A strange organism that is best known for appearing inexplicably in stations to buy and sell goods. Little is known about their home planet or biology. (non-playable)
Biology
Anatomy
The only known truth about the biology of the Corki is that their body consists of 2 distinct, seperate organisms woring in tandem together. Their furry, chubby bodies are entirely different in makeup from the worm-like tail that extends through that body and ends in the mouth they use to communicate. Despite their main body appearing similar to many other animals and species known to science, this body itself lacks a mouth which which to eat or speak, and acts almost soley as a mode of locomotion and host to sensory organs that the tail organism uses to interface with the universe. The shape and makeup of the main, furred, body varies so heavily that it is a matter of debate whether there are different subspecies of corki or if there is some manner of dimorphism going on.
Appearance
Corkitsit consist of a main, mammal-like body and a worm-like, intelligent tail. The number of limbs, eyes, their height, weight, and even their overall shape is inconsistent among observed individuals so it is futile to try and categorize any one morphology as the "average". The only true consistency is that the worm-like tail is always a blue-ish, purplie-ish color.
Culture
A Shop on Every Station
The Corki are known as the merchants of the galaxy. They appear in neutral territories to set up their shops on stations and outposts and do business with whoever they can. When they appear, they are already fluent in any relevant languages and dressed in ways that convey wealth to their customers. The main goal of any corki shop is the exchange of goods, not the acquisition of money. To some they are regarded more as 'collectors' than merchants. Despite always having ample stock, nothing that a corki sells seems to be of corki origin. Anything they have is made by some other, known, alien civilization, acquired by them, and taken to exchange in some other corner of the galaxy. In a pinch, a corki store is your best bet for finding that object you cannot find anywhere else.
Enigmatic
Corki are elusive and refuse to discuss their origins, motivations, or technology with anyone. Their mysterious nature will often captivate younger researchers, but few maintain this curiosity when faced with how stubborn these little creatures can be.
The tricky aspect to studying the Corki is that the Corki have an uncanny skill to avoid any and all situations where they might be properly studied. This includes never leaving a studyable corpse when and if they die, avoiding medical buildings, and not even leaving stray hairs behind. Attempting to request permission to study or interrogate the corki is a nigh impossible task. It's unknown that they eat, how long they live, or where their home planet is. Corki spacecraft have never been diretly observed despite their habit of frequenting space stations.
History
Where do they Come From?
The Corki have been a part of intergalactic life for as long as the spacefaring speices of the Milky Way have been able to interact. Since they only appear in stations that house multiple civilizations, they only then reveal themselves to the species that have joined the galactic stage proper. Records of Corki merchants exist in the Sol sector before the residents of that sector had met those of the Choir sector, and the Choir sector in the times when it was just the Krakki and Glyeans at war. In both cases, the existence of the yet unmet species of the galaxy was never revealed or hinted at. To this end, perhaps the Corki also do business with civilizations the greater alliance has yet to discover. If this is the case, they will certainly never speak of it.
