Koban (100 page)

Enslaved Alien Races:

Raspani

A spacefaring peaceful race with only about a dozen
colonized worlds in a small empire. They were another client race of the
Olt’kitapi, advancing under their guidance. After defeat became semi-intelligent,
the Krall breed and use them as meat animals, raised in herds on many of their worlds.
Resemble a centaur-like small hippo.

Prada

Bipedal, forest and jungle living, eats fruit, nuts,
insects, and small game. The creatures are black or brown, with white markings.
Resemble a lemur or monkey-like mammal, with a useful prehensile tail. About
the size of an Earth Chimpanzee, they can use their five fingered hands (with
longer middle finger for digging out grubs) and long toes almost equally well.
They retain some arboreal ability. The Prada have large yellow eyes, and they were
originally nocturnal animals. They are the Krall’s main assemblers and
builders.

Their society took roughly seventy thousand Earth years to
colonize a volume some three thousand light years in radius. They selected
moderate gravity worlds of 0.7 to 0.8 g’s, and preferring dim redder stars than
Sol. They befriended other races, unless such contact was rejected. Engaged in
cooperation and trade with Olt’kitapi.

Now loyal and submissive to the Krall, they have lost their
original language, so speak only “Low” Krall. They are the largest group of
slaves and can build most things the Krall want for war, or have copied from
other races.

Torki

A highly intelligent eight foot wide by five foot long, and
three foot high land crab race with one large defensive pincher and a smaller
one for grasping, and a hard deep purple shell with eight amber colored legs.
The two in front are small and used as dexterous manipulators. Their eyes are
on two-foot stalks, and they perform fine assembly of tools and electronics for
the Krall, copying from plans taken from other defeated races.

As adults these land crabs are terrestrial and
are found as far as ten miles from the shoreline, returning to the sea only to soak
or breed. They sleep at night in cool burrows several feet deep, or at least to
a level that will allow water to seep in for moisture. They are primarily
vegetarians, preferring tender leaves, fruits, berries, flowers, seaweed, and
some vegetables. Occasionally they will eat fish, beetles, or other large
insects.

Like all crabs, they shed their shells as they
grow. If they have lost legs or claws during their present growth cycle, a new
one will be present after they molt. If the large claw is lost, males will
develop one on the opposite side until their next molt. Newly molted crabs are
very vulnerable because of their soft shells. They are reclusive and hide until
the new shell hardens.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed the story.

LOOK FOR:

The Mark of Koban

Book two in the Koban Series

Released February 2013