Sarkan / Legends The Sarkans were a reptilian species of sentient bipeds from Sarka , notable for their wealth and their complicated protocol rituals . Biology and appearance . Sarkans were a tall species , often over two meters tall , with sharp fangs , thick scaly skins , and small claws on their fingers . The Sarkans ' yellow eyes gave them excellent night vision . They were a cold - blooded species , who could die in less than twenty minutes if exposed to freezing temperatures . Sarkan claws were not their most effective natural weapon — instead , trained Sarkan martial artists whipped or bludgeoned their opponents with their thick , muscular tails . Sarkans varnished and painted their claws for decorative purposes . Sarkans were apparently related to the Barabel s , though no conclusive genetic links were known . Society and culture . Sarkans were noted for the wealth of their society , thanks to the mineral riches of their home world . Sarka was the only known source of nova rubies , a gemstone common on Sarka but impossible to find on any other known world . Sarkans often wore loose robes decorated with gemstones . Though valued by non - Sarkan " barbarians " , Sarkans actually considered the gems to be mostly useless . Sarkans were also noted for their excruciatingly complex and protracted protocol rituals . For example , when greeting an ambassador , it was necessary to begin with a greeting in one of the five major Sarkan languages . This greeting had to include the greeter ' s life story , an account of all of the battles the greeter had won , the value and number of gems mined , and all of the mates acquired in the greeter ' s life . If a greeting took less than one full hour , the ambassador would either take it as an insult ( thinking the greeter considered the ambassador not worth a proper greeting ) or as proof that the greeter was unimportant and could be ignored . Diplomatic greetings could take up to eight hours . After the greetings came ritual dances , which could themselves take three hours . Though tailless species were excused this duty , any breach in the protocol of the dance by someone with a tail would be taken as a flagrant insult . Those who violated the protocols of the greetings or of the dances would be removed from an ambassador ' s presence , sometimes violently . Sarkan culture originally revolved around a caste structure . As a hold - over of this time , Sarkans in later years almost always traveled in groups of three or more . Lone Sarkans were usually outcasts from Sarkan culture , exiled for some offense committed on Sarka . Sarkans used a single name . Typical Sarkan names included B ' neer , Demesk , Fisuran , Ganis , Jilieren , Melas , Siran , Sonus , Tybellor , and U ' vala . Sarkans valued the natural beauty of their homeworld , especially its dense jungles and its bejewelled mountains . Their few cities were located in complex cave systems , usually near underground hot springs to keep the cold - blooded Sarkans warm at night . These cave cities , while apparently crude at first glance , contained all forms of modern luxuries and amenities . The Sarkan cave networks were also connected to their rich gem mines . History . When the Galactic Empire was in power , the Sarkans reluctantly relaxed their protocol requirements when dealing with Humans and while negotiating with corporations with strong Imperial connections . This changed after the Sarkans learned of Palpatine ' s death . Refusing to countenance any further insults , they quickly reverted to their old standards . In one incident , they surprised a representative from SoroSuub by demanding a formal greeting , and cut off trade relations with SoroSuub for several years when their demands were not met . After the fall of the Galactic Empire , the wealthy Sarkans became one of the more powerful factions in the New Republic . During the Thrawn campaign , the New Republic and the Sarkans were negotiating a shipping treaty . In return for access to Sarkan trade , the Sarkans hoped to have the Republic establish a military presence on Sarka . By 19 ABY , Sarkan traders were seen as far from Sarka as Iphigin in the Core Worlds . Sarkans in the Galaxy . Though the Sarkans had technology equal to most other cultures in the galaxy , they never developed space travel on their own . Aside from the occasional lone outcast , Sarkans rarely left their home world . Instead , they had the galaxy come to them for trade , setting up luxurious resorts and spaceports on Sarka to cater to the " foolish aliens " fascinated by gemstones . One notable exception was Melas , a Sarkan traveler seen on Tatooine in 0 BBY , who was exiled from Sarka for violating Sarkan protocol rituals . Melas was an atypical Sarkan in many ways : in addition to his informality and his taste for the company of non - Sarkans , he was short , and had blue eyes . Behind the scenes . The Sarkan puppet used for Melas in the Special Edition release of " " was the same as the one used for Ketwol the Pacithhip . In order to make a new alien , Ketwol ' s trunk and tusks were covered with a red turban , and Melas ' face was made from Ketwol ' s head . Melas replaced a shot of a Defel named Arleil Schous in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene .