Kubaz

The Kubaz are a race of mammalian humanoids native to the Outer Rim planet Ku'Bakai V. They are distinguished by their dark green skin, a prehensile trunk, and large eyes. Within the trunk are two rows of teeth and a special gland that helps heighten their sense of smell. The eyes of the Kubaz are sensitive to the red spectrum of light, and many individuals wear protective goggles when they are away from their homeworld. As a race, the Kubaz tend to be clan-oriented, with each clan protecting its property from other rival clans.

Eras ago, the intense solar flares from their planet's sun nearly destroyed the majority of food sources on the planet, and the Kubaz were forced to hunt insects as a staple diet. This led to the rival clans raiding each other's insect farms. These so-called Hive Wars were resolved when the Kubaz found a way to alter the genetics of their insects to not only improve their reproduction, but to identify an insect by its colorings as the property of a certain clan. This newly-formed science of Insecticulture helped keep the rival clans from feuding, and also allowed the Kubaz to expand their horizons.

Over time, the Kubaz eventually discovered space travel, and soon populated three of the eleven worlds orbiting the sun Ku'Bakai. This ability to move off-planet then introduced the Kubaz to their neighbors, the Verpine. Because the Verpine are an insectile race by nature, the space-faring Kubaz decided that the Verpine would be very tasty, and began to hunt them as an additional food source. This activity was deemed illegal by the Galactic Senate, although poachers still operated on the fringes of the Old Republic.

During the era of the New Order, the Kubaz were known to have started work on their own hyperdrive systems, but were thwarted by Imperial sabotage. When the Kubaz discovered the Empire's treachery, many individuals chose to leave their homeworld and join the Alliance.

When the Yuuzhan Vong took control of Ku'Bakai V, some twenty-seven years after the Battle of Yavin, they exterminated virtually every insect species which had been cultivated by the Kubaz. This left the surviving population with little or no food, and many Kubaz starved to death because they were unable to consume other types of food. After the end of the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, the surviving Kubaz began to return to their homeworld, in an effort to restore its former glory.

While most beings see the Kubaz as spies and espionage agents, the Kubaz are also noted for their love of the arts and literature, as well as a love for learning that borders on obsessiveness. When meeting new beings or when in new situations, a Kubaz will ask question after question, almost to the point of annoying their companions. Most of their economy, technology, and government are based on their insecticulture.