Tenasi
| Tenasi | |
|---|---|
| Abilities | Cytonics, fighting without becoming emotional |
| Sapient | Yes |
| Universe | Cytoverse |
The tenasi are a race of aliens and, at the time of Starsight, one of the five main species of the Superiority. They discovered cytonics just after beginning to use steam power, and, like all other alien species known to humankind, quickly refocused their efforts on developing their cytonic powers. At some point, they discovered how to suppress cytonic abilities and began using that power to lock away any discontents, which resulted in their being considered to be of primary intelligence.[1]
Appearance
Tenasi have a wide face and powerful limbs. Long teeth and clawed fingers give them the overall appearance of something like a bear on its hind legs, except not furry. They walk with a hunched-forward gait, giving them a predatory air.[2]
History
In the days before it was due to go bankrupt, the Phone Company heard a few squeaks through its prototype cytonic communication machine. Those noises attracted the attention of the tenasi, who sent a response -- Earth's first contact with an alien species -- and dispatched a ship to make contact. As such, they are the first alien race encountered by humankind.[1]
In what became known as the tenasi incident, a tenasi diplomatic vessel, which was one of the most powerful non-human ships in the galaxy at the time, was accidentally shot down by the United Governments military, making for an embarrassing second contact. The humans, however, were unaware that this was the most powerful alien ship and the Phone Company stepped in with its cytonic technology to negotiate a peace. The result was the Tenasi Agreement, which, in return for the peace settlement, made the Phone Company entirely above the law, gave it exclusive rights to all alien FTL communication technology, and granted it the right to function as the sole intermediaries between aliens and humankind.[1]
Hundreds of years later, when the Superiority is formed, the tenasi still have a prominent place in the galaxy and become one of the five main species in charge of the Superiority, though there are very few tenasi present on Starsight.[3] Unlike the other species in the Superiority, the tenasi have the ability to fight without becoming emotional. As a result, nearly all of the Superiority's drone pilots are tenasi,[4] though there are some varvax as well.[5]