Ch-Q-Tss-T

The Ch-Q-Tss-T are a race of amphibious creatures native to the Delta Sector with an extremely complex caste-oriented culture based on a thirteen-staged lifecycle. The beginning of each stage is defined by the occurrence of some manner of metamorphosis, with each stage having a high degree of specialization. Because of the way their biology works, a Ch-Q-Tss-T does not complete its biological development until it reaches its final life phase. While still growing, an individual may grow to excel in one field, only to lose access to the expertise they've gained in that field when their next life phase begins. The Ch-Q-Tss-T are one of the more advanced Industrial Age races in the Sector.

## Basic Characteristics

* *Type*: Amphibian-like
* *Durability*: 4
* *Learning Rate*: 10
* ***Science***: Good
* ***Navigation***: Excellent
* ***Tactical***: Excellent
* ***Engineering***: Average
* ***Communication***: Excellent
* ***Medicine***: Average
* *Genders*: 2
* *Life Stages*:
	+ *Childhood*: Hatchling at 0 yr. Infant at 1 yr. Tadpole at 3 years. Late Childhood at 5 years.
	+ *Adolescent*: Early Pubescent at 7 yr. Late Pubescent at 11 yr.
	+ *Adult*: Military Phase at 13 yr. Reproductive Phase at 21 yr.
	+ *Middle Age*: Labor Phase at 32 yr. Scientist Phase at 41 yr.
	+ *Old Age*: Civil Servant Phase at 51 yr. Merchant Phase at 53 yr.
	+ *Venerable Age*: Leadership Phase at 58 yr.
* *Lifespan*: 58 + 4d10 years.
* *Height*: 1.75 meters; 1.24 + (1d5 \* .17) meters.
* *Mass*: 70 kilograms; 52.5 + ((1d5 + 1d5 from height) \* 3.5) kilograms.

* *Niche/Symmetry*: Omnivorous Bilateral Consumer
* *Speed/Transit*: Swimmer/Monoped, 28 m/rd (17 kph); Quadruped, 10 m/rd (6 kph)
* *Volume*: 0.07 m^3
* *HD*: 52/52/50
* *HP*: 40
* *Unarmed Damage*: 10 NHP
* *STV*: 95 MU (1360 MU/m^3)

## Physical Description

The Ch-Q-Tss-T are a race of amphibians not unlike salamanders. They are well known for their multi-phased lifespan, upon which they have built their unique culture. During the course of their life, an individual Ch-Q-Tss-T will undergo a total of twelve metamorphoses, each one entailing some kind of physical or mental change. Throughout their lives, Ch-Q-Tss-T are predominantly omnivorous, though many individuals prefer to feed off of insectoid life. Individuals usually take in two large meals per day and can go for periods up to one week without food. Ch-Q-Tss-T are primarily a race of swimmers, though once they reach their seventh life phase they are able to use muscle contractions to move around on land like a legless lizard, and develop lungs at the same time. Ch-Q-Tss-T begin developing rudamentary legs in the eleventh life phase and can use them to move by the twelve phase, though many individuals still prefer to swim or crawl to get around places as it is a good deal faster. Ch-Q-Tss-T are long, slender creatures. They average about 1.75 meters in length when fully grown and have an average mass of about 70 kilograms. Their scaly exterior is banded, alternating between blue and green in color. Their craniums are a large, arrowhead shape that sets at an acute angle to the rest of their body, the tip of which contains an individual's olfactory organs after the fifth life phase. The creature's mouth (through which they communicate) and gustatory organs are on the underside of the cranium. Auditory organs (which are fully developed by the second life phase) are also located on the sides of the cranium, towards the posterior (on a juvenile, they appear to be along the sides). On the topside center of the cranium are three simple eyes, typically orange in color. Juvenile Ch-Q-Tss-T are coated with an outer bioluminescent layer. The characteristic arrowhead shape of their craniums doesn't form until the end of their sixth phase, when the bioluminescent layer moults off (this layer, incidentally, provides the raw material needed to make Shimmer Cloth). At the same time, Ch-Q-Tss-T grow a set of forelimbs which function as manipulators. Ch-Q-Tss-T aren't very durable creatures, thanks largely to their aquatic environment. A fairly unique feature of the Ch-Q-Tss-T is the ability to regrow lost body parts, an ability that first manifests in the third life phase. Because individuals will temporarily lose access to knowledge gained in early life phases, the Ch-Q-Tss-T have developed the ability to learn new skills and techniques very quickly. Beginning with the fifth phase, development of a Ch-Q-Tss-T's reproductive organs begins, at which points individuals gain gender. What gender an individual winds up as is largely determined by environmental factors. By the eighth life phase, the reproductive organs are fully developed, but by the ninth life phase the reproductive organs stop functioning and usually moult off during the tenth life phase. It is for this reason that the eighth life phase is reserved for the continuation of the species. Ch-Q-Tss-T reproduce sexually using external fertilization. Females will lay anywhere from 300 to 500 eggs at any one time in an aquatic environment, which are then fertilized by a male. Males guard the brood against predators while gestation occurs, a process which takes approximately six weeks. Newly hatched Ch-Q-Tss-T are not tended to by their parents and there is a high mortality rate; any Ch-Q-Tss-T that can make it to the second life phase has a high overall chance at survival.

