Baufrin

The Baufrin are a spacefaring race of centuar-like insectoids in the Milky Way galaxy from the Renegade Legion universe.

History
The Baufrin began to explore the galaxy 1000s of years before humanity, with faster-than-light Tachyon-space drives. The first sentient species they encountered were humans which resulted in a battle due to a misunderstanding. Afterwards the Baufrin and humans developed a strong relationship. Cooperation between the two races was extensive, with for example humans being in charge of agriculture and the Baufrin mining.

Over time, the Baufrin and human colonists established an interstellar civilization in the far end of the Orion arm, the Commonwealth. It had over 40,000 star systems spread across 45,000 light years. During the conquest of most of the galaxy by the KessRith and Ssora in the 51st century, the Commonwealth did not suffer as much as the Human Raj and the human-like Naram.

After the uprising in the Human Raj, the Commonwealth ended up gaining its freedom too from the KessRith. Upon the transformation of the newly established human New Roman Republic into a fascist totalitarian empire, the Terran Overlord Government (6681 AD) the Baufrin made peace with the KessRith and the Commonwealth stood in opposition to the TOG (eventually accepting refugees from various alien species fleeting the expansionist TOG).

Biology
Baufrins have a centuar-like form with 10 limbs (6 lower legs), six eyes, and mandibles that stands a meter tall. Covering their body is a chitinous exoskeleton that provides a level of protection against projectiles similar to body armor.

The species is asexual into it's mating time. Mating requires three sexes; mother, female, and male. The female and male deposit their sperm and ova into the mother, producing 50-150 eggs per mating of which only 5-10% end up being viable.

They have a 50 year lifespan and continue to grow throughout that period, molting every 8 years. Every time a Baufrin molts, it undergoes a drastic change in personality.

Culture
Their culture revolves around the triad family of male, female, and mother. The mother is in charge of raising the children. Due to the lack of reliability and consistency brought about by the changing of personalities from molting, makes the Baufrin distrust any organization larger than a family unit which has at most 30 individuals.

The family unit is dominated by the mother with independent Elders acting as advisers and arbiters. Elders serve Baufrin society as judges, prophets, and saints.

Government
Each family unit is its own tiny nation (kinstate). Alliances are formed between the kinstates, in which mothers and parent pairs are exchanged. Some of the alliances become formal arrangements, as members are raised for specific occupations.