The Maksids are a humanoid race close to reptiles: two-sexed and egg-laying, which sets them apart from other such races hardly at all.
They do have one peculiarity, though — their daughter race of biomachines.
A biomachine is an animal settled into a mechanism, taking the place of the engine. As a rule it feeds on meat.
The Maksids are deeply attached to their biomachines: usually one Maksid keeps one machine.
It is the voracity of these machines that makes the Maksids a nomadic civilisation. They travel in caravans in the manner of moto-nomads, hunting herds of animals — or other, less fortunate tribes. Large cities they almost always avoid, preferring sparsely settled planets.
The caravans break down into auto-gangs, each with its own chief. Such a chief's overall is fitted with many systems — thermoregulation, skin protection and additional feedback.
Fuel traders were highly respected members of Maksid society. On such a trader's back rides a pack holding several kinds of fuel for the biomachines — the blood of humans, Araleks, Nasby and others. The vest carries a belt for other fluids.
Under strong outside stimuli the Maksids can fall into a frenzy. In that state they become extremely aggressive and dangerous.
The Maksids are blue-skinned and yellow-spotted, with vivid manes. The illustration shows three of them, left to right: a young woman at rest on her machine; a young woman in the grip of the frenzy, blade in hand; and a fuel trader — a pack of several grades on his back, vessels for other fluids at his belt.