Tabelarium Minorum, Lesser void courier

Domain: Michakarya

Kingdom: Animalomorpha

Phylum: Gyriomorpha

(unranked): Ekereomota

Class: Gigaviatora

Order: Velavita

Family: Tractae

Subfamily: Archidomestomorpha

Genus: Tabelarium

Species: T. minorum

Length: 300 to 1 200m

Phenotype Mass: 1 860 000 to 80 100 000 metric tonnes

Payload: 394 000 to 20 400 000 metric tonnes

Total cargo hold volume: 392 000 to 20 400 000 m³

Maximum acceleration: 180 m/s²

Cruise speed: 0.01 to 0.98 c

Effective Cross Section: 7 850 to 102 000 m²

Resonance: Contralto

Conservation status: Least Concern

The lesser void courier (Tabelarium Minorum) is a relatively small member of the hauler family Tractae. It is common throughout the mid peripheral region of the reef and has a distinct black and white dazzle pattern that can be further exaggerated depending on emotional state. However, to many species, at a distance they can appear grey due to relatively fine patterning. It is an obligate consumer, and while young individuals can survive on carrion and small game near a friendly port, a mature specimen is completely dependant on trading services for food and likely to starve if they lack a symbiotic "crew" and does not rapidly find one.

T. minorum have twenty-six golden eyes (although only ten are readily visible), arranged in two gently spiraling curves. They are sometimes confused with juvenile T. vulgaris, but this species has fifty eyes with fourteen prominent arranged in distinctly zigzag curves and somewhat darker patterning. T. minorum have larger f’teropods ("feathers") than related species, especially on the posterior half. They can digest most types of meat, including carrion of most organisms. However in adulthood they avoid bulk carcasses except for heavily processed ones. T. minorum almost always have some form of cybernetic implants, genetic customization tweaks, or other modifications done by the crew.

Among the most social species in the Tractae family, T. minorum communicate via resonance, internal pheromones, and f'teropod positioning displays. Resonance communication is very rich but requires experience or special training to interpret and they therefore mainly communicate indirectly via their crew. They require care by a competent and trained crew to remain healthy and they are known for their loyalty with most individuals becoming emotionally attached to their crew.

They are also politically/economically social and philanthropic due to their long time horizon. Between larger/more industrially developed port stops lesser void couriers will often intersperse visits to smaller ports and are frequently involved in establishing new ones and contacting previously isolated locals.

When they are not docked or holding position they are typically deep in the void in transit. Sometimes their entire purpose of the transit is to perform surveys. While not the fastest member of the group T. minorum have extremely good eyesight and are thus a very common species for large scale mapping and astrometry projects.

T. minorum breed at long term politically stable ports, considering them to be so only after having visited them several times over many centuries, and do not commit until this has been established. The female negotiates with existing political, social, or economic structures for them to take care of an egg. The next male that visits the location that fulfills the criteria the port was given will be allowed to fertilize it. Eggs often lie dormant for decades before being fertilized. The calf is raised in the port and surrounding community and in exchange the calf will give large discounts on services once it has matured. Raising a void courier calf is widely considered a highly lucrative and a widely sought after opportunity, but for a community requires a huge initial capital and can take centuries to produce a net profitable return. Often, instead a small number of wealthy individuals will supply food, in exchange for becoming the initial crew.

Within the Tractae family hybridization is common, and more of these hybrids contain T. minorum than any other single species. Their social and domestic traits can help temper aspects of wild species when forming hybrids, or boost independence and intelligence in more docile species.