The Xarin

Xarin

"Humanity has a great friend in the Xarin, and the Xarin in humanity." -Vakost Repal, Xarin Governmental Authority High Commander


Overview____________________________________________________________________

The Xarin (pronounced Sha'rin) are a large "centaurian" mammalian race hailing from the planet Xaek near the Scutum Crux spiral arm.
A rarity in the galaxy, the species is one of only two that get their sustenance in complete liquid form.

Joining the Galactic Mutual Alliance in 2281 along side humanity, the Xarin are well known for their fierce temperament, strange manner of speech and of course the almost psychotic degree of loyalty that they display toward their allies.

Description_____________________________________________________________________

A typical Xarin stands about seven to eight feet tall and can weigh up seven hundred pounds. They are one of three vertebrate species in the Milky Way that have more than four limbs possessing six; four legs and two arms. They are an ungulate species, possessing hoofed feet that support their weight. Their arms and secondary shoulders jut out of their well developed chest, and are about as long as a typical humans.
Their hands terminate in two four digit hands, two of which are thumbs, giving them a surprisingly powerful grip. Sexual dimorphism is almost nonexistent in the Xarin, with the primary difference between male and female being that females possess a small udder underneath their abdomen. Both male and female have long manes that extend from the top of the head to the base of their neck. Color for these manes range from jet black to platinum blone.
A Xarin's eyes are on par with that of a human's in terms of sight, but their sense of smell and touch are   much more developed. Special spurs behind the heel of their feet are sensitive to temperature and vibration, giving them the ability to "feel" another organism's position relative to their own.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the species is the way in which the Xarin eat. Unlike most species, which have a typical upper and lower jaw, the Xarin are liquivors, and as such have a sharp feeding pipette at the end of a nine inch long tongue. Contractions of the powerful Xarin throat muscles give them the ability to siphon out blood or juices from animal or plant life in seconds Because of their unique feeding method, their kidneys and liver are specially adapted to process liquids. They posses a four lipped maw that gives them a strange, garbled sounding manner of speech.

Gestation for the Xarin lasts for up to ten months and they typically give birth to litters of four calves.

Culture___________________________________________________________________________

The Xarin are well known for being stubborn and quick to anger through out the Milky Way. This is due in large part to their ancestral past. The planet Xaek is home to some very deadly predatory animals and to compensate for their lack of sharp teeth and claws, the primordial Xarin had to band together in family groups in order to survive. According to Xarin paleontologists, in groups, they became incredibly aggressive towards their former predators, so much so that families of ancient Xarin caused the extinction of over thirteen large predatory animals. Eventually, the bonds created in these groups caused another facet of the modern Xarin psychology: extreme loyalty. When a Xarin pledges loyalty to someone, they stay by that person's side no matter what, even if it means endangering that individual Xarin's life.
Around 1600 AD on Earth, the first Xarin civilizations began appearing across Xaek and with them came the modern day Xarin religious practice of Kratacik. Named for its creator, Kratacik Novellda, this religion is centered around the concepts of creationism, frugality and valuing what one needs over what one wants. The ancient tenants of Kratacik stated that a Xarin could not posses more than his neighbor in terms of material goods, a concept that has fallen to obscurity in recent years. They also stated that every Xarin male must be trained to use every form of weapon available to them, a tradition which has carried over into the modern Xarin military.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this religion is the Kratacik concept of marriage. A male Xarin who has announced his intentions to marry a female must first engage with her father in combat. If he can win against the father, he will be granted the privilege of marriage and will collect a small dowry. If he loses, he will not be able to marry into that particular family.
Modern Xarin culture is decidedly conservative, but thanks to exposure to outside influences from the various inhabitants of the galaxy, it has begun to liberalize slightly.

Planetary Government______________________________________________________________

Until very recently, the Xarin governmental system was split into regions and each region was ruled over by different political factions. In 2201, amid massive support from the general populace, the regional governments united into a single entity, the Governmental Authority of Xaek. Despite the grim sounding name, the GAX is actually a democratically run parliament.

Military___________________________________________________________________________

Some in the galaxy see the Xarin as natural soldiers because of their temperament. However, while they do possess a rather sizable defense force, the Xarin do not have a traditional military system. Until the advent of the GAX, each Xarin country maintained a standing military. The collective military experience of each went into the training and structure of the Xarin's defense force. Unlike a vast majority of the galaxy's races, the Xarin's defense force makes use of weaponry developed by their own contractors instead of standardized imports from outside manufacturers. This is due in large part to their unique hand structure. Xarin weapons are gas operated ballistic affairs chambered for an 11x79.0mm round, such as the Summoner battle rifle (designated the M81 Xarin Rifle by the Untied Earth Government).
The Xarin maintain a small battle fleet made up of seventy interplanetary warships and a small contingent of around nine hundred starfighters.

Intergalactic Role___________________________________________________________________

Because of their inception into the Galactic Mutual Alliance only 200 years ago, the Xarin have yet to make an indelible mark on galactic politics. They are however an exporter of iron, which their home planet is rich with. They have made several pushes toward planetary colonization in recent years, such as three successful colonies on Dolfur, Miriadne and Toku'ure.
Many enterprising young Xarin have found work in physical labor professions as well as mercenary work across the galaxy. Currently, they are most involved with the Galactic Mutual Alliance's United Security Force, having an estimated one thousand security officers.

Relationship with Humans________________________________________________________
Humanity and the Xarin have enjoyed a long and friendly relationship due to the fact that they were admitted into the Alliance at the same time. As the first race that humanity had made official "friends" with, they are widely considered to be one of the more hospitable races towards mankind, going so far as to declare humans as kindred spirits. In recent human military conflicts, the Xarin have been present, fighting alongside them against seperatist forces on the planet Hera and more recently during the Taundrahaul Insurrection.