Bijani
The Bijani are a former nomadic race who live on the planet Bijan II, most commonly called Bijan.
History
Several hundred years ago the Bijani race lived on a Class L world called Bijan. But a tremendous disaster on the planet all but destroyed it. The Bijani people were forced to leave their home world in search of a new place to settle.
For four hundred years the Bijani traveled the galaxy at sub-light speeds as a nomadic race. Generations of Bijani lived in a gigantic convoy of ships moving across the galaxy. During this time much of the Bijani technology and culture changed. But eventually they found their new home, another Class L planet very similar to the original Bijan. They settled on this world and called it Bijan II.
Settling was a hard process as the Bijani people had become separated by being on separate ships where they had formed a tribe like society. This maintained as each ship colonized separate areas of the new home world forming many scattered villages and only one major city. But there was one goal which kept the Bijani people together. They had decided to build this new planet into the likeness of their former world where the most notable landmarks were recreated.
During their nomadic travels the Bijani had met no other races. Many believed that after four hundred years without seeing another race then they must be alone in the universe. But when the Bijani created their first warp drive many hoped that they would find more intelligent life. But the first set of warp drive ships sent out on 5 year missions came back with no reports.
It was a mere accident that the Bijani met anyone at all before abandoning any space projects. One of the Bijani explorer ships came across a fleet of ships but when they tried to open communications the ship was destroyed. The Bijani government was not put off though, simply seeing it as though there had been a misunderstanding. Several more ships were sent but each one was destroyed. The fleet of ships was heading towards Bijan II though.
As the fleet set itself in orbit they announced their dominion over the planet, claiming it in the name of the Romulan Star Empire. But as the Romulan Armada prepared for its attack another fleet entered the system. A great battle took place in the stars and the Bijani were rescued by this unknown force. Or at least they thought they had been.
The ships that had fought off the Romulan Armada had not come to save the Bijani, but to take the planet instead. They called themselves Klingons and within a few hours they had sent soldiers down to key areas on Bijan. Within a few days Bijan had been taken over. Thus started 100 years of service to the Klingon Empire.
The Bijan people were forced to serve the Empire. But they were not treated as badly as many Klingon occupied worlds had been. The Klingons kept random beatings down to a minimum as long as the Bijani worked well. But the Bijani knew they could not live like this forever. Eventually they managed to smuggle a small team off the planet. Their job was to find anyone who could save them. The Bijani team found themselves on a space station full with species they had never dreamt of. But their mission remained clear. They had to find someone who could help.
Who they found was the Romulans. The Bijani found their way to the Romulan home world where they gently reminded the Romulans of their defeat 400 years ago. The prideful race sent out another armada of ships to the system and they destroyed the Klingon inhabitants. The Romulans took little interest in the planet and left it alone. Finally the Bijani were free again.
The Bijani had lost hope in finding a community of races where everyone could work together. That was until a Federation ship made first contact with the species. In the following years the Bijani applied for membership and joined the Federation.
But after the Dominion War it changed again. The peaceful Bijani people had shunned the war seeing it as a distinct lack in diplomacy, rather than a necessity. They had been severely damaged by the war and withdrew their membership with the Federation. Instead they joined with their neighbors, Spira, to form the Bijani-Spira Alliance. In Spira they found a people who shared their desire for peace and mental enlightenment. Despite leaving the Federation the Bijani-Spira Alliance and the Federation are close allies and continually perform joint research operations.
Culture
Bijani are known as been peaceful folks, wishing to explore their minds rather than their bodies. Bijan is a crimeless world as far as the Bijani go. There is a small police force maintained on the planet but this is reserved mainly for visiting races, which are few as Bijan offers little in the way of resources, intergalactic importance or tourism. Although the Bijani-Spira Alliance maintains a standing military this is solely used in the area of border control.
Class System
Before the destruction of the original Bijani home world the Bijan people lived in a strict hereditary class system. There were three classes known as; Valuken, Lloun'azen and Rothen. A Bijani was born into one of these classes and could not move out in their life time. It was forbidden for any Bijani to marry or produce any offspring outside of their own class.
The Valuken were the most upper class. This class was based on those with royal blood in their veins. Any Bijani, no matter how distant, who were once related to the original royal family, formed 9000 years ago, would be placed in this class. Valuken were known as administrators and leaders of the land.
The Lloun'azen were placed second after the Valuken. They were known as the ‘creators’ on Bijan. It was their task in life to create new and innovative things ranging from new ideas in science to new pieces of art.
