Cordi
The Cordi are an insectoid race who are used as battle thralls by the Hertak in the Wings of Dawn universe. They serve as antagonists for most of the first Wings of Dawn campaign.
Contents
Physiology
The Cordi are a race of insect like creatures with several sub species. Appearance wise the Cordi somewhat resemble overgrown ants but there are also those that look more like a praying mantis.
Culture
They are not a hivemind but individual thinkers that are motivated in their actions by a strong sense of collectivism. Everything they do should be to some degree in the benefit of the Cordi society. But most of all they have a blinding loyalty to their Queen. If the Queen tells you to jump, you don't ask 'how high?' but you jump as high as possible and if that isn't high enough, you'll become a researcher and find a way to enhance your jump.
Society
The Cordi government is known as the Cordi Monarchy Collective. Military service is known as Service to the Queen (STTQ).
History
The Cordi Collective was a thriving society that expanded to at least twenty systems. Until ten years ago. When they made first contact with an unknown but apparently hostile alien race named the Hertak. This race demanded their surrender and their complete loyalty. Naturally the Cordi refused. They only serve their Queen. However, the Cordi never waged a war in Space and at the time didn't even had ships designed for such a purpose. The Hertak wasted no time conquering Cordi systems. The Queen ordered for the Cordi to design weapons, ships and defensive systems, within a month the Cordi managed to put up an effective resistance. Within three months they fought the Hertak to a standstill.
And while the Hertak apparently had superior ships and technology they could not overcome the sheer numbers and determination of the Cordi. So they devised a cunning plan, the capture of the Cordi Queen. How exactly they pulled it off is unknown, there are several conflicting records of this. Bottom line is that they managed to get the Cordi to surrender this way and make them into Battle thralls.