Ketton

Ketton
Biological classification
Designation	Sentient
Classification	Mammal
Physical characteristics
Average height	1.3–1.7 meters
Skin color	Ranging from white to dark brown (exoskeleton)
Distinctions	Chitin-like exoskeleton Four eyes Hollow fangs Three-digit hands
Sociocultural characteristics
Homeworld	Ket
Habitat	Desert

The Ketton were a sentient species from the celestial body Ket of the Inner Rim's Hapes Cluster. Though mammalian, they had an insect-like exoskeleton. Native to the Great Dalvechan Deserts, the Ketton had evolved two pairs of eyes that were slit-like as protection against their habitat's sandstorms, and they also had long, hollow fangs that could be used to suck liquids from succulent plants. The Ketton had a nomadic society and were solitary beings by nature. By 2 ABY, the Ketton Derrida was an informant and spy who operated aboard the Kwenn Space Station and elsewhere.

Biology and appearance

The Ketton were a sentient mammalian species who were native to the Great Dalvechan Deserts of the celestial body Ket, situated in the Inner Rim's Hapes Cluster. They stood 1.3 to 1.7 meters tall and had a resilient chitin-like exoskeleton that resembled that of many insects and ranged from white to dark brown in color, with most Ketton having light brown or tan exoskeletons. They had a slender body build with hands that ended in three digits. The legs of one Ketton, Derrida, had the lowest leg joint permenantly raised from the ground, but members of the species could alternately have the lowest leg joint flat to the ground, similar to Humans.

Ketton had two pairs of eyes; however, they were little more than slits in their heads so as to avoid the harsh sandstorms of their native environment. Another adaptation the species had to their arid habitat was their long, hollow fangs, which could be used to suck up reservoirs of liquid—including water—from various succulent plants, such as the stillar cacti.

Society and culture

The Ketton were native to Ket.

The Ketton were inherently a solitary species and led a nomadic lifestyle. Despite that, they also possessed an unusually strong sense of community, with individual Ketton putting in extra effort to aid other Ketton. The Ketton society had at least one—female—gender. Although Ketton could use their fangs—which made members of other species consider their appearance to be hideously wicked and dangerous—in combat, they were generally a peaceful species and preferred not to do so, believing that such an action would soil them.

Ketton in the galaxy

"Derrida is certainly an individual we should keep our eyes on: after several discussions with Agent Kosciuscko, I learned it is suspected that she is responsible for the recent attempt on Meysen Kayson's life, one of our most important financiers."

―Lak Sivrak, in a Rebel Task Force on Alliance Security SecuriDex file on Derrida

Derrida was a mischievous female Ketton from Ket who operated as a freelance informant and spy aboard the Mid Rim's Kwenn Space Station and elsewhere in the galaxy by 2 ABY. Her activities made the Alliance Intelligence of the Rebel Alliance consider Derrida a threat, and at some point between 5 ABY and 9 ABY, the Human New Republic agent Kyle Katarn teamed up with a lagomorph individual to apprehend Derrida, in the process nearly destroying the Kwenn Space Station.

Behind the scenes

"If this Star Wars character was intended as a caricature of the philosopher, it is of the most unflattering sort. Depicted as a bulbous-headed, gangly, fanged, four-eyed, triple-jointed limbed member of the alien Ketton race, Derrida is not only an Imperial spy but hideous."

―Abel G. Peña

The Ketton were introduced in Alliance Intelligence Reports.

The Ketton were first mentioned in Alliance Intelligence Reports, a 1995 sourcebook for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. In the book, the Ketton Derrida was illustrated by Matt Busch. The author Abel G. Peña included a mention of Derrida in the April 7, 2005 first installment of The Dark Forces Saga series of Star Wars Roleplaying Game source articles published on the official website of Wizards of the Coast. Peña, who had added the mention as a reference to the real-world philosopher Jacques Derrida, characterized the Alliance Intelligence Reports' depiction of the Ketton as "hideous" and expressed the opinion that, if the original entry had likewise been intended as a reference to the philosopher, it was an "unflattering" caricature.

Sources

• Alliance Intelligence Reports (First mentioned)
• Alien Encounters
• The Dark Forces Saga, Part 1 on Wizards.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)
• Deconstructing Dark Forces Part 2: The End of Continuity on Only Sith Deal In Absolutes! — Abel G. Peña's StarWars.com Blog (original site is defunct)

Notes and references

• Related categories:
• Ketton

Related Categories:
• Ketton