Is Alexa a Stellar Foxtaur? · 8:00pm Apr 6th, 2018
I want your opinions. Those familiar with my Chakat Universe, bear with me for a moment while I explain.
The Federation has many genetically engineered species - the morphs and taurs. Foxtaurs are pretty common, but it's the Stellar Foxtaurs that I am particularly referring to. Stellars are a collection of sub-species that were developed specifically for exploring the frontiers of space and they come in seven different types adapted to different environments. You have already met a Starwalker Breed, but there's another called the Mountain Breed which is what I based Alexa upon. Despite their big differences, there is one trait that they all have in common – they are all hermaphrodites. I very much like the design of Alexa, but I am undecided on whether to make her a hir. It won't change anything with regards to the story, only some personal interactions.
So – what do you think? Is Alexa a foxtaur vixen or a herm?
EDIT 10 April – It has been decided: Alexa is Mountain Breed Stellar Foxtaur with a Red Foxtaur mother.
With hir last name i kind of assumed shi was a mountain breed of Stellar Foxtaur
Her coloration looks so much like Kacey Miyagami’s artwork for the Mountain breed stellar foxtaur (NSFW image) that at first, I thought that was the case. When I read through the story where she was referred to as a “she,” then I corrected my perception.
Reflecting upon it now, I have a couple of thoughts. In Life’s Dream, are standard foxtaurs described as having main body colors of shades of red or orange? Also, despite the low numbers of foxtaurs who have left Earth because of Territorial Attachment Syndrome, aren’t foxtaurs the most numerous taur in the Federation? If so, haven’t they been under-represented so far in the story?
Considering what we know of stellars she better fits with them. While foxtaurs are very nudist they aren't to the degree that Stellars are and gives that voxxian jerks quip at her more meaning. TAS and wanderlust aren't issues with Stellars and considering stellars are supposed to be a hybrid of chakat thinking and foxtaur thinking would make better suited for anbassador then a pire foxtaur would. While she could be a standard everything i have read before on older works and what you reveal here a Stellar fits better.
4834479
4834499
I concur. Indeed, I honestly thought the 'she' was a typo. As I remember, Stellars are also either less susceptible or immune to TAS. That would make a Stellar *far* more likely to be a star-faring diplomat.
4834497 We don;t know what is the most numerious taur species but we do know most Foxtaurs are subject to Territorial Attachment Syndrome.
4834504 4834499 While a Stellar Foxtaur fits and is more likely with TAS.. There have been those that escaped that.. Also seems if they don't settle into an area for while as a young adult TAS is less likely to form
I was wondering about this. I simply took the writing at face value, and assumed she was not a stellar, and I tend to think that that is actually more interesting than if she is a stellar, on account of it would have likely been harder for her to get where she is than it would be for a stellar.
Also I seem to recall the mountain breed was supposed to have a fairly compact build, where her illustration is more leggy, and the text as written doesn't mention her height or build much at all, which I would expect it to have if she were noticably short or stocky.
Of course she could always have had mixed parentage.
I'm cool either way, but I think she ought to be a vixen.
4834507
Yup, I remembered that. Garrek, Lorene, Weaver, Greysocks, Redtail, Beechwood, and Tauna immediately come to mind. :) That said, we do know that standard foxtaurs without TAS are rare.
4834528 You also have Malena, Kassi and Zendak..
When I saw the image, I immediately thought stellar foxtaur. I thought it would be fitting for one to represent Earth in that capacity. As for Alexa being referred to as she, maybe shi has a complete affinity to hir female side and isn't as comfortable being referred to in the herm way.
4834479
Yep. Definitely Mountain-breed Stellar Foxtaur. Got the looks, the moves, and the cute grin to boot
4834512
Mm, unless I'm mis-remembering, I thought the stellar breed true, like the chakats. The child of a stellar with a non-chakat derived taur would always be a stellar. But, like I said, I could be remembering wrong.
That said, she does look a bit lankier then then the mountain stellars, regardless, female or herm works for the character.
Honestly, I could see that, though I kinda want her to be a regular foxtaur who simply is one of the foxtaurs without TAS - if nothing else than because I'm a sucker for characters who go against the grain.
4834528 Eh, even with foxtaurs without TAS being rare, there's probably more than enough foxtaurs around for the exceptions to still number in the millions.
Edit: 4834540 That really appeals to me too.
Ultimately it is up to you Goldfur of your choice, but the artwork for her does look like she would be a mountain breed. And you haven't shown many different subspecies of foxtaur except for orange, red, pygmy or artic types.
4834565
I'm pretty sure you're right, though what I meant was different varieties of stellar, like say, veldt+mountain.
Maybe?
4834595
I too am a sucker for against the grain characters...
self identifying as female would be pretty interesting
Here's a thought: aren't most stellars going to be on colony worlds, around this timeframe? Worlds which would probably not be overly concerned with diplomacy? It seems to me that a foxtaur introduced as "from Earth" might be more likely not to be a stellar.
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Stellar Foxtaurs are always the same subspecies as their mother, I believe it was mentioned in a story about a plains stellar foxtaur trader who went around to all the different biomes they'd colonized having sex with them as part of her deals.
4834497
Yes but they are such a small minority and again gives the voxxians quip about clothes more sting since Stellars are concerned when non stellars came to their colony that they be forced to curtail it.
Herm, definatly a Herm ;p I'm not biased or anything
At the end of the day, it is your call, Goldfur. For my penny on the thought of changing her. Don't.
As much as I like herms, I feel it'd make more sense for Earth's representative amongst the diplomats, particularly in that she was the second most senior, to be of an older species than the stellar breeds.
As such, my vote has to go with her being a foxtaur vixen.
Could always have her as a mountain breed that for some reason was born with just one gender.
4834734
Snicker
4834889
But remeber it has been some time since they colonizes that one world and not every stellar went.
4835413
While this is true, it's still more likely for her to be an older species. If for no other reason than the simple mire of bureaucracy that comprises any government.
4835612
Trump shows otherwise and again Stellars have been around for twenty or more years