Vibrant

[Biohazard]

Vibrant

To Look Upon the Stars, and Home, From Beyond



Seattle, Year 3221

The light from the sun finally fades on the west coast, a reminder that some things never change. The city - or rather, the world - is testament to this, as despite all of the fears of the past, the world still exists, and for the most part things are as they were - at least on a basic level. To stand at the edge of Seattle now and look towards the heart is like looking up a great mountain of glass, steel, and plastic, as over the years the original city was built higher and higher upon until the world below was forgotten in favor of the "Tower"; a feature common in most cities. There at the top perch the most influential of people and businesses, their wings of political and economic power a reminder of how easily they could swoop out and drastically alter the landscape if only they wanted.

As once assumed, people still do not fly to all of their destinations; the wheel and hovercraft capability remain the primary means of transportation. This is simply because it is much easier to implement, teach - and control. Flight has however become more common, and more environmentally friendly and efficient fuels are used everywhere. To complement, the world has been fitted with the invention that may prove the most world-shaking of all: wholly renewable energy and waste disposal. Seem impossible? That's because it is - the government will just tell you otherwise. It goes somewhere and to some purpose, but nobody really seems to know. It doesn't matter though, because we got rid of it and it can't threaten our planet's well-being, right?

While delving into the dark pit of monsters known as science, perhaps it's good to know the things that are reality. Common and frequent space travel is an everyday thing, and already reaches a large portion of the galaxy - and of course, we've made contact. Bioengineering, biochemistry, and medicine have all developed to the point where diseases of the past are academic in discussion and even discarded as unimportant in many leading universities - the field of genetics has opened up to allow people to be bred for superior cellular strength. This, of course, is not without a price - the path to scientific salvation was paved with many test subjects that did not fare so well and continue to be experimented on, with unholy consequences. Most of these are discarded to the depths of Earthside, where the light is blocked out by the New City - but some find their way back, or never leave in the first place.

And finally, there is the evolution of man himself. Clarke stated that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and Niven stated the opposite, but it was also necessary to state that any sufficiently evolved biological being was indistinguishable from both. This manifests most often as telepathy and psionics - ironic that concepts that were once so cliche would become reality - but humankind has a habit of getting exactly what it wants. Equally as ironic, although it basks in the light of incredible technological and evolutionary power, is that mankind is every bit as degenerate as it has ever been, and in some areas has failed to improve even the slightest. This is seen most easily in the perseverance of drug use, drug addicts, and the "primitive" means by which they are used. One would assume methods and substances would at least become more potent, but sometimes one hopes for too much.

While the decadence that exists deep within the cities and reclaimed wildernesses below the city heights is dangerous and acidic to society, one should always be looking up, towards the stars - that is where the real threat lies. The governments, their allies, and their enemies - all of which should at most times be considered hostile - all exercise power from there. It is in the Thousand-Year Frontier that has become no less of a no-man's land where one can find true solace, adventure, and most importantly, terror.

[Llum]

This has a very cyberpunk feel to it. The powerful ominous government, the decadent abuse of science and technology.

Is there a particular reason that in twelve hundred years humans have only advanced in certain specific fields of technology? (space travel) and not in others (urban planning, public transit)

[Ghostman]

Good writing, I was hooked by the end of the first paragraph and just had to read more :)

So if I've understood this correctly, the ground-level of a city is called "Earthside" and home to undesireables, failed genetic experiments? And the political/financial elite reside in the top layer. Do you imagine a more complex structure to the city, such as several layers corresponding to different social classes, not necessarily officially recognized but at least a de facto division? Perhaps "climbing the social ladder" could imply also a physical ascent of a citizen.

[Biohazard]

[blockquote=Llum]This has a very cyberpunk feel to it. The powerful ominous government, the decadent abuse of science and technology.

Is there a particular reason that in twelve hundred years humans have only advanced in certain specific fields of technology? (space travel) and not in others (urban planning, public transit)[/blockquote]

Most areas have advanced, as will be seen (heated roadways, supersonic transit and vehicular elevators, etc.), I just had to keep the first post fairly small. I'll take time to detail lots of it. :)

 [blockquote=Ghostman]Good writing, I was hooked by the end of the first paragraph and just had to read more

So if I've understood this correctly, the ground-level of a city is called "Earthside" and home to undesireables, failed genetic experiments? And the political/financial elite reside in the top layer. Do you imagine a more complex structure to the city, such as several layers corresponding to different social classes, not necessarily officially recognized but at least a de facto division? Perhaps "climbing the social ladder" could imply also a physical ascent of a citizen.
[/blockquote]

In some cases yes, and in some cases no. There will certainly be a lot of cities like this where the further from the top and the center you go the less pretty and safe things get, but there will be some as well that are the exact opposite. Having a headquarters or home in the "heart" of the city where little light reaches also has its uses for both recreation/entertainment and organizations' functions.

Thanks for the replies. :)

[Nomadic]

I will review more in depth later. For now I have only one question. Have they cured the rain problem, or is the city still under mother natures relentless faucet?

