Shashay

Shashay
Biological classification
Designation	Sentient
Classification	Avian
Physical characteristics
Average height	1.3–1.6 meters
Feather color	White and red
Eye color	Dark
Distinctions	Sharp beak and long tail Thick plumage and wings for gliding Two pairs of taloned limbs Affinity for singing and astrogation
Sociocultural characteristics
Homeworld	Crytal Nest
Language	Shashay language

"This is a special bulletin concerning the disappearance of the great Shashay performer, Crying Dawn Singer. As we reported earlier, Crying Dawn Singer was abducted just minutes before a command performance for Moff Owen at the opening ceremonies for the SecPAC. The parties responsible for his disappearance have now made themselves known."

―A Rayter Sector News report on the disappearance of a Shashay cultural hero (extract)

The Shashay were sentient avians indigenous to Crytal Nest. They were renowned for their natural skills as singers and astrogators, giving them the common nickname of Space Singers. They had a reputation for fiery tempers and a strong loyalty to their species.

In an attempt to prevent the Galactic Empire from plundering their home planet, the Shashay kept the planet's galactic coordinates secret—to the point of not trusting that information to navigation computers and instead relying only on a Shashay navigator's memory for astrogation. The Alliance to Restore the Republic, noticing that the Shashay disliked the Empire as much as they did, approached the Shashay and tried to convince them to join their faction, with partial success: The governing Nestmothers of the Shashay did not want a Rebel base in Crytal Nest until the Rebellion could demonstrate its might, but several Shashay navigators and pilots were assigned to Rebel starships.

Despite their dislike for the Empire, the Shashay still sent artists to perform in Imperial space. One of these was the cultural hero Crying Dawn Singer, who was kidnapped by Yearo Seville, a pirate who, following orders from the Empire, pretended to be a leader of the Alliance. The Empire hoped that the Shashay would reject the Alliance from that point on. The Alliance then sent a team to track Seville and rescue Crying Dawn Singer, only to discover a conspiracy among Imperial commanders.

Biology and appearance

"As you know, we have recently begun employing Shashay Space Singers as astrogators on many of our couriers, reconnaissance crafts, and freighters. Their skills have greatly enhanced our efficiency."

―Rebel Commander Zeke Rondel

Shashay had sharp, curved beaks.

Evolving from avians to become sentient beings, the Shashay's reliance on flying diminished and resulted in vestigial wings along their pair of arms; Shashay could glide using "wing feathers" that could retract and stretch out to an elongated tip between the elbow and wrist. Each forearm bent forward and ended with a grasping talon with five digits, including an opposable thumb, while their thick and colorful plumage across their torso extended down to the tip of their broad tail and their thighs—a Shashay's pair of legs each had a joint where the lower leg bent forward and terminated in a grasping foot talon with three forward-facing digits and a smaller backward-facing digit. The Shashay named Crying Dawn Singer had a pair of Human-like legs instead that bent backward at each knee.

A Shashay's head had finer plumage that flowed backward, culminating in a pointed crest. Among them were laid a pair of dark eyes and a sharp beak, with a larger and more curved upper jaw featuring the nares near its base and a point that extended over the lower mandible. The species' avian brains, adapted for flying over three-dimensional terrain, were advantageous for hyperspace travel—the Shashay's natural astrogation capabilities allowed them to grasp the dimension's complexities while other species relied on navigation computers. The Shashay also had intricate vocal cords and were known for their exquisite singing of complex musical compositions and graceful, stylish movements. The avians were thus often referred to as "Space Singers."

Fiery in temper and loyal to each other, the people had a chirping language and could fight with their beaks and feet talons. Compared to Humans, they commonly walked slower, had less physical strength, and could not speak Galactic Basic Standard—though Shashay could understand the language. Adults stood between 1.3 and 1.6 meters tall, and an individual could typically exert enough energy to glide for twenty-five meters, moving roughly ten meters forward for every five meters of vertical fall.

Society and culture

"In addition to our use of the Space Singers, we are currently negotiating with the Shashay regarding the establishment of a base on their homeworld. Due to the extreme security measures taken by the Shashay to conceal the coordinates of their world, we believe that this base would be totally secure. It is important that our negotiations are not compromised in any way. We desperately need this base."

―Rebel Commander Zeke Rondel

Most Shashay were satisfied with living on their homeworld of Crytal Nest in Wild Space. Organized around Nestclans, the people distilled expensive Idlewil liquor. A few Shashay traders operated quietly on Galactic Republic routes near their native planet, which was governed by the Nestmothers of the Shashay who became increasingly wary of the Galactic Empire. The Shashay had a strong community identity and protected the location of Crytal Nest; fearing exploitation, Shashay astrogators memorized the world's coordinates and would rather die than to reveal their secret.

History

Old Republic days

"Vors, Shashay and Chadra-Fan are among the 10 species labeled as 'at risk' of disease from air pollution that Coruscant planetary standards fail to account for, according to a study released today."

―HoloNet News

The Shashay and nine other species particularly suffered from diseases caused by Coruscant's air pollution, according to a study reported by HoloNet News in the CoCo District (pictured).

A few adventure-seeking Shashay navigated Republic star lanes as traders. They kept a low profile while exploring star systems near Crytal Nest, conducting small-scale collecting of natural resources and trading with smaller and less-established settlements. A number of Shashay lived on the Republic's capital city-planet of Coruscant in the Core Worlds by 22 BBY. On the date 13:3:28 that year, HoloNet News CoCo District Edition on Coruscant reported on a Rhire Medical Academy study about air pollution's disproportionate affect on ten species, among them the Shashay. Based on the Core World Rhinnal, the Rhire Academy's study was published on the same day following an examination of Coruscant middle-class districts—according to HoloNet News, "air pollutants caused by government industrial centers and civic traffic led to 15 times increased likelihood of debilitating respiratory ailments in the identified species."

Among the diseases arising from air pollution under Coruscant's pollution standards were lungrot, dioxo-brionchiectasis shock, silicalung, and hemorrhagic molting. The study recommended that planetary officials redefine their standards and replace outdated thruster propellant–based air buses with repulsorfield units, in line with their realm of responsibility for public transport and industrial quarters. HoloNet News interviewed a CoCo District physician who told his Chadra-Fan patients to wear breathmasks outdoors, and the news outlet additionally reported that Coruscant Health was considering the findings.

Octuptarra droids at the Battle of Coruscant indirectly caused molting among Shashay and other avians living in the capital.

Toward the end of the Republic's Clone Wars against the Separatist Alliance three years later, in 19 BBY, the Separatist Droid Army attacked Coruscant. Among them were octuptarra droids carrying a pathogen that targeted Republic clone troopers. Traces of the virus from destroyed droids mutated following the battle into a variant that infected the Shashay and other avian species, causing an outbreak of molting.

Tunes on Kashyyyk

The Galactic Empire succeeded the Republic at the end of the war and the Shashay were increasingly reclusive in light of the disharmonious New Order. Believing that the Empire would exploit Crytal Nest should it discover the planetary location, they never input that information in any kind of computer. With these measures, the Shashay prevented the Imperial Survey Corps from discovering Crytal Nest. About a decade before the Battle of Yavin, the many years of Shashay starships quietly roaming the Republic and Imperial trade routes stopped when the wider galaxy learned of the species' affinity for singing. The change was sparked by an incident on Kashyyyk in Imperial space, the homeworld of the Wookiee species.

A Shashay's evening of performance on Kashyyyk (pictured at night) spread the good repute of her people's singing.

An incapacitated Shashay scout ship was forced to land on Kashyyyk, where it received repairs from Wookiee volunteers. The Shashay representative insisted on repaying the help. Even though the Wookiees did not have a reputation of giving regard to art, the Shashay spent the evening performing music that fascinated her audience. Indeed, her species' music was widely considered beautiful, and demand for Shashay performers grew strong throghout the Empire. Rightfully worried that the Imperial regime would exploit the Shashay homeworld if it was discovered, the Nestmothers restricted most of the Shashay from leaving their planet. A very popular artist considered the most talented among the Shashay, the cultural hero Crying Dawn Singer, received a special dispensation to perform off-planet, as the Nestmothers understood that he would send useful money back to Crytal Nest, profiting the whole species.

Crying Dawn

"You out there, you Shashay and all your mindless alien friends, you've got money, and we want it."

―Yearo Seville

After the Alliance to Restore the Republic destroyed the Empire's Death Star superweapon at the Battle of Yavin, the Rebellion appealed to the Shashay for help. Initially, the Shashay politely refused. As time went by, however, the Shashay reconsidered their situation because the Empire was becoming more and more heinous in their eyes. The Alliance managed to sign some agreements with the Shashay. First, several Shashay began working for the Alliance as navigators and in other roles, including courier and reconnaissance duties, which increased the Alliance's efficiency. As a part of their accord, the Alliance placed a secret agent, the droid KL-6TLF7V/T, among the entourage traveling with Crying Dawn Singer. The Alliance desired a secret base on Crytal Nest, but the Nestmothers were reluctant to accept; the Shashay required proof of the real potential the Alliance had of winning the ongoing Galactic Civil War.

