Et'hula

The Et'hula (the singular and plural species name, and their demonym) are a major species in the Voyage of Discovery series, and the first new alien race encountered by the F.S.S. Legacy.  The name is pronounced "et-hoo-la" (see Et'hula language).
==Physical description, and biological data==
A humanoid species that blends reptilian and mammalian characteristics, the Et'hula can easily be described as 'dragonoids' (humanoids with dragon characteristics).  Technically, they are neither reptilian nor mammalian, but something altogether different from any Terran analogy; comparisons to reptiles and mammals should be considered a skin-deep similarity only.  Thanks to their long service aboard the Legacy, Et'hula are medically as well-understood as Terran races.
Et'hula stand about 180 to 200 centimeters tall (females are taller, stronger, and more robust than the males; the inverse of humans).
They possess four short ears, arranged around four head horns (the outer two horns are longer and thicker, and more curved; the length matches overall skull length in adult females, and slightly less for males).  Et'hula have velvety fur on their dragon-like faces and necks, with exposed lizard-like scales around the eyes, nasal bridge, lips, brow, and their flattened foreheads; the scales on the lips, nostrils, and eyelids are very thin, soft, and sensitive to touch.  Slightly thicker canine-like fur covers most of their bodies and tails... except for the throat, abdomen, groin, tail base underside, shins, feet, and the hands and forearms, which are covered by large scales and tough scutes.  The finger and toe pads are leathery skin, with fixed claws; the claws grow from highly innervated organs similar to those of feline whiskers, so the claws are quite sensitive to the slightest touch, despite being composed of a solid keratin-like protein (even so, a slashing strike with the claws is not at all painful).  The digitigrade feet have three toes and a dewclaw on each side of the ankles, and the hands have three fingers and a pair of opposable thumbs: one on each side of the wrists (symmetrical hands, rather than chiral).  The ankles have a bone that allows the feet to pivot radically outward to the sides, enabling very quick turns.  The bare tip of the long tail is crudely prehensile, as are their long tongues.
They have a pair of wings on their backs: bat-like, and completely covered in velvety fur (no scales anywhere).  The wing structure has two stretched fingers supporting the membrane, and a simple thumb and normal finger at the wrist: children can support their weight from the wing fingers, and will use their wings to aid in climbing trees, but adults can only maintain such a grasp for a few seconds.  The wings are not suitable for sustained flight anymore, but they can be used for short gliding and as parachutes, or for maneuvering in zero-gravity.  Et'hula love to be airborne and weightless; they get depressed if restricted to the ground.  Their wings are used in a broad range of expressions, and are critically important to their self-image and mental health; loss of a wing is a humiliating fate worse than death.
Et'hula fur and scales can be any color — blacks, greys, whites, reds, oranges, yellows... and even shades of green, blue, and violet are as common as any other color.  However, the colors do not "mix" as any form of stripes or spots: all fur will be one uniform color, and the scales are usually a lighter (sometimes darker) shade of the fur color.  The wing membranes can be a third color (usually a light pastel shade).  The horns tend to be earthen colors (the color of soils and clays, or occasionally red wines), and are usually the same color as the irises.
Et'hula irises are structurally very similar to those of Terran felines, with the exception that the slit pupils are oriented horizontally, parallel to the ground.  Their single eyelids sweep horizontally down from the nasal bridge.  A clear waterproof nictitating membrane sweeps horizontally up, also from the inner edge of each eye; these are used for blinking, while the normal eyelids are closed only in response to bright light, a reflex for impending attack (equal to a human menace reflex), or for sleep.
Et'hula are more sensitive to bright lights and glare than humans, and need to wear polarized eye protection to prevent snow blindness.  They perceive the same three primary colors as Terrans do, except that their sensitivity to green wavelengths is red-shifted about 60 nm.
