Xai

"The Xai exist because the Creator made it so."

- Shala Alla Tok

The Xai are a humanoid species native to the planet of Xyon in the region of Xai'athus in the Milky Way Galaxy. Created by the omnipotent being known as Xanus, for whom the planet Xyon is named, the Xai have existed for the last 7,500 years, and have an extensive history of growth and warfare on their homeworld. Today there exist more than twelve billion Xai throughout all of Xyon and its three moons, and hopes of the race to expand across the stars are becoming a reality. Highly advanced and highly motivated, the Xai have overcome virtually every problem they have ever confronted, and given their determination to bring the galaxy under their yoke, there appears to be little standing in between them and that goal.

Physiology
The Xai are a humanoid species the originated largely from the hot and humid equatorial regions of Xyon. Their skin varies in different shades of medium brown to dark brown, and is very resilient against bruising, cutting, burning, yet very soft to the touch. The thickness and softness of the skin varies from sex to sex, but men tend to have thicker skin, and women have softer skin, while the xanith are somewhere in between. The Xai have black sclera eyes with thick purple luminescent rings as their iris, which give off a strong glow during the night, and less so during the day. The Xai have two sets of eyelids and claw-like nails on their fingers and feet, the nails thicker and stubbier on men while longer and thinner on women, while coming somewhere in the middle for xanith. These nails are unbreakable, and can cut through metal and stone alike.

The race has five digits and an opposable thumb on their hands, five digits on their feet. The Xai have a dense muscular structure meaning that a willowy-looking Xai is far stronger than he or she appears, capable of dead-lifting anywhere between three to five times their own body weight. The strength variations between the five separate sexes that make up the Xai species range greatly, with changed males being the strongest, followed by changed females, the xanith, and the unchanged males and females who are equal in physical strength. The Xai grow very little hair on their bodies, with men both changed and unchanged having hair located largely on their head and face, while women and xanith have only the have on their hairs and eyebrows. For females and xanith, the lips, nipples and labia are black, as well as the ovipositors and phallus of the females and xanith respectively. The inside of the vagina wall is acidic to non-Xai, and the vagina as a whole muscular, preventing rape by non-Xai as well, though it offers no protection against xanith.

The mental faculties of the Xai are both extensive and impressive, large and complexed enough that most advanced and complicated mathematical equations can carried out without the aid of a computer. Coupled with their highly advanced memories, the Xai have no need for computing technologies, though they still make extensive usage of the technology. The Xai's neurological system is equally impressing, with the Xai having complete control of their bodily functions, down almost to the muscle fibers, though only the most capable of Xai have been able to accomplish this feat. The Xai have a great tolerance for pain, with a blow to the head causing only minor discomfort, and all while lacking the lethal effects. Milk and saliva have a sexual role for the Xai, and are produced and shared during sex. The Xai do not proudce solid waste, but an odorless oily sweat that has a variety of properties such as a heat-retardant, which is highly useful to Xai living in arid regions. The anus for the Xai is instead a sexual organ, with numerous nerves that allow for a certain level of pleasure for the Xai.

Their skeletal structure is metallic, composed of the element known as nullium. The bones in a Xai body can resist immense damaged, while the skull becomes a highly-protective shelter for the brain, resisting traumatic forces that would kill lesser beings. The Xai possess two five-chamber hearts, one heart serving as a spare for the only in case it is damaged in any way. Four of the five chambers are dedicated to the standard pumping of blood, while the fifth serves as an auxiliary in the event of a fight, pumping adrenalines and chemicals into blood to increase the already phenomenal reaction speed of the Xai. Xai blood is jet black, and highly toxic to non-Xai species, and becomes acidic when exposed to oxygen. Their internal organs are black as well as a result of the blood flowing through them.

The Xai are omnivorous, and can eat a multitude of foods, ranging from fruits and vegetables to meats and cheeses. They have three stomachs which allow them to digest practically any type of food, be it toxic, bland, or completely ineditable. However, despite their ability to consume plants and meats, the Xai possess extremely sharp teeth that can tear through flesh and bone. The average height of an unchanged male and female Xai is 1.85 meters, while xanith typically stand at two meters. Changed male and female Xai tower over their peers are 2.5 meters in height. The Xai can withstand a various range of gravities and temperatures, and have come to inhabit a range of environments from the frigid tundras of Ix to the blazing deserts of Navarro, and even the low-gravity moons of Hesperus, Epistylia, and Nox.

