Hermat

SPECIES
Hermat
Homeworld:	Hermat
Quadrant:	Alpha
Affiliation:	United Federation of Planets
Biology
Average Male Height:	163 cm (5 ft. 4 in.) to 178 cm (5 ft. 10 in.)
Average Male Weight:	45.4 kg (100 lb.) to 59 kg (130 lb.)
Average Female Height:	163 cm (5 ft. 4 in.) to 178 cm (5 ft. 10 in.)
Average Female Weight:	45.4 kg (100 lb.) to 59 kg (130 lb.)
Minimum Academy Age:	3
Life Expectancy:	40 (100 with treatment)
Distinctive Features:
Playability
PRC Rated:	Yes
NPC Rated:	Yes

Hermat are a humanoid, hermaphroditic species native to the planet Hermat in the Alpha Quadrant. They are renowned for their versatility and ingenuity.

Physiology

Hermat have predatory origins and are excellent natural hunters. Though they are similar to humans in appearance, they have different joints which allow them to run gracefully on all fours, achieving speeds far in excess of other humanoids. Hermats also have razor-sharp canine teeth and sharp, retractable claws which they can use to kill prey. A heightened olfactory sense enables them to track down individuals by scent.

Growth and Development

While Hermat are capable of reproduction by mating with other Hermat, they are also capable of parthenogenesis and can become pregnant without the need for sexual activity. Hermat grow rapidly after birth, reaching full maturity at age 3. Their natural lifespan is 40 years, however new treatments which hyperstimulate their regenerative metabolism can allow them to live up to 100 years.

Hermat young live with their parents for only a short while after birth. During the first 3 years of their lives they are intensively educated and achieve the equivalent of a college education by the time they reach adulthood. Developing social skills and learning to hunting are also primary parts of growing up. Hermat young form groups which are known as child gangs. These gangs roam the countryside in their free time, hunting and burning off their excess energy with rough play. Adults tend to stay away from child gangs due to their often aggressive behavior.

Hermats can successfully mate and produce offspring with certain other species. Children of half-Hermat origin tend to inherit the Hermat pattern of growth and the typical Hermat lifespan.

Gender and Society

A Hermat possesses both male and female sexual organs, and the idea of gender is non-existent in Hermat society. Hermats normally display physical traits of both human genders: small feminine breasts, lithe yet muscular physiques, and facial features that have elements of both males and females. Their features tend more towards the feminine and for this reason some single-gender males, including humans, often mistake Hermats for trim, slight-figured women. They also have slightly higher foreheads than humans and tend to be dark-eyed.

The Hermat have developed a unique set of Standard language pronouns to accommodate their dual-sex status: 'hir' rather than 'him' or 'her'; 'hish' for the possessive forms of 'his' and 'hers'; and 's/he' (with a separately accented H) rather than 'she' or 'he' to simplify communications with divided-sex species and preserve their uniqueness.

They also have a unique naming system, most likely stemming from their dual-sex status and the fact that some Hermats have only one parent. Hermat names usually take the form of a single name followed by a number. The number indicates that the actual name in question has either been used to name that number of persons in that particular family line or in Hermat society in general. A Hermat named "Eskat 212" would either be the 212th Eskat in their family line or in Hermat naming history.

Hermats, as a species, tend to keep to themselves. This tendency toward segregation from the rest of the Federation is well known. While Hermats are not necessarily xenophobic, they have some difficulty relating effectively to members of other species. There are few Hermat members of Star Fleet. The Hermats are governed by the Hermat Directorate, ruled by the Hermat Elders.