Akeed

Akeed
Base Information
Classification	Scavenger/reducer
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Swimmer
Terrain	Ocean
Body Form
Confluence	Non-humanoid
Bio-Identenoid	Alien
Size	0.75 meters
Weight	30 kg
Culture
Languages	Native Language
Social Structure
Technological Epoch	TL:10-12
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Akeen (Gateway 2708)
UWP	B66A632-C Starport B Good: Spacecraft Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel Size 6 Medium (9,600 km, 0.60g - 0.81g) Atmosphere 6 Standard Hydrographics A Water World 100% Population 6 Moderate (9 million) Government 3 Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy Law 2 Low Law (no energy weapons) Tech Level C Average Stellar (robots)
Primary Star	F5 V M5 V
Atmosphere	Standard
Off-world presence	Yes
Zoetic individuals	Yes
Source
Reference	Gateway to Destiny 22-24.
Canon	Yes
Also see

The Akeed of Akeen (Gateway 2708) are a Minor Non-Human Race with a Non-humanoid appearance. They are technologically sophisticated sophonts.

Description (Specifications)

The Akeed are a small, gregarious race of four-tentacled monopods (skiapodes). They are starfaring sophonts, well-known throughout the Domain of Gateway as excellent mediators and diplomats.

The world of Akeen is a water world environment, featuring a planetary ocean scattered with numerous island chains. The Akeed can function comfortably both on land and underwater.

Physiology & Environment (Ecology)

The Akeed stand about 75.0 cm tall and weigh, on average, about 30.0 kg. Most of the body consists of a cartilaginous case for the brain and minor support for the rest of the organs.

Senses

There are a pair of eyes on either side of the head area, mounted on short stalks.

The Akeed have no sense of taste or smell. Ironically, their natural odor is pleasing to most creatures. Humans describe it as a spicy, fresh-bread sort of smell, but other species interpret it differently, suggesting that it may in fact be a pheromone effect, with the perception of smell being psychosomatic.

Locomotion

The body consists of a single, circular "foot" which also serves as the primary feeding organ. The Akeed move slowly on their single foot, but it is strong enough to support them even on near-vertical surfaces.

Manipulation

The upper body also supports four tentacles, two on each side, each ending with four grippers. The Akeed hand, or more accurately gripping tentacle, possesses much more strength and is far more dexterous than the Human hand. Akeed tentacles are easily capable of crushing shellfish, tearing out plant life, or performing great acts of strength that have consistently sobered Human observers. In contrast, the main body of the Akeed is largely made of bands of tissue offering great flexibility but generally too light to provide any great endurance.

Environmental Requirements

Akeed bodies are mostly composed of water, and their soft tissues are prone to desiccation. As a result, the Akeed body generates a protective mucus excretion. This need for a moist environment informs Akeed starship and other vehicle design. The floors of such craft often feature a sponge-like moist flooring, which the Akeed find more comfortable. The Akeed often ride small scooter-like transporters when traveling in Human environments to avoid uncomfortable dryness and bodily dessication.

Respiration

Between the two eyes is a respiratory opening or pneumostome (breathing pore). Lower on the body-trunk is a gill system. Despite their apparent need to breathe air, the Akeed can hold their breath underwater for long periods of time. This is due to a unipectinate gill arrangement, a type of gill which allows the Akeed to breathe in clouded, muddy, or sandy waters. The Akeed gill system is not efficient enough to allow unlimited time underwater, but Imperial scientists have noted periods of several hours during which Akeed spent time submerged. The dual-use Akeed lung-gill respiratory system is incredibly flexible, allowing it to respirate in airy atmospheres or underwater in liquid mediums.

Trophics

The Akeed are scavenger/reducers and feed on bacteria, nutrients, and decayed matter as they move over the ground. The Akeed supplement their diet with minerals drawn directly from soil and water, and appear to be as happy living under the water as on the land. Nutrition is absorbed through the foot. The Akeed possess a mouth here, a digestive system, and a feeding organ much like a radula, an anatomical structure that is used by some Terran molluscs (e.g. slugs and snails) for feeding. A radula is sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a Human tongue, and is a micro-toothed, chitinous ribbon, used for scraping, cutting, or otherwise breaking down food.

