical blows , though it was ineffective against blasters . Sludir took great pride in the quality of their armor , and used a mushy compound known as " Sludir soap " to fill cracks formed due to injury or aging . Due to the violence that dominated their society , the Sludir developed an interesting gestation period . Females in the final stages of pregnancy had the ability to keep their fetuses in a state of stasis where all biological functions were kept at near zero . Nutrients and blood kept the brain of the baby alive , and the fetus could remain in this state for almost a year . This function was commonly used when pregnant females were in a dangerous situation so they could delay the birth until they were in a safer environment . Society and culture . Beginning as a primitive tribal society , Sludir culture evolved into a sophisticated caste - based feudal system . Each of the many nations of Sluudren were divided into three castes . At the top was a caste of warriors , soldiers , and rulers . Below them were the artisans , experts technical skills such as stoneworking . The final caste were workers , who followed the orders of artisans and warriors . Sub - castes existed within these three castes , such as the warrior couriers who carried messages between kings and commanders and the artisan storytellers who recorded the oral history of the Sludir . Honor in battle was prized by all of the Sludir castes . Combat was considered the best test of a Sludir ' s strength and worth . Their legal system was based on trials by combat , kings could be unseated through being defeated in duels , and soldiers could rise in rank by killing their superior officers . Subterfuge in battle appalled the Sludir warrior , while fleeing combat , hiding , or even taking cover was considered a mark of dishonor . The Sludir warrior code also preferred close combat to thrown spears or bows . Once they were exposed to sophisticated technology , blasters were also discouraged , though powered melee weapons such as force pikes or vibro - axes were considered acceptable . All Sludir were born into their caste , and were trained for their role in society from a young age . Sludir raised their young communally , alternating between raising their own children and those of others in their caste - clans . Before coming of age , young Sludir had to complete a practical rite of passage . Young workers had to complete a task proving their worth as laborers , while young artisans had to show their skill ( for example , by designing and building a structure . ) Young Sludir warriors were cast out into the wilderness , and forbidden to return without bringing back a beast that they had killed . Family ties and family honor were important in Sludir culture . An individual Sludir criminal or coward could cloud the honor of their entire line . Sludir also venerated their ancestors , and hoped to be venerated in turn by their descendants . Through continuing their family line , they ensured that their deeds would be remembered . In fact , the Sludir considered dying without an heir as dishonorable as cowardice in battle . The Sludir never developed advanced machinery , engineering , or science . They did not even develop a full written language : though artisans did use mathematical symbols and elaborate images to record ideas , most records were kept only as oral history passed down from storyteller to storyteller . One technology which was mastered by the Sludir artisans , however , was stonemasonry . They used stone to build massive fortresses , paved roads , aqueducts , and elaborate monuments to dead rulers . The Sludir considered their work with stone to be a symbol of their strength , and their ability to shape their world . History . The first offworlders to discover the Sludir were slavers who captured Sludir warriors patrolling far from their cities . The depredations of the slavers threw Sludir society into turmoil , broke up clans , and subjugated cities . The stone fortresses of the Sludir artisans and the warrior code of the Sludir rulers were no match for off - world technology . The distinctions between the castes became blurred , as all Sludir were treated as potential slaves . When the Galactic Empire officially took control of Sluudren , the Sludir were officially declared a legitimate slave species . A garrison was left on Sluudren to ensure a continued supply of fresh slaves . Sludir were herded into cities , where they waited to be taken to slave pens and work camps on distant planets . Sludir slaves were spread throughout the Galaxy . Some were used as little more than beasts of burden by the Empire and Imperial - licensed slavers . Others were purchased by the criminal underworld , where they fought in gladiatorial arenas or became enforcers for crime syndicates . These gladiators and enforcers often managed to fight their way into high positions , becoming bodyguards or underbosses for crime lords . A few , such as the slaver Quintik Kahr and his brother Omze ' kehr Kahr , became crimelords themselves . Unlike many of the Empire ' s enslaved species , few Sludir joined the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War . An organized coalition of free Sludir did exist with the goal of freeing their people , but this organization operated independently of the Rebellion , and worked primarily within criminal organizations . Some Sludir did join the Alliance , however . Many joined because they considered it to be the best way to seek vengeance against slavers and the Empire . Others joined only because the Alliance offered refuge to any escaped slaves . Sludir often found it difficult to work within the Alliance , since their warrior code often conflicted with its organization and practices . Sludir found promotions and commendations in the Alliance less meaningful than their own sense of honor through battle , and were unable to follow the Sludir tradition of advancing in rank by defeating their superiors in personal combat . Despite this , many Rebel Sludir had a strong sense of loyalty to those who they fought alongside . After the Empire fell , the Sludir regained control of their home . Their new planetary government was a loose alliance , dominated by an assortment of Sludir who had come home after finding success in the Galactic underworld . Many Sludir slaves returned to Sluudren after finding freedom , but a large fraction of them left again after being appalled by the state of their homeworld .