Zwusht

The Zwushtu (//, singular "Zwusht") were an aquatic species of sentients from Vytuia. Though technically subjects of the Golden Empire, they preferred to keep to themselves, rarely interacting voluntarily even with Vytuia's other native species, the Basca.

Biology and appearance
Zwushtu were substantially larger than most sentient species, ranging from 1.75 to 2.13 meters (5'9" to 7'0") tall and 3.66 to 4.88 meters (12'0" to 16'0") long. Females were larger than males, but both were shaped similarly. Zwushtu's primary means of locomotion were their tails, but they had ten additional fins, including two pectoral fins, four pelvic fins (one pair above the other), three dorsal fins, and an anal fin. As a result, Zwushtu were able to move rapidly and nimbly through water and make sharp turns and sudden stops.

Zwushtu mating was unique among known sentient species. Females produced eggs internally steadily over a period of three standard years. When fully swollen with eggs, they entered a mating phase, during which they experienced a two-month cycle of fertility. After the two months, the eggs would expire and be naturally expelled. During the cycle, however, males could detach their penises, which could swim under their own power to the nearest female. After depositing sperm, the penis remained in the female, slowly dissolving and providing nutrients to the nascent eggs. The penis regrew over a period of a standard year.

Eggs were deposited in sandy ocean crevices, and hatched after five months. Female Zwushtu laid eggs in clutches ranging up to a dozen. Both sexes guarded their eggs, but after hatching, new spawn traveled with their mothers. They reached full physical maturity in approximately eight standard years.

Zwushtu had bony skeletons and scales in patterns of blue, purple, and green. The scales were soft to the touch but durable and difficult to rupture. A rare viral disease could cause Zwushtu to shed scales, exposing the softer flesh beneath to parasites and other oceanic dangers. Zwushtu usually allowed water to pass through their gills while swimming, but were capable of drawing water through them forcibly while treading water in one spot.

Zwushtu were omnivorous, often feeding on smaller fish and cephalopods but also eating seaweed, algae, and fungi. They communicated with one another through a complex language involving both mild sonic discharges and fin movement.

Society and culture
Numerous diverse Zwushtu cultures existed in relative harmony with one another, but with distinct secrecy from other sentients. Their few dealings with the Basca and their basic communications with Royal xenoculturalists revealed that they were committed to natural existences, living free in the oceans without attempting to build cities or allowing cities to be built for them with alien technology.

Most Zwushtu existed in familial pods composed primarily of parents and their young. After four years of living with parents, half-matured young set out on their own, sometimes solitary, sometimes sticking with their siblings. Parents rarely saw their children after this, but this was due not to lack of affection, but desire for the children to tests their strengths against the ocean's dangers before reaching reproductive age. The Zwushtu were conscious that the ocean could not support an ever-increasing population, and believed it was important for the fittest to survive. During their four years with their children, however, parents taught their children everything possible to give them the best chance for success and survival.

Some Zwushtu (usually those from cooler ocean areas closer to the ice caps) mated for life, siring one generation while the previous one was approaching its three-year mark. Others mated and stayed with their mates through the development period of their offspring, then pursued other mates. Still others would choose between the two options based on the health and vitality of the first offspring. Regarding the mating act itself, Zwushtu who preferred to mate for life would often identify their life partners, then swim away from others to mate. Those who were less committed to partners often mingled together, allowing detached male penises to float to the nearest receptive female. The Zwushtu accepted the results as the will of fate.

Though they preferred to move in familial groups, Zwushtu could combine forces if necessary. This usually came about when groups of Zwushtu would unite to attack and kill overactive predators, and occasionally made them into a makeshift army against the surface-dwelling Basca and their watercraft.

History
The Zwushtu maintained only oral records of their society, and were not particularly interested in long interviews with xenobiologists from the Golden Empire. Nonetheless, they tolerated deep sea research enough that biologists theorized the Zwushtu had evolved sentience before the Basca. Little was known of their history except as it regarded the Basca themselves.

The Basca initially did not realize the Zwushtu were sentient and hunted them like any other fish. The Zwushtu, in turn, banded together to smash Basca ships and drown survivors, dragging them to the depths. Eventually each realized the other was a thinking species, but the Zwushtu considered the ocean to be theirs and continued to attack Basca transports. The Basca poisoned some ocean currents, killing many Zwushtu (and other fish species) and driving further wedges between the two societies.

When some Basca societies opted not to hunt Zwushtu, the Zwushtu were relieved, but even when communication devices to allow translation between the species were perfected, the Zwushtu preferred to stay out of Basca wars and politics, and had no interest in the governance of the surface world. They similarly insisted that the Basca leave the oceans to them, leading to some conflicts between the species.

In 110 ABY, the Golden Empire persuaded the Basca to pledge the planet to the Empire's fold. Queen Rin Sakaros had some of her aquatic servants communicate with the Zwushtu, asking for their agreement to the arrangement and forging compromises which established mutually exclusive fishing zones for the Basca and Zwushtu. The Zwushtu were not entirely thrilled to have areas of their ocean restricted to them or to allow the Basca free transit on the ocean surface, but the ironclad protections against fishing for Zwushtu under Royal law persuaded them to assent. When some Laatls expressed interest in establishing a colony on Vytuia and the Zwushtu balked, Rin Sakaros vetoed the plan, which the Zwushtu also appreciated. The aquatic species allowed the Empire to harvest some resources from the oceans, but generally stayed out of the Empire's government as much as they had the Basca one.

Behind the scenes
The detachable male Zwushtu penis was inspired by the same organ in the.