Gand

Gand
Homeworld	Gand
Language	Gand language
Average height	1.6 meters
Skin color	Green
Distinctions	Exoskeletons
Races	Lung possessing, lungless
Famous members	Zuckuss ; Ooryl Qrygg ; Vaabesh ; Lu'daal-ud ;

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This article is about the species. You may be looking for the planet of the same name.

Gands were sentient insectoid species who evolved on the ammonia-gas planet Gand. There were two main sub-species of Gands: those with lungs and those without lungs. Gands with lungs were used to Gand's atmosphere, but like Kel Dors, they required a special breathing gear if they wanted to leave Gand to manage potentially poisonous offworld gas mixtures. Gands without lungs had special regeneration properties.

[edit] Biology and appearance

Vaabesh, a Gand Jedi Padawan.

Gands were stocky insect-like humanoids covered in a chitinous exoskeleton and could see in the ultraviolet spectrum. They possessed large, bug-like eyes and only three fingers on each hand. These digits are capable of punching through stormtrooper armor, as evidenced by Ooryl Qrygg, a Gand pilot with Rogue Squadron, on the planet Talasea.^[1] The subspecies that didn't have lungs did not respire, as they obtained all the metabolic ingredients they need through the ingestion of their food. This made lungless Gands immune to poisonous gasses. Usually, they spoke Gand, but to speak with other beings they required the aid of a muscular gas bladder that allowed them to, among other things, draw in gases and expel them at a controlled rate through pieces of their exoskeleton that vibrated to approximate speech. These Gands also made use of translator vocoders to compensate for their lack of vocal cords.

Gands needed only a fraction of the amount of sleep needed by Humans, and were able to 'store' sleep to use in times when they would not be able to get much rest.

Lungless Gands also possess remarkable regenerative abilities; Ooryl Qrygg, was able to grow a severed arm back within months, although he was assisted by a bacta cast. The exoskeleton appeared more pale and chalky in hue than normal until the regeneration process was complete.^[1]

Many Gands (also bounty hunters) who left on Nar Shaddaa regularly visited Jekk'Jekk Tarr where they could find gas fumes similar to these present on their homeworld. Some of them were probably killed by the Jedi Exile during her search for Quarren Visquis.

[edit] Society and culture

A Gand Jedi during the Clone Wars.

Gand society placed heavy importance on the achievements of an individual and held that an individual had no name, and thus no worth, until he proved otherwise. Young or unproven Gands were all called "Gand," a first feat earned the use of a family surname, and a second allowed for the use of a chosen first name, all with third-person self-reference. A storied Gand could earn the right to use the first person after many feats and accomplishments and the ritual aptitude test, the Janwuine-jika. If a Gand were ashamed of his actions, it would reduce his name to earlier stages when talking about himself. Use of the first person was considered arrogant, as it implied those a Gand was speaking to should already know his identity. Once a Gand became janwuine, this was considered a reasonable presumption, as all other Gands would know his name and accomplishments.

[edit] Findsman

Within Gand society, a select few felt the call to the path of the Findsman. A Findsman interpreted the movements of gases on Gand to predict the location of criminals. Part shaman, part law enforcer, a Findsman would augur the location of a fugitive, track him and bring him to justice. The Findsmen were known for being very reliable. Many attributed their success to the Force, believing that Findsmen were actually Force-sensitive. A few Findsmen were led away from Gand by the allure of the galaxy and used their abilities as bounty hunters.