Minor Races on Babylon 5

You continue talking with Diplomatic Attaché Lennier of the Minbari Federation. You ask him to describe the minor races that belong to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. He explains that the League originally came about due to the Dilgar War, about thirty years ago. The Dilgar were a warlike species and began conquering other worlds from 2228, performing genetic experiments on their victims. Many were unable to resist their advance, until the Earth Alliance joined the fight and helped to defeat the Dilgar in 2232 at the Battle of Balos. Because of this, many of the younger alien races have respect for the Earth Alliance, and trust in Babylon 5's hosting of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. There are many different member nations, but Lennier is assiduous; he has clearly done his homework and so is able to give you a complete account.

Abbai

The Abbai are an amphibious and sexually dimorphic people. Females have a prominent head crest, whereas males have only a small crest or none at all. Their government is known as the Abbai Matriarchate, led exclusively by females. Even though their females outnumber males five to one, their society is tolerant and peaceful. Male Abbai pursue cultural careers and are deemed of equal value.

Their homeworld is Abba IV, also known as Ssumssha, on which their entire civilization lives in small towns bordering water. There are only ten large towns on the whole planet. Abbai can breathe air using nostrils, or breathe in water using gills in their torso.

Brakiri

The Brakiri are a nocturnal people, whose chief ambition is to excel in business. Their government is known as the Brakiri Syndicracy, governed by a council of 500 corporate appointees known as the Krona. The Brakiri are quietly spoken and admire some aspects of Human culture. Their most unusual celebration is the bicentennial Day of the Dead, a special religious season in which they believe that the dead return to speak with the living.

Their homeworld is Brakir, and they have a local colony on Kara (the second planet of the Brakiri system) and outer colonies on D'Grn IV, a mining station, and Lorca VII, a protectorate mostly settled by Lorcans.

Drazi

The Drazi are a reptilian people with a significant space fleet, and are an important faction in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. Their warships include the Sun-Hawk and the Sky Serpent. Their government is known as the Drazi Freehold, ruled by a council of five known as the Shadak. Every five cycles, the Shadak is dissolved and the entire Drazi race divides randomly into two camps, Green and Purple. These factions fight each other for a whole cycle, until one side wins and the new leader of the Shadak is chosen from that side.

Their homeworld is Zhabar, and because of their warlike nature, they have in the past conquered and later ceded a number of other worlds. They contest a number of minor worlds on the border of Centauri space and are suspicious of the Centauri.

Gaim

The Gaim are a methane-breathing insectoid race, who mostly travel inside encounter suits. Their mouthparts are delicate mandibles which make clicking sounds that have to be translated by machine. Their government is known as the Gaim Intelligence, the collective name for a monarchy consisting of six queens. The Gaim have only recently achieved space flight, but are masters of genetic engineering. The queens design the genomes of their own successors, and of the drones that will serve them. There are different classes of drone, such as Adviser, Explorer, Balloon, Hunter, Warrior, which are genetically predisposed to fulfil their tasks.

Their homeworld is N'chack'fah. They have yet to venture beyond their homeworld, which borders on Brakiri space. Since the Gaim ambassador was genetically engineered for this task, it is not clear if they even represent the true physical form of a native Gaim.

Grome

The Grome are a species in decline, after a plague decimated their homeworld. The survivors have a skin that is deeply pitted and wrinkled. Their government is known as the Marga Chulda, an autocracy ruled by the Margus. This is a hereditary position, and enshrined in their religion which worships the Margus. However, corruption in the Marga Chulda may soon lead to a revolution.

Their homeworld is Gromahk. Since they only achieved spaceflight recently, they do not have any colonies. They are technologically the weakest member of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.

Hurr

The Hurr are a highly factionalised and male-dominated bipedal species. Females are only considered good for childbearing. Their government is called the Androma Republic, made up of elected representatives from the thirty-five city states on Androma. Hurr society is highly stratified, with a wealthy elite, a small middle class and a very large underclass. Crime and in-fighting are common - Hurr are a belligerent species.

Their homeworld is Androma. They have no colonies, but only orbital stations. They are only slightly more technologically advanced than the Grome.