Genders
The Xai possess three sexes, those of the male, female, and xanith genders. On an expanded basis, the Xai possess five, with the addition of the changed male and changed female sexes. Each gender plays its part in the species, all originally designed by Xanus to serve specific roles in the Xai race and nation. The mannerisms, intelligence, and physical abilities of each sex varies, as does the social ladder of the Xai built around sex. Currently, as has been true since the time of the Xai's creation, this ladder from top to bottom goes as follows: changed male, changed female, xanith, male and female.

Changed Males
By far the most powerful, intelligent and dangerous gender of the Xai, Changed males are considered the most important sex of the Xai. They are without fail, the alpha males of the species, and control most of the politically powerful positions of Xai Ascendancy and the worlds within its control. In both the sexual, mental and physical senses, a changed male is king, and often such men will be always be the head of a major family unit, save for those led by unchanged males just starting out on their own. Changed males are agile, imposing, and in a very literal sense, long-lived, with the average changed male able to see seven centuries of age before needing to be resurrected upon their first natural death. Only one in every thousand males with achieve the ability to become a Changed male.

On average, changed males stand about seven to eight feet tall, and are built like tanks, possessing the energy to perform the most demanding tasks imaginable. They can take on enemies and predators many, many times their size, and are easily capable of failing countless dozens of armed foes single-handedly. They dominate those around them with their loud, deep voices, and maintain their focus and soundness of mind under all forms of pressure, hence their reason being their race's leaders and commanders. They are considered by changed and unchanged females as physically and mentally irresistible.

A changed male will emit pheromones that let all Xai around them understand that he is no mood for talking or fighting, which works quite well after difficult matters of politics. In regards to the sexual aspect of Changed males, they become capable of reproducing without the aid of a female or xanith member of their species. Because of the fact they were designed to be the reproductive core of the Xai race, they are often the first goal of women to reach and bed as one of their dreams in life. Changed males (as well as their unchanged counterparts) were thus designed to find male members of their race unattractive romantically or physically.

Physically, Changed males are the dominant sex of the Xai, wielding all sorts of power over their species. Their vocal cords thicken to a point where should they raise their voice, everyone around them cease their activities to remedy the matter that caused such an "outburst". They also produce pheromones that make it impossible for other sexes, with the probable exception of the xanith (to a degree that is), to resist any commands issued them by a Changed male. Changed males can lift many times their body-weight, which is alone considered they weigh on average 300 pounds, and already have the ability to lift three times that as a normal Xai would.

In the realm of the mental abilities, Changed males are the most intelligent and psonically powerful of the Xai, though they often leave matters of science and psitech to Changed females, finding little time for research in the realm of politics. They can make thorough decisions within a matter of seconds, and often many Xai find it impossible to imagine another sex handling important manners such as politics, military affairs, or business in the place of a Changed male. While they could easily surpass all others in the field, it is often considered to much of a boring occupation as opposed to the active and challenging field of politics.

Changed Females
Coming up second to Changed males, Changed females are the alpha females of the race, closly following the mental and physical prowess of the better half. Though not as physically imposing during a fight, they are considering more sly and deceiving, though few have been known to trick a Changed male, for which even a Changed female refuses to attempt. Physically stunning&mdash;even by Xai standards, Changed females are more fertile and empathetic than unchanged females, capable of laying hundreds of eggs as opposed to the dozens laid by unchanged females. They share the ability to use oviposition like unchanged females, but are capable of transferring more eggs in a single session. One out of even hundred females will even become a Changed female.

Change females are capable of lift several times their body weight, though not as much as Changed males, and weigh on average 210 pounds. They are also six to seven feet in height on average, and are considered the most agile and balanced members of the species. They approach fights differently than their male counterparts, who can easily fail an enemy in a direct fight. Deception is their best weapon. Instead, they choose to use their cunning to defeat their foe, and deal a blow without having to intervene directly. On the off-chance they do, they can dance circles around their enemy and strike when the target is no longer capable of keeping track of their movements.

Changed females are considered more sexually promiscuous than Xai, though not as much as xanith. They have larger breasts and hips, and are well-toned to a degree that their physical strength is also sexually appealing to the eyes. They have an inborn desire to reproduce, hence the reason they are more fertile, and routinely refuse to consider female Xai as their romantic interests (as do unchanged females). However, as both Changed and unchanged female possess ovipositors, they can mate together. Added to the fertility of Changed males, one will find that Changed male and female couples possess the largest families in Xai society. Coming from such families carries with it much honor and prestige, and will often produce Xai more genetically predisposed to the Change.