## Ground Units

This gives a general listing of the vehicles available to the given race. Engaging the ground units of a species in combat will have the same general effect on the player's relations with the species as engaging their units in space. The mineral composition of ground units will be the same as that listed for space units, though the amounts will be somewhat lessened. Indication of "turrets" for a ground unit allow the unit to fire a weapon in any direction; otherwise, the unit must face their target before they may attack another unit. Ground units always include a very generic description of how the unit will appear. Ground Units in general use the same ratings as space units, but have a few additional properties as outlined below:

* *Still need a response on energy.*
	+ *Melee*: An attack that can only be delivered when that object's collision area is touching the collision area of its target.
	+ *Flat*: The speed/efficiency the unit travels on flat land.
	+ *Mount*: The speed/efficiency the unit travels on steep mountains. This will likely be determined by rapid changes in planetary elevation, though the exact amount of elevation change necessary has not yet been determined.
	+ *Liquid* The speed/efficiency the unit travels on a liquid surface (possibly also including ice and cooling lava.)

*No Data Available at this time.*

## Territory

The Ch-Q-Tss-T acheived superluminal travel in early 4653 (*two years prior to the start of SF3*). They have not yet had time to build a large sphere of influence for themselves; an incident with a G'Nunk raider the next year knocked down any progress the Ch-Q-Tss-T had made in that area. They have been rebuilding since then, though progress has been slow; they still don't have any major territorial holdings outside of their home system. Most of the sparce land-based planetary population lives around the shoreline of the western continent in the planet's tropical zones, while many of the species' juveniles can be found swimming in the eastern ocean.

* **Patrol**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: Sparse, but Present
	+ *Beta Sector*: None
* **Space**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: No Sphere of Influence
	+ *Delta Sector*: centered at 199x182, 10 parsecs radius.
	+ *Beta Sector*: No Sphere of Influence
* **Star**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: 199x182
	+ *Beta Sector*: None
* **Worlds**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: Ch-Sts-Tsts-T (199x182, p4)
	+ *Beta Sector*: None

## Status

Most of the species in the Delta Sector are neutral towards the Ch-Q-Tss-T. They haven't as yet had a big effect on affairs in the Sector. They aren't known for being big on trading; they don't buy goods manufactured by other races, and only have one product of any special value, Shimmer Cloth, which they sell to other species. That singular good, however, has brought the Ch-Q-Tss-T a good deal of interstellar commerce. Shimmer Cloth happens to be desirable to the Teeelveee (though not to the degree of Tandelouvian Happy Juice). This puts the Ch-Q-Tss-T at the beginning of a trade route (the Two-Headed Route) that ultimately involves the sale of Livelong to the Humna Humna. The Humna Humna try to keep a good rapport with the Ch-Q-Tss-T for this reason, especially considering that their sphere of influence is an enclave of theirs. The Ch-Q-Tss-T in recent years have failed in attempts to negotiate trade agreements with the nearby G'Nunk and Ng-Kher-Arla (it's believed the emissary to the Ng-Kher-Arla attempted first contact during the Ng phase). Whether or not they'll try again with the Ng-Kher-Arla remains to be seen. Trade with the G'Nunk is now viewed as unlikely, especially given the incident wherein the G'Nunk decimated the Ch-Q-Tss-T star fleet.

