Garlaxian

Summary
Garlaxians are semiaquatic vertebrates with extremely varied appearances. They are considered personable and socially perceptive by the galactic community.

Overview
Garlaxians have mapped their genome, allowing genetic modification to be done easily, safely, and affordably for all, at least on Garlax. Young Garlaxians decide how they will reinvent themselves as a coming of age ritual. While the modification is not entirely without limits, the resultant physical differences can be substantial. This modification, which can be undergone any number times in a Garlaxian's life, can change their mass by an order of magnitude in either direction, their number of limbs, their sex, and virtually any part of their appearance. This allows them to mold themselves to suit any number of social or professional environments.

Culture
The concept of self in Garlaxian culture holds paramount importance. Expressing oneself authentically take precedence over other social norms of politeness, respect, or professionalism. The idea that other races often feign agreement with ideas they are opposed to in order to create an illusion of unity seems to them a most dastardly oppression. Consequently, they tend to be more accepting of those with opinions and ideologies dramatically different from their own. There are a few notable exceptions, such as views that to undermining another's ability to be who they want to be. Garlaxians are quick to share about themselves and quicker to show genuine interest in understanding others. This gives them a natural charisma, gaining respect from friends and enemies alike.

Having mapped their genome, their race has reached their maximum genetic potential. To combat this and continue evolving, they breed outside their own race. One simply gets modified to suit a certain race's preferences and to be capable of bearing children with them. There practice has lead to a stigma against breeding within one's own race with the Garlaxians, since it cannot help their race evolve. This is a highly divisive issue, as it pits the continued success of their world's most celebrated accomplishment with their core values. A Czerka poll taken in 3055 revealed that 84% of the population supports intraracial breeding, though the minority is vocal.

Physiology
Few things can be said uniformly about Garlaxian physiology, as the only organ that they show any reluctance to modify is their brains. From this, it can be confidently said that they will continue to have spines and skulls, but no claim can be made about what states these might be in. Their modifications even allow the subject to become warm-blooded or change the environments their respiratory system functions in without inhibiting brain function.

Regardless, there are a few generalizations that can be made. Garlaxians are usually capable of breathing in saltwater environments and often capable of breathing oxygenated air or freshwater. A typical Garlaxian is cold-blooded and weighs between forty and three hundred kilograms. Most are capable of vocalizing multiple languages, if they learn them. Nearly all have fine manipulation appendages such as fingers, tentacles, or pseudopods for interacting with tools.