Next up on the Galactic blogs will be the Nu Ceteans who are a small bear like group who are known for having some of the best pilots and navigators in the galaxy. All info is from Sheldan Nidle's book Your Galactic Neighbors.
Present Status And Location
Nu Ceti, a distant minor star with an Earth-like white/yellow Sun, is positioned in the constellation of Cetus. She is approximately 810 light years from Earth. Cetus is located in the Northern Hemisphere, between the constellations of Aries, Pieces, and Eridanus, in the southern part of our autumn and winter skies. Nu Ceti is situated in the western half of the constellation Cetus, next to the much brighter star of Mu Ceti. For almost 2.5 million years, the Star-Nation of Nu Ceti belonged to the Galactic Federation Of Light. About 5,000 years ago, Nu Ceti withdrew from the Federation and reverted to her previous status as a neutral star-nation. Nu Ceti's original inhabitants were land cetaceans whose technology was much sought after by both sides in the course of the various galactic wars. Even after the Treaty Of Anchara marked the end of the war, The Nu Ceteans delayed until they felt sure that peace would be permanent. Once they had gained reassurance, they rejoined the Galactic Federation Of Light.
Nu Ceti Solar System And Description Of Home Worlds
The Solar System of Nu Ceti contains eight planets. In the Nu Ceti language, the star known as Nu Ceti is called Ca'W''iP'''aa which means 'Giver Of Light'. The outer two planets in this Solar System are huge gas giants, similar in size and appearance ro our planets Uranus and Neptune. Next in our journey inward toward the bright yellow/white star of Nu Ceti are two semi-arid worlds. Each are approximately one-half the size of Neptune and Uranus (about 13,000 miles or 20,800 kilometers in diameter). The fourth planet is the home world for the Nu Ceti Star-Nation. In size and appearance, the Nu Ceti home world is very Earth-like. This planet, which her inhabitants call Cem''L'am, has a diameter of 8,100 miles, a width only 300 miles greater than Mother Earth. Just like Mother Earth, she has seven continents, seven major seas and four large oceans. Unlike Mother Earth, most of the islands found in those bodies of water are quite small. Nu Ceti's biggest island, which somewhat resembles Austrailia, is located in an archipelago to the northeast of the main continent in her largest southern sea. At its widest, this island is only 200 miles across. Its narrowest section is about 60 miles long. Most of the remaining islands, which are usually found in Nu Ceti's southern hemisphere, are no more than 25 miles wide. Just like Mother Earth in her fully conscious state, this world's atmosphere contains a two-tiered firmament, which supports an ecosystem famous for its broad diversity of life forms. Among its flora and fauna are varieties such as those found on Earth: foods such as garlic, citrus fruits, and potatoes: animals that resemble domestic cats, dolphins and whales. The inhabitants of this world are immensely proud of their vast forests and broad meadows, which abound in many different plant and animal species. On Nu Ceti's northern continents, mountain ranges tower almost as high as Mother Earth's Himalayas. Unlike our Himalayas, however, even the tallest peaks of these long mountain chains are rarely snow-capped and alpine forests rise almost to their summits. This home world's climate is semi-tropical and only slightly cooler at its poles. Like all worlds Cem''L'am is hollow, with an inner world populated, even for this ecosystem by some very strange creatures. The inhabitants of the Star-Nation of Nu Ceti, who number just above 600 million, live in a grid of special crystal cities that are dotted throughout its interior. The third planet in this Solar System is a smaller water world about the size of Mars 4,000 miles in diameter. The tallest mountains on her two continents are partv of very long coastal ranges, making her interior resemble the semi-arid regions of our central India. This planet is particularly noted for her extremely hot, dry surface enviroments. The more arid climate on these continents makes it much easier for the many species of lizards and other reptiles to be the dominant form of land animals. The four large oceans that surround her landmasses teem with an assortment of creatures probably similar to those that existed during our planets late Paleozoic Age. The two innermost planets are small, barren worlds whose atmosphere is very thin. They are known for their extremely cratered surfaces. The larger, outer sphere is less than 1,000 miles in diameter. To a great extent, the smaller, inner planetoid has practically no atmosphere. What remains is sometimes set aglow by her sun's solar flares, making the entire planet seem on fire. The Nu Ceti people have observed this same phenomenon in the past, in several other solar systems across this galaxy.
History Of Nu Ceti
For a very long period in their history, the Nu Ceteans enjoyed their status as one of the galaxy's pre-eminent merchant star nations. They traded with all sides and, owing to the value of their wares and their participation in a general treaty of non interference, maintained, until approximately 5,000 years ago, a state of lucrative neutrality. By that time, the wars had reached very close to Nu Ceti's location in the constellation of Cetus. Suddenly, The Nu Ceteans found that they could no longer perpetuate the illustrious 'star-faring' traditions that they had struggled to establish throughout the galaxy. Consequently, they cut themselves off and, for almost 5,000 years, essentially prohibited anyone from leaving their star system or from travelling within 300 Light Years of Nu Ceti. They take great satisfaction from the fact that, during their period of galactic commerce, they exchanged many goods with the then-primitive civilizations of Earth. The Nu Ceteans are immensely proud that some of Mother Earth's most basic commodities - all citrus fruits and forms of potatoes, as well as a few other tubers - came, originally, from Nu Ceti. Garlic happens to be the favorite tuber of the Nu Ceteans as Sheldan was told during one of his contacts with his Nu Cetean friend Gor'i. And, although Nu Ceti introduced it to us, the garlic we cultivate has come to be the finest in this galaxy. Nu Ceti also indroduced to this planet what we know today as the domestic cat. The Nu Ceteans feel greatly honered that they were able to achieve these feats. Their histories consist mainly of large navigational charts, annotated by massive diaries and containing detailed descriptions of the many diverse cultures with which they are so familiar. They take pride in their encyclopedic knowledge of the Milky Way Galaxy and her peoples. Appropriately, they have enshrined these countless artifacts, with their accompanying logs, in a series of museums dedicated to the many district epochs that are described in their voyages of trade and discovery.