The Rothen were at the bottom of the classes and were known as the workers. It was their task to turn the ideas of the Lloun'azen into reality and to fulfill the orders of the Valuken.
Although most class systems have been labeled as unjust and uncivilized on most modern planets the Bijani system had a notable difference. It was the responsibility of the upper classes to care for all classes below them. There was a strong sense of harmony within the classes with each been content with their place. Although it is still firmly agreed that a free society is better, the Bijani class system is perhaps the best known in the quadrant.
This system was disbanded several generations after the destruction of Bijan.
Children and Marriage
After the destruction of the original Bijani home world the Bijani culture was forced into a major change. With Bijani’s forced to live together on small transport ships the various classes were forced to live in close proximity. Birth rates came almost to a stand still as Bijani could not find suitable partners of the same class. As well as this mortality rates were increasing due to the strains of space travel and the lack of food. Mortality rates over took birth rates and the Bijani population began to dwindle. It was decided that in order to preserve the race every Bijani was required to find a mate at the Age of Enlightenment. The couple’s only aim was to produce at least one heir and guard it to maturity. This custom has been maintained to this day.
A Bijani is considered to have reached adulthood at the age of 12. This is called the Age of Enlightenment. At this time a Bijani is expected to choose their mate. Once a male and female Bijani have decided to become mates they enter the state of Betrothelment. From this point on it is considered the couples primary duty to give birth to a child. This child must then reach the age of 12 and enter Betrothelment itself before the Bijani couple is allowed to be officially married. If after 20 years the Bijani couple has not produced a child then their Betrothelment is nullified and they must choose another mate. If they produce a child but it dies before Betrothelment then the Betrothelment is again nullified. Many believe that for a Bijani, family is the first and foremost concern.
Another curious aspect of Bijani culture is the way children are raised. For the first six years of a Bijani’s life both parents will care for the child. For the next three years the child will live with the mother away from the father. Here a mother will teach the child unique aspects that only a mother will fully know. The child will have no contact with the father until the three years are finished. The next three years will be spent with the father to finish any learning’s before the child becomes an adult. The child will only see the two parents together again on the Day of Enlightenment.
Physical Traits
Physically Bijani look much like Humans. But it is the inside that changes. Their anatomy more closely resembles that of a Vulcan. The Bijani have adapted to their L Class environment. They are able to survive comfortably in cold temperatures. With less oxygen been in an L Class environment, they are able to extract oxygen from an 80% contaminated area. Their ability to smell has also much more acute than that of a Human while their hearing is worse.
However, having lived on worlds where it was too cold for a virus to survive, the Bijani have an underdeveloped immune system. This makes them very susceptible to diseases which are common place for M class species. A Bijani who contacts a common cold would be seriously sick and possibly die. Bijani have adapted to interracial communion by taking a strict selection of medications daily. Some Bijani who have spent many years off their home world have managed to build up their immune systems making some of the medications unnecessary.
Bijani age much faster than humans. By the age of 12 a Bijani has the mental and physical capacities of a Human aged 18. But it also gives them a shorter life span. While a Human might live to be 140 a Bijani normally lives to be only 90. During pregnancy Bijani females are known to wear ‘Paternity Belts’. These belts are designed to send waves of information to a Bijani baby while it develops; helping to accelerate its learning curve once it is born. This practice has been used and refined for centuries and has been adopted by various other races.
But the most fascinating part of the Bijani anatomy is a defense mechanism known as the 'Bijani Pain Trance'. When a Bijani is under a great deal of physical pain they are able to move their consciousness to an area of their brain called the 'Lanstorm Cortex'. This effectively allows a Bijani to complete a task beyond the pain threshold of most species. While in the trance the Bijani looks unconscious but still their body is able to function. A pain trance will last as long as needed to complete a task but there is an upper limit to how long it can go on. On average each pain trance lasts around 5 minutes but there are reports of trances lasting up to half an hour and myths of trances lasting weeks. Once the trance is complete, either by completion of the task or the Bijani reaching the upper limit, the Bijani will fall completely unconscious and will generally require medical attention.
Most Bijani will never need to enter a pain trance and it is generally regarded as an artifact of evolution. But one of the more interesting aspects of the Bijani Pain Trance is that near the point of death a Bijani will enter the trance. It is common for a dying Bijani to get up and walk about, if they are physically able, moments before dying. This is the only situation known where a Bijani will enter the trance without it been triggered by pain. Some religious views regard this as the spirits last chance to finish any tasks it has in the living world. Whereas scientists regard it more as neurons cross connecting as the brain shuts down. For whatever reason, the Bijani brain is a complex engine still not fully known or explored.