Centauri (Babylon 5)
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"Centauri" redirects here. For other uses, see Centauri (disambiguation).
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. They were the first alien species to make contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime. Their government is the Centauri Republic. Despite the name, the Centauri are neither from nor associated with the Alpha Centauri star system (within the context of Babylon 5, this inaccurate naming is explained as having resulted from a mistranslation during first contact between humans and the Centauri, however, there are also a number of other stars named Centauri).
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[edit] Homeworld
Centauri Prime is the homeworld of the Centauri and throne of the once-expansive Centauri Republic. There are very few major land masses on the planet, two main continents with an abundance of small islands and extensive marine habitats.
In 2260-61, the Centauri homeworld was used as a staging ground for Shadow ships and personnel, until, in late 2261, then-Prime Minister Londo Mollari destroyed their base, an island in the southern hemisphere of the planet.
[edit] Government
The Centauri Republic is a major power in the Babylon 5 universe and noted for being the first alien government with which Earth had open contact. The Republic is based on Centauri Prime but spans a number of other colonies and worlds. Despite its "Republic" moniker, the Centauri have a nominal constitutional monarchy headed by an Imperial family. It is ruled by an Emperor or Empress, or, in the event of an interregnum, a Regent.
True power resides in the Centarum, an assembly of the leaders of the major noble houses. Nobles able to manipulate the Centarum successfully are able to wield great power. An exception to the supremacy of the Centarum came about during the reign of Cartagia, whose personal madness drove him to have his enemies in the assembly assassinated, allowing him to rule with a totalitarian hand.
The Centauri Republic reflects many imperial cultures of Earth, though J. Michael Straczynski specifically makes the comparison with "the English empire once upon a time... It was a great military power. But slowly, as can happen, they grew content, and lazy, and gradually their own empire began to slip between their fingers.". [1] Londo Mollari complains, in the movie The Gathering, that Centauri Prime has been reduced to "A tourist attraction... See the Centauri Republic, nine to five, Earth time". [2]
[edit] History
[edit] Early History
Around the earth year 3000 B.C. the first true Centauri civilization appeared. This rapid burst of technological development was a result of being at war with another sentient species on their world called the Xon. At first isolated by oceans, the two species later came into contact with violent results. A Centauri expedition of three vessels happened upon a Xon coastal city. The vessels returned to the Centauri continent, carrying a Xon invasion force (its original Centauri crew was slaughtered).
As the Centauri entered a historical period similar to the Renaissance, around the earth year 738 BC, the Xon began attacking and raiding Centauri villages in small scale regional wars. The Xon, riding high on these easy victories, then began a massive campaign to destroy their Centauri cousins only this time on a global scale. Losses on both sides were substantial in a thousand year war against the Centauri.
By the earth year 262 A.D, the Xon were eradicated from the face of the planet. By this time the Centauri Republic was well into the Industrial Age, obtaining a technological level equivalent to earth at the beginning of the 20th century, but the Centauri quickly progressed out of the Industrial Age and into the Atomic Age and Information age.
Defeat of the Xon gave rise to the current class structure of modern Centauri society. Centauri families who had done the bulk of the fighting, and had the most survivors at the end of the war, became the great houses of the Centauri. This new government of nobles created the Centaurum. The nobles appointed Lord Tuscano, who led the war against the Xon to the position of Emperor.
The Shoggren, attempted to invade Centauri Prime in the last years of Tuscano's rule, but were defeated. The technology acquired from them and the discovery of a Jump Gate in the Centauri system allowed the Centauri to leap ahead technologically at a very fast pace and the modern Centauri Republic was born.
[edit] Before 2258
The republic quickly began a period of expansion spanned the centuries before the second Shadow War and the birth of the Interstellar Alliance. The Centauri first left their homeworld just as the first Shadow War was ending and consequently played no part in that struggle. Ships and some outposts fell to the Drakh suggesting they did encounter Shadow forces to a limited degree. These defeats were stricken from public record by the Emperor's order, yet surviving crewmen and colonial defenders brought stories back to Centauri Prime.
