From Introduction:
Meekah Hozard, a Duros, grew up in the desperate slums of the planet Taris, where daily life was a struggle. The toxic environment, grinding poverty, and roving bands of street thugs meant that only the toughest, smartest, or quickest could survive. Meekah fell into the latter category, with highly tuned reflexes that allowed him to avoid the worst the Undercity could offer. The Humans of Taris were cruel and domineering, and the wealthiest of them would often come to the Undercity to harass, beat, and even murder the other species found there.