Ga'teran

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Ga'teran
Four Letter Code	GATE
Federation Status	Enemies
Planet of Origin	Ga'ter
Encountered	Romulan Empire
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	N
List of Named Ga'terans
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"If it moves, kill it. Then check to see if it is edible."

a Ga'teran proverb.

The Ga'terans can best be described as an extremely aggressive humanoid reptilian species that see's all other species as possible prey, fit only to be destroyed, consumed as food or used as slaves. They seem to be genetically pre-disposed towards a constant need for battle and all aspects of their society are geared around this all consuming instinctual drive for hand to hand conflict.

Home System

• Quadrant: Beta
• Location: Omegas Riptilius Sector (coordinates B22-0003-1298)
• Proper Name: Ga'ter
• Star: It orbits a class K (Orange) star
• Distance from Star: it's orbit is approximately 291 million km
• Companions: It is the 2nd of 4 planets in the system
• Moons: It has 1 medium moon and 2 small ones.

Home World

• Proper Name: Ga'ter
• Diameter: 15,493 km (9,627 miles)
• Gravity: 1.06 is a low gravity with a density of 4.5
• Axial Tilt: 9.5%, with minimal seasonal changes
• Orbital Period: 302 days
• Rotational Period: 21.1 hours
• Classification: M
  • Surface Water: 63%
  • Atmosphere: 1.11% is a high standard pressure with 71% nitrogen, 26% oxygen, 3% trace chemicals
  • Climate: Mainly a semi-tropical to temperate world.
  • Terrain: It is covered with dense rain forests and massive swamps.
  • Population: Just over 7 billion

History

Early History

The earliest history data available shows that the history of the Ga'teran people is one of war, war and war. In the beginning it was family versus family, then tribes versus tribes. They fought for any and every reason. The only thing that prevented their own racial destruction was the size of their world and the vastness of the swamps. When a family or a tribe lost too many warriors they would pull back, retreat away from the danger.

As time passed the battles were being fought less frequently but they were getting bigger. The family gave way to the rise and importance of the tribe. No single family could afford the loss of that many warriors. During this period technological advances were few and usually had to do with tools, food collection, weapons or war. With the rise of the tribal system large areas became more secure. It provided the stable environment needed for more advanced discoveries. Now true the Ga'teran people will never be mistaken for scholars. In fact almost all their advances in technology have to do with making life easier, solving some engineering problem or creating a better tool, weapon to handle a specific job.

Regardless of these limitations they had entered into an industrial revolution. Machines, equipment and other high tech solutions to problems made even more of them available to be warriors. Battles grew even bigger. Tribes were destroyed. The last few families simply vanished. It was during this period that the last true war was fought. They lost over half of their total population. Whole regions were depopulated.

We are not alone

It was at about this same time that they learned that they were not the only race in the cosmos. Contact was made with a strange looking species that came from the stars. A race that looked weird, with lots of eye's and strange tentacle like arms. The aliens landed and greeted the Ga'teran people, who promptly attacked and killed them.

It was this contact, this new knowledge that there were aliens living among the stars that resulted in a massive change to their culture. They could now find new enemies, new challenges that would be worthy of their might. However this forced them to face the fact that they needed to alter parts of their culture if they wanted to survive. A new solution to the problem of how to deal with their blood thirsty rages and all-consuming need for combat and bloodshed had to be found.

Reaching the Stars

The result was the creation of the arena matches, first blood battles and a new modified, controlled and regulated system for war was created. It allowed them to grow and expand. Not just in population, but in ideas and technology advances.

With the alien ship to study they made some astounding advances. Their technology advanced so fast that they were building crude star ships with in 37 years, having made over 250 years of scientific advancements during those same years. Once they started to produce star ships they quickly swarmed into outer space. Now it is true they lost a large number of those early ships but they also learned. They made better ships, discovered other worlds, asteroids and just how wide and complex space was.

They created colonies, mined asteroids and firmly made their presence known. They were here to stay.

Part of this included a number of wars. The first and extremely disappointing war resulted in the Irlan species being the first alien race to feel the iron heel of the Ga'teran war machine. This passive pre-industrial species put up no fight, surrendering long before the end of the first day of occupation and they were turned into slaves.

They soon came into contact with the Saurian Empire and years later the Romulans. Shortly after the destruction of the Hobus star they started to investigate the possibility of adding some territory from the remains of the fractured Romulan Star Empire.

Government

The Ga'teran people have a rotating central government that represents both the people and the tribes. It works in a fairly simple fashion. First of all each and every tribe regardless of size will send 1 representative to either the city of Adillee or Crindoo. Both cities have their place in the central government.

All the representatives will serve time on both councils. The military council is based in the city of Crindoo and the administrative council is based in the city of Adillee. The military council has 13 members plus any other reps not currently on a council who may advise or suggest issues but who have no say or vote in the final decision. The military council controls both the infantry and the space fleet. This includes recruitment, ship construction, military actions and control of all defeated slave races.

