PHYSIOLOGY
The Xii (
plural and singular) are an amphibious, bipedal, humanoid species. Their name means, “Delicious Meal of the Sea” from the language of their former occupiers, and they have no name for themselves that their people can remember. Their skin varies from shades of blue to green, most falling into an aquamarine range, with scales, and white accents. They have gills which they use whilst underwater, although they can breathe air normally once they’ve cleared water out of their gills. Most Xii have bony facial structures, either on the sides or top of their head.
Their general physiology is consistent between both sexes; male and female is a matter of reproductive organs and not of any sexual dimorphism aside from that. The two sexes are indistinguishable from one another, and thanks to their sequential hermaphroditism, interchangeable. In essence, they are either sex, as necessary, during the mating period.
The average Xii is approximately five feet tall, shorter than the average humanoid. They’re lithe and on the slender side, due to aquatic dance and other sports. A very physical species, they prefer to excel in such endeavors, including dance, swimming and hand-to-hand combat. Their martial art involves as much dance as destruction and is comparable to the Brazilian capoeira.
Their eyes have a nictitating membrane, for protecting their eyes underwater or in harsh environments. They have very porous skin, lacking the ability to maintain enough moisture in their bodies on land for long periods of time without external assistance. Under normal circumstances, the Xii would return to water or remain in a humid environment to prevent loss of moisture. Off-planet, medicinal aids in the form of hypos have been developed to slow this process, although many still require moisturizers on the exposed skin of face and hands. Their hands and feet are webbed at the base of each finger and toe, leaving enough separation for manual dexterity, but webbing that can be spread to facilitate swimming at speed.
Xii that serve on Starfleet ships or bases (their own ships are kept at a high humidity, like their home planet) tend to keep the humidity of their personal quarters like that of a tropical rainforest. It can be uncomfortable for visitors unaccustomed to that temperature and humidity after any length of time.
(A typical Xii)
BIOLOGY
The Xii have been documented to live for up to one hundred fifty years, although their normal lifespan is closer to one hundred years. Their lifespan has increased drastically in the last fifty years, as their medical science has evolved and the occupation ended. Membership in the Federation brought further medical advances to improve the quality of life as they aged.
Rather than begin with their egg form, to discuss the beginning of life for an Xii, one must examine how they are spawned. The sex of the parent is irrelevant, as the balance of hormones produced in the spawning pools results in sequential hermaphroditism, or a changing of the sexes over the course of a few days to produce a more even balance for breeding. While two individuals (or more) may agree to meet at a particular spawning pool in order to produce desired offspring, it is unlikely that they will physically meet at the pool during spawning.
Once spawning is complete, these parents return to their old lives, usually without a second thought to the outcome of their spawning. This disassociation with their own progeny has caused some controversy with other species who usually have a stronger bond with their own young. That is not to say, however, they are not cared for.
They begin life as a shell-less egg in a spawning pool, one of the still lakes that dot the inner landscape of the islands. These lakes and small springs, in addition to rainwater, are the normal sources of fresh water for the Xii. In these lakes, the eggs develop into tadpoles, which hatch and spend their time in fresh water into brackish, heading towards the ocean, but never quite dipping into it. These early stages are not considered to be intelligent (or even to have particular potential) until they’ve made it beyond the tadpole stage. People who devote their lives to the offspring watch over them from egg through their transformative stages. These aquatic ‘creches’ are tended carefully, and as a result, the Xii have evolved to produce fewer offspring to care for, in exchange for the offspring being more likely to survive. They still produce more than average--usually around three at a time--because there are occasionally predators that still manage to steal young.
After the first year, the tadpoles manage to crawl, in a rather undignified fashion, to the land. It is at this point where the caretakers believe they first have some semblance of intelligence, acting beyond instinct, when their gills empty for the first time and they draw breath through their lungs.
They develop quickly, reaching physical adulthood by the age of fifteen. It takes a few more years for their brains to fully develop, making them suitable for entrance into Starfleet Academy or other higher educational institutions at the age of eighteen.
They handle high humidity and temperatures well, but are prone to torpor in extreme cold without supplemental sources of warmth. In addition, they require a hypospray to maintain internal moisture, resorting to moisturizer for their exposed skin, such as face and hands.
