Kamina

Kamina are vaguely dinosaur-like in appearance. They are naturally gangly and awkward, and they tend to have leaner builds. Their arms end in three-fingered hands tipped with long black claws. They have long legs with large thigh muscles and didactyl feet that act like springs when running. Kamina have large hearts and lungs that allow oxygen-rich blood to get to their muscles. As a side effect of their rapid growth and regeneration, their hair tends to get longer in shorter time periods and quickly grows back if cut.

Kamina are able to manipulate friction to such a degree that they can reach speeds of up to 500 mph. They have very high dexterity, and they can think and react at a rate required to maintain such high speeds. However, Kamina can't run quickly over non-solid ground like mud, ice, and especially water (Kamina build up lots of static electricity when running and can shock themselves), but there are some artificial means of overcoming these issues. Their claws are sharp enough to cut through many materials, and their tails possess some prehensile abilities. In addition, they possess heightened regenerative abilities and can recover from injuries faster than most other species.

Young Kamina grow very quickly. They can walk just hours after hatching and can speak their first words in as little as a month. They attain the size and development of a 10-year-old human child by age 3, and they reach young adulthood by 15.

Kamina have insanely high metabolism rates and need to eat at least 10,000 calories a day to keep from going into hypoglycemic shock. They're an omnivorous species, though they have a preference for meat, and their teeth and stomachs are durable enough to eat and digest bone without trouble.

Kamina typically have flat faces without visible noses (only their slit nostrils can be seen). They have long, pointed ears and solid colored eyes with slit pupils. Most Kamina typically possess black coloration on their lips and around their eyes.

Kamina possess a significantly heightened mental processing and reaction time, allowing them to think, act, and react at superhuman speeds. Their reflexes are quick enough to dodge automatic gunfire effortlessly and they can deliver speed-enhanced attacks to enemies with rapid succession. They also possess keen hearing and sense of smell.

Kamina names consist of a family name followed by a given name. The way in which names are used in conversation depends on the circumstances and the speaker's relationship to the listener. Typically, individuals are referred to by their family name, with given names largely restricted to informal situations and cases where the speaker is older than, superior to, or very familiar with the named individual. Kamina also make use of honorific suffixes when referring to others in polite and formal conversation.

Kamina society is highly meritocratic in nature with a particular emphasis placed on speed. On a chaotic planet where disaster can strike at a moment's notice, the Kamina have come to value those who can move and adapt to the situation as quickly as possible. There's also a strong emphasis in being the best in one's field of work or study, so even Kamina who aren't racers often find themselves striving to stay in first place.  This isn't without its problems, of course, as the constant one-upmanship can leave many citizens in the proverbial dust and Kamina who can't run fast enough (i.e. can't break 300mph) are considered borderline disabled.

The history of the Kamina is marked by a cycle of conflict interspersed with periods of relative peace.  While this is true for many societies throughout the galaxy, the chaotic nature of the Kamina homeworld of Denrai lends itself not only to natural conflict with the damaging of settlements and destruction of resources, but societal conflict as its residents struggle to and argue about how to adapt.  As such, Kamina society is no stranger to societal upheavals.  The latest upheaval has been christened the Supido War, named for the Supido 500 race that's used to determine planetary rulers. The most recent Supido ended in a tie between Akeno Myosei and Kitai Fukaze, both scions of two of the most important families on Denrai. Both winners were forced to grudgingly lead together until Fukaze's desire to rule solo pushed the populace into a violent civil war.

While the Kamina are technically a part of the United Intragalactic Republics, they tend to be more isolated due to a combination of their shorter lifespans and the chaotic nature of their home planet. It's very rare to see Kamina off world, and it's even rarer for Kamina to move to other planets.