Because of their independent actions they were nicknamed "The Client Race That Chose". Gorillas were granted a 50,000 (that is, 215+214) hab-year leasehold on the Mulun Mountains.
The Gello were the first Clients of the Soro, but are now no longer in indenture to them. They are devoutly aligned with their Patron and great Clan.
Tg.M.A.A.: Though devoted and patriotic members of Clan Soro, personal Gello-Terragen --and Gello-Human interactions in particular --are usually eminently pleasant. Gello have proven themselves to be concerned and responsible patrons. Despite a basically compatible socio-biological orientation, the Gello retain many genuinely held ideological objections to Terragen beliefs and to Terragen Confederation law and policy. Thus far, Gello have proven to be of little value to New York in promoting an Alliance-for-Progress/Clan-Soro detente. Trade relations with the Gello are, however, eminently productive, and many of the Terragen cultural products that are so very much in demand by the Soro (proper) are distributed by Gello brokers at what seem to be relatively reasonable terms under the circumstances.
Those who interact with Gello are advised that they are descended from terrestrial "raptor" stock, and have a disconcerting set behavior pattern of unconsciously stalking various things --from leaves in the wind to spacers on shore leave shopping for Paha jewelry.
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Tg. Marine Corps Intelligence (based on testimony before the Tg.C. Council Committee on Foreign Trade and Trade Policy): It is the considered opinion of the Corps that our Alien policy toward the Gello ab-Soro is FAR too soft. Alien ignorance of Human technology, history, and culture has been --and will remain --the Confederation's chief strategic asset. The free flow of information --particularly the huge volume of historical war novels and spy thrillers --to Clan Soro constitutes a terrible risk to Confederation interests. Clan Soro is the main enemy of Humanity and provision of accurate Terragen cultural information --in any form --threatens the Confederation's advantage in tactical surprise, while also leaving Humanity vulnerable to psycho-historical manipulation. We are particularly concerned about divisions that might be created between Humanity and its two dependent [Tg.U.C.: We object most strenuously to this characterization!] client races. The armed forces of the Confederation realize the importance of trade with Clan Soro for current Terragen economic well being, but all of it is a security risk to Earth Clan and the Corps urges an active policy of export substitution.
The Gello are implacable Soro tools; any interaction with them should be undertaken with suspicion of ulterior motives distinctly contrary to Tg.C. and Human interests.
first of the exile races of Jijo, having arrived 2000 years before the events of Brightness Reef. Wheeled creatures with four eye stalks (instead of heads) protruding from a central cavity, looking rather like "a squid in a wheelchair." Their spokes were susceptible to arthritis in old age, especially under significant gravity. Known for their talents in weaving and agility. They preferred living in zero-g satellites. The Jijo group is the last of their kind in the Five Galaxies. This delightful, unique --if impetuous --species was slaughtered by the Obeyer Alliance for a gambling debt. The self-righteous Jophur took the enthusiastic lead in the genocidal operation; destroying the G'Kek down to --and including --the rootstock (in direct contradiction of prior contractual agreements, and the feud authorization issued by the Institute for Civilized Warfare).
The five leading genocidal races in the last 215+214 hab-years are --in
descending order --the Oailie (themselves extinct by order of the
Institute for Tradition), the Tandu, the Jophur, the Brothers
of the Night (completely out of proportion to their numbers and GDP), with the Etiw coming in a distant fifth.
Third of the exile races of Jijo where they devolved. Formerly acted as Are distinguished intermediaries and negotiators between hydrogen breathing Zang (in the generic sense) and Oxygen Breathing society. However, they are waning in power as a race and the Glavers are not what they were. The Glavers have fewer colonies than they used to. Many small factions have experimented with the Path of Redemption to pay for long "forgotten" racial debts. The Glavers are a small race, reptilian in appearance. Their bulbous eyes are independent of each other, and swivel in a way disconcerting to most binocular races. The Glavers are primarily quadrepedal, and use their prehensile forked tail in concert with their hands for gripping and manipulation.
Tg.M.A.A.: They have been amenable to technological and academic exchange, and have been supportive of growing Terragen involvement in the fields of linguistics and inter-order communication, negotiation, and trade. They are a moderate people. Glavers are militarily neutral in the Alliance for Progress' troubles with militant Galactic conservatives.
One of several Uplift failures, like the Bururalli, -50,000 (215+214)
hab-years ago.
The Gooksyu are the head of the Clan of Gooksyu-Gubru. They are mostly figureheads, giving their ambitious clients authority to carry out actions in the name of the Clan.
Tg. Ministry of Alien Affairs: The "mostly" in "mostly figureheads" is an important qualification. The Gubru --like many (but by no means all) avian species have a highly ritualistic socio-biological psychology. The Gooksyu coupled the inherent bio-social importance of ritual with the sexual competitiveness inherent in the proto-Gubru socio-biology to create an ambitious normative personality, linked to a strong sense of hierarchy, that nevertheless uses the kinship genetics of the proto-Gubru drone stage to create considerable en-caste-d social harmony.
In short, the Gubru are normally ritualistic and rigid due to pre-aptation to this direction in their rootstock. Pre-aptation toward ritualistic psycho-biology was enhanced by the Gooksyu during uplift to insure Gubru compliance with Galactic Tradition. (It is noteworthy that much Gubru uplift occurred just prior to, and during the Uplift Crisis and Reform era of, roughly, 100 K hab-YA to 45 K hab-YA (that is, 216+215 to 215+213+212 hab-YA.)
