Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson Wiki
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Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson Wiki

The Kristang were first encountered by humans shortly after defeating a Ruhar task force that was involved in the destruction of human industrial sites on Columbus Day. They are a highly military-focused race, concentrating a large portion of their society's resources on the war effort with the Ruhar.[1]

Biology[]

The Kristang are humanoid with a lizard-like appearance, they are tall with most members of their species not growing under seven feet tall. It is unclear whether their size is due to the extensive genetic modifications that are commonplace in Kristang society or due to natural circumstances.      

Kristang have a similar skeletal structure to humans, though they differ in the number of digits on each of their hands having three fingers and one thumb.[1]

Kristang are very sexually dimorphic due to extensive genetic alterations introduced by the warrior caste, these modifications improve the physical capabilities of the males making them faster and stronger whilst debilitating the females making them genetically smaller, weaker and less intelligent. A similar change made through genetic modification has ensured a massive population gender imbalance resulting in roughly one male to every ten females.

History[]

In the now distant past, the Kristang existed upon their homeworld as a group of disparate matriarchal clans. The exact circumstances are unaccounted, but there was at some point in their history a nuclear war. The devastation wrought left all factions worse off by its conclusion. In the aftermath, the surviving factions came to an accord and banded together with the endeavor of rebuilding what they had lost. The governments that followed were oriented around societal development, with the warrior caste taking a back-seat from then onward, much to their chagrin.[2]

Kristang are currently a client species of the Thuranin, a Tier 2 species that is part of the Maxolhx coalition. Their technology level makes them a Tier 3 species, on the same level as the Ruhar. They have a poor relationship with their patrons resulting in frequent minor skirmishes and sabotage. It would be reasonable to assume that the Kristang see their patrons as enemies to defeat later when they're able to, rather than any kind of permanent ally. [1]

In much a similar case to Earth prior to Columbus Day, the Kristang homeworld was initially an isolated back water of little consequence to the Maxolhx or Rindhalu coalitions, until a wormhole shift made it convenient to access. The Thuranin at this point had relatively recently developed to a degree where they were no longer considered clients of their former patrons the Bosphuraq, but instead directly those of the Maxolhx. As such, in a bid to demonstrate their equal stature, the Thuranin desired a client species of their own and conquered the Kristang to that end. To restructure their society into one that fit standards outlined by the Maxolhx, the Thuranin replaced the key governing body of the Kristang with the warrior caste, which began an aggressive campaign to militarize their society. This resulted also in the institutionalized sexism that saw males genetically enhanced and females engineered to be frail and docile.[3]

At the time of first contact with the Thuranin, the Kristang had developed interplanetary space flight. They had established one colony in their home system and had begun to harvest resources from their local asteroid belt, but had not even scratched the surface of the theory behind the jump drive. Even after they were provided jump drive technology by the Thuranin, they never developed its capability beyond beyond micro-jumps and were reliant on Thuranin Star Carriers for interstellar travel. This lack of development after centuries of being a star faring species was intentional on the part of their patrons. The Thuranin sought to impede Kristang development by subtle manipulation or direct intervention on the research paths they followed, no doubt fearing the Kristang may one day become their peers or even surpass the them if they did not take action. Another such doctrine of control is the imposed requirement for commanders who fail in battle, to be executed. This would prevent them from developing into intelligent and experienced leaders and discouraging risk-taking, as privately speculated by the Wurgalan Ooslet Nobanu.[3]

Culture[]

Clans[]

Black Trees
The second of the three major clans in Kristang society. Their name comes from the ancient history of the Kristang in which a warrior must complete the trial of the black trees in order to become a recognized warrior. They have a significant presence on Kobamik and were one of the targets of the Merry Band of Pirates to start a civil war among the Kristang.[3]

Blood Fang
Clan that planned to betray and steal Earth from the White Wind Clan. Owners of the long term troop transport "Ice Cold Dagger to the Heart." They slept in hibernation for years in orbit around Pluto.[4]

Bright Claws
Rival clan of the Swift Arrow clan who were attempting to capture the planet Tohmaran from them with the help of the contracted Alien Legion.[5]

Death Stalkers
The Death Stalkers are a minor but independent clan currently in a loose alliance with the Black Trees. They had a reputation for treating their alliances casually, as any agreement was only effective if it was the best deal the Death Stalkers could get right that very moment. They control a planet that has the last substantial group of Keepers of the Faith. They had a reputation of buying, trading for and stealing human slaves. The Death Stalkers had the only meaningful collection of humans in captivity.[2]

Fire Dragons
One of the three major clans in Kristang society. They have a significant presence on Kobamik and were one of the targets of the Pirates to start a civil war among the Kristang.[3]

Great Claw
Not much is know about this clan other than they are bitter enemies of the Swift Arrow clan.

Razor Tail
A very ambitious and reckless minor clan. Supposedly involved in the recapture of the "To Seek Glory in Battle is Glorious".[6]

Shining Dagger (formerly the non-clan Achakai mercenaries)
Hired the Mavericks and Legion to help them conquer and acquire the planet Stiglord (Squidworld) from the Wurgalan in order to establish themselves as an official clan.[7]

Swift Arrow
The clan which "rented" Humans (in the form of UNEF) from the White Wind clan and was involved in the re-capture of Paradise from the Ruhar after it was lost by the Black Trees clan.[8]

During the civil war started by the Pirates, they broke negotiations with the Black Trees clan in order to attack the vulnerable Bright Claws clan and contracted the Legion to help take the planet Tohmaran from the Bright Claws.[5]

Spike Tail
The third largest clan in Kristang society. They have a significant presence on Kobamik and were one of the targets of the Pirates to start a civil war among the Kristang.[3]

White Wind
The clan involved with defeating the Ruhar task force that attacked Earth.[9]

Verd-kris[]

A group of rebels who oppose the current Kristang warrior caste and fight to return the species to its original matriarchal societal structure. The name translates to mean 'first', 'original' or 'true' Kristang.

