Gaeotis

Name: Gaeotis

Homeworld: Minerva, Hathor star system

Notes: Natives of Minerva, the fourth planet in the Hathor star system, the Gaeotis were in their equivalent of humanity's Victorian era when then Prince Nagendra's forces claimed the star system as their capital. As a slug-like centauroid species, they were classed as non-humans and, thusly, treated as a slave species by the ensuing Empire Of The Rising Sun.

Gaeotis's bodies are made up mostly of water and their soft tissues are prone to desiccation. They must generate a protective mucus to survive. This mandates their either needing artificial atmospheric moisture, a portable moisture source they can carry with them, or never leaving their natural environment.

Gaeotis produce two types of mucus: one is thin and watery, and the other thick and sticky. Both kinds are hygroscopic. The thin mucus spreads from the foot's center to its edges, whereas the thick mucus spreads from front to back. Gaeotis also produce thick mucus that coats the whole body.

Though having evolved outside of Terran labs, the Gaeotis species, like many other centauroids, have developed an upper torso, from the waist up, visually similar to that of humans. This physiological difference between the two halves of their bodies led to initial explorers of Minerva to, from a distance, mistake Gaeotis for other humans at first glance. Still, not 'human' enough to qualify for near-human status, this species is more than a curiosity for the Empire Of The Rising Sun.

Thanks to the thin mucus their bodies generate in order to aid in locomotion, Gaeotis are able of reaching high speeds. Though no competition for modern Terrans, they are capable of competing on even terms with base humans. Rising Sun has also taken to harvesting this mucus as they've found it to be an excellent natural lubricant for their mechanical systems that is relatively easy to procure. This speed, combined with an endurance vastly superior to base humans, has allowed Gaeotis to enjoy a relatively wide freedom in terms of moving around as they are regularly tasked as transporters of messages and packages on Rising Sun worlds.

Though modern Gaeotis have evolved human-like noses and eyes on their face, they still retain the two pairs of retractable cranial 'feelers', or tentacles, of their ancestors. Though no longer providing equivalents to sense of sight or smell, in the modern era they not only allow for members of the species to communicate wirelessly, providing Rising Sun officials with a mostly secure communications network that is next to impossible to jam or intercept, but also expand into senses humans have no names for. It is thanks to these 'feelers' that it is next to impossible to sneak up on a member of the Gaeotis species. Though a prime sense of ridicule, especially by children of higher ranked species, they naturally regenerate, preventing a Gaeotis or anyone else from permanently removing them. In compensation, they have taken to wearing hats to cover their heads and hide both pair of 'feelers', though some Terran masters like having one or both sets shown off.

Due to their naturally produced mucus creating a cleaning mess, Terran masters that allow Gaeotis to move outside of specially designated areas of the interiors of their structures are rare. However, in some circles, the 'slime trails' they leave behind are seen as a statement of art. In others, these same trails are used to entertain children as impromptu slides due to the lower resistance the mucus provides.

An egg laying species, fertilized female Gaeotis can produce up to thirty eggs. This is a fall back to the more primitive days of the species when they were heavily preyed upon by other species of Minerva. Though the modern species retains this capability, egg counts this high is a highly rare occurrence. Still, their own studies have found an as yet unidentified trigger will naturally increase the number of lain eggs in times of abundance that can support the population growth. Currently, the Empire Of The Rising Sun is experimenting to artificially trigger this so as to increase the size of the Gaeotis population under their control.