On the note of physicality, Changed females possess considerable deeper voices, which carry more authority in them than the lighter and submissive voices of unchanged females. They emit pheromones that call the attention of all in their presence, most often with the hopes of finding men with whom to mate. They consider other Changed females as rivals for mates, and often become physically aggressive should they be placed in close proximity to one another. This says nothing about their anger should they be denied by an unchanged man or a xanith the permission to mate, which carries with it the very possible chance of being raped by the physically stronger Changed female, though regarding attempts to do this with a Changed male, a simple verbal scolding often reminds a Changed female of her genetic inferiority to the Changed male.

A Changed female is mentally stunning, which is often the most attractive aspect of a her person to a Changed male. When the Changed male handles most other mentally demanding responsibilities, Changed females are often left in charge of scientific research and PsiTech studies. They are the near-equal of Changed males in the field of psonics, and will often occupy most of the positions involving psonics, as they are often considering not as demanding as politics or business by Changed males, who would easily succeed in the field if demanded. Finally, unlike unchanged females, Changed female can think independently and often refuse the suggestion of consulting others on a matter of importance. A far-cry from their submissive and dependent states during their youth.

Unchanged Males
The first gender of the Xai are the unchanged males, who were created by Xanus as the first group of Xai to walk Xyon. They are the stock from which all Changed males are drawn, and they account for the majority of male Xai living today. Considered the most adventurous and courageous of the five genders, unchanged males are marginally stronger than unchanged females of the Xai, but not by much. In fact, a regular male and female Xai are evenly matched in nearly all aspects of physical prowess. However, unchanged males have more potential to outclass their sisters through routine exercise, which is needed given that they are the target of many female Xai searching for mates, and need to defend themselves in the event that they are cornered. However, compared to a xanith, an unchanged male is easily outclassed. Approximately one out of every ten Xai born is male.

Unchanged males stand about five feet ten inches in height, and weight about 140 to 165 pounds on average, considerably less than a xanith, but more than an unchanged female. They are able to weather large amounts of pain, and can easily lift three times their body-weight in a single go. They are honorable combatants, preferring to engage their target one-on-one, and can best their opponent if they see the opening to do so. They do not lie, and will not back down from telling the truth, and will most often put themselves in harms way to protect others. While this isn't too say they are crafty, they certainly are cheats, and typically seek to put an end to a fight than start one.

Unchanged males are no different from any male, they won't turn down a shot at glory and will promote themselves when given the change to do so. They enjoy the sensual things of life, and as is accepted of their culture and needed in their species' biological makeup, will most often have multiple wives, though many are taking up fewer wives as the number of xanith marrying increases. They produce a considerable level of pheromones, enough to drawn the attention of female Xai, which is also very dangerous as female Xai will fight over them if they run into others looking to mate. This has been one of the major sources for the need of Xai polygamy.

Independent-minded, unchanged males are quite capable of making important decisions off-handed, but are not afraid to seek guidance on a matter when needed. They are powerful psions, and their mental abilities are highly developed permitting some of the most powerful psions to come from unchanged males. However, like their Changed brethren, they prefer a career in the government or a leading position in the military, where their ability to naturally guide the thoughts and minds of their sisters and direct the anger and aggression of the xanith are best fulfilled. This does not mean that they are not found in the field of psionic research and development.

Unchanged Females
The second gender of the Xai are the unchanged females, created by Xanus from the male Xai of the time. They are very populous, the populous gender of Xai. However, they are notoriously "simple-minded", a far cry from the Changed females and xanith that sprouted from the stock of the unchanged females. They are equal to their unchanged male brothers physically, using that strength often to secure a vow of marriage from them. They are highly timid and prefer to stay with friends and family rather than travel abroad, though there have been many females that have become renown explorers. They are often found as bureaucrats and clerks within the Ascendancy. Five out of every ten Xai is an unchanged female, though this can go higher depending on the region they are born in.

Standing about five feet eight inches and weighing 115 to 135 pounds at a time, unchanged females are largely similar in appearance and difficult to distinguish from afar by non-Xai. They rely on numbers to come to a conclusion on a simply matter, with their collective intelligence growing with every female added to a group. They don't like to be alone, and will active befriend anyone whom they deem trustworthy enough. They lift three times their body weight, and are quite capable of subduing an unchanged male Xai, often times seeking to force out a proposal of marriage to prevent themselves from being an unwed Xai, one of the worst possible fates for a female of the race. Like their brothers, they are incapable of lying, and find it emotionally painful to force out a lie, no matter who small.

Unchanged females are considerably fertile, capable of giving birth to three Xai at a time. They possess ovipositors to breed with other females and xanith, which are long black phallic-looking organs which is protracted from a hole just above the entrance to the vaginal canal (in place of the hole and space that would lead to the bladder in humans). In using an ovipositor so produce more potential children. Like their Changed female counterparts and their xanith cousins, they are only other gender known to rape members of the species, though this is largely confined to poorer regions of the Xai Ascendancy, and when they live in homes where there are extremely few males. Though not as promiscuous as the Changed sisters, they lack the level of moral apprehension found in other species when it comes to dress and mannerisms. For this reason prostitution within unchanged female-xanith neighborhoods is rife.

