PHYSIOLOGY
The Waydi (
singular and plural) are a bipedal, humanoid species of considerable height, but slender builds. They are visually distinguishable by their slit-shaped pupils, bald heads and facial tendrils.
(Male and female Waydi look visually indistinguishable from one another.)
The Waydi possess no auditory-input sensory functions; i.e. they are unable to hear. Instead, they evolved a telepathic sensory system that allows for verbal-equivalent communication between individuals. While perfectly compatible with other telepathic species, the Waydi's physiology produces a natural radiation residue in non-telepathic species that causes the targets headaches and nausea, making communication with non-telepaths a challenging prospect.
Since first contact, the Waydi have made strides towards a technological solution, with some initial assistance from Federation scientists. Offworlding Waydi are all now required to carry an inhibitor that suppresses the radiation effect, so that future interactions with alien non-telepaths can be carried out comfortably by all parties.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
The Waydi use a native, crystalline material in most of their technology that allows them to record and store telepathic messages to be 'read' by others at a later date. However, due to their revelation that most aliens are not telepathically-capable, they realized an alternative form of communication would need to be developed for spacefaring interactions.
The Waydi chose to return to their history and revive an old form of written language that went into disuse when the crystalline technology became widespread. The language was revised and reappropriated for use in spacefaring communications; the Waydi then took proactive measures to ensure the language was added to Federation Universal Translator databanks.
As a result, when Waydi ships encounter now alien ones, the typical hail consists of a silent video feed that is accompanied by a text readout of the communication.
TECHNOLOGY REPORT
RATING: average
Waydi medical capabilities are on par for expectations for a civilization of the Waydi's age.
RATING: average
The Waydi are exceptionally passionate about science and discovery and the pursuit of scientific theory is one of their most revered career options. Some of this might be due to the existence of an alien derelict mining platform in orbit of Waydis IV, whose discovery was a likely catalyst in the early Waydi interest in reaching the stars.
RATING: average
Waydi engineering capacity has kept pace with the civilization's growth as a whole, though in terms of actual assets, the species has been set back due to the interference of the rogue Klingon House of Kartain. On the whole, they are perhaps roughly a hundred years behind the Federation in terms of technological advancement.