Rhun the Halfman aka Mini Han Solo:

One of a nearly extinct now race, bred to be smaller, with a slower metabolism, and longer lived.  They were bred this way to serve longer and take up less space on long distance transport ships prior to the proliferation of FTL travel.  Physically they fit the purpose well, but they would come to develop a culture and typical personality that fared less well as long term workers.  Slaves really though transport conglomerates never admitted to it.

Perhaps due to their inability to make their own choices these people, once the Halfmen, later the Halflings, and then when their usefulness ended the Ratlings, grew (no pun intended) to revere the things they had long been denied.

Freedom
A home
Good food
Standing

Rhun grew up on a Pirate ship, a stowaway at first, and found himself trying to learn as much as possible to protect his position.  Small as he was at any time the captain might decide his small living quarters would be better suited to hold a few footlockers of loot or a cask or two of wine.

He failed in many endeavors but succeeded in three.  He was an excellent shot, he was good at moving about unnoticed, and he was a neigh unparalleled chef.  At least to the taste buds of a collection of dirtbag pirates.

Now, decades later, Rhun the Halfman has a rather outsize reputation for such a small man.