Hiver Federation

Created by: Borrowed heavily from the Traveler game.
Appearance: Starbase 600 game
Number of Members: Billions and billions.
Nature of Members:
*Hivers Hivers measure about two meters in any direction sideways, though only a little over half a meter tall. Their body is laid out with radial symmetry, possessing six limbs, each of which in turn possesses six digits. Mostly, these limbs, covered in a thick redish skin, are used interchangeably as arm and legs. It is unknown if any of them serve as a head, the brain is contained in the center of the body.<P>Hivers are noted as psi nulls. They distrust Psionic Abilities they are unaffected and none can do it.
*Gurvin: The Gurvin, the panda/otter girls (So far they have only seen girls.) This are the major traders in the Hiver Federation. The movers and shakers of the economic engine and the source of the lingua franca of the Hiver Federation.</p><P>It seems the males are not fit for public exposure being under bright and questionably sentient. They can be trained to mot make messes in the house. 
*Ithklur: A humanoid lizard, warm blooded, they have tails. Their culture thrives on conflict. They use to kill each other for fun. The Hivers sublimated that urge into sport. Oh, and less I forget they are crack warriors and shock troops, and they LIKE that.</P><P>They are believed related to the Tzen, and therefor the Zak.
*Pythicus: There is a humanoid species the Pythicus. Typical Rubberhead humanoids.
*Za'tachk: Za'tachk are the main administrators and bureaucrats. A sort of vertebrate, insect-mammal thing. Za'tachk are natural totalitarians and geek heavily to Hiver Manipulation.
Organization: Nest and club.
Government: The Hive Federation, which also bears some properties of a Confederation, is as close to a stateless society (anarchy) as can be found in the major states of Charted Space. The Federation is characterized by a very low degree of governmental centralization that gives local (planetary) governments great freedom, while suffering from an extremely poor ability to establish unified policy.
The Hive Federation government is a collection of embassies, councils, and "interest" clubs. There is no central leader and Hivers, quite prefer, non-transparent government anyway. Most HF citizens have little to no idea exactly how the government functions or exactly what structure it possesses. True to Hiver character, the actual form and structure of the HF is constantly changing and evolving to fit local demands. Hivers, and their client races, tend to prefer non-centralized governments anyway. Some Federation scientists call the Hive Federation a form of Anarcho-capitalism.
Other races of the Hive Federation are equal partners in society, although the structure of society is Hiver-generated, and those races able to adapt best to a Hiver way of life and customs have been most successful. All races participate in the embassies, although in a modified form.
Some associated sophont species retain strong internal governments or police forces to regulate the aggressive tendencies of their populations, but whatever solution is reached, all Hive Federation member societies are non-aggressive.
*Dispute Resolution -- Most disputes among communities are handled by Hiver Embassies; others, considered too urgent or transient to wait for an embassy, are settled by judges. There is a considerable body of Hiver common law and custom, and a judge is a person who has spent years in study of the law; judges' decisions are not necessarily binding and are open to compromise, but they carry a great weight of custom.
*Philosophy -- The Hiver parental instinct was aroused by the discovery of numerous intelligent species less fortunate than themselves, and work began immediately to lift the "children" to civilization. An early experience with an aggressive race led to the establishment of a system of quarantined worlds, denied entry to, or knowledge of, interstellar society.
*Plurality -- Most worlds of the Federation have communities of several species; races inhabit the worlds they find most pleasant.
*Executive, Judicial & Legislative Powers -- Hivers prefer a state of anarchy run by a collection of embassies, councils, and "interest" clubs with no centralized power. Hivers, quite prefer non-transparent government anyway. Most Hive Federation citizens have little to no idea exactly how the government functions or exactly what structure it possesses. True to Hiver character, the actual form and structure of the Hive Federation is constantly changing and evolving to fit local demands. Hivers, and their client races, tend to prefer non-centralized governments anyway.</P><P>So, in the strictest sense, Hivers do not have Executive, Judicial or Legislative branches to their governments. Or, from another persepctive, every single collection of embassies, councils, and "interest" clubs are all of the Executive, Judicial or Legislative branches of their governments at the same time. Hivers adore unsupervized anarchy and can't fathom why so many other sophonts require such centralized power structures.</P><P>Nevertheless, foreign sophonts have a very hard time trying to understand Hivers and the Hive Federation. And Hivers like it that way.
Agencies.</P><P>The discovery of alien races and their integration into society required a slightly more formal organization, which grew out of the coordinating body which schedules embassies. Two additional bodies were established: the Federation Navy and a development agency.</P><P>Covert operations, performed by these agencies, often in cooperation, are in progress on quarantine worlds to modify overly aggressive cultures into acceptable members of the Federation, and several quarantined planets have been opened since the beginning of the program. So far, no quarantined race is close to achieving interstellar travel on its own; public debate continues on what to do in such a case. 
