bestiary
JAKI

Though this cold-blooded social predator ranges worldwide, much of the population is concentrated along the equatorial oceans. The average jaki measures three meters in length with a maximum-recorded length of five meters. While jaki are relatively slow swimmers, they can affect short bursts of speed. This is accomplished by extending and rapidly contracting the row of dorsal flaps, or reso, along the forepart of the jaki's back. These flaps also provide additional respiratory and sensory functions.

Jaki are social animals and travel in groups, or jaknni, of five to twenty. Leadership of the jaknni is taken by the alpha female and male. Disputes within the jaknni are settled through non-lethal combat — an extraordinary thing considering each jaki has rows of dagger-size teeth. Young within the jaknni are raised by all within the group. The alpha male acts as the main defender against genno swarms and behemoth bento. Should an attack occur, males confront the attackers while the females defend the young. All able members are responsible for feeding the group. Hunting parties usually leave the main body in parties of two or three. These hunting parties typically seek out the kanar leno, a massive armored invertebrate that inhabits the lower depths. While kanar leno are preferred, jaki will eat almost anything, including Centauri.

For three weeks during Centauri Prime's mild season, the Mimus Archipelago is swarming with jaki. It is the spawning season, and all jaknni converge on several locations throughout the jaki's range. These locations have a large number of underwater caves that the jaki use to defend their breeding females from other males. The Mimus Archipelago is the most extreme case since it is also home to several commercial and House-owned resorts. Most ocean-craft are kept docked at this time as jaki are in a highly agitated state and have been known to overturn most small and medium-sized craft. They have also been known to perform riso-assisted lunges at passing hovercraft.

Centauri culture has used the jaki as a symbol of ferocity for centuries. Jaki Squadron, one of the top fighter groups within the Centauri Navy, has a long history of succeeding in their mission at any cost. Based out of the battlecruiser Ferono Des, Jaki Squadron takes on the most difficult assignments available and accomplishes them. This makes the average life expectancy of a Jaki Squadron member is quite low. The most intriguing reference to the jaki is that of Camallo "Jaki," a pirate that harassed the shipping lanes of several powerful Houses in 553-555 A.D. After his successfully attacking a major merchant fleet, an armada was raised by the affected Houses led by Grand Admiral Yendo Dromo. Carnallo fled to the southern islands and split up his small fleet. Each pirate ship was hunted down, and their crews slaughtered. Carnallo's vessel, the Jaki Vikno, was never captured. Rumors tell that Carnallo Jaki found an uncharted island dotted with caves, a mysterious 349th island of the Mimus Archipelago. Within one of those caves lies the results of Carnallo's lifetime of raiding. To this day, Jaki's Treasure has not been found despite extensive scan sweeps and orbital holoimaging.