TRASKANS
Like Delvians and Sebaceans, Traskans have long life-spans. Noranti has lived nearly 300 cycles and is still physically vigorous, though signs of her age do show: She suffers from mild dementia, and I've known her to fall asleep suddenly, even in the midst of a crisis.
Physically, Traskans resemble Sebaceans or Humans, but their skin is green-tinted and their ears are much larger. They also have a third eye set in the middle of their foreheads. This noetic eye is different from a Traskan's other two eyes: It "sees" only psychic or spiritual information. Also, it is highly susceptible to slight injuries and allergens. For both these reasons, Traskans tend to keep their third eyes closed most of the time.
A Traskan's mouth is also a powerful sensory tool. It is impressively discriminating. By tasting substances, Noranti is able to isolate their component elements much more efficiently than a laboratory test might — assuming, of course, that she isn't distracted. (Noranti is easily distracted.)
Traskans are able to survive unprotected in a vacuum for up to three arns — much longer than Luxans — but only if they ingest a certain dough-like substance first. This induces the Vacuum Coma state, which Noranti claims is "very relaxing."
Noranti's spiritual powers allow her to read minds, send visions to others and generally sense information about living beings (ranging from their physical health to their state of mind and even specific details about their past), whether that information is secret or not. I assume that her spiritual powers, though enhanced by experience, training and herbal potions, are innate to all members of her species.
Traskan culture reflects the long lives of its citizens. According to Noranti, the average Traskan has many careers in a single lifetime, retraining periodically to learn entirely new skills. Noranti, for example, has been (so far and among other professions) a teacher, a chef, a negotiator and a healer.
Traskan society possesses great sophistication in its herbal medicines, which are used to heal psychic as well as physical maladies. I suspect they are a highly spiritual culture; Noranti often seems to pray. She also refuses to bathe; perhaps cleanliness is not a high priority among her people. Or perhaps she is merely eccentric.
Traskans have had contact with a wide variety of other species. Noranti knows a cure for Sebacean Heat Delirium, and was living aboard a Peacekeeper Command Carrier; certainly she, and most likely others of her species, have had some dealings with Sebaceans.
It's hard to tell whether Noranti's most unusual quirks are products of her personality or are common traits of her species. I often have the same problem with Crichton — if all Humans are like him, his must be a very strange planet.
JOURNEY LOG REFERENCES
Dog With Two Bones
What Was Lost, Part 1: Sacrifice
What Was Lost, Part 2: Resurrection
Lava's a Many Splendored Thing
Natural Election
I Shrink, Therefore I Am
Coup by Clam
Kansas
STARBURST TO ANY LIFEFORM
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