The sathar have always reminded me of earthworms, and the four pupils bit just struck me as odd. They specifically mention it and then never seem to bring it up again. Thinking about how the sathar might be like annelids and handle those four pupils, plus what else it could mean, led me down an interesting path.
-vmnjn
WHAT I GUESS
I. Is it a guy or a gal?
Sathar are, like earthworms, simultaneous-hermaphrodites. As in, each is a boy and a girl. Satharian reproduction is also similar. After mating, each finds a safe place and secretes a cocoon. Depositing the male and female material inside as the cocoon is sealed. A couple of months later? One or two new infant sathar come crawling out.
II. I see you
While sathar may not be very advanced, evolutionarily speaking, as segmented-invertebrates. The satharian brain is quite impressive. Their minds processing four visual "feeds" as easily as the human's handles two. In fact, their brain not only looks bilaterally symmetric (one side mirroring the other), but actually functions that way too. Two brains, communicating intimately enough that there is a singular sense of self. Yet, thinking separately.
III. I'm sensing...
For psychics, this duality keeps the satharian mind enigmatic. Their brains present challenges above and beyond the inherent difficulty of reading an alien mind. Each has two trains of thought which are never entirely in sync. Trying to read a satharian mind can be a migraine inducing experience. Its been described as looking at a painting that refuses to come into focus, no matter how hard you stare.
For satharian psychics, on the other hand, the thoughts of most other races are easily perceived. With only one voice, in their victim's minds, even the fact that it is an alien is not much of an obstacle for them.
IV: Speaking in Tongues
While the sathar actually have two brains. They still only have one mouth. Yet that doesn't mean they can only speak one language at once. The satharian languages remain mostly indecipherable because they're usually saying two different things at once. Overlapping words from both subjects within the same sentences. Easy for another sathar to understand, but pretty much gibberish for everyone else, even to gifted linguists.
The languages they are speaking may not always even be satharian ones. With a millennium of history as a space-faring civilization. The sathar have been exposed to the languages of races long dead, or long gone. With different structure, traits, etc... Which further confound attempts to decipher what they are saying.
V: You are what you slurp
The satharian diet is mostly lacking in "solid foods." Their mouths being far more suited to drinking, or even slurping, than chewing. Nutritional needs are met through a variety of juices, creams, soups, stews, and puddings. However, those are not the only options for a sathar. With a ring of sharp teeth and a powerful tongue, they can "drink" directly from their... "meal."
Usually placing their victim in a hypnotic state first, to keep them docile. Sathar can latch on with their mouths, cut through even tough hide with their teeth, insert their tongues, and drink their prey's bodily fluids. Now depending on the species involved? This essence may not be digestible. Might even be toxic, in fact. However, the blood of some species actually has a narcotic effect on sathar, and can become very addictive.
