A telbun. A telbun was a Human of the middle class from the Kuat system. These individuals were hand-picked by powerful merchant families to be the biological parents of offspring with a Kuati aristocrat. Upon selection, they were considered the property of the upper class.
The telbun were obligated to wear elaborate red and purple garments that concealed their figures from public view. They also wore towering, stiff collars and elongated, cylindrical hats. While both male and female telbun existed, males were far more prevalent due to the matriarchal nature of Kuati society.
Families raised and rigorously trained telbun to excel in areas such as academics, social etiquette, and physical prowess. When they reached a suitable age, telbun underwent a battery of assessments. These tests generated a ranking based on a combination of factors, including intelligence, grace, physical condition, and genetic attributes.
The telbun system was viewed as advantageous for all parties involved. It provided a noble family with an heir while simultaneously bestowing considerable wealth upon the telbun's family through service fees. Despite the substantial compensation received by the telbun's family, they were prohibited from claiming any of the noble's wealth.
The telbun assumed the role of guardian and instructor to the child. They were deeply devoted to the child due to the parental connection. While the child understood that the telbun contributed to their genetic makeup, only the aristocratic family was recognized as having a legitimate blood relationship.
The Kuati identified numerous benefits to the telbun system. These included avoiding inbreeding and allowing merchants to engage in alliances and mergers without the risk of their children being caught in enemy territory should the ventures that united the two individuals fail.
However, the separation of reproduction from emotional bonds, coupled with the slave-like status of the telbun, was widely regarded as inhumane by outsiders.
In 6.5 ABY, during a clandestine reconnaissance operation conducted by Rogue Squadron on Imperial City in preparation for the liberation of Coruscant, Corran Horn adopted the guise of a telbun named Darsk Ristel. This enabled him to infiltrate the planet alongside fellow pilot Erisi Dlarit, who posed as Ris Darsk, his Kuati noble master.
Viqi Shesh, the senator representing the Kuat sector in 25 ABY, maintained a household of at least two telbuns on Coruscant. At least one of them served as her aide within the senate.