Unas

"If you underestimate them you will regret it."

- Daniel Jackson

The Unas a species of reptilian humanoids encountered in Stargate. The name was given to them by the Goauld and translates as "First Ones".

Appearance
Standing a little taller than the average human male Unas are covered in a lethery scaley skin ranging from different shades of green to brown. They have clawed hands and feet and males posess two horns on the chin that become larger with age. They have reptillian eyes and slitted nostrils. They dress in clothing that is similar to earth Stone age garb.

Biology
They have green blood and low level regenerative abilities which a symbiote can enhance. A healthy Unas is stronger and more durable than a human able to throw a soldier away with ease and keep fighting even after having a whole magazine from a machine gun emptied into them.

Society
Seen as savage beasts to an outsider the Unas posses a society and culture that is far more advanced than one would consider. They live in a clan structure with an Alpha Male as the leader and practice rights of passage similar to African Earth Tribes. Under proper circumstances whole tribes can be united to fight a common foe.

Despite their savage appearance they are a negotiable race. Daniel took part in a form of sit down to negotiate with the leader of a local tribe and Chakaa was able to negotiate a peace between humans and the Unas on a world where the aliens had been used as slaves by humans. Though tenuous Daniel reported the truce was proving productive for both sides.

They are territorial but will tolerate strangers in their territory within reason. A tribe on a mining planet tolerated human presence until they accidentally trespassed on sacred ground leading to hostilities.

It is unwise to look at an Unas with contempt as they will take it has a challenge.

Goauld
They both hate and fear the Goauld; a sentiment that is present not only on their homeworld but also on colony worlds where they were used as labor. Daniel Jackson realized that their habit of living in cave systems as well as their bone neck pieces were low tech but effective measures for avoiding infection by the Goauld. Even after being freed or having driven the Goauld from their land they refuse to go near sights where their people were enslaved viewing the area as sacred ground.

Humans
Initial human Unas relationships were poor as a result of encounters with Goauld infested Unas or their use as a means to terrorize humans by the System Lords. SG1 encountered a planet that used Unas as slaves after the Goauld abandoned their world in revenge for the Unas brutalities done to humans under Goauld rule.

Relations improved thanks to the efforts of Daniel Jackson when he was captured by a young Unas named Chakaa as part of a right of passage. Daniel's interactions revealed the Unas were more civilized than initially believed and both races held a common enemy. Several Unas came to Daniel's defense in a later encounter when he was tortured on a planet where Unas were used as slaves when he tried to defend them.

A significant breakthrough was made in relations on a mining planet where hostilities had broken out between humans and the local Unas population. Through negations with the help of Chakaa, Daniel was able to learn the planet was originally a slave world where the Goauld worked the Unas until they revolted. The tribe considered the mines sacred ground since many of their ancestors had died their. Daniel was able to explain humans were also enemies of the Goauld but needed the naquadah to forge weapons against the parasites. However the humans were more than willing to forcibly relocate them should it was needed, believing them to be simple animals, only to rethink their arrogance and aggressive tactics when the Unas indefinitely outnumbered the meager human forces.

A truce was agreed where both parties would work the mine; an act the Unas felt would honor their ancestors and contribute in the war against a shared enemy.

History
Evolving on the same planet as the Goauld they were the first race to fall victim to possession and enslavement by the galactic menace. Their great strength meant that many Unas were used for slave labor or armies by the Goauld. Those Unas who were not possessed or taken off world by the Goauld, moved into caves on their homeworld to avoid being taken over by the parasites. As an extra precaution they created a bony necklace to protect their necks (the preferred entry point of the Goauld) when traveling near water.

Eventually Unas were fazed out of use as hosts with the discovery of humans, with only a few system lords still using them. Many slave populations were abandoned or revolted; coming to thrive on the worlds they had been abandoned on.