No-Maki

The No-Maki are a sentient species from the planet Zeist in the Phoenix system. They were introduced to spaceflight by the Droome on an early industrial technology level and subsequently developed numerous, only nominally independent, spacefaring civilizations nowadays fully part of the "Pax Galactica".

General Physiology
No-Maki are considered a medium-sized "false mammaloid" by comparative xenobiology. They possess two pair of extremities: two legs, with very long lower sections and two "true" arms. A central spine stabilizes their body and they walk upright, giving them a distantly humanoid appearance.

Their elongated snout, two eyes located centrally on the head and two pointy ears, alongside a dense fur and a long tail gives them an impression reminiscent of Terran mammals. However, while No-Maki bear living offspring they do not nurture their offspring with milk.

A No-Makis tail is particularily musculous and the tail-hairs vary in length, distribution and color according to subspecies. Fur on the remaining body is either white, sand-colored or a dab grey, depending on subspecies.

Females are usually between 1,40 and 1,80 meters tall.

Male No-Maki are non-sentient, naked creatures with only vestigial limbs. They use their tail to cling to trees or similiar obstacle, preying on smaller animals – as well as female members of their own species, with which they forcibly breed.

As a result of Zeist being a lower gravity planet, No-Maki are comparatively frail and posess a very light skeleton. However, they are capable of very quick movements, posess excellent reflexes and powerful muscles.

Their chest is protected by several ingrown bone-plates, shielding most internal organs which are surrounded by a plasmoid nutritional fluid. This fluid combines the properties of blood, lymph and interstitium and its circulatory system is comparatively simple, with extremities supplied by their own movement and only the head having the fluid pumped by a small, one-chambered heart.

No-Maki have no lungs and instead breathe through an organ in their snout, which draws and releases air at a very quick rate.

No-Maki are evolved from patient carnivores, which hunted by preying idly for hours. They do not need sleep, as different sections of their brain rest at different times. They can stay concentrated on repetitive tasks for a long time.

Senses
No-Maki posess a long tongue which they use to smell, similiar to Terran snakes. This gives them a keen sense of smell, being able to very precisely locate directions by smell, but their ability to taste is limited: most notable, No-Maki are completely incapable of sensing sweet tastes. The three nostrils on each side of the snout are solely for breathing. No-Maki can perceive four distinct base-colours, have great low-light vision and are generally more capable of hearing high rather than low sounds.

Diet
Evolving as a predatory species, No-Maki diet is almost exclusively carnivorous, focusing on meat and other animal byproducts. Depending on cultural and socio-economic circumstances, some vegetable sources of nutrition may be in use, but are almost exclusively considered of lower status and are mostly restricted to poorer parts of the population. In either case, the diet is rich in proteins and saturated fats, while carbohydrates are rare, as No-Maki are incapable of tasting sweet tastes.

Reproduction
No-Maki exhibit a great degree of sexual dimorphism, with only females of the species capable of sentient thought and males developing as crouched and feral creatures. If gender is not specified, it usually refers to a female No-Maki. The species procreates through sexual reproduction and due to the complex chromosomal regulation of the developement of a No-Makis sex, cases of intersexuality are unknown amongst the species, even though relatively common at an embryonal stage - inter-sexual individuals are not capable of life.

Sexual intercourse can be pleasurable for a No-Maki, but this aspect is usually not associated with reproduction and rather with social structure amongst the female No-Maki society. Encounters with males, which instinctively prey upon female No-Maki to forcefully breed them, are considered traumatizing, yet necessary for the future of the species. This underlying conflict has shaped No-Maki culture in various aspects.

Language
No-Maki languages are based on whistling and hissing sounds generated by exhaling air through a number of nostrils located on the inside of their mouth. These can be very high-pitched, but are generally audible for humans, though difficult to replicate. There are, however, a few No-Maki languages that can be spoken by humans with sufficient training.

According to current government statistics, there are 217 distinct languages currently spoken by the No-Maki. These languages are grouped into thirteen major families. However, most are mainly spoken on Zeist. Only Startongue is widespread amongst spacefaring No-Maki, being an artificial language designed specifically to provide a common language for the No-Maki who leave their homes on Zeist. It is also the only No-Maki language officially recognized by the Pax Galactica for beuraucratic purposes.