This is information any subject of the Empire could find in a few minutes with a library terminal.

Any XXX's represent Chinese names not yet determined!

Translation: Space Beetle

The Chien Chia are a large beetle, the body is a bulging disc roughly 1m across, and an average of 35cm high in the centre, dropping to 25cm at the rim. The upper carapace is tough, and patterned with ridges and colours according to the house (and thus sub-race). Around the rim are a dozen pairs of articulated pincers and a four eyes on pre-hensile stalks. These can raise the eyes to 40cm above the body, though commonly only two are extended.

The underside is less tough, and more pliable with 12 limbs. 8 of these limbs are usually used to lift the Chien Chia about 30cm from the ground. The two limbs at the front are usually used like

arms, and the two at the back are usually tucked out of the way. The average active life-span is around 120 years, but long periods of inactivity might allow them the live twice that length of time.

There are five castes, or houses.

House of Gold, are the traders.

The House of Stars, the Jih, are the navigators.

Female Chien Chia are the members of the House of Love (XXX).

House of Oil, XXX.

House of Granite, XXX.

Chien Chia wear discs of fine materials, often richly decorated. From the edges hang tassels and often an under slung bag is worn, in lieu of pockets.

Chien Chia make sounds to communicate by the vibration of plates on their sides, and sensing the vibrations on those plates.

Individually the Chien Chia are an average race, but many together can become a living ship, able to travel interstellar distances almost as efficiently as the best technology in the Middle Kingdom.

Name: Chien Chia, of house Jih, named Te Fei Hsing

Phonetic: Chee-en Chee-a, of house Gee, named Tay Fay Sing

Translation: Space Beetle, House of Stars, named First Flight.

Short form: Te (Tay)

As is common amongst the Jih, Te stands slightly taller than the average Chien Chia. He has distinctive and intricate red markings on his upper side, and likes to show them off by wearing materials through which they can be seen, such as fine silks. The tassels of his clothes while short are very intricately decorated.

of the

The Sabandii are bipedal humanoids with physical characteristics similar to an Earth rodent. They tend to be shorter than humans. Their feet are clawed, but their four-fingered hands are similar to a human’s. Their long tails are naturally bushy, but most are shaved for esthetic reasons. Their faces have long, elegant ears and large, multifaceted eyes.

The Sabandii (AKA ‘furballs’) seem to be ubiquitous within the Middle Kingdom. Small enclaves are established on most civilized worlds, mostly to be found near to government centres or spaceports. The Sabandii are generally well received by indigenous races. They adopt the culture and dress of their particular home and have a remarkable gift for languages. If the Sabandii have their own homeworld, culture and language; they’re keeping quiet about it.

Sabandii appear able to turn their paws to all types of work, although they are not technically minded and so it is very rare to meet a Sabandii engineer or scientist. They excel, however, in communications-related fields. Sabandii firms specializing in public relations, advertising, newspapers or publishing are particularly successful. Many Sabandii can be found working within Imperial bureaucracy as, for example, personal secretaries, translators, or envoys; and no politician’s entourage is complete without a Sabandii speech writer.

Despite their assimilation into a vast range of cultures, a universal temperament among the Sabandii seems to be a disdain for violent methods. Few people, however, care to offend a Sabandii. All too frequently such a person finds himself the object of the latest popular jokes, and generally the only way to save his reputation is the intervention of an expensive Sabandii public relations team!

The most famous Sabandii in modern times is the authoress Martha Mu. Her travel guides and novelized accounts of her adventures are guaranteed bestsellers.

An insectoid race with several Hive worlds within the Empire as well as colonies established on occupied worlds. Each hive is ruled by a Queen who will breed soldiers, attendants and various workers as required. There are many worker variants to do work in different fields, but the most famous are the silk producers, whose silk is highly prized.

There are also several different variants of soldiers as well. The common solider makes up the vast bulk and many regiments have been formed by such for the Imperial army. Other variants include specialised fields such as heavy shock troops or scouts. One variant is the bodyguard. These elite troops are normally bred to protect the Queen and her successor. However, they have on occasion been given in gift to protect the Imperial family.

These bodyguards have a fearsome reputation both in combat and in the intelligence servies required to protect their charges. They are masters of all forms of combat, react blindingly fast and are very very hard to kill. On top of that, they are notoriously difficult to read, having fixed faces and showing few other signs of what they are thinking. They are generally regarded as dangerous fanatics.

Their can communicate by clicking mandibles or by a limited form of social telepathy.

There has never been a recorded case of a bodyguard betraying its charge.