As they possess poor mental capabilities (though not to the point of justifiably being called stupid), unchanged females produce considerably fewer psions than males. Though due to the sheer number of females compared to males, they produce far more in terms of quantity, though differently not in terms of quality. When around a large number of females, the mental faculties of a female Xai expand exponentially, allowing them to make split-second decisions immediately. This is extremely useful on the battlefield, where females make up 40% of all military personnel (as compared to the xanith's overwhelming 55%). More females mean more responsiveness from an already genetically superior species where it matters most.

Xanith
Main article: Xanith

Easily the most aggressive, unruly, and unpredictable sex of the Xai, the xanith are the second most populous gender of the Xai. Unlike any of their peers, the xanith are unique in that they possess the reproductive organs of both the male and female halves of their race. Xanith are female in appearance and mannerisms, but male in their thoughts and aggression (suppressed in men but not so in xanith). They are stronger than both unchanged males and females, and considerably smarter than both. However, they lack the same level of inventiveness as males and totally lack the cooperation of females unless forced to do so. Approximately four out of every ten Xai born is a xanith.

Xanith stand on average about six feet in height, and weigh close to 150 to 175 pounds each. They are best known for wearing their punkish hair, tattoos and piercings; the result of an ancient psychological issue that has since caused them to look and dress a certain way to block out the image of a particular woman in their mind that cause anger to erupt in them. Xanith possess an extreme tolerance to pain, and can lift four times their body weight as opposed to the regular three for unchanged Xai. They are crafty and notorious thieves, and are known for being the only group of Xai with the ability to lie purposefully. Though the xanith prefer to tell the truth about the crimes they commit, many with often lie about a matter typically before they commit a crime to push matters into their favor. The gender is also the only one aside from Changed and unchanged females known to rape other members of the race, but are unique in that they attack each other as well.

Xanith take what they want with or without consent, something that is perfectly natural for the gender. This extends to all aspects of life within Xai society, and most commonly known, in the area of sex. Xanith are one of the three genders of Xai that is known to rape other members of the species, and given the mentality of the Xai, this is acceptable and even ignorable. Why the gender is so aggressive can be traced to the fact that they were designed by the scientific community of the Xai to answer their lack of males, but mistakes mades during the process of creating them led to increase testoterone levels which in turn led to highly unstable emotional patterns. Xanith will gladly assault any of the unchanged sexes, and are the only gender known to court members of all five sexes, the only one capable of doing so naturally.

Xanith have the lowest psionic potential of any of the Xai, and rarely will one find a xanith psion anywhere in the Ascendancy. The xanith view physical strength as a much better alternative to mental or psionic strength. Like the Changed and unchanged females, xanith sport a body with startling muscle definition, through it is more noticeable on a xanith. This comes from the male half of their gender, which accounts for many aspects of their personality and aggression. Notoriously independent, xanith prefer to make decisions themselves rather than consult others on a particular matter, another trait inherited from male Xai. However, they can easily come to a conclusion on a subject which comes from their female half. In all, xanith are the most versatile members of the Xai species, and given their strength and independence, they often serve as the primary source of recruits for the Obsidian Guard for combat roles and commanding positions.

Reproduction
The Xai reproduce in a largely complicated, yet relatively straightforward manner, depending on how one would like to look at it. First off, all Xai can chose whether or not they bear children, preventing unwanted pregnancies or hatchlings. All Xai can reproduce with one another with the exception of men, who can not reproduce with men of the race. Men can reproduce asexually, but produce only xanith and females. Females can reproduce with males, xanith, and other females, using three methods of reproduction. The first is through oviposition, which is the most common. When a female conceives through sexual means with a male or xanith, they undergo a pregnancy which last for about six weeks, after which they lay upwards or five to seven eggs in a nursery. During this time, the eggs undergo a period of growth which last for about seven months, but only one or two of the eggs will hatch. The eggs themselves are transparent sacks filled with a glowing blue embryonic fluid, within which the child appears and begins to grow.

