The Compact

The debt of gratitude that the drell owe the hanar after their invaluable assistance in the Evacuation of Rakhana is referred to as the **Compact**, in which the drell fulfill by taking on tasks that the hanar find difficult, such as combat.

## History

When the hanar made first contact with the drell in 1983 CE, the population of Rakhana was swelling at nearly 11 billion, and tensions had risen to violent levels over the scant amount of resources left on the arid world. With the acidic oceans too vile to sustain any more life, and their technology not yet having reached the point of reusable materials, the drell would most certainly have faced extinction without intervention.

Over the following decade, the hanar are able to evacuate approximately 375,000 drell to their own homeworld of Kahje before large-scale violence erupted on Rakhana, creating a situation too violent to continue the evacuation.

On Kahje, the hanar afforded the drell every opportunity to thrive. While outsiders and even some hanar regard the drell as junior partners, if not actual servants, drell have integrated themselves into nearly every level of hanar society as respected productive citizens.

As a token of their gratitude, many of the drell leaders that had been evacuated proposed what would later become known as the compact. This debt of gratitude is fulfilled by taking on tasks that the hanar find difficult.

## Details

### Selection Process

Drell can be chosen for tasks at any age, the selection process and age chosen differing for each task. For example, one of the rare drell chosen for espionage is chosen and taken from their family as a child, whereas a child chosen to become a communications technician may be selected as a young adult and afforded the opportunity of living with their parents while they study for their future.

Assignments are given to the drell depending upon skills that they’ve shown, which in turn is based upon both observations in schools and assessments of civil service examinations.

### Biotics

Drell with biotic potential are especially prized. The hanar fund their implant, training, and education.

### Refusing Service

Any drell can refuse service, however few turn down the offer. Serving the hanar is considered a great honour in drell-hanari society. The drell earn honour not only for themselves, but for their families as well - having a son or daughter chosen to serve a hanari family is a point of pride for any drell parent.

### Drell Outside the Compact

Many drell who turn down the offer to serve the hanar move offworld; they are welcome to do so. Drell who leave Kahje usually become lone adventurers, and they typically seek out other species and adopt their culture. Outside of Kahje, it is common to find drell who take more to asari, turian, krogan, quarian or even batarian cultures.

On Rakhana as of 2182, only a few thousand drell remain. They live in clusters rarely numbering over one hundred, scattered across what remains of the planet.

## Impact

### On Drell Culture

Most older traditions of the drell, especially religion, have begun to die out. Many drell adopt the religion of the hanar (Enkindler worship) or the asari (siarism). Today, they tend to be more interested in other species’ interpretations of one’s place in the universe instead of sticking with their own ways.

Some drell grow a close, personal relationship with the hanar, so much so that the hanar will even tell the drell their "soul name". Drell have adapted to communication with hanar by getting implants in their eyes to allow them to observe the bioluminescence the hanar use for communication. These drell are able to see ultraviolet light as a silvery color, though might lose differentiation between colors at the opposite end of the spectrum, such as the difference between dark red and black.

Some drell grow a close, personal relationship with the hanar, so much so that the hanar will even tell the drell their "soul name".

### On Hanari Culture

The addition of the drell into the hanari military has given them an extra edge on the galactic stage. With the Compact in place, they are better equipped to protect their interests throughout the galaxy and more capable of protecting their own colonies beyond their home system.