Government: Individualism. The Pak'ma'ra have a saying which roughly translates as "Pak'ma'ra, all same, all different". Understanding this philosophy is essential to understanding the Pak'ma'ra government. When the other races first contacted the Pak'ma'ra they asked to speak to their leaders and were presented to an old Pak'ma'ra named something which sounded roughly like "Ssh'ssh'ya'ssh". The next time they asked to speak to a Pak'ma'ra leader they were presented to yet another Pak'ma'ra with a completely different name. They soon realized that "leader or ruler" meant nothing to the Pak'ma'ra. Anyone who wishes can speak for the entire race, since Pak'ma'ra are all the same. However as they are also different, this "spokesman" can take no action on anything until ALL Pak'ma'ra consider the subject.
In time other governments figured out they could deal with specific groupings among the Pak'ma'ra and actually achieve what passed for treaties. The section on social structure will classify this further.
Religions: The Pak'ma'ra have no organized religion at all. If anything could be considered sacred to them, it would be the idea. They believe thought is the spirit.
Social structure: The Pak'ma'ra civilization has existed for about 2,000 years, changing very little until their contact with other races.
Pak'ma'ra live alone or at most with one other of their race, called Nish'ka, the thought mate. There is no concept of marriage, the thought mate is simply a very close friend. Pak'ma'ra habitats are usually organic, caves, grottoes, etc. A clustering of these habitats forms a sort of a village.
These villages have gathering places during which tasks are divided up by mutual agreement. Thus one group of Pak'ma'ra may provide food, another may build, a third may engage in research, a fourth in teaching, etc. These tasks are worked at diligently for however long they take. Then there is rest and meditation and discussion until needs arise again at which point the Pak'ma'ra gather again and divide the tasks, however they may fall to different Pak'ma'ra this time.
Once or twice each Pak'ma'ra year the inhabitants of the village gather at a designated location to discuss their lives and share any new knowledge gained. Once every five years, all Pak'ma'ra journey to a massive plain to do likewise.
It was the realization that the Pak'ma'ra are an almost completely task-oriented society which made interaction with them possible. For example, traders in foodstuff found that they could bargain with whatever group was dealing with food production at the moment and make an agreement which would be honored by whatever group took on the task next. This led to speculation that the Pak'ma'ra possessed a hive mind. But research showed that this was untrue. In essence, the Pak'ma'ra have a hive-mentality, they do share all knowledge but it is not automatic. Many also believe the Pak'ma'ra are telepathic within their own species but the fact that they have a very complex spoken language tends to belie that theory. The Pak'ma'ra have no written language.
When the Pak'ma'ra first met other races it was a jolt to their concept of the universe. Faced with an influx of new ideas, many of which they could not grasp, the Pak'ma'ra became curious. After long debate they decided to add a task to their lives, the task of discovery. Pak'ma'ra were sent all over the galaxy simply to observe other beings and hear new ideas. These ideas would be brought back to the homeworld and debated. Those which seemed logical were then adapted into Pak'ma'ra culture, though very slowly. This change is continuous and no one can quite guess where it might lead in the future.
Technology: They are not very advanced, having had interstellar flight for only about 75 years. Pak'ma'ra technology is all based on crystalline power sources, similar to the Centauri and Minbari power sources. The Pak'ma'ra concentrated most of their technology on transportation and communication. Ranged weaponry was also a priority. However like their social structure this changed upon first contact when they recognized new needs.
Military: The Pak'ma'ra have no interest in conflict but when they began interacting with other races they saw a need to defend themselves. Their ships are surprisingly fast but not very maneuverable. They are however heavily armed and their weapons pack a heavy punch. Their ground defenses are even deadlier and the rugged terrain and dense atmosphere of their home planet make invasion unlikely for any but the most powerful race.
