sapiosexuals: the race

The Dira.

The Dira are a people that, at least according to them, have their roots as far away as Andromeda. None of this is really confirmed, and it's possible that most of the galaxy sees it as a lie they tell to make themselves sound more impressive. That being said, nobody really knows where the diran homeworld is- it's a closely guarded secret.

Dira themselves are bipedal and somewhat humanoid looking, though tend to look much smoother than humans. Everything about them is streamlined, and seemingly meant to invoke ease of movement. Their build tends to reflect their natures- most dira are constantly in motion, and hate being too still for too long. They have a wanderlust ingrained deep within them and typically strive to share what they know with the world at large. These are a people known for their advancements in technology. The dira tend towards art in mechanics, and everything that they create seems to have a purpose.

Ultimately, though, the dira are intellectuals. They crave something that stimulates them on a deep, intellectual level. Dira tend to enjoy conversations that require them to use several parts of their brain and think deeply. Thus, their ideal mates tend to be almost as intelligent as them, or at least exciting enough to make the dira think.

Diran reproduction is, for the most part, nonsexual. When a dira finds their ideal mate, they enter a state of intense focus. This level of focus acts as a high powered microscope, allowing the dira to examine minuscule details, such as the genetic structures of their mate. Once they reach this level of focus, the dira can copy their mate's genome and combine it with their own in their own body. Once the genomes are combined, the dira then can grow the fetus in virtually any environment that is large enough to hold the developing fetus. In essence, all diran children are test tube babies. This allows the dira to reproduce with virtually any species!

This state of focus can only be activated when a dira is considering reproduction. That is, it can only be used to create rather than to destroy. The dira also can reproduce in a traditionally sexual manner, though it is difficult to do so with those that aren't dira themselves. It is difficult to find genitalia that are compatible. They tend to reproduce sexually exclusively with each other. Dira can also reproduce asexually by implanting clones of themselves in environments that can hold the fetus. This is rare, but not unheard of, especially during times of stress.

All diran children, whether half-blooded or full-blooded, tend to have similar traits. While half-blooded dira may not be able to reach the ability of focus as a full-blooded dira, they do typically have more gyri and sulci in their brains than their other parent's species. This means that they're predisposed to be slightly more intelligent than others of their non-diran parent's species, have better memories than those of their non-diran parent's species, and learn things very quickly. Diran children also tend to be wanderers, and hate being tied down to one place. This makes them restless when growing up, and often prone to delinquency if not properly stimulated.