I've been permanently exiled from my hive on the planet Li-Toran and have found freedom in the galaxy to be worthwhile, though lonesome. I do miss the feeling of home and being around my own kind. This galaxy is filled with creatures who seem to be quite different from me in how they perceive their environment.

I've found income through multiple means: Helping put parts together for machinery, tracking bounties a bit in the outer rim and even a couple jobs that took me into the core worlds, and a few other gigs got me by for a time. Recently I've been working under Gorga the Hutt. It's not the most rewarding work in the galaxy but it beats going hungry. I'm able to stay somewhere every night that's an alright shelter and make my way through the alleys of this desert planet.

I'm currently contracted by Gorga to perform whatever duties he and his underlings deem necessary. My specialty is tracking down those who owe him or have crossed him and bringing them back, mostly alive, sometimes just a recognizable piece will do. I prefer solo work, though sometimes the choice is out of my hands. Stalking is best done in the company of oneself and nature alone. My species has an inherent talent for tracking, as the sense of smell is our organic means of communication. If given a piece of clothing, belonging, even an item touched by an individual (now to be clear, a doorknob is not particularly preferable, but perhaps a favored relic or statue, something that hasn't had everyone else's grubby claws on it), I can track them (most of the time) to their current destination.

Some beings think my species to be blind...

We are far from it. The presence of eyes does not give one sight. While the Melitto species does not naturally have eyes, we use our other senses to navigate. With our impeccable sense of vibrations as well as electromagnetic fields, and the use of our olfactory scenses, we have sight beyond that of the eyed creature. From my experience, the universe has only taken advantage of those with eyes, while the rest of us maneuver seemingly unnoticed, beneath the glow and striking visuals of holo ads, in the peripherals of those scantily-clad beings with the powers of seduction..

Not to give away trade secrets or anything, but since I'll probably be the only one who ever reads this, I've never liked striking in public either. I'd much prefer "watching" from the shadows in a target's favored cantina, waiting till they're walking through an alleyway inebriated, and blasting them while there aren't any around to give way to further combat. You start blasting in a public place and that's when things can go sour quickly, bounty or not.

My kind aren't much for sentiments such as love lives or favored pastimes..we're a bit more utilitarian than that. Or maybe it's our hive-mentality.. In any case, working suits me just fine. I'd rather be on a job than on some space yacht wasting my life away, I don't know how else to put it.

Type: Code; Specific: Survival

Just because I'm exiled doesn't mean I'm worthless. I have honor in my existence. Living another day, working for myself and doing something I excel at, these both give me great pride. I am not only living for myself; I am an example of my species, my hive, and what we are capable of...our strength.

Exiled:
In my culture, when a hive fills up, it becomes time to find a new home. Sometimes, disputes can also cause exile. My case is the latter.

I will say, however, that although sometimes I do miss the comforts of being around my own kind...I've found exile to be quite the experience. I'm starting to wonder if colony life was ever really for me.

I mean sure, of course: I wouldn't be complaining if I'd found a mate perhaps and had a normal life, procreating, being a proud member of society, etc. but I have to say.. this life has proven much more exciting (if a bit dangerous sometimes) than life at home. And besides, I can't go back. Exile means exile. Permanently.


Contracted:
Contracted by Gorga the Hutt and that's how I'm getting by at the moment. Getting a semi-liveable wage that's based on jobs accomplished, and there's plenty of work to be done.

Insects evolved to deal with hot and dark conditions, the Melittos are cold-blooded and cannot see. Instead, they use cilia, short strands that cover their body which are capable of sensing vibrations, electrical fields, and scents. This combination is often more effective than sight, especially when it comes to identifying individuals and detecting chemicals. For males, the cilia also detect the pheromones from the females who control them. Cilia are colored for young Melittos but become gray for adults. They are also covered in grayish chitin, hard plates that resemble large scales. They survive by eating sugars in liquid form, which they get from the sap of a coral-like organism called bleeding rock. They also require a number of the toxins in their environment, such as smoke. Melittos in a normal environment use masks to supply these toxins and convert food into sweet liquids.

Society:
Similar to Selonians, Melittos have a hive-based society. Each hive is ruled by a single queen, who then commands young females called myrmitrices. These myrmitrices use pheromones to control the males, called myrmites. Myrmites make up a majority of the population and conduct all of the work. This mostly includes farming the sap of the bleeding rocks, a very difficult process. All Melittos are also prone to resolving conflict violently. Such radical sociology makes it hard for them to get along with non-Melittos.

Ronin in the Galaxy:
When a hive gets too large, one or more myrmitrices are exiled, and they take their myrmites with them. Typically, multiple groups of these exiles form a single new hive, and the females battle for power. Males on the losing side are exiled permanently, and they are hiveless ronin, free of any myrmitrice’s control. This can mean freedom: Ronin can leave their home and live independently or join adoptive hives offworld. There are even rumors of a ronin-only hive on Li-Toran. However, it can also mean a life of slavery, since the Empire values their immunity to toxins.

Homeworld:
Melittos come from the volcanic planet of Li-Toran. Fumes fill the air, and all Melittos live underground. It has a single Imperial garrison called Dometown.

Language:
Melittos speak via smell, using a language of pheromones. Often, their breath masks can convert verbal Basic to smells and vice versa.