Cupro frowned.  “They mentioned something about a brain transition, but I thought it was a polite term for the early stages of dementia.”

“Not always.”  Artin helped Cupro sit up and hop over to a massage table, then began working on his thigh and back muscles.  “Quirret is from a species in which what we identify as a single, whole person is actually composed of several distinct individuals together in one body, hence the plural pronouns.  Not just on a psychological level, but also physically.  Quirret has more than one unified brain.  They have several brains or brain cortexes that are integrated together to make the complete person.  One of the cortexes is starting to fail, so another is developing and trying to take over functions from the other.  Rarely, this happens seamlessly.  Sometimes if fails completely, usually at the end of life when there aren’t sufficient healthy brains to take over for the failing one.  But usually it’s something in the middle, some cognitive dysfunction that may resolve with therapy, rehab or re-education.  There may be some changes in intelligence, mood and temperament, or even a change in Force abilities, though that is usually tied to state of mind as the midichlorians tend to be freely exchanged between the separate organisms.”

“Huh,” Cupro pondered this, quite distracted from his aches and pains.  “Are they different species or are they the same?  Is this something they are born with?”

“As far as I understand it, they are the same species and are born completely separate and independent, only fusing together in for what for us would be childhood or adolescence. It is also not uncommon for them to incorporate other sub-brains later in life, often from injured patients who have dominant cortexes that have become too damaged to heal.”

“That is . . . very different,” Cupro said at last.  

“It is,” Artin agreed. “It’s not unusual for Quirret’s people to become Jedi, even knights, but they rarely become masters because they have often transitioned by the time they reach that age, and while they typically retain or regain the skills of knights, the knowledge and memories of the experiences needed for true mastery are sometimes lost.”  Artin shrugged.  “They aren’t quite the same person after.”

“That must be hard on their padawans.”  Cupro mused. “And their children.”

“It can be,” Artin agreed. “But it often gives them new vitality. Transition typically releases a batch of new stem cells throughout the body.  Quirret is hoping for new teeth in particular.”

Cupro grimaced, remembering his neighbors table manners.  “We’re all hoping for that.”