Crying Dawn Singer (center) takes the stage to perform music.

The Empire suspected that the Alliance was making deals with the Shashay and that they had a secret agent traveling with Crying Dawn Singer, although the Empire could not ascertain the agent's identity. Moff Nile Owen, Imperial ruler of the Rayter sector, was approached by his special assistant Nak Farool, who had an idea to create a rift among the Shashay and the Alliance: The Empire would hire an independent criminal to kidnap Crying Dawn Singer and to broadcast an exorbitant ransom demand to the Shashay, pretending to be a leader of the Alliance. The Empire would then "rescue" Crying Dawn Singer in an elaborate charade, winning the Shashay over and increasing the Empire's popularity. Although Owen approved the operation, Farool was in actuality conspiring to replace Owen with his own brother, Braig Farool, the planetary governor of Narg. After the abduction, Nak Farool would present a public press release, making Owen look apathetic and unworried about Crying Dawn Singer; this would damage Owen's reputation. Nak Farool also arranged to have the kidnapper, sectorial pirate Yearo Seville, deliver the hostage to Narg, not to Owen's headquarters; thus, Farool would get the credit for the rescue. Owen would then be forced to resign and would be replaced by Braig Farool.

Crying Dawn Singer and his entourage were all either kidnapped or killed by Seville in Capital City, moments before a scheduled performance for Owen. Seville took his hostages to an abandoned Imperial base on the world of Najarka, where he killed the remaining members of the entourage. The Nestmothers then asked the Alliance for help. The Alliance got a signal from the transponder in KL-6TLF7V/T and located the droid on Najarka. Alliance commander Zeke Rondel of the Berrol's Donn base ordered the crew of the CRX-Tug Worthless Fool to reach Najarka and rescue both the secret agent and the Shashay.

Song of Rebellion

"Oh, by the way, a lot of the Shashay believed that transmission. We're losing their support. And all those ships they were navigating–they're holding them hostage. If they surrender those ships to the Imperials, then we've lost."

―Colonel Zeke Rondel, Alliance to Restore the Republic

The pirate then took the avian to the Laim system, where he would record the holotransmissions blaming the Alliance, threatening the Shashay and other aliens, as well as requesting twenty billion credits and a base on Crytal Nest as payment. During the recording, Seville shot and stunned Crying Dawn Singer. The pirate then took Crying Dawn Singer to Narg. Farool recorded a staged rescue with Crying Dawn Singer, and then caged the avian alien in his own private zoo in his office. Many Shashay believed Seville's words, leading them to abduct all the Rebel ships on which they were working. They threatened the Alliance to ask Owen for help, offering Owen the ships—something that could mean the end of the Alliance's presence in the sector. The Shashay agreed to turn back the ships to the Alliance if Crying Dawn Singer was rescued.

The Worthless Fool followed Seville's track from Najarka to the Laim system and then to Narg. At the same time, Owen discovered Farool's treachery and his press release. The Moff executed his assistant and took his flagship, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Impending Doom, to Narg: Owen wanted to rescue Crying Dawn Singer himself to regain his lost prestige. The members of the Alliance reached Narg and rescued a very angry Crying Dawn Singer from the clutches of a deranged Farool. They had to dodge a battalion of stormtroopers and TIE fighters sent by Owen, but they managed to leave the planet with Crying Dawn Singer. From that moment on, the Alliance to Restore the Republic had the full respect of the Shashay people.

Behind the scenes

The cover of The Abduction, which introduced the Shashay

The Shashay first appeared in The Abduction, a roleplaying adventure authored by Chuck Truett for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. Published in 1992, the story features Allen Nunis' two illustrations of the Shashay, including Crying Dawn Singer with human-like legs. A more detailed illustration of a Shashay by Brian Schomburg in the 1998 The Roleplaying Game supplement Alien Encounters shows bird-like leg talons. This article assumes the differing depictions to be a variation among the species.

In The Abduction, the player characters are crew members of the Worthless Fool. Should they fail in their mission, Moff Owen grasps Crying Dawn Singer and tortures him to death in an unsuccessful attempt to make him reveal the coordinates of Crytal Nest. After the death of their hero, the Shashay break diplomatic relations with the Alliance and, without their support, the Alliance in the Rayter sector fragments into dozens of independent groups, none able to achieve any major goals.

Appearances

• Study: Pollution Standards Still Endanger Many — HoloNet News Vol. 531 #49 (content now obsolete; backup link)
• The Abduction (also reprinted in Classic Adventures) (First appearance)
• "The Farrimmer Cafe" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 11

Sources

• Alien Encounters
• The New Essential Guide to Droids
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia