#k-p2

[ (kaairins ring)- population 2]

sophont species

After the sun expands into its red giant form, titan, one of the moons of Saturn, heats up enough to cause it's ammonia filled water 'glaciers' to melt- covering most of the planet in ocean aside from the polar regions.

Life follows, and just like earth, titans' methane filled atmosphere slowly gets replaced by oxygen with the help of photosinthizing microorganism species. And life is as it was on earth, several billion years ago now.

[Titan still holds some of its liquid methane, ethane, and hydrocarbon lakes- some life does live there- but it's not the focus of the story.]

Out comes k-p2, the moons dominant sophont species. They occupy a niche similar to that of which earth penguins did- but they're huge. Thick skulls break any ice and fat stored in their bodies to hold in heat.

Instead of lungs, they have a circular breath motion that passes through the tube sorta trachea organ that absorbs the oxygen and immediately converts it to carbon dioxide- due to their size it takes a while for it to leave the system. From the nose to down the chest. This tube is also filled with small structures that work as gills when they submerge.

kaairins ring is a formation is from the moon lapetus, which got destroyed and formed a 'belt' or ring close to titan [that still orbits saturn]