Leebawian

Leebawians are small amphibians half the size of Lanaktallans from the planet Leebaw. They are a former neo-sapient slave race of the Unified Council. During the 6th precursor war, Leebaw was attacked by Precursors and saved by the Confed navy.

Description
Leebawians are small amphibians with googly eyes, and 'whiskers' that can be made to glow in the dark. They resemble Terran frogs or Murlocs from Terran pop culture, with a language that has croaking noises. Leebawians are not physically powerful compared to larger species, but are hardy enough to have survived years in servitude to the Lanaktallans. They survived for a long time in polluted wild environments under precursor occupation, making them physiologically stronger than Terran amphibians, which are generally the first species to die in polluted environments.

Although they are mainly land-dwelling, they are very much at home in the water. They can hold their breath for a long time, and use sonar clicks like dolphins to get an idea of their surroundings.

Leebawians develop from tadpole like younger stages, metamorphosing into adult forms.

Culture
Little is known about Leebawian culture before their contact with the United Council of Systems, as it was wiped out after Leebaw was subjugated. They were optimistic for the future when they built their starport, with dreams of founding an intersteller civilization. Some Leebawians resented the UCS and all alien civilizations, and organised resistance cells against it, forming the Cult of the Solitary Burrow.

After Precursors attacked Leebaw and were pushed back by the Terran Confederacy, Leebawians became reclusive and borderline xenophobic, preferring to be left alone. They were also educated by the Terrans in their culture, and were introduced to the idea of basic rights for all. They became more militaristic, and adopted the Terran idea that the universe was cruel and unforgiving. They took up the ideal of "jawnconnor," that they should be free to do what they want.

Pre-Lanaktallan
Leebaw developed fairly quickly compared to other species. In 3 thousand years, they developed everything between the metal nibbed pen and the radio. Before being contacted by the Lanaktallans, they had a functioning starport, cultural sites, and a healthy culture. Leebawians preferred to build low to the ground, as tall structures gave them vertigo.

Lanaktallan contact
Leebawians were a young species when they were first contacted by the Lanaktallans. Leebaw had successfully developed the jumpdrive and had hoped to explore the stars, meet friendly species, and leave behind any history of war. However, three thousand years before Leebaw developed the radio, the Lanaktallans had sold their system to Ukewa's Packguru Manufacturing, and did not give Leebaw the opportunity to protest. Lanaktallan rule restricted Leebaw to their system with emigration quotas and limits on what they could do within the system.

The Leebawians attempted an armed revolt that lasted 10 years before being put down by the Unified Councils. After the Lanaktallans suppressed the revolt, they razed Leebaw's cultural sites to make room for Lanaktallan industrial systems, and Leebaiwan populations were confined to impoverished reservations or forced to work as servants for the Lanaktallans.

After several generations and significant cultural loss, the Leebawians formed resistance cells and began to fight back. They hid weapons in the wilderness, established isolated cells, and planned to destroy the Lanaktallan cities.

Precursor war and Terran Liberation
Before the Leebawians could begin to resist again, the start of the 6th precursor war brought AWM occupation and oppression. The AWMs killed the Lanaktallans and destroyed their cities, along with any Leebawians with Cybernetics. The Leebawians initially thought that the machines would save them from Lanaktallan oppression, but soon realized that the Lanaktallans were simply being replaced by the precursor machines. The war forced Leebaw into further primitivism to avoid being killed, but they maintained weapons in hopes that they could fight back. Precursor machines also harvested Leebawian podlings for experimentation and sport.

Terran liberation was initially viewed with fear. Leebaw expected extinction from the newcomers, as it seemed logical to them after further oppression by the precursors. They were shocked when Terran tactics and advances shifted to avoid harming captured podlings and civilians. The Leebawian Ukk-uk-huk joined a terran sneak attack featuring warborgs, simba kittykitties and FIDOs to liberate the podlings and other captured Leebawians, and was shocked by the precision and care that the Terrans showed in protecting and removing the podlings from the dangerous situation.

Terran Restoration and Elven Queen
After the end of the precursor war on Leebaw, Terrans helped to rebuild Leebaw's cultural sites and redevelop native technology. Leebawian society was reformed with the help of the Terrans, focused on fair democratic values and self-sufficiency. When Lanaktallan overseers returned, Leebaw rejected their demands and forcibly removed them from the planet. The Confed assisted in rebuilding Leebaw's native ecologies and repairing the Leebawian genome.

The Terran Elven Queen Glad-Real-All 2871 was sent born whole to assist them, speaking to natives and helping them slowly restore their ecologies. The Terrans otherwise withdrew from the planet except to occasionally check in and speak to the elven queen. When the Dwellerspawn attacked Leebaw, Glad-Real-All was given the capacity to wage war and defend Leebaw. She dispersed Elven Queen nanites and biological warfare systems across the planet to destroy invaders. The vast majority of Dwellerspawn attacks were eliminated. She sent Elanteer-3, a wood elf, a modified warborg mechanek named Karl, and Ukk-uk-huk to destroy the one dwellerspawn infestation that successfully took hold. Ukk-uk-huk killed the dwellerspawn with a spear made from a Terran Marine Kabar laced with Elven Queen nanites.

Home System
Leebaw is a typical planet orbiting in a typical green zone orbiting a typical star. Its best known for its swamps. Terrasol once designated it as Lintennal 515.

Notable Leebawians

 * Ukk-uk-huk: A point-of-view character in the Leebawian cycle. Bravest of all Leebawians, the hero who drove his spear into the black heart, ridding his world of the infection forever.