Forgive the double-post, but I have to run to school soon. I'm revising the rules a little-While this will take place on an Earth ship, there are some aliens who would work just fine on an Earth ship. In addition, if enough people sign up another world's ship can be added to serve as a partner to the Earth ship.
If you'd like to contribute your own alien species, or build a profile for one of the existing ones (even if it's based on an existing alien), you are free to do so. I have the first story arc in mind but it's flexible enough for some significant detail changes, like alien crewmembers or first contacts to be made. The Coalition's policy on less-advanced cultures is to generally wait until they're at an early 21st century Earth level of technology (radio telescopes and the like) before making first contact. But, unlike later
Star Trek, if a sentient species is in danger of extinction, Coalition ships are to use any ethical means at their disposal necessary to save them. Or, if they've already made contact with aliens, it's kind of pointless to hide our existence from them no matter their tech level.
Anyway, here's a profile of our first alien species:
Name: Birrin
Homeworld: !Hi'ir! (Delta Pavonis 4)
Status: Coalition Founding Member
History: The Birrin have been in space for only three Earth centuries. Due to fierce competition with a near-sentient species on their homeworld (known as Pseudoraptors to humans), much of their early attempts at civilization building were torn apart by the 'raptors, who were much stronger and faster than the Birrin but only slightly dumber. Nevertheless, the Birrin persevered and were able to reach an industrial revolution by Earth's 20th century AD.
However, due to the conditions they evolved in, it was not long before the Birrin began to engage in warfare with eachother, finally culminating in the development and use of nuclear weapons in two world wars. The devastation wrought by these weapons allowed one nation to essentially rule over the planet by the 22nd century, the same one that made nuclear weapons. However, much like humans, the Birrin knew the dangers associated with nuclear warfare, so, in order to try and resolve differences without the threat of extinction, all weapons bigger than a machine gun were placed under joint-government supervision, and international disputes were settled with an organized system of dueling, which was further diversified into sporting events not dissimilar to Earth's Olympics.
First contact with the Birrin was made in 2380-Due to an oddity with the Birrin sun's electromagnetic field, conventional radio communications were not being read properly, so while the presence of life was known in the Delta Pavonis system, intelligent life wasn't known until then. By the same token, the Birrin were aware that Sol had a very good chance of harboring life but had been unable to get any radio communications from us. A cordial relationship developed after FTL communications were discovered, and joint colonization efforts were undertaken on a number of nearby worlds. The Birrin were the first to join the proposed Coalition in 2450, for trade and defense against pirates, and became firmly entrenched in it during the Neelaa War. They were among the races who contributed the most to the Otherspace Drive project and were the first to organize official races using the technology.
Physiology: The Birrin evolved from quadrilaterally symmetrical creatures which resembled polychaete worms. Over the course of evolution they became secondarily bilaterally symmetrical. The upper and lower limbs devolved, and the lateral appendages became strong legs for the move to land. Two of the four eyes took over primary vision, and while the third eye vanished completely, the 4th evolved a long stalk and migrated toward the top of the head to give good all around vision.
Internal organs also adapted, with two of the four stomachs becoming lungs.
Birrin limbs contain many sensory organs, including vibration and taste sensors. The second pair of limbs changed radically and is now held above the body, the vibration sensor adapted for hearing, and the taste sensors elongating and becoming a sensitive antennae used to detect scent, and to communicate via semaphore.
The first set of limbs became arms, carrying delicate hands to handle food, use tools and groom others, while carrying a long curved claw to stab and grip prey or rivals. This claw is present also on the rearmost limbs, and can slash enemies from the rear, while on the foremost pair of walking limbs it became a sensitive vibration detector, and when held to the ground can sense movement through the soil.
The Birrin brain is long and extends a third of the way down the neck, protected by internal bony cages. The neck itself is not as flexible as many earth creatures, and does not need to be as the stalked eyes can move independently.
The long legs and broad foot pads suited the swampy habitat they evolved in, spreading weight to stop them sinking into mud.
The Birrin are oxygen breathing, carbon-based lifeforms like humans and evolved on a planet with a similar climate and gravitational pull, hence the two species regularly engage in joint colonization efforts and officer exchange programs.
Basic Birrin body form.
Close-up of a Birrin head.
An infamous picture of Birrin genocide taken during their last world war.
A Birrin baby and human child are examined by scientists while they play, to study interactions between the two species.
A psuedoraptor-The main Birrin language names it a Brii-ar!! which is also a vulgar profanity.
(Birrin concept and pictures borrowed from
Abiogenisis from Deviantart.com. The alien was just too well developed for me to change anything. My own original alien species will be up next)
