Re: The Kra'Vak

You wrote: 

>The Kra'Vak operate on a clan system based on familial units. They've 
been >coming up from somewhere in the Galactic core. No one knows hold 

>about how they communicate or what their motivations are). There's no 
telling so >much how big a "Clan" is. Though each clan's ground forces 
are small in number.
>They are a  hunter race. They're clan structure leads to much strife 
within >clans and they are as apt to fight each other as they are apt 
to fight each >other as aliens.

>It would seem that this kind of cultural would have several inherent 
drawbacks >to prosecuting major wars. First off, the Clan system seems 
quite fragmented, >what with all the interclan squabbling going on. 

I know this is an old topic, but I've been sitting back and watching.  
Tony Wilkinson and I exchanged some e-mails on this topic a while back 
and the Kra'Vak that emerged are an interesting bunch.	

Yes, they are an agressive species, even against other clans.  This is 
mitigated by a strong "surrender/switch" reflex.  When a Kra'Vak is in 
such a bad situation that further resistance is futile, they will, as 
individuals or as groups, surrender and switch sides.  This has the 
effect of limiting the damage inter-clan warfare does.	This carries no 
stigma for the defectors--in a larger or richer clan, they may need to 
work for additional priviledges, but a smaller clan may immediately put 
them in action-perhaps in the same battle.  Culturally they are largely 
innocent of betreyal, treason, or use of flase surrender/switches.  
These reflexes are the glue that prevents species annihilation and 
violators of this code are generally hunted down by all sides.	
Leaders are also checked by this reflex--if a leader is doing truly 
poorly, his followers/subjects may pack up and leave.  This is again, 
normal and accepted.
They will have deep problems with the human concept of fighting to the 
last man without considering surrender.
This urge to limit the devestation caused by inter-clan conflict also 
explains their prediliction for kinetic weapons as opposed to 
beam--limits collateral damage.  Kra'Vak have a very long period of 
'adolescence' where the K is not fully mature.	Thise pre-sexual K make 
up most of the "enlisted" elements of their armed forces.  They are 
competing for the right to progress to full sexual maturity, based on 
the reccomendations of their superior "officers".  

John M. Atkinson