Cephalon

"That's cryptic even for a giant floating four-dimensional sack of brains. Think you can translate the translation?"

- Den Dhur to Laranth Tarak, after viewing a translated message from a Cephalon

Cephalons were a sentient alien species that had ganglionic intelligence, with multiple sub-brains that sent information to a central brain. Cephalons had no visible sensory organs, and to communicate with other beings their thoughts had to be translated by a computer. They also perceived the galaxy in four dimensions, resulting in an inability to specify past or future-tense ideas.

Cephalons were present in the galactic community by 19 BBY. At least one Cephalon opposed the Empire, as it joined a resistance movement known as Whiplash.

Biology and appearance
"It makes no sense. Actually, it's even worse than that. It makes anti-sense."

- Den Dhur, on Cephalons' ganglionic intelligence

Cephalons were a sentient alien species with ganglionic intelligence&mdash;they had a large, sessile, central brain which was connected to a series of multiple semi-autonomous sub-brains, each collecting information and sending it to the main brain, which was the only brain capable of conceptualization. Cephalons were sessile and globe-shaped, with randomly-placed tentacles, antennae, and chelae, and no visible sensory organs common to other species&mdash;such as eyes or noses. They lived in large tanks of sulfate and methane, and their mouth consisted of a baleen plate that strained microorganisms from the tank around it.

Cephalons' consciousness perceived the galaxy in four dimensions, seeing time in the way that most other species saw space. Because of the way that they viewed time and space, Cephalons were unable to specify past or future tenses. In order to communicate with other beings, the thoughts of Cephalons had to be translated by a computer and projected onto a monitor. However, because of their complex, four-dimensional perception, computers were often unable to effectively translate their thoughts, and the resulting statements were often very confusing.

History
"Elaboration is/was/will be unnecessary. Sentients are/have been/shall be non-united. Point-pattern at now contingent modalities nonviable. As yet point-pattern in noncollapsed state. Probability matrices undefined. I/we apperceive discontinuity. Suggest cautious/passive/observational mode."

- A Cephalon, to Dhur and Tarak

Cephalons were a part of the galactic community by 19 BBY. Due to their inability to speak, they didn't have a name for themselves, and thus were only called Cephalons&mdash;which meant "head" in Oldspeak Basic&mdash;by the other beings of the galaxy. They were studied extensively by the Galactic Empire, whose scientists managed to detect nine distinct emotional states in Cephalons, of which only three remotely resembled those experienced by humanoids.

At least one Cephalon lived on the galactic capital of Coruscant around 19 BBY. This Cephalon was opposed to the newly-established Empire and joined Whiplash, an underground resistance movement on Coruscant dedicated to helping enemies of the Empire flee the planet. This Cephalon was visited by two Whiplash members, the Gray Paladin Laranth Tarak and ex-journalist Den Dhur, who hoped to receive the Cephalon's assistance in finding the best route to get their clients offworld. However, due to the Cephalon's complex perception of the galaxy, they were unable to effectively communicate with it.

Behind the scenes
Cephalons made their first and only appearance in Michael Reaves' 2008 novel, Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows, the second installment in the Coruscant Nights trilogy.

Appearances

 * Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows