The Centauri are the one of the younger races and originate from the planet Centauri Prime in Sector 130.
Biology
The Centauri are bipedal humanoids, in appearance similar enough to humans that the species can easily pass for one another under casual inspection. [1] During The Third Age of Mankind was the average lifespan of Centauri around 150 earth years. [2]
Outer reproductive organs of Centauri males are consisting of six tentacle-like genitals 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. [3] Females have six narrow receptive orifices, three on either side of the base of the spine, just above the hips. [4] During sexual intercourse the male places the tentacles in the female orifices individually.
A Centauri bipulmonary 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. Their network of blood vessels is also somewhat different than in humans, as they do not have major blood vessels in their wrists. [5]
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. [1]A rare few Centauri, exclusively female, have very strong prophetic abilities. These females are often given a special status in Centauri society that is much higher than would normally be given to a female. [6]
Some Centauri have telepathic ability. Like humans, the degree of telepathic ability varies with the individual. The Centauri Emperor Turhan always had four female telepaths in his court, who had been trained since birth to be continuously mind-linked. When he traveled, two went with him and two remained at the royal palace, allowing rapid communication between the Emperor and Centauri Prime. [7] The widow of Emperor Turhan, Lady Morella, is said to have had extensive telepathic abilities, to the point where she was considered a great prophet. She also acts as if she speaks for both herself and her late husband. [8]
Technology
Centauri technology is very advanced in comparison with technological level of other younger races. Most of their latest ships are powered by gravimetric engines and are equipped with artificial gravity.
Culture
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 except for a knot of hair in the back. [9]
Religion
Centauri religion is polytheistic in nature.
Food and Drink
- Brivari: Potent alcoholic beverage. Often reserved for special occasions.[10][11]
- Hot Jala: Frothy, green and sweet alcoholic beverage, usually served hot.[12]
- Spoo: Gray meat dish, preferably aged. A staple of Centauri cuisine.[13]
- Treel: Meat dish from a green and white fish-like creature. Served encrusted with pasta in a tawloo fat sauce.[14]
- Snicks: Sweetened doola nuts and flibies (tree nuts) with a crispy coating.[15]
- Jurbeen: A popular recipe among minor functionaries of the Royal Court that features chunks of smoked Treel in a cheese and rikling sauce.[16]
- Japoti: A sweet pastry dish that is considered an excellent accompaniment to Hot Jala.[17][16]
- Pinaldi: A savoury pastry dish filled with a variety of cheeses, foolash and irradiated watsuls. It was known to have been a particular favourite of Emperor Turhan.[16]
- Roopo balls: A dish, identical to Narn breen and Earth swedish meatballs.[16]
History
Early history
During their early history, the Centauri warred with and exterminated another sentient species, called the Xon, on their homeworld. [18]
Galactic Empire
They once controlled a vast galactic empire. The empire went into decline over a century before Babylon 5 was built, but they remain a major power. One of their most infamous conquests was the Narn homeworld. This invasion spawned a great hatred between Narns and Centauri, that continued long after the Narns drove the Centauri off their world. [19]
Contact with Humans
The Centauri were the first open alien contact made by Earth. They claimed at first that Earth was a lost Centauri colony, because of their external similarity to humans, but this was disproven when human scientists analyzed Centauri DNA. The false claim was then blamed on a clerical error that had mislabelled the planet. [1]
Involvement in Earth-Minbari War
The Centauri advised Earthforce to give the Minbari a wide berth, but this fell on deaf ears. During the Earth-Minbari War, they refused to supply Earthforce with weapons, fearing Minbari ire. The Narns supplied the humans with weapons of Centauri make, so that the Minbari would blame the Centauri if those weapons fell into their hands. A secret attempt at diplomatically resolving the war, set up with the aid of the Narns, was stealth-attacked by a Centauri ship, as the Centauri believed it to be a meeting for the purpose of human-Narn arms trading. Humans and Minbari blamed each other for the attack, and so the meeting was a failure. [20]
Babylon 5
Once Babylon 5 was established, the Centauri Republic sent Ambassador Londo Mollari as their representative. [19]Ambassador Mollari's alliance with the Shadows through their human agent Morden proved very profitable to the Centauri Republic at first, as it allowed them to reconquer the Narns and begin expanding their empire once more, into the space of other races. [21][7] However, the Shadow alliance eventually led to disaster. Centauri Prime was forced to play host to Shadow ships during the close of the Shadow War, attracting the genocidal attention of the Vorlons. [22] Ambassador Mollari's actions in removing the Shadow ships from his world made Centauri Prime the target of vengeance from the Shadows' dark servants, the Drakh, after the Shadows themselves left the galaxy and their homeworld Z'ha'dum was destroyed.
People
Notable Centauri include:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Midnight on the Firing Line
- ↑ JMS Post on CIS - 2/11/1996 1:18:00 PM
- ↑ The Quality of Mercy
- ↑ JMS Post on GENIE - 8/17/1994 5:28:00 PM
- ↑ In the Kingdom of the Blind
- ↑ Signs and Portents
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Coming of Shadows
- ↑ Point of No Return
- ↑ JMS Post on GENIE - 12/24/1993 7:19:00 PM
- ↑ Knives
- ↑ The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari
- ↑ Born to the Purple
- ↑ A Tragedy of Telepaths
- ↑ TKO
- ↑ Falling Toward Apotheosis
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Dining on Babylon 5
- ↑ Knives
- ↑ The Parliament of Dreams
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 The Gathering
- ↑ In the Beginning
- ↑ Chrysalis
- ↑ Into the Fire
Other Sources
| Major Races | ||
| Ancient Races | ||
| First Born · Vorlon · Shadow · Walkers of Sigma-957 · Thirdspace Aliens · The Hand · Asmodeus' race | ||
| Major Races: | ||
| Minbari · Centauri · Human/Neanderthal · Narn · Dilgar · Drakh | ||
| League/Alliance Races: | ||
| Drazi · Brakiri/J/Lai · Gaim · pak'ma'ra · Abbai · Yolu · Hyach/Hyach-do · Markab · Llort · Grome · Hurr · Cascor · Balosian · Onteen · Iksha · Vree | ||