When reproducing with a female Xai, they reproduce using an ovipositor, which is extended from the depositor's body and inserted into the carrier. Multiple eggs, up to five for unchanged females and ten for Changed females, are laid inside of the womb of the carrier. Following a period of three weeks, she will lay the eggs the same as any other female, and the period of growth remains the same, about seven months before the egg hatches. However, the number of Xai born increases from about two to four or five, making this form of reproduction the most efficient for Xai seeking large families. The ovipositor of the female Xai are sexual organs just like with other reproductive parts, and require stimulation, operating much the same as a regular phallus, before the eggs can be forced out through the ovipositor. The sexual discharge from an ovipositor is the same neon blue embryonic liquid found in the eggs. When not using the ovipositor for reproduction, large amounts of this thick liquid are extruded instead.

On the topic of male reproduction, men can reproduce asexually, and have much greater control over the future of their child's growth and personality. Though they cannot produce another male, something that has confused Xai geneticists to the modern day, they can produce female and xanith offspring (the latter perhaps because the of the fact the first xanith was originally male). The process is done through mitosis, in which a part of the father is used to grow child, and can range from a piece of skin, a finger, or even an entire limb. The more genetic material contributed to the growth process, the more children born and more mental control the father possesses. While more complicated than that of female Xai, male Xai are regarded as the true nurturers of the species as their children are truly a part of them, and children feel a natural bond with him in contrast to children born via eggs.

Finally, xanith possess the ability to give birth via oviposition or allogamy. Xanith still possess a uterus albiet much smaller and less productive than a female Xai's womb, but it permits the ability to conceive and birth children. Xanith can only have one child at a time, and nine out of ten children will always be a xanith, while the other has the chance of being female, or in the most extraordinary of cases, male. Xanith are the least likely of the Xai genders to possess parental instincts, but the feminine half of their body will allow them to feel a level of compassion needed to care for the child, while the male half will grant them the ability to learn the parental instincts needed. It should be noted that as opposed to other species, the male is the foremost caregiver, followed by females than xanith. Also, all Xai are fully capable of deciding whether or not they are impregnated, a defense against the rape all too common in Xai society.

Lifespan
The Xai are a long-lived species, with members of the rest able to expect one thousand years of healthy life. They do not senescence, that is, they do not physically age, and will maintain their youth all the way up until their deaths. The Xai were not created to die, and were expected to live forever when the Creator made them. However, the Xai who refused to heed Xanus' demand that they not fight their brothers and sisters, led to his ultimate decision to cut their life expectancy greatly from unending life to the mere thousand years they now have. Despite this, he did permit the ability for the Xai to resurrect themselves both by faith and by technology, while still maintaining their essence; the mind of the deceased Xai. Those Xai who have great faith in Xanus rely on him for resurrection, while Xai who have no hope of achieving his protection, i.e. the rebellious Xai of the Ascendancy, rely on technological means to cheat death post-mortem.

Society
"The Xai are different fool. Your pathetic concepts of right and wrong have little weight on Xyon."

- Warmaster Saranus Ukiru

Over the last eight thousand years, the social structure of the Xai has developed into a complex system, where Xai society is dominated by four major pillars; the Great Houses of Xyon, the Church of Xanus, and the Obisidian Guard. These can quite easily by regarded as the government, state church, and the military, each of which has a major impact on the everyday life of the Xai and their holdings throughout the known galaxy.

Culture
"The issue with you humans is that you compare us and anything you find to your limited and narrow-minded views. We're not the same, and no matter how high and mighty you feel and believe you should be, you can never compare our race to your own."

- Kiman Madora

The culture the Xai is far different from that of other species, as it should be. As they developed on a world far removed from the influences of any others, their species has a unique outlook on many aspects of life and the universe around them. While Xai culture may be considered as strange and at some times repulsive, the Xai do not feel the same way. They are not as sensitive or intrusive as other civilizations, and even when they conquer other species, they have never attempted to force their beliefs upon them. One example is that of humanity, to which the Xai believe to be beneath them given their long history of vilifying anything that goes against the views of their species. For this section, the Xai and the recently discovered humans are to be used to draw comparisons and differences between the two major civilizations. And as the common saying goes; Xai culture doesn't change, it just grows stronger.

War and peace
The Xai have a long and destructive history of warfare amongst their own kind, with the Dark Ages of Xyon as one highly record point in their history which has long been the source of longing nostalgia and military adventurism for some. As the race is not as a squeamish or emotionally weakened as their neighbors, chief among them the humans, the Xai don't view war as an awful thing that should be done away with. As they can never die permanently, and always have open to them the chance to be resurrected, war is not considered a bad thing, but a tool to remove certain obstacles or achieve particular aims. Death is never a matter hanging over the heads of the Xai, and thus when they commit a murder, it doesn't leave the same impression of horror as it would with humans, making the Xai's view of war a rather moot point they don't necessarily feel bad about.

