Krikthasi The Krikthasi were large sentient marine mollusks indigenous to Baralou . Biology and appearance . The Kirkthasi were a sentient species of large marine mollusk who could not survived for an extended period outside of water . They had flexible , ribbon - like bodies , which grew up to 2 . 5 meters in length and had four sucker - covered tentacles at each end . At the anterior end of the body , the tentacles were located in near equal spacing around the body behind the Krikthasi ' s small , well - developed eyes , of which there were four . The eyes sat in a row beneath two openings at the forefront of the body , one of which functioned as a mouth and the other was used to force water through the Kikthasi ' s body . The water taken in through the opening was then pushed through a series of muscles and expelled from vents located at the posterior of the body . The expelled water allowed Krikthasi to propel themselves through their marine environment at speeds of up to 40 kilometers an hour . The tentacles located at the end of the body were also equally spaced and located above the Krikthasi ' s dorsal fins . The exact number of fins a Kirkthasi had varied and depended upon its ancestry . Members of the species could communicate by altering the color of their body , which naturally ranged from black to brown . They changed color using their chromanin s , with the location , speed , pattern and fluctuation of the color change all having significance . Krikthasi were carnivores and fed mainly upon schools of fish as well as the eggs of the Multopos , another sentient species native to Baralou who dwelt on the planet ' s landmasses . Society and culture . Krikthasi were generally highly intelligent individuals , but also aggressive , stubborn , violent , and territorial . Individuals of the species lived in interlocked cartilages of dead treppok s , a large species of fish , due to the structures easy defensibility . Krikthasi could control live treppoks using " treppok calls " which were sounds that the mollusks could produce which terrified the fish and drove them into a frenzy . The Krikthasis ' fragmented , tribal , society developed partially due to a constant conflict between the Krikthais and the amphibious Multopos . The Krikthais fought due to the species natural bloodlust , but also due to the fact they did not realize their opponents were also sentient . The Krikthasi ' s taste for eating Multopos eggs also played a role in furthering the conflict . They attacked the land - dwellers when a storm or flood gave them access to the Multopos homes , as tides sometimes rose up to 50 feet . Krikthasi society was based on combat skill , with the strongest warrior normally holding the role of osi . Each osi controlled a junieuw , one of the fiefdom into which the oceans of their homeworld were split with the majority of the ocean was controlled by several of the most powerful junieuw . Each junieuw was then divided into territories controlled by members of the osi ' s family , who controlled the individual tribes within the area they held power over . As well as the osi controlled tribes , there were also many independent tribes scattered across Baralou . Osi would sometimes go to war with each other over the schools of fish on which they depended for food . Border skirmishes between junieuw were also common and in most of their conflicts Krikthasi used spears made from carved coral or bone ; materials they also used to make primitive tools . History . The Krikthasi suffered greatly after the Multopos began trading with offwordlers , as they acquired blasters , and began to openly hunt their rival species . Imperial biologists attempted to decipher the meaning of the Krikthasi ' s color changes , but were unable to completely understand it . They came to believe that shades of blue or green showed aggression , yellow represented territory , and orange or red was a sign that a Krikthasi was willing to discuss or negotiate .