Kig-Yar (Earth-4001)

The Kig-Yar (sometimes rendered as "Kig-yar"; Forerunner designation: Perosus latrunculus, Latin for "hateful bandit"; UNSC designation: Covenant secundarium carnivora prœdonis, Latin for "Covenant secondary carnivorous combatant"), are a dinosaur-like saurian species. Following their assimilation in 1342 CE, the Kig-Yar served the Covenant until its dissolution in 2552. Many went on to aid its remnants as mercenaries and privateers, though the majority stayed independent of any such factions.

There are several distinct races of Kig-Yar, though humans have commonly identified two groupings (Jackals and Skirmishers) based on encounters in the battlefield. In combat, Kig-Yar typically served the Covenant as snipers and scouts due to their excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing.

History
The history of the Kig-Yar is the same as their mainstream counterparts up until the end of the Human-Covenant War in 2553.

Anatomy & Physiology
Kig-Yar share many features with Earth avians as well as reptiles and exhibit several features that are common among species that have evolved in low-gravity environments, such as Lacerta erectus. Their legs are sinewy and muscular, and are reverse-jointed in a similar fashion to those of birds. Though they have been mistaken for carnivores, the Kig-Yar are apparently an omnivorous species. Kig-Yar have sharp beaks are lined with razor-sharp teeth, and their tri-digit hands and feet have sharp talons. Their eyes are protected by a nictitating membrane that sweeps across the eyes horizontally. Starved Kig-Yar have been known to eat the flesh of fallen enemies, as well as that of live prisoners. They are gifted with extraordinarily acute senses of sight, hearing, and smell, making them adept as scouts and snipers in the Covenant military. Kig-Yar are also very agile, and can execute swift jumps and rolls in combat; these abilities are most pronounced in the more muscular T'vaoan subspecies, members of which can leap great distances and cover ground at extremely high speeds. Kig-Yar possess a strong salty, occasionally acrid stench.

Young Kig-Yar chicks are covered in a brown fledgling down which gradually molts and gives way to scales and plumage as they age. Male Kig-Yar possess plumes of spiny quills (feathers in the case of Skirmishers) at the back of the head and on the elbows; the color of this plumage indicates the Kig-Yar's mood. Quill color also varies between subspecies; Jackal quills typically have brown, red or light blue coloration, whereas Skirmishers generally have black or reddish feathers. Females lack these quills, instead having calloused plates at the forearms and the rear of the head. This thick skin helps protect the female during courtship: when mating, the male will often bite, chew, and tear at the back of the female's head, neck, and arms. Apart from these differences as well as those in reproductive organs, there is no meaningful physical variance between male and female Kig-Yar.

While Kig-Yar are somewhat physically frail, they are capable of moving quickly to evade harm. Their blood is bright purple in color, similar to that of the Sangheili, possibly showing a similar chemical makeup. They lack high amounts of calcium in their skeletons, which makes them a poor source of biomass for the Flood. Thus, Kig-Yar that are infected by the Flood are typically turned directly into carrier forms rather than combat forms. However, they have been utilized as combat forms during at least one engagement, the Battle of the Etran Harborage.

Genetic Variety
Unique even among the diverse assortment of the other client species of the Covenant, the Kig-Yar species has vast genetic variation within their race. The Kig-Yar species is represented by at least three morphologically distinct subtypes. These include the mainstream "Jackals" of Ruuht, the notably reptilian Jackals of Ibie'sh, and the more physically robust and more avian "Skirmishers" of T'vao. Many xenobiologists believe the morphological variation among the Kig-Yar likely represents diverging evolutionary pressures in response to varied environments and ecosystems on prehistoric Eayn and, subsequently, their various interplanetary colony worlds. However, all of the known variations of the species have the ability to effectively breed with all other subtypes of the Kig-Yar species and exhibit no marked cognitive differences.

Ruuthian
Kig-Yar from Ruuht (known as Ruuhtians) typically exhibit light brown, tan, or sallow skin tones, with green skin appearing less often; flexible quills on the head and forearms among males, with calloused plates among females; and elongated heads with bulbous eyes and beak-like snouts. The most common head morphology involves a downward-sloping snout, though specimens with straight snouts are also common.