Hyach

The Hyach are a species that live to a great age, and are distinguished by their two-lobed cranium. They have had a long civilization and their respect for ritual and culture exceeds even that of the Minbari. Their government is a gerontocracy, called the Grand Council of the Elders. Their economy is based on a system of direct barter, and they consider monetary currency to be vulgar.

Their homeworld is Shir-shraba. They don't have colonies, but are quite friendly with the Drazi. Dr Franklin discovered that they used to be a dimorphic race, inter-breeding with the Hyach-do, a more primitive and hairy sub-species. But the Hyach hunted these to extinction, so their genome is impoverished, and their birth-rate is falling with each generation.

Iksha

The Iksha are an amphibious fish-like species with scaly heads and bodies. Their form of feudal government is known as the Iksha Baronies, consisting of five separate factions, which tend to act independently. It is difficult to get all Iksha to agree, such that some Baronies may sign up to a treaty and others may still be at war.

Their homeworld is Ikos. They have a surprisingly sophisticated space fleet, including the War Globe (or Battle Globe), a warship powered by a singularity.

Llort

The Llort are sentient burrow-dwellers with an armoured skin. They have what Humans call a pack-rat mentality. They are avid collectors of anything that interests them, and will simply take items without permission. If found out, they return the item without any fuss. Their government is called the Mi-Ma-Ti, which roughly translates as the "Chosen of the Burrow", who is the feudal leader of the Llort. Due to factional in-fighting, the leader changes frequently as different factions rise and fall.

Their homeworld is Vartas, an inhospitable world, which explains how the Llort evolved to be burrow-dwellers. Their entire civilization is underground on this planet. However, they make good soldiers.

Markab

The Markab are a peaceful and very religious people. They have a strict moral code, which if violated can scandalize society. Their sense of moral purity can also inhibit them from discussing medical problems, such as the periodic Drafa plague, which many see as moral uncleanness.

They have a federal form of government known as the Markab Confederacy, which consists of their homeworld Septis, and three colony worlds Septis II, Falaron and Morda. Seven delegates are sent from each of these worlds to the council. These delegates are chosen by the rulers of each world, a pair of elected leaders called the Kor (male) and Gerda (female), who are held accountable by their electorate.

Pak'ma'ra

The Pak'ma'ra are a large bodied, multi-pedal species with two to five legs. They are carrion eaters, so tend not to mix well with other species, even though they are highly intelligent and gentle. Their bodies are extremely resilient to infection. They reproduce by parthenogenesis and the larval form lives in the sea for some years, before the air sac grows and the adult emerges on land. Their form of government is hard to understand, since the Pak'ma'ra consider they are all the same, and all different. Asking for the leader may result in a different individual being put forward, on different occasions.

Their homeworld is Pak'ma, also known as Melat II, and they have not ventured into space much. Because of their complicated mouthparts, consisting of three opposing pairs of grinding tentacles and a beak, their speech must be translated by machine.

Vree

The Vree are an inscrutable people that have explored the galaxy for many centuries, and are rather amused at the iconic status they have acquired as the canonical "alien visitor" in the minds of other races. Their government is called the Ventuki Conglomerate, a collection of guilds, of which the most important are the Merchant Adventurers, the Scientists, the Smiths and the Entertainers. Other races tend to find their trickster-behaviour annoying.

Their homeworld is Vreetan, and they have home colonies on Photikar and Deruzla in the Vree home system, and one remote colony on Alzeral. They fly in saucer-shaped vessels of various sizes. They communicate using symbols printed on cards.

Yolu

The Yolu are a long-lived humanoid race. They are chiefly known throughout the League of Non-Aligned Worlds for the Mutai or Trial of Blood, a martial art. This is held in great honour, and when conducted with all due ritual, members of other species are sometimes allowed to participate in the Mutai. Their government is known as the Ingyo, a council of fifteen priests who are elected for life.

Their homeworld is Pa'ri and they have a local colony on Nemus in the same system, and a remote colony on Kitab III. They have been spacefarers for centuries, but are a peace loving people.

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