Bynar
The Bynar are a group of humanoids who are fully integrated with their world computer system. Their mastery of technical systems and computers is reknowned throughout the Federation.
Physiology
The Bynars are one of the smaller human species in the Federation notable for their comparatively large heads, asymmetrical ears, and lilac skin. They are neuter with fairly uniform physical characteristics.
Bynars are known for their adaptability to technology, having a natural bioelectrical field and their are resistant to a wide-range of environments. They have a network link paired with a synaptic processor that is implanted shortly after birth.
History
The Bynars do not like to discus their history, but it is understood that they were a synthetic race, created by a group of artificial intelligences to act as maintenance units and servitors. After some untold period of the time, the Bynars recognized their plight and demanded greater freedom. Through a sequence of events not fully understood, they defeated the artificial intelligences and took charge of their own development.
The Bynar, while having access to warp technology from the beginning were very slow to explore beyond their home system. As their home system had all of the resources needed for the very slowly expanding Bynar population further exploration was considered unnecessary until they were encountered by Federation explorers. Learning of the greater threats in the wider universe, they quickly moved to apply for Federation membership, offering their technical and computer skills to prove their worth to the wider Federation. Their application was quickly processed and approved.
Culture
The Bynar work as a networked whole, each member is able to directly interact with the world computer of Bynus and through that, to any other Bynar, creating a unitary whole among the Bynar people. All manner of policy is discussed and then voted upon by the adult population of Bynars and tabulated by the world computer.
Bynars are raised in bonded pairs who are functionally treated as a single entity as they live and work together. If one of the pair is killed, they are expected to return home and are bonded to a new member to reestablish that pair bond which Bynar culture considers so vital,
Language
The Bynar language is optimized for the rapid transmission of information and operates at a higher frequency than can be heard by most humanoids. They use a variety of technological enhancements, buffers and implants, to manage this heightened flow of information.
Since joining the Federation, all Bynars have learned Federation standard as well. Many prefer using speech synthesizers rather than trying to speak using their own voices.
Unified Pairs
At an early age, all Bynars are paired to a partner who will be their lifelong pairmate. The world computer has a complex algorithm to match pairs to ensure harmony between them which has a remarkable rate of success. The bonded pair often act as a single being with two bodies, jointly working on projects, finishing each other sentences when speaking with non-Bynars and so on.
The loss of a pairmate is traumatic in ways not fully understood to non-Bynars and the established system is for the now individual Bynar to return to Bynus to be bound to a new pairmate who is usually just coming of age, Since becoming part of the larger Federation, a small number of Bynars who have lost their pairmate have decided to remain in Federation space and not seek a new bond. The Bynars are uncertain how to deal with such persons and have limited their access to world computer and its network.
Proposed Post-War Developments
The Dominion War, collapse of the Romulan Star Empire, and Borg incursion caught the Bynars by surprise. The idea was the universe was a dangerous place they understood but to have it displayed in such a violent and disruptive manner was frightening even to the world system.
The Bynars noticed the similarity to the Borg Collective to their own integrated technical systems, recognizing that others in the Federation might seem them as a vulnerability, or worse, a threat, they began to make changes. Starting with no longer removing parietal lobe but using a less destructive set of implants to achieve the same effects. Bynars are now allowed, if they wish, to express themselves physically and choosing to be more individual, some adopting more female or male presentations to their appearances and well as more distinctive forms of dress when off-duty. Names are now allowed to be expressed in ways other than binary codes, though most include one or more numbers.
Their home world of Bynaus also has become more welcoming of visitors as they are trying to show that they are a part of the Federation and pleased to be so.
References
Bynar at Memory Alpha