Ibie'shan
Kig-Yar hailing from the isolated, volcanic continent of Ibie'sh (Ibie'shans) display the most "primitive" characteristics of all the known Kig-Yar subtypes, being closest to the species' common ancestor. Ibie'shans have the same body structure as most of their kin, but their heads are far more muscular and reptilian in appearance, with shorter snouts and underbites. These Jackals also differ from the more commonly seen variety in having reddish plumes and yellow-tinted eyes. Ibie'shans have served in the Covenant military as early as 2526.

T'vaoan
T'vaoans, commonly known as Skirmishers, originated from the Kig-Yar colony asteroid of T'vao. They have darker skin and stockier, squared heads with small yellow eyes. They also have more beak-like mouths and bony facial coverings. T'vaoans have true feathers on their heads and arms, unlike the Jackals' quills. Like Jackals, T'vaoans have sharp talons on their hands and feet. While both subspecies are quite agile, T'vaoans are capable of sprinting at great speeds and leaping long distances. Male Kig-Yar from T'vao had much heavier upper body plumage than other Kig-Yar. Females from T'vao had a ruff of feathers on their heads and necks instead of scales. The higher gravity and more dramatic atmospheric shifts of T'vao led to the development and evolution of these avian features.

Culture
Kig-Yar are often considered to be driven and motivated solely by personal desires and needs. Ancient Kig-Yar were once divided into clans, scattered across Eayn. The clans would often compete for resources and raid each other's cities or hold inter-clan competitions in major population centers. During the Kig-Yar's service in the Covenant, the clans became slightly obsolete. However, many Kig-Yar still kept their roots to these clans, often living in territory that had been claimed by their clans ages ago. Parts of Myur City, on T'vao, had been once claimed by Chol Von's clan. Kig-Yar clans often work together, unless one clan has grievances with another. Allied clans defend one another, if necessary. The center of a clan is known as the "clan home" and often contains a "clan mother" to cook for the young.

Piracy plays an important role in Kig-Yar society and history. While legitimate organizations, governments, and businesses are found throughout Kig-Yar society, pirates once plagued Eayn's seas. After becoming an interplanetary race, many Kig-Yar returned to piratical ways. Many Kig-Yar chicks desire to be pirates when they grow up. Many Kig-Yar folklore heroes were pirates and represented freedom during the Kig-Yar's service with the Covenant. There were numerous Kig-Yar pirates that operated independently of the Covenant. These pirates would contact and ally themselves with like-minded Kig-Yar that served in the Covenant military. The Covenant-serving Kig-Yar would often contact the pirates when opportunities to steal Covenant supplies and materials arose. Members of other species—including San'Shyuum, Sangheili, and humans—are often distrustful of the Kig-Yar, believing every member of the race to be a pirate.

Social Relations
Kig-Yar society is matriarchal, with males described as being “henpecked” by their females and having to toil for a living. Early Kig-Yar society was a form of tyrannical matriarchy. Eayn's government would eventually spread power more widely and equally among the species, though females generally remained at the top. Before the Kig-Yar's indoctrination into the Covenant, female Kig-Yar were in control of breeding rights, territory, familial organization, and had control of major assets. The matriarchal-based society continued after the collapse of the Covenant empire. The expectations of young male chicks are lower than their female counterparts. Kig-Yar females typically hop from mate to mate, however, males generally stay around their mate's nests for as long as they are tolerated. T'vaoans believe themselves to be superior over the rest of the Kig-Yar.

Kig-Yar have been known to coexist relatively peacefully with humans. When the Kig-Yar were finally ordered by the San'Shyuum to attack and destroy the humans of the Rubble, many of them even regretted the order. This is likely due to the pragmatic, mercantile culture of their race: As long as it benefits them economically, Kig-Yar will co-operate with nearly any group, even declared enemies of the Covenant.

Within Covenant society, Kig-Yar have little status and are subservient to all but the Unggoy. Because of this, Kig-Yar frequently harass Unggoy to assert what little authority they have. Despite being rather lowly-ranked in the Covenant, Kig-Yar are not typically disrespected by other races like the Unggoy. Thus, they had no true desire to gain a higher rank in the Covenant. Although, some Kig-Yar unsuccessfully protested their lowly position. In some cases, Sangheili or Jiralhanae disposed of criminals or prisoners by feeding them to Kig-Yar convicts, who eat the victim alive.

If any of their kin are killed, Kig-Yar may put out a bounty known as a mev-ut and go after the culprits. Due to their vicious nature, they particularly go after the heads and cervical vertebrae of their targets.

Role within the Covenant
The Kig-Yar are unique among Covenant races: rather than being faithful followers of the San'Shyuum's religion, they served the Covenant due to the monetary rewards the Prophets paid them. Most were loyal only to their families and matriarchs, with service to the Great Journey only a distant consideration. However, due to their long service in the Covenant, a large number of them came to accept the Covenant religion. Although the Kig-Yar held a rather low standing in the Covenant hierarchy, their position closely resembled a separate and independent entity that operated as mercenaries for the Covenant; most Kig-Yar saw their service in the Covenant as a business arrangement, rather than a true religious and spiritual journey. The Kig-Yar were not represented on the High Council but were instead vetted by the Ministry of Concert. The Kig-Yar did not vocally complain about their position but had instead selected to siphon off resources to their brethren, to which the Covenant powers either turned a blind eye to or were unaware of it. Black markets were also operated on High Charity by the Kig-Yar; the Hierarchs were aware of it, but seemingly only monitored the markets. Unlike some species in the Covenant, the culture of the Kig-Yar did not suffer as a result of their incorporation to the hegemony. When the Covenant was dissolved at the end of the Human-Covenant War, Kig-Yar society and culture experienced little change.

Kig-Yar served primarily as light infantry, police forces, overseers, and marksmen. They were commonly used for interdiction, infiltration, and assassination operations. Kig-Yar privateers also commonly crew Covenant missionary ships, such as the Minor Transgression. Originally, they were intended to replace the Unggoy as the foot soldiers of the Covenant, but their temperament made this impractical. Instead, they were assigned roles that were better suited to their natural abilities, such as scouts and snipers.

Due to their unique position in the Covenant, the Kig-Yar often utilized starships of their own making instead of Covenant-made ones. In addition, they were forbidden to build their own slipspace drives, and had to rely on heavily regulated, unmodifiable drives engineered by the San'Shyuum instead.

Government
The Kig-Yar government on Eayn is a post-industrial capitalist system, with a population of 978 million. It is also described as an ochlocracy, a system of government best described as a government by mob, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities; whatever form of local government the Kig-Yar possess is ineffective and ignored. Before the Kig-Yar's inauguration to the Covenant, all colonies were self-governed. Due to the lack of Eayn's government, Kig-Yar colonists developed their economy based on the gray market. Eayn's government also had a functioning militia. Clans often governed certain portions of cities on Kig-Yar worlds.

After the Kig-Yar joined the Covenant, all of their governmental systems became obsolete. Following the Covenant's dissolution after the Human-Covenant War, the Kig-Yar had no true functioning government to control Eayn and its colonies. Instead, all Kig-Yar worked together, relatively cooperatively.

Language
To humans and other species, the Kig-Yar language is seemingly composed of hisses, growls, screeches, snarls, and squawks, though it is still intelligible to other members of the Covenant. The Kig-Yar are able to speak the Sangheili language, which serves as the lingua franca to the Covenant. In addition, Kig-Yar are also capable of speaking the human English language in a rasped manner. However, most Kig-Yar are unable to form a proper "f" sound in speech. After the war, some Kig-Yar often spoke amongst each other speaking an odd mix of English, Sangheili, and the Kig-Yar dialect.

Naming Conventions
Kig-Yar names usually consist of a single syllable, with two consonants and one vowel, such as Yeg, Jak, and Bok. However, Chur'R-Yar and Chur'R-Mut, who were both shipmistresses, have multiple syllables in their names. While some Kig-Yar possess clan names (e.g. Chol Von, Eith Mor), most were not allowed by the Sangheili to have more than one name during their service in the Covenant—though most were not particularly bothered by the edict as their society never placed a premium to it; this limitation was abolished after the Covenant's dissolution. Some names are often more common among certain clans.

