Zoq-Fot-Pik

The Zoq, Fot, and Pik are three separate races that evolved simultaneously on a jungle-like world. Zoq-Fot-Pik look like little green plants/cobra snakes (possessing very limited psychic abilities), blue springy things, and brown one-eyed creatures, although they resemble frogs/toads, and even they can't say which name belongs to which creature.

## Biology

The Zoq, Fot, and Pik are a bewildering array of species, all three of which have forgotten which species they are members of. Biological data is very scant; the Zoq-Fot-Pik do not speak of themselves much, and what can be gleaned is fairly insignificant. Zoq-Fot-Pik have evolved to consume a variety of foods, chief among them are air-borne zooplankton, solar energy, and rocky fungal clingers, presumably lichens. It is unknown which one eats what, or even how they accomplish day to day living. The only other available data consists of a threat given by the creature on the left of the display screen, evidently a female, who threatened to blow her sac of spores at the creature on the right, apparently male. If this was a threat or an invitation to mate, is completely obscure.

## Culture

Zoq-Fot-Pik culture is based on their collective union, which has brought some difficulty to their semi-harmonious accord. No mention of war between any of the three races suggests a history rich in peaceful coexistence, and at times it seems that the Zoq, Fot, and Pik share the same thoughts, as one speaks freely for another. At other times, however, arguments break out and cannot be contained, even in front of alien dignitaries. As the Zoq-Fot-Pik delegates on their homeworld put it, "Our culture's predominate trait, its strength and weakness, are the diverse interactions between the Zoq, Fot, and Pik. A popular game amongst the Zoq-Fot-Pik is the game of Frungy, though little information on it exists, aside from it being a team based sport.

Being relatively new to space exploration, the Zoq-Fot-Pik have yet to decide on a course of interaction with alien races, and take a bifacial approach of polite dignity and blustering challenges. Considering the relative weakness of the Stinger, it is very fortunate that their contacts were limited to the Chenjesu and the humans. Another race might have taken offense and eradicated their entire fleet with relative ease.

Zoq-Fot-Pik religion is based on the simple concept that when one dies, they go to a better place, presumably without "lethal, flaming wheels." This is based on the widely accepted folktale of an unlucky trio of sentients, whose happy outing was cut short by a tragedy involving a wheel with burning grass caught in its center. If their religion has advanced much beyond this preliminary stage, it isn't known.

## History

Having once been threatened by the carnivorous Zebranky, who was the natural predator of the three races, they formed an alliance and destroyed them, bringing peace to their world for the first time in millennia. Over time, the three races even forgot which race each belonged to, choosing to name themselves collectively as Zoq-Fot-Pik.

This alliance led to very big technological advances which eventually formed the current Zoq-Fot-Pik race. They spend much time together and usually argue about many things, including Frungy, which is a sport some Zoq-Fot-Pik, notably Pik, are obsessed with.

The Zoq-Fot-Pik first entered the galactic fray when they found their colony worlds were playing host to terrible space battles. These battles unleashed titanic forces as the two sides fought, and when they missed each other the small Zoq-Fot-Pik colonies suffered.

Having heard from "the great crystal ones", most likely a reference to the Chenjesu, of several races who often helped each other, the Alliance of Free Stars, they set about making contact. The Alliance by this point however was already defeated. Years later The Captain meets with them at Rigel. They relay their dismays to him and beg for his help. It turns out that the battle taking place in their space is the Ur-Quan ceremonial Doctrinal Conflict. Their fighter-ship is called the Stinger and is known for its deadly tongue attack.

The militarily weak Zoq-Fot-Pik are only marginally helpful in defeating the Ur-Quan, but the value of the information they bring early on to the New Alliance of Free Stars cannot be denied. They also witness the Supox and Utwig offensive against the Kohr-Ah and, apparently, make contact with the two attacking races.