Maloki

The Maloki, classified in human taxonomy as Homo neanderthalensis superior, are a hominid race from the Planet Malok, in the center of the Milky Way.

Biology
Maloki biology and anatomy resembles that of ancient neanderthalensis on Earth, with wider hips, larger jaws, and an overall shorter stature than humans. However, due to the proximity of Malok to the Galactic Center, many mutations have arisen in the Maloki genome. For example, 96.2% of all Maloki are red-green colorblind, and therefore wear cybernetic visors that replicate fully color-seeing eyes. Their skin has been bleached a pale white-pink by exposure to radiation, and their hair is an off-blonde. Maloki, over time, evolved a more human-like brain and, due to its natural size, rapidly surpassed humans in intelligence.

Average Maloki
The average Maloki citizen wears dark purple or gray robes, with a purple trim. Many Maloki are cybernetically augmented, usually for the express purpose of aesthetics. Most use aforementioned visual cybernetics. Maloki also dye their hair often, predominantly in shades of purple, indigo or blue. Many Maloki work in computer science and medicine, and many more are diplomats. They are typically somewhat wealthy.

Antiquity
The Maloki evolved originally on Earth, as Homo neanderthalensis. There they made some small gains, such as the invention of the boat and spiky basher club device. However, their habitats were rapidly intruded on by the other sapient species of primate, ''Homo sapiens. ''The humans, with their trained dogs and persistence hunting tactics, were able to out-hunt the Neanderthals, driving them out of their home areas. With such little food, the Neanderthals were dying in droves, on a path to certain extinction.

However, before the Neanderthals died out, a now-extinct alien race provided them with a second chance at survival. They took the remaining population and transported them to the planet Malok, near the center of the galaxy. While the radiation levels were higher than Earth, it was not unlivable, and Malok had comparable life to that of their homeworld. There, the Neanderthals, now the Maloki, could develop their societies without the threat of extinction posed by Homo sapiens.

Mugun Bogoth Era
The Mugun Bogoth Era is classified as the point where the Maloki had evolved to the point where their brains became as developed as, and even more than, those of humans. Overcoming their mentality of "do not fix what is not broken", the Maloki began to improve upon their tools, houses and food gathering methods. During this period, the wheel, agriculture and stone structures revolutionized Maloki life, creating the surpluses necessary to fund a philosopher class.

Gunthuk Tarlug Era
This Era is categorized as the point where Maloki development exceeded that of the humans on Earth, being roughly 13,000 BC in Sol years. At this time, the Maloki move away from their crudely-formed copper tools into bronze and iron capabilities, as well as astronomical observation and the formation of different national identities and cultures. While the development of Maloki society at this time was slower than, say, the development of Nyctosian or Laputan society, they were still greatly accelerated than they would have been unexposed to the mutating radiation of their new homeworld. It is also around this era where Maloki physiology begins to differ, with body hair falling out and skin becoming pale.

Industrialization Era
The next several thousand years of Maloki history are largely uneventful. The different nations of Malok went their own paths, fighting few wars. However, eventually, the Maloki discovered the industrial application of steam and steel. However, because Malok was a younger world, it lacked in fossil fuels such as coal, which on Earth kickstarted the human Industrial Revolution. Because of this, the few Maloki states which had access to these resources went to war.

The Nulgurthug and Gord Balakaz were, at that time, the two largest Maloki states. Because of their size, they had access to these crucial resources. In attempt to secure the rest, the two nations began to fight. Despite the Maloki possessing advanced weaponry during this time such as rifles, battleships and even crude aircraft, this war was fought with a combination of swords and cannons, as to make sure no precious material such as steel or oil was wasted on fighting.

The war dragged on for 5 Earth years, with the Gord Balakaz emerging as the victors.