The throat anatomy is different from Terran species: the esophagus is located in front of the trachea, rather than behind it.  As a consequence, Et'hula can breathe while swallowing.  The esophagus is also notably more expandable than in Federation species — an Et'hula is capable of swallowing an entire adult pigeon, whole, without even chewing (and they've found doing so makes an excellent quick meal, if they'd rather not spend time eating).  The esophagus is lined with tiny downward-facing barbs, very similar to the structure of a cat's tongue, making it very difficult for live prey to escape once swallowed.  Et'hula lack a gag reflex, though they can still vomit liquified material if they get food poisoning.
Et'hula dental structure is roughly equivalent to a combination of the Terran lemur and the opossum.  Like Terran mammals, the teeth meet and work together as a single system.  Et'hula young also have a different set of teeth: the incisors are missing, and they have only one quartet of each other tooth type.  Unlike Terran mammals, but more like Terran reptiles, Et'hula can regenerate lost teeth throughout their lives (a new tooth grows in when one is lost, taking about 2 months to be fully replaced).  They have 33 regular teeth, plus 2 specialized folding fangs.
*They have an odd number of spike-like incisors: 5 on the top, and four on the bottom, which mesh together for the bite; these have tiny but very sharp shark-like serrations on the sides, and are used to snip bites of food off (like scissors).
*The canine teeth are unique: a pair of modified elongated premolars (like the lemurs) for each half of the jaw, plus two additional double-length fangs in the upper jaw only, which hinge and are normally folded backwards against the roof of the mouth, similar in mechanics to the fangs of rattlesnakes.  The fangs were once poisonous, earlier in their evolution, but the toxin glands are now non-functional vestigial organs — in modern times, the fangs are primarily used for intimidation or a harsher bite.  A voluntary muscle action pulls the fangs vertical, and relaxing the muscle conceals the fangs.  Et'hula will almost never display their fangs, except in rage, or when asked to do so for medical purposes.  Et'hula develop their fangs when they reach puberty, at which point a blister of tissue and fluid on the roof of the mouth will pop and disintegrate.  Initiation to adulthood follows this event.
*The premolars are configured like those of felines and canines: as carnassials, used to slice meat and skin.  They are elongated, and there in a pair in each quadrant (eight total).
*The molars are equivalent to those of most Terran mammals, and just a bit more elongated.  There are three per quadrant (twelve total).
Internal anatomy has some similarities to Terran species (lungs, stomach, intestines), but also some very interesting non-analogous structures.  Et'hula urinate in a manner equivalent to humans, but the urine contains a few unique chemicals, and is produced by multiple small nodes throughout the lower torso, instead of in kidneys; this filtration system is better at retaining water, but poorer at filtering toxins.  Glands are also non-congruent with any known animal from Federation space.  There are two organs roughly equivalent to livers: one on each side, tucked right up against the diaphragm.  The heart has six chambers, and they lack an observable spleen (that function seems to be merged with the intestinal tract).  Males have a single large gonad in the lower abdomen, occupying proportionally as much space as the female uterus: it can produce considerable volumes of semen (12 to 17 ml), which is thicker than in humans.  The female reproductive system has two pairs of ovaries (four total), which deploy eggs all at once (thus, why the normal clutch is four, and infrequently three or five).  They are not placental mammals, but are functionally closer to monotremes.
Et'hula completely lack an equivalent to the adipose tissue Terrans have.  They have a dense brown fat-like tissue under the skin of their tails, where nutrients and energy are very efficiently stored... but this mechanism halts after a certain point, and excess nutrition after that point just flushes through their body harmlessly.  They physically cannot get fat, the way humans can.  They can live about as long as humans without food (3 weeks), and twice as long without water (6 days).
Et'hula females have a pair of mammal-like 'breasts' over their pectoral muscles, which produce a nourishing fluid for their young... though calling this fluid 'milk' would be quite a stretch of the word (see Reproduction, below).  The structure of these breasts is somewhat different than in Terran and other Federation races: Et'hula lack significant cleavage, and their breasts lack the inframammary fold common to most Federation races.  As a result, they appear deceptively flat-chested; on closer examination, it's more obvious their breasts posses equivalent volume to approximately a D-cup... but their shape flattens this out to appear more like a C-cup, at the largest.  The breasts smoothy blend with the torso on all sides, leaving no folds.  Et'hula breasts are rigidly attached to the chest, have low fat content, and do not jiggle or bounce.  Unlike most Federation races, the Et'hula breasts are considered no more erogenous than a toe or horn (not at all).
