Next to the Vorlons, the Minbari are generally accepted to be the oldest race in the galaxy, possessing technologies and insights far exceeding that of any other world. A deeply spiritual people, the Minbari have a reputation for keeping to themselves, avoiding interaction with the younger races while keeping to the tenants laid down by one of their greatest leaders, Valen, over a thousand years before. It is said that no Minbari has killed another for a millennium. Spread across eighteen systems, the Federation is a major if secretive power within the galaxy and other governments have learnt to listen when Minbari speak. The homeworld, Minbar, is said to be one of the true wonders of the galaxy, with heavy crystalline deposits that cause the planet to glisten and shimmer when viewed from space. The cities of the Minbar are carved directly out of crystal, carefully sculpted to catch the light of the sun, breaking it down into a myriad of colors. Minbari cities are ancient and unchanging, with many structures centuries old and some predating the time of Valen. The Minbari Federation has access to some of the most advanced warships in the galaxy and though the Earth/Minbari War happened more than ten years previously, the Sharlin warcruiser still holds a dread fascination for many EarthForce officers.