Quaddies are genetically engineered Terrans who were designed to fill the role of zero-g workers prior to the advent of artificial gravity. The most noticeable difference between them and baseline humans is that in place of legs they have a second set of arms. This modification not only provides additional hands with which to carry out tasks but also allows them a finer degree of movement while doing so. As a side benefit, Quaddies were also designed to be more resistant to radiation and suffer less from zero-g related conditions such as calcium loss in their bones. The downside of their “design” is that they are less mobile in a gravity environment. Quaddies are capable of a kind of scuttling motion or walking on just their lower appendages but are slower when doing so.
The invention of artificial gravity put the Quaddies in an awkward position because virtually overnight it looked as though they were out of the job they were created for. In response, the Quaddie community as a whole made for the farthest reaches of the jump network hoping to carve out a home for their kind. They were successful and today are in nominal control of a group of systems which have been dubbed Quaddie-space. Although Quaddies tend to be found near their home systems, it’s not uncommon for them to be found across the Thousand Suns, mainly working as zero-g riggers. While in a gravity field, most Quaddies use personal floaters to get around more easily.
The Quaddie species package looks like this:
Two extra arms
No legs
+2 Acrobatics Skill
-2 to any movement related Skill while in gravity
Resistance to radiation, calcium loss and muscle shrinkage in an orbital environment
Note: Quaddies are the invention of Lois McMaster Bujold. They feature in a number of her books and stories, most notable among them being Falling Free, which tells the story behind their creation. No challenge to copyright is implied or intended.