Haptors

The Haptors are a sapient race of humanoids.

Biology
The Haptors are large, muscular humanoids, taller and stockier than a Human. They possess two large cornified bumps on their heads, which they call horns. They lack any body or facial hair, with the exception of a single strip running down their spine.

Despite being humanoid, the Haptors are not sexually or biologically compatible with Humans or any other known humanoid race.

Culture and society
The Haptors are a patriarchal clan-based society. Their homeworld of Hardhabaim-Urartu is controlled by the four First Dynasties, which also run the Haptor Empire as a whole. There is no single leader, the Empire is ruled by a quadrumvrirate of four First Dynasty leaders. Each of the First Dynasties is responsible for one major area. The other clans (called the New Dynasties) typically control one or more colony worlds. They are subservient to the First Dynasties.

The Kshoo Dynasty is responsible for interactions with the Haptor colony worlds, which is the closest Haptor analog to foreign policy, since they don't maintain diplomatic relations with other races. They do so via their Geshekht ("left horn") department. With the possibility of establishing such relations with the Earth Federation in the 27th century, it is likely that the Geshekht department will take on that responsibility as well.

The Hochara Dynasty deals with industry and trade between Haptor worlds through overseeing the Gezund ("right horn") department, which handles intra-Haptor trade.

The Ppoosh Dynasty runs the military on the scale of the entire empire. They have been engaged in an unending war with the Dromi for two millennia. They also led the Haptors in the Five Year War against the Earth Federation.

The Hshak Dynasty's only area of purview is the trade with the Lo'ona Aeo, which is lucrative enough to give them a lot of weight.

The Haptors respect strength and cunning. They are far from mindless brutes, though. They can, however, be a little shortsighted. For example, a warrior who survives a lost battle is supposed to undergo an honorable execution instead of learning from that experience and using it to win future battles. A warrior can refuse the execution, but in that case he is stripped of his rank, clan affiliation, all possessions, and even name, becoming a homeless wretch.

One notable point of interest is the complete lack of fiction in their literature and art. All of them depict real events, if sometimes embellished.

Another notable institution of the Haptor Empire is the Kurshutbaim ("place of dogs"), which is an interclan intelligence and security service.

The Haptors are highly patriarchal. As such, women are treated as second-class citizens. Their job options are highly restricted, often limited to childrearing and "entertainment".

Language
It is possible for a Human to learn the Haptor language, which is full of growls and roars. However, most non-Haptors limit themselves to learning Haptor Alpha, a simplified language devised by the Lo'ona Aeo to allow other races to communicate with the Haptors.

Technology
Despite being a starfaring race for millennia, the Haptor technological level is about on par with post-Invasion Humans and is actually lower in some areas. In particular, the Haptors possess antimatter weapons, but they are significantly less effective than Human ones. Their annihilators are large, bulky, and the antimatter storage tanks are dangerously exposed. Oftentimes, a single hit on the tanks can be enough to destroy a Haptor ship. Eventually, unable to successfully improve on the technology, they have chosen to abandon annihilators and, instead, arm their ships with more plasma weapons to compensate.

Another indicator of their backward state of technology is their inability to build ships with equivalent firepower to those of other galactic races. They compensate by building multi-hulled ships that allow them to bring similar firepower to bear.

Notable members

 * Sezun'paga: The "speaker" of the Kshoo Dynasty, whose task is to liaise with aliens on behalf of his master, Sheggeren, the overlord of the Kshoo Clan.
 * Sheggeren'kshoo: The overlord (or Thad'sho) of the Kshoo Dynasty. One of the four rulers of the Haptor homeworld and the Haptor Empire. The host of the Earth Federation diplomatic mission in 2600.
 * Harradan'hochara: The overlord of the Hochara Dynasty.
 * Bargahori'ppoosh: The overlord of the Ppoosh Dynasty.
 * Tikhara'hshak: The overlord of the Hshak Dynasty.
 * Shahhash'pihi: The lord of the impoverished Hash Dynasty in the service of the Kshoo and an agent of the Kurshutbaim intelligence service. His ancestor Herir'shaun attempted to capture a Lo'ona Aeo but was humiliated. The Lo'ona Aeo retaliated by shutting off the terraforming machinery on their planet Tahangi'tu, which reverted to its original barely habitable state.
 * Sigeru'kshoo: A noble Thad of the Kshoo Dynasty. A xenoarcheologist and paleontologist sent to Liana II in the 29th century as part of a joint Human-Haptor mission to dig up and study a Daskin artifact.

History
Very little is known about Haptor history. Approximately 18th century BCE, the Haptors began to be recruited by the Lo'ona Aeo as their Defenders, paying for the mercenary service with resources and technology. This allowed the Haptors to grow and expand their empire. Two millennia after that, the Lo'ona Aeo terminated their contract with the Haptors and instead began recruiting the Dromi as Defenders. As expected, the Haptors resented this and initiated hostilities with the Dromi. The two empires have been engaged in near-constant clashes since that time, becoming something of a tradition to the Haptors.

In 2266, a Haptor named Herir'shaun, the lord of the Hash Dynasty (a minor clan), attempted to kidnap a Lo'ona Aeo female named Zantoo when her trade ship came to his planet Tahangi'tu to deliver terraforming equipment in exchange for an island. Thanks to the Human Defenders aboard the trade ship, the attempt failed, and the trade ship was able to escape. In retaliation, Zantoo sent a signal that shut down all the Lo'ona Aeo-made terraforming equipment on the planet, ruining the clan. Several months later, the Haptors made another attempt to capture Zantoo with an annihilator-armed cruiser, but the Human Defenders foiled the attempt again, destroying the cruiser.

In 2574, the Haptors attacked a Human outpost not far from their own sphere of influence. The initially staked a claim to the planet. The Earth Federation decided not to antagonize the Haptors and agreed to remove their people, but the Haptors were unwilling to take the planet peacefully and slaughtered the base personnel. The resulting Five Year War ended with a decisive Human victory. 22 years later, a small diplomatic mission was sent by Humans to the Haptor homeworld of Harshabaim-Utartu.

In the 29th century, the Kshoo Clan sent a xenoarcharologist named Sigeru'kshoo, along with a number of subordinates, to Liana II, the homeworld of the Llyano, as part of a joint Human-Haptor mission to study a recently-discovered Daskin artifact.