Zakdorn

A Humanoid race famed for their tactical skills and strategic manner of thinking. They are members of the United Federation of Planets. Zakdorn are typically short and plump, rarely as tall or lean as Humans, although “lanky” individuals do crop up from time to time. The Zakdorn face features three or four rigid folds of fibrous tissue jutting out from the surface of each cheek, and members of the race usually have a pasty complexion that in a Human would signify ill-health. Combined with their tendency to start balding at a younger age than most races, they are not the most aesthetically pleasing of species. In the breeding season, the cheek folds of the male, which are significantly more pronounced, flush red and swell in a manner reminiscent of wattles. This serves as a mating display, and primitive Zakdorn would engage in courtship by strutting up and down while flushing the folds. This puff-upped attitude continues to be exhibited by many male Zakdorn today. They tend to wear heavy, one-piece suits with thick, tight collars as part of a protective sheath over the chest and shoulders. Their black, brown or gray hair is typically worn short and slicked back, at least in males. Zakdorn mature quickly, reaching puberty at age six and full adult size and weight four years after that. Zakdorn gestation periods, on the other hand, last anywhere from 18 to 24 months. Modern medical technology has extended the Zakdorn life expectancy to about 90 years

Zakdorn evolution was plagued by an aversion to the basic social bonds that tie together members of other species. Their primate ancestors lived solitary lives, only coming together for brief and awkward matings. Most humanoids develop language, then agriculture, then communities. The Zakdorn did it their own stubborn, backward way. They found language only after they invented communities, which in turn came about when the first individuals to plant crops reluctantly banded together to defend themselves from other individuals who'd begun to raid the first farmers. Then the raiders banded together to fight the farmers better. Zakdorn standoffishness faded as technological innovations made society more complex, but it never truly disappeared. Weak central authority characterizes much of Zakdorn social evolution, as their instinctive reluctance to co-operate with each other made it almost impossible for those who would lead to persuade others to follow. Even chieftains and kings whose intentions clearly served the common good found that their persuasive (and even coercive) appeals had limited impact. Nation-states were exceedingly fragile, as communities (and individuals within those communities) did their best to remain isolated from each other. The invention of electronic communications technology made it easier for ambitious Zakdorn leaders to make their constituents associate with one another whether they really wanted to or not.

By their 19th century, this planet of wary, territorial specialists had cobbled together a sophisticated, technological infrastructure. Its crowning achievement was a worldwide audiovisual, interactive communications network called the Imon Uldani, which allowed the Zakdorn to interact with one another without ever leaving their single-occupant housing units. It also permitted them to argue vociferously with one another. Zakdorn formed interest associations over the network; each group soon became a forum for infighting and bitterness, or found another group to berate and harass.

The Zakdorn are widely regarded as the finest military strategists and tacticians in the known galaxy. In fact, the wars on their homeworld ended much sooner than those on Earth because the Zakdorn got too good at it. Combat became almost virtual as actual fighting was replaced by intense strategic manoeuvring in battle simulations. Warfare was eventually replaced by friendly- or at least cordial (these are Zakdorn we’re talking about)-competition; battles between powerful minds became a source of entertainment. Today, Zakdorn still think in terms of a warrior race despite appearing pacifistic in their behaviour. As armchair strategists rather than soldiers, they provide a valuable service to a Federation that must defend a huge area of space yet does not embrace open aggression. Zakdorn advisors oversee Starfleet war games exercises, and they contributed massively to Federation victories in conflicts such as the Dominion War. Despite these practical demonstrations of Zakdorn mastery, the Klingons and other active warrior cultures frequently insist that the Zakdorn reputation means nothing, as it has not been tested in centuries; no-one has dared attack them.

Zakdorns are naturally adept at mathematics and physics, and computer science is no trouble at all to even very young members of the species. They are often in demand for their programming skills, including their ability to create extensive data encryption software, which is incredibly effective. Individual Zakdorn often develop their own unique- and complex- encryption codes to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access. Zakdorn also invented the popular game Strategema, which tests your tactical skills and encourages strategic thinking. Rounds of Stratagema, and similar games, are more popular on planet Zakdorn than physical sports (which most members of the race are not built for). Interestingly, Zakdorn prefer contests where the participants are clearly mismatched and there is a clear expectation of one side’s victory. Examining how the underdog approaches the competition is considered more revealing than the tactics of the winner. Their major weakness isn't that they are startled by unexpected tactics, but rather, their ability to out-think enemies comes from understanding their motives. If you can "fake out" a Zakdorn, or make them think you want something other than what you really want, you could probably out-think them. Zakdorn’s tendency towards formidable intellects and their love of precision enable them to distinguish themselves in the UFP civil service and certain technical specialties within Starfleet. On the other hand, their lack of interpersonal skills renders them unlikely candidates for command positions or any job that involves close and constant co-operation with others.

In keeping with their prickly temperaments, Zakdorn have a deliberately anti-social society. Zakdorn live alone, only conhabiting temporarily in order to conceive children. They consider reproducing their species a chore at best, a distasteful biological compulsion. They are not monogamous and do not cohabitate with their mates. Liaisons are negotiated by long-distance communications, and are preceded by the signing of a lengthy contract detailing the obligations (or lack thereof) the two participants will afterward owe to one another. A third party broker...who will also name the child should the parents prove unable to agree on one (Zakdorn names are not hereditary). Children are usually raised by the father until the age of eight, whereupon the child leaves to set up his/her own household. The mother visits periodically. Zakdorn work alone, and prefer to interact with others as consultants or independent operators, instead of as teammates.

Zakdorn tend toward extreme compulsiveness; when challenged or proven wrong in their chosen areas of expertise, they respond with almost childish pique. They also display a boorishness or petulance when dealing with others. Zakdorn society encourages confidence and self-assuredness. The Zakdorn also have a reputation for being fussy and pretentious, easily agitated and with a tendency to moan. This can make dealing with them a chore for other species, including their allies such as Humans. As Cervantes Quinn would have it: “His few encounters (with Zakdorn) almost always ended with him wishing for a blunt object of some kind and five minutes without any witnesses”. However, their fussy nature can in many ways be beneficial, translating into a complete intolerance for serious health and safety violations, immoral conduct or miscarriages of justice. Zakdorn tend toward extreme compulsiveness; when challenged or proven wrong in their chosen areas of expertise, they respond with almost childish pique. They also display a boorishness or petulance when dealing with others. Zakdorn antisocial tendencies seem to be innate rather than cultural. Half-Zakdorn children raised according to the norms of other cultures still avoid emotional ties to others.

Because of their sharp minds and astute abilities, many Zakdorn find roles as strategists or planners, but the resounding majority serve in bureaucratic or minor political positions.

The Zakdorn Strategy Institute was founded on their homeworld in the Earth year 4713 BCE. Attendance at the intense program is by invitation only and lasts thirty-nine Earth-months (divided into three thirteen-month trimesters). At the conclusion of each trimester, only the top half of each “class” will be invited to remain for the next trimester – thus only 1 in 8 who begin the program of study will complete it. In over seven thousand years, only 84 non-Zakdrons have ever been extended an invitation to attend.