At its greatest extent, hundreds of worlds were subject to the Centauri Republic, hence its epithet, 'Lion of the Galaxy'. The occupation of the Narn homeworld began in the early 22nd Century. For the next hundred years the agrarian and technologically primitive Narns were exploited and their world stripped of resources. The Centauri withdrew a hundred years later in the face of growing Narn resistance (see Narn Regime). By 2258 the empire had almost completely fallen apart, seemingly more through the apathy of the Republic than military inferiority.
[edit] 2258-2278
From 2258 onwards, the Centauri once again mapped out a path of conquest, taking over not just Narn space but also worlds formally belonging to the Drazi, Pak'ma'ra, and other members of the League. A non-aggression treaty between Earth and the Centauri Republic ensured that unlike the situation with the earlier Dilgar War, the Earth Alliance would not come to the League's aid, making resisting the expansion of the Centauri Republic much more difficult.
The guarantor of the revival of Centauri power was the aid of the Shadows, but by 2261 the Shadows had departed the galaxy along with the other First Ones. Former Shadow allies, the Drakh, led to a souring of relations between the Centauri and other worlds during 2262. Destruction of civilian shipping by the Drakh was blamed on the Centauri, and a force of Narn and Drazi ships made for Centauri Prime, while Drakh agents had managed to get the Regent to deactivate the planetary defences and send the space fleet away. Centauri Prime was bombarded and laid waste, and the Centauri severed all relations with the Interstellar Alliance. By 2278 little was left of the grandeur of the Centauri save their pride and their patriotism.
[edit] After 2278
After John Sheridan and Delenn had saved their son David and fled from Centauri Prime, Emperor Mollari died soon afterwards. Vir Cotto went to Minbar, and met with the surviving leaders of the Centauri houses. In keeping with Lady Morella's prophecy, Vir's claim to the throne was accepted, and he became Emperor Cotto. The Alliance, realizing that they were the victims of a massive Drakh manipulation, joined forces with the Centauri military to hunt down the Drakh. With help from the Alliance, Vir spent the next years rebuilding his homeworld.
[edit] Biology
[edit] Appearance
The Centauri are humanoid in appearance, similar enough to humans that the species can easily pass for one another under casual inspection. However, in terms of internal structure there are several important differences between the two species. Centauri teeth, for instance, are somewhat pointed.
Centauri males typically wear their hair in Peacock-tail shaped fans. The social standing of the male determines the length and style of the hair. Females typically shave their heads but for a knot of hair in the back.
Their dress and customs reflect their imperialistic culture, with militaristic clothing reminiscent of the 18th Century for the men, gowns for the women whose design appears to be of similar general vintage, and a generally courtly manner.
[edit] Reproductive Biology
The sexual organs of the Centauri are quite different from those of humans, and they are in a different location than the human sex organs. Male Centauri have six tentacle-like genital organs that extend out from the sides of the body and "fold" in over the solar plexus when not in use. The males can stretch the tentacles out to several feet. These tentacles are somewhat prehensile, to the extent that they can be used to cheat in card games. Females have six narrow receptive orifices, three on either side of the base of the spine, just above the hips. The male places the tentacles in the female orifices individually. Only one tentacle is necessary to inseminate, however.
[edit] Cardio-vascular system
The cardio-vascular system of Centauri has two hearts instead of the single heart that humans have. The right heart is a solid mass of muscle which provides most of the force behind the body's blood circulation. The left heart is much more complex - this heart is made up of an intricate system of thousands of veins that help cleanse the blood in a manner similar to the human kidneys. As a result, a heart attack in the left heart is a very serious matter because the left heart is very difficult to repair.
[edit] ESP and telepathy
The Centauri have extra-sensory perception to varying degrees, generally manifesting as precognitive abilities. Most Centauri have limited perceptions, enjoying only rare fleeting glimpses of the future. However, some Centauri will experience vivid prophetic dreams telling them of the time and the circumstances of their deaths. A rare few Centauri, exclusively female, have very strong prophetic abilities.
Some Centauri have telepathic ability. Like humans, the degree of telepathic ability varies with the individual.
The Centauri Emperor always has four female telepaths in his court. When he travels, two go with him and two remain at the royal palace allowing rapid communication between the Emperor and Centauri Prime. The widow of a Centauri emperor is said to gain extensive telepathic abilities, to the point where she is considered a great prophet. She also acts as if she speaks for both herself and her late husband.