The administrative council in the city of Adillee also has 13 members plus any other reps not currently on a council who may advise or suggest issues but who have no say or vote in the final decision. This council controls tax's, declaration of war, interaction with other races not yet defeated by and controlled by them. They also control colonization efforts and the merchant fleet which is used for trade with the other races.

Since every tribe provides only 1 single representative the choice of which council to sit on is decided by that tribe. Whenever a member of one of the councils steps down his replacement is randomly drawn from the list of representatives who have not yet served. The length of each term of service will differ for each and every representative. The length of each reps term is determined by the size of his tribe. The bigger the tribe the longer he will hold office during his turn on one of the councils.

Irlan Administrators

Since the conquest and absorption of the Irlan people into their growing empire they have been assigned to numerous administrative tasks. By the time of the Hobus supernova this had progressed to such a degree that they had virtually taken over all such work within the empire.

Surprisingly this includes the Ga’teran government where all of the actual work is done by these Irlan administrators and the various different tribal reps rely on them to a great degree. So much so that it is possible that numerous votes, programs and policies may have been the direct result of Irlan manipulati

Description

As a race the Ga'teran male has wide shoulders, a deep chest and well developed arm and leg muscles. The neck is short and very heavily muscled. They have sharp claws on their hands and feet. They have no nose, just 2 thin slits for breathing. They have no ears, instead they have two pale greenish sections of sound sensitive skin where their ears should have been. The teeth are extremely sharp and pointed and they have wide mouths that allow them to open them wide and use their teeth as very effective weapons during hand to hand combat. Their skin is very thick and tough, just like a crocodile and as for skin tone for the most part it is a light, pale green with some individuals having darker or lighter hides than others.

Physiology

The main difference between males and females is their size. A male ranges in size from 6' to 6'6 with an average weight of 200 to 280lbs. The female on the other hand ranges in size from 5'8" to 6' and weights between 140 and 180 lbs. Of course there have been cases where individuals have been outside these racial norms.

Fortunately for the Ga'teran people when they reproduce a female will usually lay about 10 to 20 eggs. They can do this usually once a year and are able to continue producing offspring for close to 25 to 30 years. If it was not for this their old customs of blood mad rages and constant combat between the families and tribes might have killed off their entire species.

Psychology

Just below the surface of every Ga'teran is the blood mad rage of a berserker. They have to fight to control it. For most of them it is an easy thing to do, but there are others who can and have lost control. Depending on what they did when they lost control many are sentenced to Final Justice. For most they can release the beast when they need to. Rechaining the beast after can be very hard for some.

Religion

The Ga'teran people do not seem to have any form of religion.

Mythology

First One

In the beginning all there was, was swamp. Then life emerged from the swamp in all its violent forms. One of those forms proved to be smarter and more violent than the rest. The first one defeated all lizard challengers, proved its worth, captured mates and fathered those who became the Ga'teran race.

The Rage

When the first one had finished proving he was not to be ignored, he fathered children in his image. He taught them and watched them. Then one day his oldest child disobeyed and the first one struck him. That blow released the rage. The child turned on his father in a blood thirsty frenzy, one that sparked similar reactions in his other children. Once the rage had cleared the first one and 3 of his children were found to have been killed and partially eaten. The 4 survivors were shocked at what they had done and since then all Ga'teran have worked hard to maintain control.

Society

They have a tribal society with each tribe having its own festivals, celebrations and minor differences. They have an intricate, yet delicate balance between the tribes that often result in various forms of conflict resolution that includes first blood and war.

Culture

The Ga'teran people are not a race to which most people would attribute culture. The fact is they are more at home hunting, eating, fighting or drinking.

Epic Tales

Epic tales are the one form of none violent entertainment they have. Kind of like opera but with very loud, off key singing and much clashing of weapons. The stories are always re-enactments of famous battles from their past.

Arena Matches

Combat in all its physical forms is the primary form of entertainment for the Ga'teran people. As such arena matches with physical combat such as wrestling, slamming (kind of like terran boxing but without the gloves or rules) and first blood matches draw large crowds.

Customs

Releasing the Beast

For the Ga'teran race it is an accepted fact that at times, there is a burning need to release the berserk rage and fury they have been keeping caged inside. At these times they will seek out one of the many easily available solid steel cages available in every community and on most large farms. Once they have been locked inside they can release the beast without having to worry about who or what might become injured other than themselves.

Final Justice

For most serious crimes there is only one punishment. Death. When someone is found guilty of a serious crime they are taken to an arena which has a large 100 foot circular area that has 2 feet of swamp water floating in it. The stands will hold up to 50,000 people. The convict is released into the arena with no weapons but his bare hands. Then a pack of 7 Rap'ter like reptiles are released. These giant lizards are smart, cunning, fast, deadly and hunt in packs. No one has ever escaped them.