Unification
Following their victory, the Gord Balakaz began to unify Malok into one national entity, the Republic of Malok. They were met with both open arms from smaller nations, and with war. For thirty Earth years, the GB fought to unify Malok under a single banner. Blood was shed, and eventually, the plan worked. The Republic of Malok, based out of the city of Gurt Multhug, was founded in 1,092 BCE. Now that the Maloki had a single national identity, it was time to work on finding more land. The Maloki poured nearly their entire homeworld's store of fossil fuels into the development of nuclear and solar energy. The remaining oil was devoted to producing rocket fuel to explore their nearby surroundings. After over 300 years of development, the first Maloki explorers set foot on their neighbor planets of Buthgir and Immewlor. Once they had explored their solar system and begun colonizing it, they began to send radio signals into space, hoping for a reply from other intelligences in the universe. Also, scientists took note of the differences in Maloki biology to that of their planet's other lifeforms, and cocluded that they did not evolve on Malok, a mystery termed the Home Problem.

Modern Era
The Maloki's radio broadcasts were met with an answer from the Laputan Merchant's Federation. The Maloki and the Laputans had a meeting with each other and exchanged words. The LMF also informed the Empire of Nyctos that the Maloki had been discovered, and the Nyctosians gave them jump drive and field technology. The Maloki decided to adopt an official stance of neutrality, which also allowed them to be the best candidates to host the Spacial Council of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is physically located in Maloki territory.

Over the years, the Maloki used their newly given technology to expand around the Core. Life improved dramatically on Maloki worlds as corporate influence was essentially strangled to death by the adoption of the Gib Buthakt; an edict severely limiting the voice of private powers in society. They also constructed the Confluences, massive space stations not owned by any one, single government. They are neutral space, and house both soldiers and refugees.

In the Terra-Laputan War, the Maloki smuggled weaponry to human resistance fighters as well as helped civilian populations evacuate. They also taught many human scientists advanced mathematics and science unknown to them. They are spearheading the terraforming of Venus, as an act of good will between the humans and their neanderthal brethren.

Homeworld
Malok is the first planet from a yellow dwarf star slightly larger than Sol. It orbits near the far edge of the habitable zone, ensuring a somewhat colder climate than Earth, though the planet is still largely comfortable by Human standards. The atmosphere appears less blue than that of Earth, and most large bodies of water are a light pink due to the widespread presence of a harmless bacteria species. Its landmasses are a patchwork of dry, brown earth and verdant grasslands with many rivers running through them. The vegetation is sparse, but grasslands are very thick when they do occur.

Malok has large, golden rings stretching around it rather than a moon. These rings light up the night sky spectacularly, and Malok is a very popular destination for human tourists. However, the light reflected by the rings can make it somewhat difficult for offworlders to sleep at night.

Culture
Maloki culture has changed very little since they made contact with the LMF. Maloki spacecraft still contain light gray, padded walls. Their computers are, usually, still monochromatic and have in-build keyboards, though they have the technological capability to use holographic interfaces. Their culture is rather patriarchal, with generally rigid gender roles. Maloki men preform manual labor such as manufacturing, fighting and mining while Maloki women preform intellectual jobs such as mathematics, computer sciences and spaceship operators. They tend to consider themselves one of the more (or most) intellectual races in the Milky Way, and many enjoy acting as ambassadors or diplomats for the Republic.

Government
The Republic of Malok can be described in human terms as Keynesian capitalist, essentially meaning heavily restricted and regulated capitalism. The Republic is overseen by a Board of Directors, similar to human parliamentary systems. Privately owned enterprise in space is legal, but all official ship-building and the construction of new Confluences are overseen entirely by the Board. Because the Maloki are officially a neutral race, they field a comparatively small military restricted to the defense of Maloki assets, with reserve troops and stored vessels brought into service in the event of war being declared upon them. In most cases the Republic Starfleet and Mobile Infantry act as a ludicrously well-armed police force.

Presence
The Maloki are the official curators of the Spacial Council and the constructors of the Confluences, so their influence is felt across the galaxy. They send military manpower to foreign allies if they are attacked, and Maloki soldiers may be seen in the ranks of human, Ulopakan and Citer forces alike. They also intervene as a neutral party in the internal affairs of other governments if large losses of life are predicted.

City Planning
The Maloki prefer straight roads with large, towering skyscrapers. Below the streets, massive magrail lines connect far distances, and public transport is conducted on high-speed rail above ground. Personal vehicles are not very common, and as such roads are narrow to accommodate pedestrians rather than vehicles. In space, the Maloki use artificial gravity to their advantage, making tall space stations rather than the fat, squat ones of other peoples.