* **Ally**:
	+ *Initial*: None
	+ *Final*: None
* **Enemy**:
	+ *Initial*: G'Nunk, Dershetche, Ancients
	+ *Final*: G'Nunk, Dershetche

## Economy

* **Economic Status Levels**:
	+ *Ch-Sts-Tsts-T*: Level
* **Specialty Trade Goods Purchased**:
	+ None
* **Specialty Trade Goods Sold**:
	+ Fly High (Ch-Sts-Tsts-T; δ199x182, p4)
	+ Shimmer Cloth (Ch-Sts-Tsts-T; δ199x182, p4)

## Supplemental Information

Most species that interact with the Ch-Q-Tss-T see members of the twelfth life phase caste (the Xee) or the thirteenth life phase caste (the Pe). Ch-Q-Tss-T in those life phases tend to be more diplomatic than the lower castes, no doubt why they make such good traders and leaders. In dealings with these castes, the main perception of the Ch-Q-Tss-T is that they are a friendly and inquisitive race. They've also shown some curiosity and a taste for exploration, attested by their nascent global spacefaring program. However, according to the Humna Humna (with whom the Ch-Q-Tss-T have had a strong trading relationship for decades), these qualities aren't as evident in most of the lower castes. In general, they don't like to bargain a great deal. They are a very proper race that believe strongly in ettiquette, and in particular the social necessities of the caste system. Starting with the fifth life cycle caste (the Ze), Ch-Q-Tss-T are expected to show due deference to their betters (i.e. higher castes) and disdain to their subordinates. This can get harsh and there are known cases where individuals have been put to death for perceived transgressions against a member of a higher caste. It's unlikely that the species will be able to progress much further into space without including members from lower castes on their spacecraft; this inclusion may ultimately impact the overall perception of the Ch-Q-Tss-T negatively. The caste system is set up in such a way that the skills of the individual are maximized for the life stage they are in. The first four life phases (the B, G, D and E respectively) are childhood phases mainly devoted to initial development. Pubescence hits in the fifth stage (Ze), with the biggest physical changes occuring during the sixth phase (the He). Members of the seventh phase (the The) serve in the plantary military and defense forces. The eighth phase (Kee) is reserved for reproductive activities. Members of the ninth phase (Le) are the laborers, while members of the tenth phase (Me) are scientists, intellectuals, and teachers. Eleventh phase (Ne) members serve in civil positions, twelfth phase (Xee) members are merchants and businessmen, and the thirteenth and final phase (Pe) are leaders, politicians and diplomats.

Ch-Q-Tss-T haven't until recently been spotted off their world in large numbers. Largely this has to do with the very defined roles of the various caste stages. With the dawn of their Starfaring Age, however, some members of the species have left their world to conduct diplomatic talks with other races (most notably the Humna Humna but a few others as well). Others have hired starships to search for potential colony worlds in case the new Age brings with it a population boom, as well as planets where larger amounts of suitable minerals may be found. Finally, there are those serving in the species nacent star fleet, protecting their world from the depredations of the G'Nunk and the Dershetche.

## Importance

The Ch-Q-Tss-T have a fairly minor role to play in the game. Their role as a trading partner is dubious at best; the decision to make them starfaring was mainly done out of a sense of creating continuity in the SF universe. Their biggest role is in aiding the player in finding one of the Arming Keys for the Leghkian Sun Bomb, a mission-critical artifact. the information they have will need to be coupled with a message from the Kher to give the player all the data required.

## Communication Text

This final "stat" is a listing of phrases a species will use in communications with the player. For more details on this system, see the discussion on the Communication Mechanics, Interface and Engine. In addition to communications phrases, this section should include the species reactions to various communications postures, as well as their "threshhold values" (again, see the Communication Engine discussion for details).

*As a non-starfaring race in SF2, the Ch-Q-Tss-T have no pre-existing comm text. New text will need to be generated for SF3.*

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