Zetans

The Zetans are an ancient race of highly advanced aliens who were wiped out by the Senate approximately two billion years ago, during the events of the Third Galactic War. It is later revealed that their species was not completely eradicated, and that a certain portion escaped the slaughter, later joining the Constellation. Their original homeworld, Shaili, is an ice-locked world in the Zhoth system. It was preserved by the Rhurni so as to leave some record of the Zetan's existence, but after two billion years all that remains are their structures.

Physical Description
The Zetans are tall, ranging from between seven and eight feet in height, putting them on par with the Alinteans. Like the Alinteans, they have a very thin and delicate-looking bipedal stucture, but are far hardier. They have seven fingers on each hand - five fingers and two thumbs - and three toes on each foot, arranged to form a hoof of sorts. Their heads are protected by a large shield, similar to those found on ceratopsian dinosaurs, most notably the protoceratops. This shield grows as the Zetan ages, eventually forming a three-pronged crown (males) or a sweeping curve (females). They have four eyes, arranged in a row across their face, and a thin, lipless mouth similar to the Scain. Unlike the Scain, however, Zetans posses six slit-like nostrils in the center of their faces which oscillate as they breathe.

The Zetans have the bizzare ability to alter genetics without the aid of technology, which originally made them a valued member of the forming Senate as they could eradicate many genetic dysfunctions. However, the Zetans began experimenting with non-spacefaring races, ultimately creating the Iharsh-Daraz as bodyguards and soldiers. When the Iharsh-Daraz grew beyond their control, exposing the actiosn of the Zetans, the Senate unanimously decided to eradicate the Zetans to prevent them from ever creating a race they could not defeat. It is also assumed that the Ytonia are also a byproduct of Zetan engineering.

Weaponry and Technology
Much of the original Zetan technology has been lost, but the few samples that remain serve to remind those who see them that the Zetans were a true cosmic superpower, and if alive in their old numbers could have eventually eclipsed the Alinteans. They harnessed plasma as a source of fuel, and figured out 8th Dimensional Drives and space travel without the aid of the Alinteans (much like the Rhurni).

As far as weaponry, the Zetans rarely used firearms or even hand-to-hand combat. Instead, different groups of Zetans would train in different branches of gene manipulation, be it passive or aggressive, and use these in combat.

Culture and Beliefs
The Zetans were organized into tribes, much like the Heil, and the boundaries between these groups shifted almost daily. Each tribe had its own rules and laws, but one law was universal: one could not marry anyone within their own tribe. The reasons behind this were to spread knowledge and genetics as far and wide as possible while sharing as much culture as they could.

Modern Zetans, however, have a far different culture. Their tribal mentality has segregated them, even among the Constellation. Although they function well with their fellow Constellation races, they are viewed with an almost superstitious awe by many races, especially due to the fact that the Zetans are supposed to be extinct and are rare even among the Constellation. As a result of their social isolation, many Zetans are distrusting and somewhat laconic.

Military
Tactics of the ancient Zetans are rare to find. Modern Zetans all wear similar black armor with glowing red eyes. Their helmets, unlike ours, come in two pieces - front and back - and are assembled on the head. The portion of the helmet that covers their head shield is embellished with various additional spikes or patterns to denote rank, venterancy or specialization. Armed Zetan forces are extremely rare, however, and almost never leave survivors. Furthermore, due to their innate ability to manipulate genes, they leave very few traces of their assaults behind. Their victims all die from what appear to be natural causes - brain tumors, heart failures and the like - with no wounds or ruptures to their armor. Thick enough energy shielding (like that from a Kelthos Core) could block this trait, but so far very few individuals have strong enough barriers to deflect a Zetan's skills.

Personality
Zetans are quiet, reserved individuals with a strong dislike for the Senate, owing largely in part to the Senate's attempt to wipe them out for their "crimes". Few, if any, are willing to affiliate with individuals from Senate space. By and large, the Senate is not even aware of their existence, as the Constellation guards this secret carefully. Due to this, not much data is available on individual Zetan personality types.