Ma’Tak the Fourteenth

Species: Indrilum | Role: Chief Engineer

Seven feet of scaled hide, six-fingered hands, and the weight of thirteen generations of engineering legacy on his shoulders. Ma’Tak joined Robert’s crew and found something he’d never expected: purpose beyond lineage.

Background

The Indrilum measure worth in generations. Ma’Tak carries the accumulated knowledge of his ancestors—thirteen generations of engineers, each adding to the family legacy. His name declares his place in that unbroken chain.

But Ma’Tak found something unexpected when he joined Robert’s crew: purpose beyond mere continuation of lineage. The fight against the Parliament gave meaning to his skills that inheritance never could.

Appearance

• Seven feet tall - Imposing even by Indrilum standards
• Dark green scaled hide - Tough, almost armor-like
• Four arms - Can work multiple systems simultaneously
• Six-fingered hands - Remarkable dexterity for precision work
• Deep, resonant voice - Speaks with theatrical flair

Akamai

Ma’Tak’s constant companion is Akamai—a small creature that looks like a ferret crossed with a gecko. Akamai is never far from Ma’Tak’s shoulder, and the bond between them runs deeper than simple pet ownership.

Akamai can access spaces too small for humanoid hands, making the creature invaluable for ship repairs. The small AI-enhanced companion also serves as Ma’Tak’s emotional barometer.

Personality

Theatrical, dramatic, prone to grand declarations. Ma’Tak brings flair to everything, including engine repairs. Underneath the showmanship lies brilliance, loyalty, and a quiet struggle between what he owes to his past and what he wants for his future.

He complains extensively about impossible tasks—while doing them anyway.

Skills

• Master engineer - Thirteen generations of accumulated knowledge
• Improvisation - Can fix anything with limited resources
• Ship systems - Keeps the Acus’Rube running against all odds
• Multi-tasking - Four arms means parallel problem-solving
• Creative solutions - Makes the impossible merely improbable

Quotes

“Allow us to introduce ourselves—we are Ma’Tak the Fourteenth, and we have never encountered a malfunction we could not resolve. Eventually.”

“This is not how the Thirteenth would have done it. The Thirteenth would be dead. Our way is better.”

The Indrilum Way

Indrilum culture revolves around lineage and legacy. Each generation adds to the family’s accumulated knowledge, passing it to the next. The number after an Indrilum’s name represents their place in this chain—Ma’Tak the Fourteenth carries thirteen ancestors’ worth of expertise.

This creates both privilege and pressure. Ma’Tak must prove worthy of his inheritance while finding his own path forward.

Connections

• Akamai - Companion creature, assistant, friend
• The Acus’Rube - His engineering domain
• Ace - Frequent collaborator on technical challenges
• Robert Fannec - Captain, gave Ma’Tak purpose beyond lineage

Ma’Tak appears in Books 2-9 of the Fannec Records series.