| |||||||||||||||||||
Overview
Descendants of the 22nd Century Specialists who revolted against their human masters and achieved civil rights and won a homeworld in the form of Luna.
When mankind resumed mass production of cloned humans for a war against the Kretonians, the Lunites abandoned the Solar Consortium and formed the Free Luna Protectorate.
Not much different in appearance from normal humans, although many are altered based on the specialization of their ancestors.
Racial Origins and Biology
Lunites are in most ways virtually indistinguishable from Earth-stock humans except by a complete genetic analysis, which would reveal some key genetic markers pointing to genetically engineered ancestry.
However most of the original Lunite population descended from specialists created to fight the Human-Zangali War (circa. 2145). These specialist ancestors were genetically engineered for combat in low-G environments, with some models even being enhanced to provide resistance to brief exposure to hard vacuum. This made Lunites very adaptable to low-G environments with minimal adverse health effects.
Lunites have a few characteristics supposedly inherited from their specialist ancestors. A few can still be found possessing thicker-than-normal layers of skin, which were part of the design for protection against hard vacuum... it reduced the likelihood of capillary explosion after loss of air pressure. As there were a great many models of specialists besides just soldiers, there were certain traits or skills that seemed to be very common among Lunites... some made very good soldiers, some made very good accountants or engineers or clerical workers or laborers.
In the post-Sanctuary era, Lunites have had many more generations to distance themselves from their original specialist ancestry. At the same time, however, since the 2800s Luna had been in a cold war with the Solar Consortium, where specialists were routinely in use, and it was not at all uncommon for specialists to be liberated or escape to Luna. When Earth was destroyed, the Consortium fell, and Mars went through its various revolutions and changes, it became commonplace for escaped specialists from Sivad to settle on Luna. So specialists (once being treated to allow reproduction) have periodically been re-inserted into the Lunite gene pool over the last two hundred years, and theoretically intensifying many of the pre-existing traits.
Culture
The history of the lunites, tied closely to Earth, has left the lunites a fragmented down-trodden people. Members of the race (from both the original and alt universes) share a history of conquest, repatriation, conquest (again), disaster and sporadic periods of liberty. However most members of the race can fall into one of two categories, those who're tired and just wish to live in peace with their neighbours, even the Solar Republic, and those who are still fiercely fighting for lunite independence. However even when liberty has been gained in the past the race shows a tendency to divide against itself. Also due to their specialist origins Lunites tended to be single-minded in their pursuits. Lunite culture is not terribly creative, and Lunite artists are rare.
Language
Terran Standard, a descendent of British and American English and heavily influenced by the languages of the old European Union is the language spoken throughout the Lunite habitats. It is also the common language used for business and trade throughout the worlds which originally descended from mankind's exploration and colonization of the Orion Galactic Arm. Those Lunites descended from Moebius Effect Lunites tend to speak an older dialect, significantly less influenced by the other starfaring cultures.
The following terms are common colloquialisms and slang used by Lunites
Fleeter: A member of the Vanguard military forces.
Republican: A person who works for or supports the policies of the Solar Republic.
Holdfast: A shelter, usually located in a habitat's infrastructure tunnels, used as a refuge and sanctuary for those belonging to or sympathising with the ILA.
Larry or Independent Larry: A derogatory term used by Fleeters to refer to members of the Independent Lunite Army.
One of Them: Due to the Moebius Effect, this usually is a reference by a Lunite from one universe for a Lunite from the other universe.