There is every indication that the Gooksyu are exceedingly proud of their mature clients, and that they have little objection to Gubru policy. (The Gooksyu are members of the same alliance as the Gubru --if somewhat less literalist and rigid. Also, the Gooksyu tend to have a pronounced streak of social-Darwinist amorality.)
A biped pseudo-avian species hostile to Earth. Fanatically prim about those aspects of Galactic tradition that interest them, yet they hardly seem to care at all about preserving planets and nursery worlds, only about the near-term status of their Clan. They are also known as accountants, credit counters, and humorless, selfish warriors. [Tg.M.A.A. note: in point of fact, the vast majority of Galactic O-2 sapient species can be credibly described as humorless. A sense of humor is relatively rare among Galactic sapients and is considered to be at least a moderately distasteful psycho-biological trait by the plurality of O-2 civilization. A sense of irony (almost) always accompanies a sense of humor, but also frequently occurs without what a Terragen would consider a full-blown sense of humor. The sense of irony is somewhat more common than the sense of humor, and is more widely tolerated in Galactic O-2 society.]
They are descendants of flightless birds that were as tall as chimpanzees, Gubru are gangling and stork- or crane-like, with spindly legs, bright yellow beaks, hollow bones, and sharp-taloned, feathered arms (wing remnants), yet the Gubru retain their avian elegance. A comb-like head-crest serves as a hearing organ. The majority of adults are neuter and have white feathers. Other adults have the colored plumage of royalty and have acquired full sexuality. Three candidates for royalty (Suzerains) compete with each other to prove their worth through leadership. The one with the best policies (defined empirically) will molt red and become a Queen (female) while the other two will become consorts/princes (males) and molt either blue or amber.
The three Suzerains represent the three major areas of Gubru government
--"Religion" (Propriety), Bureaucracy (Cost
& Caution), and Military (Beam and Talon). The seat of Gubru
government and home of the Royal Roost Masters is the called "The Conclave Arena". [Tg.M.A.A.: these three categories, in fact, correspond to a division of labor with
roots as far back as the proto-Gubru stock. Thus, it is more accurate to
say that the three major areas of Gubru government correspond to the divisions in any sexually-mature Gubru
triple.] Gubru view their system of government as a beautiful combination of politics,
philosophy and reproduction. It is an ancient system present before uplift, and was modified and used
by their Gooksyu Patrons. The military branch is run by Talon soldiers. Their crests are dyed to note rank and
unit. The military's symbol is an outstretched claw with three sharp
talons glistening in holographic threat. The priestly caste wear
black "torcs." In "religious" ceremonies Gubru don
ribbons of mourning for the lost Progenitors.
The Gubru are a tenacious race, bent on glory for the Clan of the Gooksyu-Gubru. They are not as violent as the Soro or Tandu, and pay strict adherence to Galactic Law and Tradition. Because of the unorthodoxy of Earthclan, they have taken it upon themselves to conquer the alliance and take the three races [Tg.M.A.A.: or at least the junior two] as Clients to finish the Uplift that they believe is only partially finished.
The Gubru are carnivorous flightless avians. Their flightless ancestors' wings developed into gripping talons, while their legs evolved for walking. The Gubru have delicate air-filled bones and sensitive sensory organs. They use base three for everything, and speak triple-redundant Galactic Three.
The proto-Gubru existed in a sexual hierarchy, with most being neuter drones. Only a few high ranking animals ever achieved sexuality. With the onset of intelligence, the Gooksyu used this natural system in tandem with intelligence for their Clients. All Gubru were born neuters after that, but with the introduction of outside hormones, they could achieve princedom or queendom. Thus, the Suzerain system began. Three leaders are chosen from each of the major governmental departments --one from Beam and Talon (military), one from Propriety ("religious"), and one from Cost and Caution (bureaucracy). These three debate policy and other ideas. They vie for superior governing policy and consensus. When the Molt is complete, the Suzerain displaying superior skills and negotiating prowess molts red and become a queen. The other two molt blue and yellow --the colors of princes. (See Gubru genetics; see also, polygamous genetics)
Gubru are always in absolute accordance to all Galactic Traditons, especially the concepts of parole and neutrality in war. They do, however, go as far as the law allows --or their own interpretations of those laws --without actually breaking it when it comes to most things. They have no love for ecology, and the clan was reprimanded for its handling of the ecology of Garth during its occupation. (See also, "Gubru Reproduction")
Tg.M.A.A.: The Ministry of Alien Affairs believes that there is a significant probability that the humiliation of Clan Gubru in the Garth incident can be used to diplomatic advantage. That is --if the situation is properly handled --we can lay the basis of a lasting detente or even minor alliance with Clan Gubru.
e3v5r1
Tg Ministry of Alien Affairs: The Terragen Confederation's compandrazgo relationship with the Thennanin has been most beneficial to the Confederation, both politically and in terms of the development of uplift technology --and especially in bio-social theory. (The Thennanin are renowned for raising solid, responsible Galactic citizens.) Furthermore, given past friction between Clan Thennanin and the Alliance for Progress, Terragen-Thennanin relationships continue to improve and solidify at a "startling" rate. While the Tg. Uplift Council continues to have disagreements with their Thennanin counterparts (largely over the Chooser right to participation in uplift decisions and the systemic benefits of such participation), the Tg.U.C. also strongly affirms the excellent fit between Thennanin and Chooser bio-social personalities within their respective normal ranges.