Gamon

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch continuation separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

For topics relating to the Colony and Colonists of a similar name, see: Gemon.

The Gamon are a primitive humanoid species native to the planet Paradis. They are distinguished by their universal telepathic abilities, which allow every member of the species to communicate mentally with every other Gamon across the entire planet.

Biology and Characteristics

The Gamon are humanoid in form, though their precise physical characteristics are not extensively documented. They appear physically similar enough to humans that Colonial settlers describe them as a "primitive but peace-loving race."

The most remarkable characteristic of the Gamon is their species-wide telepathic network. Every Gamon on Paradis can communicate with every other member of their species through mental communication. This telepathic ability operates across vast distances, allowing instant communication from one side of the planet to the other with no apparent limitations or degradation.

This telepathic network extends beyond simple communication. The Gamon possess formidable mental powers that can affect physical objects and technology. They have demonstrated the ability to mentally disable Vipers and other Colonial technology, causing ships to lose power entirely. This ability appears to be triggered when the Gamon encounter unfamiliar technology, suggesting a defensive or instinctive reaction.

The Gamon's telepathic abilities allow them to achieve a form of higher consciousness. Gar'Tokk describes experiencing "mind to mind speaking" with Gamon elders—an ancient ability that even his Borellian Nomen people rarely use anymore, but which the Gamon have mastered completely.

Culture and Society

Gamon society is characterized by peace, cooperation, and an intimate connection with their planet. Their universal telepathic network eliminates language barriers and communication difficulties between different tribes and regions. All various tribes of Gamon are linked mentally, ensuring perfect communication and coordination across their entire species.

The Gamon's connection to Paradis runs deep. They have an intuitive understanding of their world's ecology, geography, and natural resources. When offering advice to Colonial settlers, the Gamon draw upon knowledge accumulated over countless generations living in harmony with their environment.

Their society appears largely egalitarian, though elders hold positions of respect and spiritual authority. These elders serve as focal points for communication with outsiders and possess particularly refined telepathic abilities that allow them to communicate even with non-telepathic species like humans.

Primitive Offshoots

While the majority of Gamon society is peaceful and cooperative, there exist "fairly primitive" offshoots of Gamon culture—isolated groups that have not fully integrated with the main telepathic network. These primitive Gamon are described as potentially dangerous, as they possess the same mental powers as other Gamon but lack the cultural restraints of the main society.

These primitive groups inhabit remote areas of Paradis, including underground tunnel systems where they have been isolated for thousands of yahren. They are territorial and suspicious of outsiders, sometimes resorting to violence when confronted. However, even these groups possess no conventional weapons, relying entirely on their mental abilities for defense and attack.

History

The Thirteenth Tribe

The Gamon's history is profoundly shaped by contact with the Thirteenth Tribe—humans from the Lords of Kobol who arrived on Paradis millennia ago. When the Thirteenth Tribe discovered Paradis, they found the Gamon to be a "primitive but peace-loving race" that welcomed the space travelers to their world.

The colonists from the Thirteenth Tribe remained on Paradis for two thousand yahrens, bringing advanced education and technology to the Gamon. This contact fundamentally transformed Gamon society. The natives enthusiastically embraced the knowledge and tools provided by their visitors, integrating advanced concepts into their culture.

However, this cultural exchange had devastating consequences. The introduction of advanced technology and concepts foreign to their development caused severe culture shock. The Gamon, who had previously been entirely peaceful, began to fight among themselves for the first time in their history. They abandoned the ways of peace to study war, fracturing their society in ways that had never occurred before.

The keeper of the Thirteenth Tribe's ship log laments this outcome, recording that "the Gamon should never have been provided with machines and information that caused culture shock." The contamination of Gamon culture with concepts and capabilities they were not prepared to handle represents one of the great tragedies in their history.

Betrayal and Departure

When the Thirteenth Tribe's scientists discovered that Paradis's sun was nearing its final stage of evolution—destined to shrink to a white dwarf within 50,000 to 100,000 yahrens—they made the difficult decision to leave the planet. The sun's eventual collapse would blow its outer layers into the solar system, creating a deadly hurricane of radiation that would make Paradis uninhabitable.

The Thirteenth Tribe could not take the Gamon with them in their exodus. By this time, the Gamon had grown deeply dependent upon the colonists and did not want them to leave. In their desperation, some Gamon sabotaged several ships of the Thirteenth Tribe's fleet, leaving them in ruins. They also poisoned the crew of at least one ship using "a mysterious drug that escaped detection until too late."

Despite these acts of sabotage, the majority of the Thirteenth Tribe's fleet successfully escaped Paradis, leaving the Gamon behind to face their eventual fate alone. The poisoned ships self-destructed to prevent the most dangerous information and technology from falling into Gamon hands.