==Genetics==
Et'hula DNA is triple-stranded, with three base-pairs; only one pair is shared by Terran biology.  The molecule is arranged much like a triangular ladder, with the 'rungs' crossing between pairs of the outer lines.
Obviously, Et'hula are genetically incompatible with any known alien species, and can only reproduce with their own kind; no hybrids are possible at all, ever.  Gender information is contained on a single chromosome — male and female are the only possible genders (like unmodified humans; no herms).
==Reproduction==
Et'hula reproduction is fairly straightforward, if alien.  They are physically compatible with the mammalian Federation species (they have similarly-shaped organs), but of course are not genetically compatible.  They lack an estrus cycle: females wishing to reproduce undergo a ritual that stimulates their ovaries, after which they are fertile for about a week.
Young are fed via the two mammal-like breasts on the female chest... though the 'milk' is notably thicker and richer than that of mammalian Federation species, having the appearance and consistency of marshmallow creme, and is described as tasting somewhat “sour” and “fishy” by Terran species.  Akin to chakat milkwater, the breasts always maintain a constant supply of this substance, unless the individual is malnourished: they do not start or stop lactating the way Terran mammals do.  The breast 'milk' is not really sexualized or considered a food source for adults, and the breasts are not an erogenous zone.  The young are weaned within their first year.
When the blisters on the roof of their mouths pop and deploy their retractable fangs, this indicates they are undergoing their version of puberty.  This usually occurs between 13 and 14 Terran years of age (see Calendar below for the Et'hula calendar).  After a ceremony, they are considered adults.  They have a couple more years to go before they cease growing and are physically fully mature (usually finished growing by age 16).
==Reproduction politics==
==Interspecies relationships==
==Culture, technology, politics, and religion==
==Calendar==
The Et'hula aboard Legacy (and later, on Federation worlds) adapt to using the local calendars.  On their homeworld, the native Et'hula calendar is demarcated as orbits (years), with rotations (days), and periods to divide each day.  The year is 418 rotations, and their rotation is approximately 27.42 standard Terran hours.  A rotation has 100.00 periods.
==Morality==
Et'hula have a slightly different concept of morality, which can sometimes clash with Federation norms.
==Major taboos==
Et'hula have an unusual opinion of nudity: they view their bodies as a divine gift, so covering themselves with garments is the taboo — an inverse of the typical Federation nudity taboo.  Those with a more scientific mindset may not consider their bodies a “divine” gift, but will still argue their bodies are a gift from their parents, and refuse to cover themselves out of respect for tradition and social norms.  The females have bodies similar to morphs and humans, and the males keep their genitalia internally when not aroused, so it's not much of a problem to Federation races; many find Et'hula females physically attractive, and it doesn't hurt that they're a sexually curious species (interspecies relationships have been quite successful).  Their wing anatomy also makes the creation of any clothing suitable for them extremely problematic, as nothing can cross over their backs without unacceptable interference.  As a result, Et'hula officers and crew are exempt from wearing uniforms (the only race in Star Fleet that is); instead, rank insignia are simply affixed (often glued) to their neck scales.
Related to the aversion toward coverings is an even stronger taboo on body manipulation.  Any form of tattoo or piercing or cosmetic surgery, for any reason beyond that of medical necessity, is regarded as the most perverse and unforgivable form of self-mutilation imaginable.  Suicide also fits into this.  It also means they refuse to use perfumes and artificial scents, greatly preferring to smell like themselves or clean: soaps and shampoos must be unscented, or at least have a scent they cannot smell at all.  They have no cosmetics industry of any kind, and do not understand why humans use makeup; they think such things corrupt and ruin beauty, rather than improve it.  They will accept surgery if it is medically essential, but do so begrudgingly.  Reconstructive surgery to restore original appearance after an injury is also acceptable, but cosmetic enhancements are not.  While they accept that other species hold different viewpoints, they feel compelled to try to convince them to see their natural bodies as intrinsically beautiful (even arguing in favor of the complete abandonment of clothing and cosmetic products, for all races).