After a series of species-wide civil wars early in the history of the Kristang, the Verd-kris were ostracized from society. The Kristang encountered the Thuranin soon after they achieved spaceflight, and the Thuranin adopted the Kristang as a client species. In order to keep Kristang society weak and unable to advance technologically, the Thuranin seeded civil wars that eventually overthrew the matriarchal society of the Kristang in favor of a "Warrior Caste" of males. This event also marks the shift of widespread discrimination of Kristang women.

The defeated faction was confined to a handful of worlds and abandoned by the Warrior Caste, unaided by the more advanced Thuranin. Because of their distaste of the Warrior Caste Kristang, the Verd-kris make potent allies within the Legion, and work hand in hand with Ruhar and Humans.[2]

Achakai[]

The Achakai are a group of disgraced Kristang shunned by their society over crimes that were long forgotten.[4] Because their combat proficiency is a grade above most Kristang clans, they are used as hired guns by those clans, often sent to battlefields on other worlds or as assassins.[10] The Achakai hired the Mavericks and Legion to help them conquer and acquire a planet from the Wurgalan in order to establish themselves as an official clan.[7]

Castes

Warrior Caste[]

The warrior caste in the controlling party in Kristang society. They have total control over government and this has lead to the oppression and abuse of the civilian caste.[2]

Civilian Caste[]

This caste is made up of anyone who is not part of the military. This consists mostly of females, children and males who do not have direct military roles.[2]

Economy[]

Like most space fairing species, the Kristang use a barter system in order to trade with other species. For example, they will trade information, wormhole access, technology and even planets.[2]

Technology[]

The Kristang's level of technology is vastly superior to that of humans, allowing them to effectively dominate Earth with just one frigate and one troopship. Other applications of Kristang technology involve traveling faster than light and using nanoscale technology.

But in the scale of galactic tech levels, they are one of the lowest-tech species, placed in between the slightly higher tech Ruhar and the slightly lower tech Wurgalan. The technological gap between the Kristang and the Thuranin is similar to the gap between Humans and the Kristang.

With the propensity of the Thuranin to hack and sabotage Kristang systems and technology has lead the Kristang to meticulously ensure that their computer systems cannot be hacked without direct physical connections being made. This necessitates the Thuranin's use of a covert ship nano-virus to gain control of their systems.

Compared to other species, the Kristang have a huge disadvantage with wormholes. While they are able to jump between planets in a star system, their extremely poor understanding of jump drives prevent them from traveling between stars. They rely on the Thuranin to ferry their starships across the stars on gigantic vessels called Star Carriers.

Military[]

Infantry[]

Power Armor Kristang power armor is at the forefront of infantry combat technology. It has the ability to grip most surfaces with its feet, hands, elbows or knees. The armor is flexible and adaptable in its application on the battlefield. Weapons can be added or replaced on mounts on the arms, armored sections can be removed to lighten the suit or replaced in the event of battle damage. These same armor sections have an ablative coating making them very heat resistant. Power armor also has a store of Nanites that allow punctures to be repaired on the field.[9]

Rifles Kristang rifles are powerful weapons that use versatile ammunition capable of changing between armor piercing, explosive or impact rounds. Unlike Ruhar rifles, they are not digitally linked to a computer network making them manual yet hack resistant.[1]

Combat Robots "Com-Bots" Kristang Com-Bots are most likely low tech copies of Thuranin designs. While this does not make them less deadly, they are slower to react and more cumbersome.[9]

Aircraft / Exo-Atmospheric ships[]

Jawkuar Stealth Dropships Surface To Orbit Craft (STOC) Dropships Dragon Dropships

These are the most common type of exo-atmospheric transport aircraft used by the Kristang.

The Dragon fulfills many roles in combat, as it can insert troops into tactical advantageous positions and transport cargo or personnel off planet. It has fairly extensive offensive capabilities, employing missile racks and MASER turrets. Defensive capabilities include stealth field generators, shield generators and point-defense MASER Turrets.

Spacecraft[]

Kristang warships are known to be designed with heavy armament in mind, their destroyers are known to be the equivalent armament to a Ruhar light cruiser.

Troop Transports The two named Troop Transports were captured by Humans and renamed.

Frigates Kristang frigates are cheaply made and are often used in hit and run attacks because they are easily replaced if lost to battle. Humans commandeered Heavenly Morning Flower of Glorious Victory which Joseph Bishop renamed The Flower. They barely have the space to house a Thuranin dropship.

Destroyers

Light Cruisers[]

Heavy Cruisers[]

Battle Cruisers[]

Elders
The Elders were an ancient race that disappeared from the Milky Way millions of years ago. Skippy the Magnificent believes they ascended to a higher level of existence.
Human Coalition
Humans
Humans on Earth, Avalon & Jiyayuguan (Club Skippy/Jaguar) currently have no specific patrons or clients, but have achieved alliances with two species to whom they provide support. The humans on Paradise, though not technically clients of the Ruhar, must abide and are subject to Ruhar legal tenets.
Verd-kris Urgar
Rindhalu Coallition
Rindhalu
Jeraptha Ajackus Vreen
Ruhar Torgalau
Lemoostra
Maxolhx Coalition
Maxolhx
Thuranin Bosphuraq Esselgin
Kristang Wurgalan

References[]

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