War is, however, viewed as disruptive and costly, as any Xai merchant or businessperson can tell. Manpower, materials, and assets must be rebuilt following a devastating conflict, and thus to prevent their wealth from being harmed, the Xai seek to prevent war if possible, but will not shrink back if needed. Xai are very patriotic, and are willing to lay their lives down for their people and their god whether needed or not, largely because they know death is not the end for them. War is simply a means to an end, and many Xai aren't able comprehend why other species despise it so much. If the topic were to be brought up, the Xai would simply speak highly of it and state that it is rather enjoyable to be in the heat of action, a matter that doesn't disturb them as they do not suffer the same detrimental psychological effects of war as non-Xai. Peace is viewed as the absence of war, nothing more, with most Xai having fought in at least one war in their lifetimes, they do not view peace as anything more save a few.

For example, the inhabitants of Ix and Midnight are considered the most peaceful of the Xai as they have rarely enlisted for combat duties. However, nearly all know a member of their extensive families that have fought in a conflict. Also, while the inhabitants of these two planets are peaceful, they are not pacifists. They will willingly and happily kill any foes of the Xai if the option is presented to them. It should be noted that while the Xai are indeed killers and conquerors, they are not bloodthirsty or warmongers, from a certain point of view that is. They do not have a comparable concept of war ethics or standards, and will gladly use any and all military equipment, legal and illegal, from a human perspective, to wage a conflict. Genocide, war rape, child soldiery, and forced displacement are no taboos in Xai society, and do not scar the social conscience of the Xai species.

War is viewed differently amongst the different sexes of the Xai. The xanith enjoy killing the most, and get a sensual high from doing so. As their mental state makes them perfectly suited to serve as warriors and soldiers, killing provides a mental and physical reward for doing so when it comes to xanith. Murder simply comes natural for them. Second are females, who see conflict as enjoyable and something of a joke than an actual issue that effects the lives of millions and even billions. They feel a sense of fulfillment in filling roles as medics, soldiers, pilots, and even comfort women for the xanith soldiers with them. Finally, men see war as a matter that should be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Their business and political acumen demands that they minimize the casualties and collateral damage, not for ethical reasons, but to prevent the long and costly road to rebuilding.

Sickness and death
It should come as no surprise that the Xai do not understand the true meaning of illness or death compared to species that do. Starting with illnesses, the Xai do not get sick, and do not understand how others can be effected by sickness. As such, the Xai have no concept of sexually transmitted diseases, even though they are as a race, extremely excessive in the amounts of sex they have. Illness-related deaths are unheard of in Xai space, with the exception of those known to exist within the slave races of the Xai. The idea that one can be infected with a dangerous disease has never entered the mind of the Xai, leading many of their number to view species that suffer from them with strange curiosity.

As for death, the matter has never disturbed the race. Not a single Xai has ever worried about it as they have always come back to life, either through religious or scientific means, more the former than the latter, though the latter is catching up. The concept of permanent death is foreign to the mind of a Xai, and they make no attempts to understand it as they cannot never die. While their physical body can be destroyed, albeit with great effort, their spirit cannot never be destroyed. Unlike humans who's soul are indeed their physical bodies, the Xai have an actual soul that escape the body after death. Thus, while both races have souls, that of the Xai is spiritual, while that of humans is physical.

Since they cannot die, the Xai do not fear death and thus are not afraid to embark on dangerous stunts that could kill them. They do not need to take the same physical precautions as humans, and since their bodies are far more durable, they do not need the same protection like helmets and safety wear. This may be one of the major reasons their armor in the past, and some in the present day, are are revealing and impractical in the eyes of humans. Such pieces of armor like the "steel bikini" were plausible for the Xai, who's skin was just as protective as, if not more so, than plate armor from the ancient days of humanity's past. Thus, the Xai could afford to sacrifice physical protection for agility, flexibility, and for many, appearance.

Gender and sexuality
See also: Sex roles of the Xai and Homosexuality

The role of gender and sexuality in Xai culture and society is complex and very different from that of humanity's gender roles sexual orientations. Beginning with the role of gender, gender plays a strong role in Xai society, and is in fact, the social class ladder of the species. Men rule the Xai, xanith fill the roles of protector and enforcer, and women are the industrial workhorse of the Ascendancy. Men handle economic and political matters, while also serving as generals and scientific leaders in the development of the Xai civilization. Xanith deal with the military matters on the ground, heavy industrial work, and other physically demanding occupation, such as mining for instant. Women are the farmers, workers, artisans of the race, handling the occupations that humans would consider "white-collar" jobs, as well as a few "blue-collar" jobs, though many of the latter remain exclusively within the sphere of the xanith workforce.

