The Bessaji

The Bessaji are a species of humanoids native to a planet orbiting a binary star system. They have developed a high level of technology and now use hyperrocketships to travel to other worlds where they create cities under glass domes. While there is no one dominant government or culture or religion among the Bessaji, they still identify as a strongly united species and do not often mingle with other lifeforms they have encountered. They are generally not violent to other species, but prefer to avoid them altogether. They have set up traps around star systems they have claimed which can depower unauthorized spacecraft, leaving the occupants to die in powerless ships if they try to come to Bessaji space.

The Space Plunderer, opponent of Gus Comet, is a member of the Bessaji race, but he has been exiled and would never be allowed to return to the Bessaji homeworld.

Lucyd Den is a worker on a transport ship working in the star system where the Bessaji homeworld is located. Because it would be unsafe to use hyperrockets within the limits of the system, transport ships travel between the planets at relatively slow speeds, taking months per trip. With so much time spent on their ships, the crews of these ships have basically become cultures of their own. The population of Lucyd Den’s ship is over a thousand. Because populations can increase, the ships feature modular compartments that can be added as needed. Lucyd Den is not liked on the ship and has been strongly considering locating to some other ship, but has to wait months before the option is even possible.

Redish is a Bessaji cyborg. The Bessaji have the technology to combine their computers with biological entities, though many of their cultures prefer not to do it. The colony on the planet Geraasish, however, have found it very helpful to modify their brains. Geraasishians are also, Redish included, more likely to see the value of cooperating with other species, and it is one of the few places where trade with aliens takes place, though it is all kept on the down low.

Besno M’Nwenz is a sort of monk in a religious order that worships the dual stars of the home system, though he lives in a colony on a planet in a single star system. He makes occasional pilgrimages to the home system to see the stars in person, but must always return to his colony to do good works. There, he prays for nothing more than a new star to come mate with the lonely one there.

A Fact About the Bessaji: In their ancient past, before they reached out into the stars, the Bessaji had tails. This feature evolved away during the recorded history of the species, which spans nearly a million years by our reckoning. Ancient depictions of species, even though they are direct ancestors, now seem like a wholly different species.

Universe: Green

Exkibos

The Exkibos live on a planet called Uksteron, a world with an orbit that causes long periods of winter between very hot summers. The Exkibos live in the hottest regions of the planet, and hibernate during the winters. The planet has no satellites, and the only other planets in the system are so distant that the Exkibos have not yet noticed them.

Exkibos are three-legged creatures with a flexible appendage growing from their foreheads. On average, an Exkibo’s height would be about half of that of a human. Exkibo society is one of strict hierarchy, with the ruling class claiming to be descended from legendary heroes, and the vast multitude living in poor conditions to serve the royalty. The heroes of legend may not even have ever existed, but the tales shape modern Exkibo society in many ways.

Edhoo is from a royal family that claim to be descended from a great world-travelling hero who sired many children. Edhoo tries to live by the example of that ancient hero, travelling to other nations and interfering with their affairs in the name of “saving the world” all while trying to mate with whoever is willing. Edhoo is something of a jerk, to be honest.

Ipowwa is from a different royal family, which claims to be descended from the brother of Edhoo’s family. In stories told by Edhoo’s people, that brother was a traitor, but the stories told Ipowwa’s people say that the ancestor’s actions were justified to keep the kingdom safe. In Ipowwa’s time, the kingdom is recovering from a destructive war that wiped out over seventy percent of the population there. Ipowwa is gathering forces to rebuild the kingdom’s fortresses and protect from those who would try to raid the weakened state.

Evlow is one of the lowly non-royal citizens of Uksteron. Living a simple, “small” life in a village by a river. Evlow works hard keeping the land fertile and reaping the various plant-like foods that are grown there. In the nights, Evlow gathers around the fires with friends and family and tells stories and dances. It may not have the intrigue of the “royals”, but Evlow is not unhappy.

A Fact About Exkibos: Exkibos keep pets, including one species of flying creature, called Dsworfs, which they have trained to help them with various tasks, such as carrying things or hunting. Some Dswofs are simply kept as pampered pets with no assigned tasks, but that is mostly among the royals

Universe: Indigo

The 2010 movie Robin Hood is not something I’m willing to talk about at length, but it did have one thing going for it: in this movie, Friar Tuck is a beekeeper. As a way to add some meaning to his life (he describes himself as not being “churchy”), Tuck keeps bees and makes mead from their honey. He says of his bees, “I keep them and they keep me,” and describes them as his family. And naturally when there is a big climactic fight, he throws a couple of skeps into a building to have his bees attack the enemy. All perfectly good stuff for the things I want in a fictional Beekeeper.

Time to rate him.

There’s nothing in this one movie that merits him ranking above 3/5, but Tuck has something that your average 3/5 doesn’t: he is a figure of legend. There are hundreds of interpretations of Tuck, and we must consider the whole canon. In spite of his fatness and frequent drunkenness, he is often shown as a fighter the equal of Robin himself. I’ve seen him as an expert swordsman, I’ve seen him fight with a staff. And even when he is portrayed as a comical blunderer, he is still willing to fight for what is right. His monastic position would make him much more educated than most of his fellows of the era, and hatred of corruption in the Church seems like an excellent outlet for Beekeeper Rage. Throughout the legends there is definitely enough there to rank him a 4/5.

The important thing is that we, the loyal fans of the Beekeepers, try to make sure that the idea of Tuck as a Beekeeper remains part of the legend. He’s a public domain figure. We can do it. Please don’t let this movie be the only depiction of Beekeeper Tuck we ever have.