Culture:
*Hivers One of the most central values to Hiver society is that of curiosity. Hivers love to experiment and explore. Whatever is out there, Hivers want to know about it, and, if it can be done, some Hiver out there is planning to eventually do it. Hivers are endlessly curious about every aspect of life, interstellar society, and the cosmos.</P><P>Space colonization arose not from pressure but from curiosity, with which Hivers are amply endowed.</P><P> One of the most common endeavors and highest achievements for Hiver individuals or groups is the act of (social) Manipulation. They have a ridged and formal method of this.</P><P>They distrust Psionic Abilities they are unaffected and none can do it.</P><P>The Hivers themselves do not have music.
*Gurvin: Gurvin culture revolved entering around commerce, As to other aspect of culture they consume what others make.
*Ithklur: Their culture thrives on conflict. They use to kill each other for fun. The Hivers sublimated that urge into sport. The Ithklur have latched onto Terran basketball from the Federation database Of course they play a more full contact version.</P><P>They are also highly philosophical. Much more than the other species of the Hiver Federation. When not assaulting each other in something called a "game" for fun, they will sit about and discuss the meaning of life, purpose of the universe and other such things. </P><P>They are also contrarinians. The Hivers wanted them to use Hiver pictographs, they made pretty pictures with them. They claim they cannot speak Gurvian the lingua fracas of the Hive Federation. It is also a language that has little room for the kind of discussions they love.</P><P>The Ithklur have a rich music culture with many schools and dozens of instruments. If any word can typify it it is "boisterous". However, even that isn't totally correct, they have introspective music as well. Their currently popular dances resemble full contact disco. A Human (or Orion) getting in there could get seriously injured. Minor injuries among the Ithklur are common, and laughed off.
*Pythicus: The Pythicus follow the Hiver curiosity bump but make no clams to Manipulation. Sociologists t have noted they are nearly humorless. They don't get and and practical humor on them is simply cruel.</P><P>They also make a variety of music. Dances are just as physical, but less violent. Current style is slow and slithery, highly erotic. Heavy on the deep bass.
*Za'tachk: Za'tachk are the main administrators and bureaucrats. A sort of vertebrate, insect-mammal thing. They have little culture.
Game Role:
World Role:
Relative Influence: A second rate interstellar power.
Public or Secret?: Very public with some open secrets.
Publicly Stated Goal: The Hive Federation government, if such a term is at all applicable, is mostly concerned with maintaining the uniformity of the Hiver culture and species. Of course, an important part of maintaining the uniformity of the Hiver culture, is to foster the prosperity of the Hive Federation, including all of its constituent members. Peace is necessary for good business. Good business makes for good research. And good research makes for much progress and a prosperous Hiver culture. So, Hivers keep the peace whenever possible.
This is accomplished by frequent reproductive embassies, also known simply as Hiver Embassies, from one planet to another. Members of many different nests will "shake hands" (actually their means of exchanging reproductive cells) with everyone nearby in a sort of farewell party and will then board a large embassy ship bound for a far-off world. Once there they will meet with as many people as possible, shaking hands and exchanging news, art, gossip, scientific information, political views, and so on for about a year.
They will then return home for another year-long round of parties, discussions, and more handshaking.
Please note that while the Hivers prefer a peaceful society with a flourishing economy; neither peace nor a good economy preclude some masterful social Manipulation. 
Relative Wealth:
Relations:
*United Federation of Planets: The similar names cause headaches at diplomatic meetings. The Hivers are so far somewhat agreeable neighbors. They aided in the Maakan war. A matter of mutual interest.</P><P>There have also been some serious culture clashes. So far nothing so serious as an interstellar incident. Some diplomats consider it a matter of time.</P><P>The only thing close to an incident is the one Hiver that showed up on Oz stating he would Manipulate the Aneilogs into wearing clothing. Failed, you cannot Manipulate that you cannot understand, A psi-null cannot get into a telepathic culture. He left in disgrace pointed to and "laughed" at by his fellows.
*Romulan Star Empire: The Rolumlans are too busy to be hostile. But from all indication unless some serious diplomatic manipulation is done it will end that way. The Hivers are not inclined to be anyone's client and the culture clash worse than with the UFP. It could get ugly.
*Kliges'chee: Ane bother Hivers. But Ane make some effort to accommodate them. The Kliges'chee are freaks from beyond the stars. No talk, no communication between ships, nothing. They moved without seeming direction, but clearly directed. They destroyed without discussion or reason. Man are they glad someone else dealt with that.
*Independent Worlds: The Hivers are trade oriented not conquest oriented and prefer peace and most costs. Conflicts if any are cultural.
Area of Operation: A rough blob. 8-9.5/-13.2--15
Headquarters Location: Giea
Public Face: Tell me everything.
Notable Members:
History of the Race: Hivers themselves credit curiosity for the rise of the race to sentience. Their pre-star faring history is lost unfortunately. 
The Hiver reaction to the Kliges'chee wanton destruction was to hide. They hunkered down, shut ships down. What could not be landed was made to look abandoned. The Kliges'chee not being able to use class M worlds took the apparent abandonment at face value. The Hiver Federation rode out the wave of destruction by not being a target. 
Once it was clear the threat was over, they took up business right were they left off.
Category:Unfinished ArticlesCategory:RacesCategory:Political UnitsCategory:Epiphany Trek