Kovali

A member of HamiltonAlts

Who are we, but mem'mries over time,
The sum of circumstances? Thought the bird
He spiraled lazy circles o'er the rhyne
Testing aer'dynamic he must learn.

Name: Kaltano "Kovali"
Height: 106 cm
Weight: 8 kg
Pronouns: He/Him

Spacefarer

Kovali is an Avali, born and raised far from the core of Avali space. He spent most of his life amongst a loose cluster of orbiting habitats. He studied physics, though mostly worked as a mechanic for the myriad of ramshackle shuttles that transited the void between stations.

When the Xipi Totec visited the system he took affinity with the alien vessel. Seeing an opportunity for adventure (not to mention finally getting to use his knowledge of physics and mechanics in a more fulfilling way than wage-slavery), the avali joined the ship's crew as the 2nd Watch propulsion officer, with side-duties as a mechanic. To help accomodate his unique climate preferences he was given a full segment of the terraria in the forward ring to make his own.

Biology

Kovali is an Avali, and thus has a rather unique biology. He has ammonia-based proteins, rather than water (what Earth-life uses). His core body temperature fluctuates around 230 Kelvin (-43° C). However, he had augmentation surgery at a young age to install a thin thermal management system just under his skin. It's one part insulation, one part heat-pump to keep his internal temperature from getting too high.

Inside him is what one might expect, albeit a fair bit colder than what one might be used to. His inner flesh is a soft purple, protected by a thick, frigid mucous membrane that more closely resembles mollusc-slime than snot. He has a monogastric stomach, and has only a limited ability to digest plant-matter.

Typically his diet consists of protein-rich foods, though meat (both ammonia-based and water-based) is typically a rarity in space-habs. He's gotten used to plant-based proteins (it's the cellulose that gives his gut trouble). The upshot of eating mostly processed plant-based meat substitute is that it doesn't matter whether the original material was ammonia-based or not; it's all the same proteins in the end. Even still, he does enjoy actual meat when he can eat it. He can and sometimes does eat it raw (the experience is similar to you eating meat at around 100° C), though he prefers what water-based people would consider refrigerated, or even flash-frozen (to prevent ice crystals from getting too big).

Attire

When lounging in his room, Kovali prefers loose-fitting clothing: robes and the like. When out and about, however, he prefers tighter, more insulating clothing. He still has some of his outfits from his days as a mechanic, including a hard-shell environment suit for use in EVA and other hazerdous conditions. This is your typical Avali EVA suit, including soft-seal slits for his wing-feathers. More commonly, however, he wears a white-and-orange outfit made for him aboard the Xipi Totec. This consists of a tighter (though not compression-suit-tight like the other crewmembers wear) insulating underlayer, with a pocketed vest and pants. The underlayer uses active cooling, powered by a small pack he attached to his hip, which makes it feel a fair bit warmer than room temperature.

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