Meet the Andras: The Feline Species of My Universe

When I started building the universe for my books (title name to come) I wanted an 'alien' species that felt familiar; one that would have the potential for quirks that we as humans would understand. It took me hours upon hours of writing down names until I finally settled on seven in particular - to include humans - that really stuck. Now I can't get them out of my head. These species hold a special place in my heart and I feel as though I've known them for a long time. I feel as though I've met them.

A preface: I'm only an aspiring author. I haven't published anything. Though I've been writing for a long time, thus far, I never felt that I had anything to share where I believed the reader would truly benefit from the story itself. The novel I'm currently working on - again, name un-released - is staged in a setting that spans three galaxies, all of which are under the order of a peaceful intergalactic governance. The name? That's the title of the book, so no giveaways yet!

The purpose of this blog is to introduce my universe to potential readers or to other sci-fi nerds like myself who love for their mind to wander to far off places. So, if that sounds like you, then dive in with me and check back here every so often for more.

This specific blog post will be a series where I describe and continue to elaborate on the seven species within my universe, detailing more and more as time goes on about how they came to be adjoined into the governance as well as their role for it and how they contribute to the overall well-being of the seven factions that make it up.

Introduction:

Who are the Andras & Where Do They Come From?

This feline species originates from a star system in one of three governed galaxies in my universe, M31, more commonly referred to by humans as the Andromeda galaxy. Their star system is comprised of two habitable planets directly in an extended 'Goldilocks' zone from their star which is nearly twice the size and mass of Earth's sun.

Each faction that is adjoined into the intergalactic governance is done so not out of charity, but with a mutual benefit. The originating species - which will be revealed on a later blog - is a Type 3 civilization, which if you are not familiar with, check this link out here if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnfMH8OX1g

More on that, my universe focuses on a slightly more realistic approach to 'type' civilizations and their actual capabilities (again, we'll get to that another time.)

The originating species of (let's just call the governance... (IG) to help with repetitiveness, never selects a new faction for the potential to join unless they have something that that faction can offer in return of what the IG offers, which is their level of technology. Thus, any species that is adjoined into the IG immediately becomes a type 3 civilization. Now, despite that being an incredible offering from the IG, that doesn't mean they require a large return value, just something that could strengthen the longevity of the governance itself and help increase prosperity. If the IG does not see potential in a civilization, even if that species resides within the IG territory - i.e., the three governed galaxies - then the IG simply leaves them alone and does not interfere with that species natural evolutionary timeline.

Most species that are adjoined into the IG are completely unaware that the IG even exists, thus it is a big decision - usually made by either the top governing force of that species - to accept the offer to join.

The Andras - for reasons unspoken at least for the sake of this blog - caught the eye of the IG and were offered a place in the governance in return for the feline species' unique methods of signals intelligence or, (SIGINT) and their Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance technologies or, (ISR). Despite the IG being a type three civilization, their advancement comes from the ability to draw massive amounts of energy from stars. Their military capabilities on the other hand only grow stronger with the addition of unique factions like the Andras.

Why & How Did They Join the Intergalactic Governance?

What are the Andras Like?

To keep it simple, they're feline humanoids.

They only stand about four feet tall, each with a unique hair color and pattern which discern different types. All of them, however, possess basically the same set of skills to some degree (like humans, except the ones who aren't in very good shape. It's basically the same thing.)

They obviously have tails. An easy way to tell how an Andras is feeling? The tail. If it's dragging the ground, they're more than likely drunk. If it's high in the sky and flickering around, they're probably intrigued about something.

Most of these felines are incredibly sarcastic, despite having different personalities. I've wondered why that is... maybe it's just something in their DNA.

These beings walk up-right, not on all-fours. Remember, they're humanoid, not an actual cat, though their DNA has been found to be nearly 97% of that of the felines that humans are use to back on Earth.

Oh, and they have hands. Four fingers including a posable thumb, though they're all rather fat which gives them excellent grip strength.