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| * '''Skal''': Similar to Terran scorpions, except the last pair of legs are long and strong, adapted for leaping. Most Dachlyd regard them as a nuisance—except when a skal stings an unlucky person in the eye or mouth. | | * '''Skal''': Similar to Terran scorpions, except the last pair of legs are long and strong, adapted for leaping. Most Dachlyd regard them as a nuisance—except when a skal stings an unlucky person in the eye or mouth. |
| ==Culture==
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| Dathis II, while being the homeworld of the Dachlyd race, is not the seat of Dachlyd culture. Starship, sub-light freighter, and space station -dwelling Dachlyds outnumber their homeworld fellows. It is more accurate to say that Dachlyd culture is rooted on Dathis II and has branched off from the homeworld. The colony worlds of the Dachlyds began along the same vein as Dachlyd settlements upon Dathis II. Dachlyd society is not [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony hegemonic]. Rather it is doctrinally opposed to hegemonies, a sort of tradition of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianism egalitarianism].
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| Because of the history of respect for others, Dachlyds have at times petitioned outside aide from the [http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/United_Federation_of_Planets UFOP] in order to expeditiously resolve disputes and reach [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise compromise]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremism Extremism] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Despotism despotism] are not widely understood except by those Dachlyds studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_science political science] or xenocultures.
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| ===Hatching===
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| The hatching open of a brood clutch is called "the cracking crying" by Dachlyds. When a nest of eggs hatches, the parent (or parents) are primarily occupied with freeing the young, ensuring they are safe, and assessing their health. However, ancient tradition indicates that the remaining egg shells should be ingested. This may have originated as a practice in order to keep the nest clean and safe from scavengers. More modern traditions hold that the shells should be smashed or otherwise destroyed, to further emphasize the liberation of the young. A parent usually keeps the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_tooth egg tooth] once it falls off the young Dachlyd. Collected egg teeth are a point of pride in how many young a Dachlyd has assisted in hatching, especially among professional midwives. If the eggs have become too dry before hatching, the egg may be too tough for Dachlyd young to escape without aid. This aid is usually accompanied by traditional chants and prayers. After the last Dachlyd has hatched and exhausted itself stretching out its new limbs and tail, the brood is collected as one. The parent Dachlyd eats a small feast to replenish the spent energy. Following this feast the Dachlyd curls protectively around the young and rests.
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| ===Neet===
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| The neet or "of size" celebration occurs when a young Dachlyd is no longer able to be held in the outstretched hand of its nest parent. As the Dachlyd is clearly no longer capable of being easily manipulated, this ceremony is held to mark the beginnings of its independence. Typically the neet is solemn, with speeches on responsibility and the recounting of stories detailing both the bounties and perils faced by historical Dachlyds. As a memento of the nest and family, an adornment (typically of twiyll fiber) such as a bracelet, necklace, gorget, or poncho is received by the Dachlyd being recognized. The celebration concludes with a spinning dance and the young Dachlyd usually spends the night away from home. (Young, space-faring Dachlyd may simply depart the celebration chambers symbolically.)
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| ===Huassgk===
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| This sacred day acknowledges a Dachlyd's sexual maturity and confers adult status upon them. The average Dachlyd matures at 15 years. Traditionally, an adult Dachlyd finds its own place to live. Aboard space craft, Huassgk may be accompanied by formal assignment to a crew division. Dachlyd maturity is driven by hormones and the somewhat aggressive expression of these, causing the younger Dachlyd to reject its parent or caretaker. Often this rejection begins as unintentional hissing following normal conversation. From stressed hissing the aggression proceeds to bellowing and roaring, with the two Dachlyds confronting each other. The final stage has both parties vocally confronting each other, bellowing and roaring face-to-face, sometimes for hours. Eventually the exhausted Dachlyd (typically the younger, weaker one) departs to find its own place to make a nest. Postponing Huassgk is difficult, often impossible.
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| ==Science== | | ==Science== |
| There is a growing trend in Dachlyd industry supporting biotechnology. The developments which receive the most interest and acclaim specifically deal with lifespan-terminated engineered organisms, sometimes referred to as "lifespanned engineered organisms" or by the acronym "LEOs". Many advances have been made in designing organisms with specific functions to replace architectural or mechanical constructs. | | There is a growing trend in Dachlyd industry supporting biotechnology. The developments which receive the most interest and acclaim specifically deal with lifespan-terminated engineered organisms, sometimes referred to as "lifespanned engineered organisms" or by the acronym "LEOs". Many advances have been made in designing organisms with specific functions to replace architectural or mechanical constructs. |