==Diet==
The Et'hula diet is compatible with Terran and Federation races, if a bit unusual in some regards.  They are mesocarnivores: animal products constitute 50 to 70% of their diet, with the second-largest component of their diet being fruit.  They prefer their meats raw and fresh, or very rare, or occasionally smoked or dried without actually being cooked.  Some prey is usually consumed live and swallowed whole.  They have an extremely wide palate for animal flesh, and will consume virtually any animal: no meat is taboo (not even their own species).  They would even eat human flesh, if that were acceptable... but they won't, because humans don't consider themselves food, so eating them (or products derived from them) would be unacceptably rude.  They'll eat birds, reptiles, mammals, fish, mollusks, and a number of things humans would usually balk at... such as insects (snacked on like popcorn), and live worms (enjoyed like Klingon gagh).  They're quite fond of small snakes, by first crushing the head in their teeth, then slurping down the entire ophidian whole, like a big noodle.  They also like eggs, which are usually swallowed raw and whole (if the right size); the eggs are broken by a boney ridge at the top of the throat and crushed by swallowing (similar to egg-eating snakes, except the shells are swallowed right along with the rest of the egg).  Eggs are one of the few foods they also like cooked as much as raw, and the omelet is a huge hit.  They will nibble on bones for their calcium.
Their digestive systems can't tolerate high-carbohydrate foods, so they don't eat breads and pastries.  Their systems react badly to leafy green and root vegetables, giving them indigestion at best, acting as a emetic, or provoking life-threatening diarrhea at worst.  Chocolate is toxic, but they LOVE cheese as much as Terrans love chocolate and sugar.  Sugary drinks (like soft drinks) are fine, as is honey and butter and salt.  They dislike ketchup and mustard and mayonnaise and pepper, and consider anything pickled to be absolutely revolting.
Et'hula are incapable of tasting alcohol, and have as high a tolerance for it as chakats... but they can get drunk.  Unfortunately, their bodies lack the ability to directly metabolize ethanol, so it must be expelled as waste (through urine) — this takes a long time, and the ethanol persists in their system for up to a week following inebriation.  Consequentially, they have to be aware of what and how much they drink, or they risk becoming drunk for several days straight.  It's also possible for them to get drunk by accumulation over the course of several days of light intake.  Excessive quantities of ethanol in their systems can induce a sort of protective trance or coma... but extreme overdose will trigger cardiopulmonary arrest & failure.
==Talents==
Et'hula can become part of an empathic bond, but cannot create it alone.  They have never displayed any evidence of any extrasensory ability, beyond that which can be easily explained by their anatomy (the third eye, for example).  They have no history of anyone in their race ever having any skill or ability recognizable as a “Talent”.  Their brains lack any evidence of any structure comparable to the MAGC.  They are surprisingly easy for empaths to read; but like Faleshkarti, they are completely unaware they are projecting anything.
The Et'hula are fascinated by the existence of Talents, since their culture and fiction never even imagined such a thing could be possible.  They were notably disturbed when they first learned about telepathy and empathy, and had major concerns about privacy and vulnerability.  Fortunately for them, telepaths can't really make sense of their thoughts unless they first learn the native Et'hula language — however, younger Et'hula who grew up with Terranglo as their first language are easy to read; but these individuals are also more accustomed to the Talented, and aren't afraid of being accidentally read.  The older Et'hula eventually learn not to worry about it, and more than a few end up as mates for chakats and skunktaurs, so they either outgrew their concerns or set them aside.
==Behind the scenes==
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Category:Species
Category:Aliens
Category:Et'hula
Category:Voyage of Discovery aliens