Gender equality is not an issue for the Xai as each gender understand that each is clearly better in certain fields, as well as better in other areas mentally, physically, and emotionally, to a point where the matter has never bother the Xai. Men (Change males that is) are stronger, smarter, and simply better than all other sexes (unchanged males included). Most women are regarded as simple-minded and poorly focused, and kept out of areas that require a certain level of acumen, such as politics. However, women are very capable of handling themselves, and have their own areas of work that they excel in, such as technical work. Changed females are experts of psionic research, though they have not surpassed Changed males in the level of actual mental power needed to became true masters of psionics. The position of xanith, however, is a difficult to place.

They were once the most powerful gender on Xyon for a good portion of its history, and ruled the planet cruelly but effectively. Xanith are regarded today as thugs, murderers, and rapists, and they themselves agree with that assessment, going so far as to not even try to hide their ways. They have, however, tried to get back into a favored positions, viewing their status as second-class citizens as demeaning and insulting for a matter that happened four thousand years ago. They are considered the most dangerous of the five genders of Xai, as they are more powerful physically and mentally than unchanged males and females, in that order, and more numerous than either Changed males and females. For this reason, xanith demands are taken seriously, as they are well known for their ability to unite behind a common cause as was the case in the Xyon Civil War they started. Now, regarding sexuality, it is quite difficult from a human perspective to fully grasp the complexities of Xai sexuality.

The Xai view homosexuality differently from the normal context of the term used by humans. When two humans of the same gender have sex, they are regarded as homosexuals. However, when two Xai do so, they are not. This is largely due to the fact that the Xai regard homosexuality as the improper attempt to reproduce when both individuals are physically incapable of doing so. Xai women and xanith can reproduce with members of the same gender, and as such, it is both permitted and considered proper. Two male Xai cannot reproduce with one another, and same logic applied, it is considered wrong and immoral. Unlike with humans, there have never existed any gay Xai, not in the past or the present. Xai are simply mentally and emotionally incapable of bearing such sexual orientations. For this reason, the Xai regard human homosexuality as disgusting, while permitting their own on the grounds of proper reproduction (such as between a human man and woman). This view of sexuality is impossible to change in the Xai, willingly or unwillingly.

As far as the Xai are concerned, if two individuals of any gender can reproduce sexually with one another, it is moral and decent. If the two cannot, then they have no business being together. Regarding the aspect of love, the Xai do not view relationships as such, as far as marriage is concerned that is. Concerning the matter of pedophilia (as it is known to humans), the Xai do not regard adult-child relationships as wrong for the simple fact that all Xai children are mentally mature four years into their life. Children as considered "young adults", and may hold jobs and offices at what humans would consider very young ages. Thus, relationships between adults and young Xai are permitted and encouraged, often as a way of promoting the growth of large families at young ages. Marriages between children are also very common in Xai society, often the most common source of the older marriages in society.

Rape is a major issue in Xai culture, largely due to the fact that 60% of the population (all men excluded as they do not commit such crimes), have committed a sexual crime at one point or another in their lifetime. While this may be horrifying for one outside of the species to comprehend, rape does not carry the same level of disgust in other civilizations. In fact, there is very little stigma attached to it. Given the mental and emotional superiority of the Xai over other species, the Xai view the matter differently. Since the Xai do not carry diseases, nor can they be impregnated against their will, the dangers of rape are few. Since the Xai cannot be killed, that is the destruction of their consciousness (their physical body can be killed though), being killed following a rape is neither a concern nor a fear of a potential victim. Rapists rarely go to jail, and the victim and assaulter will simply forget the matter entirely, a fact incomprehensible to other species. As far as the Xai see it, rape is nothing personal.

Family and friendships
The family is one of the principle centers of Xai life and society. Politics are shaped around them, and religion and society promote the family unit as one of the cores of Xai civilization for the last 8,000 years. Building massive families is the main goal of any self-respecting Xai, and practically each and every Xai has a large family or comes from a large family. Many worlds inhabited by the species were settled by a single family who expanded rapidly across the planet, and established itself as the primary source of political, religious, economic, and/or military power. House Madora is one famous example of a powerful political dynasty, establishing itself as the main source of political power in the Ascendancy following the Unification Wars.

Such is the importance of Xai family life that the father is the ultimate leader of the household, which can range anywhere from a few dozen to several thousand members, all of whom are closely related to each other. Unlike with humans, the Xai permit incest on a vast scale. This began early in the race's history when only a handful of Xai existed, all related to one another. Xanus permitted incest and polygamy to expand the Xai population, but never put an end to it as there were no long-term issues with the arrangement. Furthermore, the Xai do not suffer from the same genetical defects present in human incestual relationships as they are perfect, and the same laws of genetics and biology do not apply to the Xai as they would to humans. It should be noted that while many species are shocked by Xai inter-family relationships, the Xai are shocked that one would not marry their brother, sister, or cousin, and believe it to be disloyal to one's family to marry outside of it.