Xii are omnivores, enjoying land-based fruits, berries and leafy vegetables as well as meats, usually seafood of a wide variety. They have a resistance to a lot of the milder sea toxins from their planet, but unfortunately, this doesn’t translate necessarily to other forms of toxins--unless it just so happens to have the exact same chemical composition of one that they’re resistant to. They particularly enjoy algae and seaweed both for nutritional content and flavor, adding them to a number of dishes or blending them into smoothies.
SOCIETY
The Xii society suffers from an externally imposed setback from their centuries-long occupation by an invading force. Currently, they are experiencing a resurgence of the 'Old Ways,' as archaeology and religious authorities spread ancient knowledge throughout their people. For a long time, survival was the foremost thought in most Xii's minds. After the occupation ended, the underwater cities that were bombarded and limited in growth by their overseers began to flourish and grow again. The Xii divided themselves into Guilds, by profession. Anyone was welcome in whichever Guild they chose, but they must serve out an apprenticeship after they grew to adulthood at the age of 18. Once the apprenticeship was completed (the length of time determined by the type of education required), they took their place in adult society and had full rights and privileges.
Their education begins the moment they crawl upon the shore and clear their gills the first time, and continues past the age of 15 when they retreat to the underwater cities in the salt-water environment. Once they move back underwater, their language skills are sufficiently advanced to incorporate complex ideas and concepts and advanced education commences.
The Xii have underwater cities, but these cities have air-breathing habitation domes with airlock systems to accommodate surface-dwellers. With the addition of Starfleet technology and Federation membership, cities were made to welcome their Federation associates in their world.
POLITICS
The government includes representatives from each of the Guilds: Caretakers, Soldiers, Artisans, Merchants, and Scholars. Each guild selects two representatives, mainly based on a series of physical and mental competitions. These competitions vary: for example, soldiers may have tactical and combative competitions, while scholars may select representatives who excel at endurance exercises, while winning a series of theoretical science questions and memory tests. Each island sends two representatives from each guild, this ends in a total of ten representatives from each island.
Competitions are not held simultaneously, office terms last a length of ten years or until the holder dies. Many representatives keep themselves in excellent physical condition in addition to their mental capacities--athletes are held in high regard within the Xii--and can earn re-selection until infirmity or misfortune prevents their continuing in the role.
Laws follow that of most Federation planets, with some regard for their former occupation. Every citizen is trained in basic combat, so that, as a planet, they are never helpless again.
CULTURE
Athletics is probably the most prized part of the Xii culture, with statues of particularly talented athletes prominently displayed. This derives from the efforts of the resistance and later, the soldiers who worked to free the Xii from the Xat occupational force. In addition, their exceptional grace while swimming leads to a number of aquatic sports, from varieties of dance, to water polo, to races.
Music has two variations on their homeworld--land and sea. On land they tend to focus on more wind instruments, flute and reed instruments made from natural materials found on the islands. The underwater music is more vocal and percussive. Drumming requires more strength and focus underwater, but when its accomplished, it carries quite well and makes interesting visual accompaniment to the scene.
LANGUAGE AND NAMING CONVENTIONS
There are two separate languages for the Xii, like their forms of music. Above water, they have a harsh, guttural language that is incredibly simplistic. It relays simple facts and concepts and is mostly intended to coach and guide young Xii until they transition into the water. The language they use underwater is melodic and liquid, full of round vowel sounds that travel well through the water, not unlike whale song.
RELIGION
The ancient faith of the Xii is experiencing a similar resurgence to that of its culture, long suppressed by their Xat overlords. They revere what is called the Great Depth--a place of physical and emotional complexity. It is likened to the impenetrable depth of a great trench. One seeks it within one's own thoughts, a place of contemplation and calm, as well as externally, a sort of aquatic heaven in which answers can be found.
In this Great Depth reside the Gods: Lava, maker of life, warmth and land. Current, bringer of good and ill tidings. Lightning, the destroyer. Shark, the hunter.
TECHNOLOGY REPORT
RATING: Average
The Xii are members of the Federation, so they enjoy the benefits of membership when it comes to technology. They focus more on later-life care, as an adult Xii is more productive than a young one. The spawn are cared for, but between predators and occasional loss from damage or mutations, they are not particularly worried about.
RATING: Average
The Xii have a well-developed Guild of Scholars who indulge in all sorts of research, trying to further their understanding of the universe.
RATING: Average
Until the Federation came on the scene, the Xii were less than average, but over the years, with the support of the Federation, their protection, and later membership within it, they've reached what is widely considered galactic standard.
