Tagata Malaga

The Northup Alliance Phase class FourDrive enabled vessels are the largest craft built by them, and the most commonly used spacecraft used to travel between star systems. 25 kilometers long, and almost 15 kilometers in diameter, they can take hundreds of smaller vessels inside of them, to make the jump between systems. Hundreds of thousands of these craft exist, maybe millions, and some of them are thousands of years old. Whilst nominally under the command of the Alliance Military and with the majority of command posts held by Alliance military personnel, most of the basic functions within Phase carriers are operated by the descendants of those who first operated them, when the craft was first constructed. The vessels are so large that entire communities live, work and die on them, and centuries, perhaps even thousands of years have led to a unique culture being formed; the Tagata Malaga, or the 'Travellers'.
Ensuring their culture is passed on, members of the Tagata Malaga transfer between vessels as often as they can and are accepting of anyone who wishes to join their way of life, so long as their traditions are upheld, and the work is done. Most people travelling between star systems will never even meet the Tagata Malaga, but they perform a vital role in the functioning of trade and transport in the Northup Alliance. A people without a homeworld or even a stationery place to hail from. They are true children of space.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Tagata Malaga speak a creole of many different languages mixed in together, an artefact of their widespread heritage. Some variations occur between vessels, particularly for items or instances that are location specific, or when a vessel does the same routine runs over and over and is exposed to the same influence continuously.
As a requirement of their position on the Phase vessels, members of the community who wish to ascend into command roles, or interactions with formal military ship crew, must also learn Standard Alliance, and refrain from lapsing into Tagata Malaga creole when on duty.

Shared customary codes and values

The most primary aspect of Tagata Malaga culture is treating their vessel with respect, and recycling of any and everything that can be recycled, making the ship a closed system as much as possible. Tagata Malaga know that without their craft, their way of life is impossible, and that mistreatment of the vessel might see their unique status in the Northup Alliance taken away from them.

Average technological level

The Tagata Malaga have no interest in progressing their technology, and most will use and operate advanced machinery without any idea how it works, and zero inclination to find out. The creole word 'ragbana' is used to describe anything that functions in a manner that the Tagata Malaga do not know, or wish to find out. Despite this, the Alliance Military trusts the Tagata Malaga to perform their functions flawlessly, and it is very rare when they betray that trust.

Common Dress code

Practical and comfortable is key to almost all Tagata Malaga aesthetics, and clothing is no different. When on work duty, they wear simple jumpsuits, often colour coded to indicate which function on the vessel they are responsible for. Most Tagata Malaga also adorn their outfit with family markings, age indicators, and popular culture references, something indulged by their non-Tagata Malaga commanders for the morale boost it gives.
Off duty, Tagata Malaga clothing is a typically loose and flowing, to better take advantage of the reduced gravity, and show off colours, patterns and styles.

Common Taboos

Waste of any kind is perceived as a heinous break from Tagata Malaga customs, and continued violation of this most sacred of obligations will see an individual ostracised and cast out of Tagata Malaga culture. An individual who deliberately forsakes their final duty in allowing their body to be recycled after death has their name removed from the history of the Tagata Malaga, but an individual whose body is lost through no fault of their own is mourned doubly deeply.