The prefix "Chur'R-" is believed to indicate the title of Shipmistress, as both Chur'R-Yar and Chur'R-Mut were female Kig-Yar in command of a vessel. Chol Von's name lacks this prefix, although it is possible that this is due to cultural differences between the common Kig-Yar and the T'vaoans, or that the use of the prefix indicated the Shipmistresses' service to the Covenant like the "-ee" suffix used by the Sangheili. Alternatively, Chur'R-Yar and Chur'R-Mut may simply have been related, with the prefix being a family name rather than carrying any significance in regard to their role.

Homeworld & Colonies
Eayn is the homeworld of the Kig-Yar species and is the primary satellite of the planet Chu'ot. It is characterized by its single equatorial ocean, sparse volcanism, and almost total lack of glaciation. Only about one-third of all Kig-Yar who still reside in the Y'Deio system call Eayn their home; many have chosen to live among the minor planets within the asteroid belt since their initial contact with the Covenant. The most notable Kig-Yar interplanetary colonies are known as Muloqt, Kaelarot, and Valyanop; other Kig-Yar colonies include T'vao, home of the Skirmishers.

Ranks within the Covenant
In the original Covenant, Kig-Yar were divided into several different ranks. Males formed the bulk of most of Kig-Yar presence in the Covenant military, while females were often given command positions.

Within the Covenant, the rank of Minor is the lowest field rank a Kig-Yar can attain. They are armed with standard-strength, light-blue point defense gauntlets and small arms such as the plasma pistol or Needler. After gaining a sufficient amount of experience, Kig-Yar can be promoted to the rank of Major. Majors are more experienced than Minors and are issued stronger point-defense gauntlets that emit a violet, red or orange-colored shield and carry heavier weaponry. In the Covenant, Kig-Yar hold a relatively low position and have little authority. Minors are typically commanded by Sangheili or Jiralhanae leaders, while Majors may lead their own file or even lance consisting of low-ranking Unggoy and Yanme'e but are still subject to the command of the higher-ranking species.

Several specialist ranks exist of the Kig-Yar. The Kig-Yar rank of Sniper comprises the Covenant's foremost long-range combatants. They are known to carry weapons such as needle rifles and particle beam rifles, but do not use point defense gauntlets as to better wield their weapon. Kig-Yar Rangers are part of the Covenant's Special Warfare Group division, Fleet Security, and are trained for zero-G EVA combat, and are equipped with vacuum suits and magnetic boots. One of the highest ranks obtainable by a Kig-Yar in the Covenant was Zealot.

T'vaoans featured their own ranking system within the Covenant, with different roles and operational objectives.

Other Titles & Roles
Some Kig-Yar have gained the rank of shipmistress, and are able to lead their own ships. Because of the matriarchal nature of Kig-Yar society, most Kig-Yar ship commanders are female, hence their use of the feminine form of the Covenant title of shipmaster. While there are male Kig-Yar shipmasters, they are less common. They are often employed by the Covenant's Ministry of Tranquility. These Kig-Yar are mostly given command of ships made by the Kig-Yar themselves, such as privateers and raiders, rather than larger and more powerful vessels of mainline Covenant design.

Kig-Yar were also employed by the Covenant as prison guards to protect penal colonies, such as the one on Verge.[83] The Kig-Yar were often used as a police force in former Covenant colonies, although normally under the supervision of a representative from one of the races higher in the Covenant hierarchy. The Kig-Yar were believed to have been given the responsibility due to their intimidating and threatening appearance they often project, keeping the Unggoy in-line.

Trivia

 * A jackal is a wild scavenging dog (similar to the coyote) that lives primarily in northern Africa. The name is used in reference to the Kig-Yars' scavenging nature.
 * "Kig-Yar" is an Anglicized form of the Welsh term for chicken meat, "cig iâr".
 * In all games prior to Halo: Reach, all Jackals shoot left-handed and are the only Covenant species to do so. However, in Halo: Reach and Halo 4 Jackals shoot with their right hands and carry their shields with their left hands; this generally makes it harder to shoot through the gap in a Jackal's energy shield as all player characters are right-handed.
 * The Ibie'shan Jackals introduced in Halo 4 closely resemble Zilla, the eponymous monster of the 1998 American Godzilla film.