First Blood

Whenever 2 citizens have a disagreement or there is a minor disagreement between groups or tribes it is settled by a form of ritual combat called First Blood. A single fighter is selected and while they sometimes go and fight in an arena, they are just as likely to select any location that is agreeable to both sides. The 2 combatants meet with no weapons, anything goes but the battle ends when the first blood is lost from the body of the opponent. At this time the fight ends. The winner or his tribe are considered to be in the right and the losers have to accept the final verdict.

War

Any time there is a major disagreement between tribes, factions or any other large grouping of Ga'teran's it is settled by a war. Now days these wars are fought in an arena with rules and limited numbers of warriors on both sides. Usually the teams will be either 5, 13 or 27 to a side. Hand weapons are allowed but no firearms. Both sides must agree on the number, type and size of any and all weapons. Both sides meet and wait till a loud gong is struck. Then they fight till only one side still has any warriors left standing. The winning side is declared the victor

Technology

While they have warp technology, they only have two true modern, industrial centers on the planet. These two massive cities hold between them over 89% of the entire planets manufacturing and industrial facilities. All of which are worked by the Irlan.

Military

Infantry

The Ga'ter Infantry is organized along 2 different lines. Each Regiment is made up of about 5,000 troops and is recruited from one single tribe. Both male's and female's serve as troops. While hand weapons and their claws serve as their main form of weapon they are also equipped with a disruptor style rifle that inflicts extremely painful cellular damage.

Space Fleet

The Ga'terans currently have a fleet made up primarily of frigates, destroyers and cruisers. They have just started to build heavy cruisers. Like the Infantry all crews on any given ship are usually recruited from one single tribe and can be both male and female.

Frigates

These ships have a crew of about 50. They tend to have excellent defenses, good offensive abilities but minimal crew comforts. There are no shuttles on this size class ship. Its main weapons are disruptor style beam weapons.

Destroyers

These ships have a crew of about 100. They tend to have excellent defenses, good offensive abilities but minimal crew comforts. This size will have 2 shuttles. Its main weapons are heavy disruptor style beam weapons and forward facing light plasma torpedoes.

Cruisers

These ships have a crew of about 150 and about 200 Infantry soldiers. They tend to have excellent defenses, good offensive abilities but minimal crew comforts. This ship has 4 shuttles and 4 troop transports capable of carrying 50 men each. Its main weapons are heavy disruptor style beam weapons and forward facing medium plasma torpedoes.

Heavy Cruisers

These ships will have a crew of about 200. Unknown yet how they will differ from the smaller cruiser.

Slaves

The Ga'teran's will use any race as slaves but the Irlans were the first race to feel the iron heel of the Ga'teran war machine. They use slaves due to the fact that they hate working in any factory or manufacturing plant. The mindless labor has an increased chance of weakening the iron control they need to keep on their inner rage.

Starfleet Intelligence Files

All of this data has been acquired by agents from the records of the old Romulan Star Empire.

Adillee

This is one of the two major cities and major manufacturing centers on the planet. Almost 25% (approximately 125 million) of the Adillee tribe, one of the largest tribes among this reptilian race life outside of this city. The majority of the tribe (775 million) has migrated to New Adillee which is the largest moon in orbit of the 4th planet in this system.

This city houses over 85 million Irlan slaves. These slaves do 98% of all the work in the manufacturing facilities.

Crindoo

This is the other major city and manufacturing location on the planet. Almost 35% (250 million) of the Crindoo tribe, one of the largest tribes among this reptilian race live outside of the city. The majority of the tribe (465 million) has migrated to New Crindoo, their name for the Irlan homeworld. This city houses over 80 million Irlan slaves.

New Adillee

New Adillee is also called Ga'ter IVf as it is technically a moon in orbit of a large gas giant, the 4th planet in the Ga'ter system. It gets its name from the single largest tribe among the Ga'teran, a tribe that undertook the huge job of colonizing and transforming this moon into a new world that would allow them to continue to grow and prosper.

Now after more than 132 years over 50% of the moon’s surface is covered in swamps and jungles with near homeworld normal conditions. The rest of the moon is swiftly reaching the same level with most estimates agreeing that within the next 25 to 30 years over 90% of the moon’s surface will have been transformed to near normal homeworld conditions.

As with the plants, every form of animal, fish, reptile and bird found on the homeworld has been transported to the moon. They used careful breeding programs in the start, but have now closed down the program and released all the creatures into the wild.

Now it has well over 75% of the Adillee tribe, over 775 million Ga'teran's as well as one major city and manufacturing center that houses over 55 million Irlan slaves.

Sources

This is an original species created for the Starbase 118 community by Cmdr. Tel-ar.

		SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee.		REV 239306.27
		Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave.
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