This social acceptance of incest arose from blood being thicker than water, that is to say, close family being more important than extended family. All Xai living today are related to each other within a few family members who may have some ties to one another, thanks do to no small part in the massive families built over the centuries by more fertile Xai households. Thus, it really wouldn't matter who one slept with as it would have been with an extended family member to begin with. Marrying outside of the family is considered highly insulting as it gives the impression of family members not being good enough to expand the household. Divorce as a result is considered permanent, and no Xai has ever sought one, for a number of reasons, but most of all because Xanus gave no conditions for divorce, and using basic reasoning skills, the Xai understood that marriage was never intended to end.

Because of the fact that families are already very close, and marrying siblings is the rule rather than the norm, sex before marriage inside the family is considered natural and adorable by some. Sisters often fight over a brother to serve as their husband, which often becomes a problem within the family. On the matter of friendships, close friends from other families are considered "honorary siblings and children" of a the family they are close with. Like with blood relatives, sex with close friends is considered an aspect of the friendship and not romantic. The matter is difficult to delve into as the Xai have many views of a particular subject with meaning interpretations in other species. Friendships, by the Xai definition, will almost always include sexual encounters from a "good" friend. Turning down as sexual request from a friend is often viewed as unkind and insulting to a degree.

Religion and morality
Religion is the core of Xai society, for even great families and households worship together. The worship of Xanus is the leading pillar of Xai culture and society, guided and maintained by the Church of Xyon. There are no atheists or agnostics in Xai society, and even the most despicable of the Xai will defend Xanus' name to the death. Kordanians, often held as the worst the Xai family, are some of the most zealous members of the Church, with such notorious Kordanian leaders like Kiman Madora and Rajan Vadell stating their deep hatred of non-believers in other species, such as those who adamantly believe there is no life-force, spiritual guidance, or supernatural beings that exist. To the Xai, it is incomprehensible that any living thing would deny that there is a god and creator. The Xai differ on many aspects of social allowances and interpretations compared to the human race.

For instance, sex before marriage in Xai society is consider okay, as well as public nudity and polygamy, specifically because they weren't told not to do so by their god, to whom the Xai ultimately view as the source of all moral code. They hold humans to their religious commandments since religion is one of the pillars of Xai culture and society. This is something the Xai do to all species, regardless of religion, as they view religious principle as more important than mortal principle. Homosexuality amongst the Xai is permitted as it is capable of producing offspring, whereas as same-sex couplings in other races cannot produce children, henceforth the Xai regard it as wrong in other races while stating their own to be permissible (save for male-male relationships). However, even in this regard the Xai differ as same sex marriage is never enacted, but same sex friendships (which include sex), are accepted. Once again, something Xanus allowed as it was intentioned, while in humans it was not.

Murder is not considered a major crime, but a misdemeanor, which is considered somewhere near the level of aggravated assault in humanity. Punishment is rarely given as the Xai do not view death as permanent, but a simple disruption of life. Demanding blood in exchange for blood within Xai society is thus not as aggressive as found in humanity. However, the Xai do believe that certain people deserve the right to live period. The unborn are considered within this group for two reasons. First is that family is the most important aspect of Xai life, and taking the life of an unborn child is not tolerated on any grounds, not matter what or which species. Second, the Xai view expansion of the race as their most important duty (henceforth sexual aspects being at the center of Xai civilization), and disrupting that duty through abortion is considered a crime against the race.

Morality in general is very different in Xai life beyond these points. Genocide, rape, and slavery are all considered okay by the Xai. If put in a courtroom, the Xai would acquit criminals responsible for committing the acts themselves simply because they don't view them as wrong. The Xai also ignore suffering of non-Xai and generally do not care about the complaints of others. For example, if a non-Xai were to lose their family in warfare or grow up in an impoverished nation, they would consider their complaints as justified or even worthy of another's attention whether or not they cared. The Xai, however, find such demands annoying, fruitless, and at some times, hilarious, feeding off of the pain of "inferior" species&mdash;even if it is true. The Xai also enjoy maintaining the status quo in areas of life other species view as wrong. For instance, on Earth, the humans believe democracy is the way to progress, but the Xai enjoy dictatorships, and will often provide aid to nations often slandered as "the bad guys" just to harm nations they believe to be pushy on their morality.