History & Background (Dossier)

Human contact with the Akeed occurs only on land or in space. There is a Human orbital colony called Sky situated over Akeen, and several Human enclaves located on islands on the planet's surface. Currently the Akeed control the Akeena Union, a group of worlds in the Gateway Sector. Most of these worlds have sizeable Human minority populations.

Culture & Society (Ethnology)

It is believed that the Akeed have an extensive marine culture.

• The extent of this culture, its tech level, and other accomplishments are unknown.
• They are pacifistic, preferring debate and discussion over violence.
• They are known throughout the Domain of Gateway as excellent mediators and diplomats.
• They interact well with Humans and most other races. Even the K'kree are generally on good terms with them.

Social Organization

The Akeed are social, gregarious, and enjoy having long discussions with one another.

When two Akeed want to settle something, they sometimes debate the matter for hours or days, sometimes while doing other things or with breaks for necessary activities. The tone of such a debate can be irreverent, serious, offhand, intense, or just plain silly. What matters, so far as Human observers can tell, is the ability to keep on dragging up vaguely related arguments or quibbles without straying beyond a vague and elastic limit of relevance. The Akeed that first runs out of arguments or who first uses an argument judged to fall outside these bounds of relevance, loses. Akeed are excellent mediators, although their approach is unusual. Quite often, an Akeed mediator will gather the envoys from both parties together, then distract them with jokes, puns, amusing little songs, and sudden interruptions or quibbles with the minutiae of their language, until the envoys become obsessed with reaching an agreement despite the mediator. Some observers believe that the Akeed are masters at drawing the best out of people by subtle and rather bizarre means. Others are of the opinion that the race is having a joke at the expense of the rest of the galaxy.

• Famous Akeed mediations include a trade deal between the Megusard Corporate and the Viyard Concourse, which was discussed entirely in haiku at the insistence of the mediator.

Government & Politics (Leadership)

The population of the Akeed is unknown, and their law and government systems are largely unintelligible to Human observers.

• Currently they control the Akeena Union, a group of worlds in the Gateway Sector.
• See Akeena Union for more information.

Language & Letters (Communication)

Their breathing system contains no vocal chords, so the Akeed cannot speak. They can whistle, and emulate a great many sounds that way. The Akeed communicate with each other by expressing a combination of whistle sounds and sign language.

Selected Proper Nouns (transcribed loosely from Akeed whistles):

• Akeen
• D!h-v'n
• Gneri Mu Nin
• Jh'nng Mu Nu
• Lanadhu
• Mung Sa We
• Nng Min Ha
• Nng Min Sa
• Tm Shanmai
• X'kuur'qu'io Nu

Technology & Trade (Economy)

Their tech level, based on observations of their starship technology and electronics, is generally evaluated as TL–10 competency. They possess jump drive ships, but acquired them from Humans early in the history of Gateway Sector, rather than independently creating FTL technology.

Astrography

This race is primarily located in the following areas:

• Gateway Sector
  • Denkard Subsector
  • Forcett Subsector
  • Lowton Subsector

Homeworld

The homeworld of this race is:

• Akeen (Gateway 2708)

World Listing: 1105

Significant communities of this race are known to exist within the following systems and worlds:

12 of 12 World articles in Akeed

Akeen  •  D!h-v'n  •  Gneri Mu Nin  •  Hespitar  •  Jh'nng Mu Nu  •  Lanadhu  •  Mung Sa We  •  Nng Min Ha  •  Nng Min Sa  •  Smuggler's Hide  •  Veel  •  X'kuur'qu'io Nu  •  

startbacknext(12 listed)

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Joe Fugate. MegaTraveller Journal 4 (Digest Group Publications, 1993), 27,33.
• Martin Dougherty, Hunter Gordon. Gateway to Destiny (QuikLink Interactive, 2004), 22-24.