Society Of Nu Ceti
Nu Ceteans are essentially land ceteceans. In many ways, their culture, based upon pods and podlets, resembles that of Earth's Orcas. By nature, it is predominantly matriarchal rather than patriarchal. At the peak of Nu Ceti society stand the councelors. Together, they comprise a regional assembly that joins with other similar bodies to form a ruling council. And, while this body enacts basic laws, the society itself is governed according to long-held traditions in which they take great pride. Nu Ceteans originated as night hunters and farmers, and their entire cultural focus is agrarian. The people of Nu Ceti, and their nearby neighbors on Mu Ceti, are very proud of their culture and of their own scientific and galactic discoveries. Nu Ceti cultures differs from that of a conventional galactic society, in many others, Cetean Culture is unique. One of the most important of these is the matriarchal system that rules their society. For many generations, the Beings of Nu Ceti have traced their descent through their mothers. They also chronicle their histories from that perspective. Moreover, they revere all other galactic societies that are also rooted in matriarchy. On Nu Ceti, after a couple has birthed all of their children, they participate in a ritual similar to marriage. They consider such a ceromony to honor the complete and sacred state of family. Every member of the pod or podlet, not just the parents, raises a family's children. Nu Ceteans treat their children and their extended family - the individuals belonging to each pod or podlet - with the utmost respect. Politically, the Nu Ceteans were neutral in this galaxy for long periods of time and, for that reason, kept very much to themselves. Not to long ago, during the final uneasy truce of the seemingly endless succession of galactic wars, an armada of ships from the Anchara Alliance's Draconian Empire, in search of an extraordinary cloaking device, destroyed the Nu Ceteans' main planet. Prior to this assault, they had been forced to relocate to another, specially hidden planet far from their home solar system. Recently, the Nu Ceti people, with the help of the Galactic Federation Of Light, were able to restablish their shatteredc home world and return, victoriously, to their much-beloved home. Nu Ceti's re-entry into the Galactic Federation Of Light is yet another example of the topic under discussion: the binding together of the former Anchara Alliance and other neutral star-nations with the core confederacy for the forces of light, to form a stronger, more effective and truly Galactic Federation Of Light.
Physical Description Of Nu Ceteans
A highly sentient land Cetacean inhabits this star-nation. The Nu Cetean is a small, short-tailed, bear-like Being, covered with multi-hued brown fur that varies in color from dark chocolate to very light tan. Although its head is shaped like a bear's, the Nu Cetean has a large, snout-like mouth and very powerful jaws. Sharp gums contain two upper and lower teeth that it uses for tearing or ripping its food. Its large, prominent, black eyes are very light-sensitive, indicative of its former nocturnal life-style. With Human-like ears located on the sides of the head, its sense of hearing is acute. Because the Nu Cetean is a biped, it has a highly developed center of gravity. Its two muscular arms end in paw-like hands that contain four stubby fingers each. Its legs are very muscular and it has two long, wide feet that each end in three stubby, clawed toes. These Beings, male and female, stand between 3.75 and 5.5 feet tall. This species requires only one to two hours of sleep per day. Nu Cetean men typically wear flowing, knee-length gowns: those worn by the women are longer. For both, the color of their attire corresponds to their respective pods or podlets, and their clothes are often adorned with ribbons and other insiqnia indicative of honor or position. Aboard Federation spacecraft, Nu Ceteans wear jumpsuits. The top is loose and styled so that it joins seamlessly with the pants. It, too, conforms to the color codes of each pod or podlet, and is decorated with ribbons and epaulettes consistent with the wearer's rank and commendations. The boots, which are an integral part of the outfit, are designed to merge into the pants, thus appearing as a single, continuous unit. Nu Ceteans are renowned for their undisputed skills as negotiators and Galactic Federation Of Liaison Councelors. They excel at bringing together very different groups and assisting them in achieving their desired goals as peacefully and amicably as possible. The inhabitants of Nu Ceti are well known for their skills in designing some of the most advanced light-beam technology to equip Galactic Federation Of Light exploration fleets. They also are considered some of the galaxy's best pilots, navigators, and philosophers. To our ears, the language of Nu Ceti land cetacean is similar to Chinese, with the addition of a series of special, very high-pitched tones, some clicks and occasional guttural sounds.
Ships Of Nu Ceti
Two types of Nu Ceti ships are part of the first contact Earth fleet that regularly monitors our planet. The first, an all purpose scout ship, is primarily used as part of the observation fleet that continuously watches over our planet. This craft is recognizable by its distinctive, straw hat-like shape, and extends from 40 to 55 feet in length. The second an orbital mothership, is usually very large and blimp-like. It measures between 1 and 12 miles in diameter. This small mothership serves as a carrier for 500 science liaison officers, who coordinate the preliminary analysis of data from the sector planetary quadrant to which she is assigned.
Comments