In the millennia following the departure of the Thirteenth Tribe, the Gamon appear to have returned to their peaceful ways. By the time the Colonial Fleet arrives at Paradis, the Gamon have abandoned most advanced technology and resumed a more primitive lifestyle, though they retain their sophisticated mental abilities and some memory of the ancient visitors.

Contact with the Colonials

When the Colonial Fleet discovers Paradis, Commander Apollo leads initial reconnaissance and establishes first contact with the Gamon. The natives welcome the new arrivals, offering assistance and advice to the exhausted space travelers.

Apollo negotiates an agreement with the Gamon that grants the Colonials access to the entire planet. Because every Gamon can communicate with every other through telepathy, this single agreement extends wherever the Colonials venture on Paradis, eliminating the need for endless separate negotiations with different tribes or regions. For the desperate Colonial diplomats, this universal telepathic network proves invaluable.

The Gamon offer practical assistance to Colonial settlers, sharing their deep knowledge of Paradis's ecology and resources. They advise the Colonials on matters such as where to dig wells, how to build structures suited to local conditions, and which areas are safe for settlement. Settlers who overcome their sense of superiority long enough to listen to Gamon advice invariably build better and sleep better than those who ignore the natives' counsel.

However, many Colonials struggle with accepting help from the "primitive" Gamon. Despite the natives' obvious goodwill, Colonial settlers often suffer from an unconscious sense of superiority. They view their advanced technology and weapons as evidence of inherent superiority, with some even suggesting the Gamon should worship them as gods. Only the wisest Colonials recognize the value of Gamon knowledge and take time to learn the native language or use translation technology.

Communication with Other Species

The Gamon's telepathic abilities extend beyond communication with their own kind. Gamon elders possess the refined skill to communicate telepathically with other species, including humans and the Borellian Nomen.

When Gar'Tokk encounters a Gamon elder, he experiences the most profound telepathic communication of his life. The elder guides him to look deep inside himself and acknowledge his true feelings before genuine dialogue can begin. This level of "mind to mind speaking" exhausts Gar'Tokk more than any battle, yet leaves him with a pleasant tiredness—a limbo state where he feels he could stay awake forever if no extra exertion were made.

Apollo also experiences direct telepathic contact with a Gamon elder. His yahrens of meditation and training to access his inner light as a Kobollian descendant allow him to receive the alien communication. The elder expresses subtle surprise that a human can hear at all, suggesting that most humans lack the mental development necessary for such contact.

The Borellian Nomen find themselves particularly drawn to the Gamon and the world of Paradis. Gar'Tokk feels an immediate empathy with the natives—a connectedness to all Gamon that suggests an affinity with their higher consciousness. He describes feeling as if he has "come home" when on Paradis, experiencing a freedom and joy impossible in the confines of a spaceship.

Discovery of Ancient Ruins

Colonial exploration teams discover extensive underground ruins on Paradis—remnants of the Thirteenth Tribe's two-thousand-yahren occupation. The Gamon have preserved these ruins, leaving them untouched for thousands of yahrens as a deliberate reminder of the horror that befell their ancestors. They consider these areas forbidden, and even Gamon guides refuse to enter certain tunnel systems that have been off-limits for millennia.

When Sheba, Troy, Dalton, and Trays explore these tunnels, they encounter primitive Gamon who still inhabit the deepest, most isolated areas. These encounters prove dangerous, but a sympathetic Gamon elder guides the Colonials to safety, demonstrating that even isolated groups remain connected to the broader Gamon telepathic network to some degree.

The explorers eventually discover a massive ancient space ship belonging to the Thirteenth Tribe. Some of its equipment still functions after thousands of yahrens, including its computer log. Through this log—translated by Gar'Tokk—the Colonials learn the full tragic history of the Gamon's contact with the Thirteenth Tribe.

Political Complications

As Colonial settlement on Paradis expands, tensions develop over the relationship between the settlers and the native Gamon. Sire Opis and other members of the Council dismiss concerns about the Gamon, characterizing them as "mostly harmless" and posing "no real and lasting threat." This assessment reflects both Colonial arrogance and a dangerous underestimation of Gamon mental abilities.

Some Colonial factions argue that the planet rightfully belongs to humanity based on the ancient occupation by the Thirteenth Tribe. They claim that because the Gamon "can't possibly be descendants of human beings," the Colonials have a sacred duty to reclaim Paradis. This reasoning provides justification for those advocating aggressive action against the natives.

Baltar, serving as a teacher, warns his students about the dangers of this thinking. He points out that Commander Apollo would never advocate doing to the Gamon what some Colonials propose, noting the moral difference between defending against genocidal Cylons and oppressing a peaceful native population. Baltar's lectures highlight the ethical dilemma facing the Colonials: whether they will repeat the mistakes of the Thirteenth Tribe or forge a truly cooperative relationship with the Gamon.