[Biohazard]

Personalities of Vibrant[/size]

Colonel Mezerous Volkov

Colonel Volkov is an enigmatic figure. No records, even in M.O.T.H.'s databases, show any details on his origins prior to service with the organization, although they do list several different qualifications, such as M.O.F. service. Little is known about him other than that he is a cunning, experienced military officer, a masterful scientist, and extremely close friends with Colonel Tesch Meissner, who is nearly as peculiar. Those around him, even his superiors, find Volkov unnerving because of his competence, all-encompassing knowledge, indifference, and ability to predict events around him on an almost supernatural level. Colonel Volkov is the head of Mental Diagnostics Division of M.O.T.H., and while not a psionic himself, Volkov pursues knowledge and advanced research into the discipline - particularly psionic manifestation in undead subjects - with a fervor that could as easily be called obsession.

Sexodonone

Sexodonone is a Praetor stalker-mistress involved in the War of Benosoor near the outer edge of the galaxy. She is wise and capable, and although she is aging and extremely xenophobic towards the Alliance races, it is her policies and understanding that the Praetor Guild needs allies that are slowly ensuring that the Alliance will soon welcome them as part of it. Sexodonone is easily recognized as a reluctant leader, as she is in a position of military and political leadership when she would much rather spend her time working on planetary infrastructures, which were her primary study interest before becoming a soldier on a stalker team. She has been seen leading troops into battle fearlessly and capably, although her mercy towards human and reptilian prisoners in particular is noticeably cruel.

Commander Alexad Rovichautt

A former Lieutenant-Colonel in the UDN Marines, Commander Rovichautt applied for an early transfer to the Navy hierarchy despite being on the fast-track (believed to have been less than five years from flag officer). Possessing only average individual ability but outstanding tactical and strategic insight, Rovichautt has served in three interplanetary conflicts over ten years. Commander Rovichautt graduated from the William Harken Military Academy with a degree in mechatronic engineering, and has been a notable participant in military studies in the field.

Alexad Rovichautt
Medium Human Noble 3/Soldier 4/Officer 3, CL 10
Destiny 0; Psi 11
Init +13 , Senses +14
Languages

Defenses Reflex 24, Fortitude 24, Will 28
HP 90 (Threshold 22)

Speed 6
Melee +11
Ranged +13 UDN22 Assault Rifle (3d8+5)
Base Atk +9, Grp +11
Atk Options Rapid Shot, Coordinated Attack
Special Actions
Inspire Confidence, Coordinate, Battle Analysis, Cover Fire, Assault Tactics, Deployment Tactics
Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 17
Talents Inspire Confidence, Coordinate, Battle Analysis, Cover Fire, Assault Tactics, Deployment Tactics
Feats Linguist, Armor Prof Light/Medium, Weapon Prof Simple/Pistols/Rifles, Weapon Focus (UDN22 Assault Rifle), Weapon Focus (UDN454 Light Pistol), Charging Fire, Coordinated Attack, Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Weapons), Rapid Shot, Skill Focus (Knowledge: Tactics)
Skills Endurance +12, Initiative +13, Knowledge (tactics) +18, Perception +14, Treat Injury +14,
Equipment UDN454 Light Pistol, UDN22 Assault Rifle, Officer's Uniform, Field Kit

[Biohazard]

The Unreality[/size]

For thousands of years there have been beliefs both in the form of great religions and in tiny, acid-induced philosophies, which have suggested a great many things about the universe. Where they were coherent, they often suggested that there was more to existence than could be seen - even if there was no way to currently interact with it. This is the reality - or rather, "The Unreality" - that has come to be. Somewhere in the nether between the most youthful stars and the most supermassive of black holes was born another plane of existence, and then another, and an infinite number more after that - or perhaps they were always there. Regardless, they became known to scientists who tested the boundaries, and what they saw horrified them, as cliche and movie-like as that may be. It was at this time they discovered the Limitation/Enhancement.

The Limitation/The Enhancement

This is where things get a little crazy. Imagine a 2D rendition of a character. Then imagine it in its 3D form. When the first scientists spoke of other possible dimensions, they unknowingly spoke it literally; for with each additional dimension one exists in, they are rendered, or drawn, upon another axis. The leaders in Dimensional Twisting call the transition "The Drawing", as one must (in a manner crossed between the drawing of a cartoon caricature and the bonding of infinite numbers of atoms) be "drawn" each time they cross. This makes beings and elements from greater dimensions possess seemingly strange powers and bizarre forms when appearing in the lesser planes. Likewise, a thing from a simpler dimension thrown into a much more complex one is found to be much more complex in a manner that often causes madness - or at least a lack of functionality.

The Perfection is the achievement of being Zero Dimensional. To progress away from 0D is to become imperfect; ironic since with each succeeding "tier" one becomes more complex and more defined. Mathematicians liken it to any curve that nears but never actually achieves a pure vertical. Regardless, traversing these dimensions and being 'drawn' in another dimensional level in either direction is perhaps the quickest path to madness; those who cross can rarely handle the alien realities (although heading 'left' towards 0D is less taxing on the mind). This is where the Infinite, also known as 'demons' come in.

The Infinite

The Infinite is a plural term for countless singular beings from realities with more dimensions than our own. Because they are from stranger realities their minds are at best bizarre and illogical; at worst unfathomable and damaging to even consider. Likewise their physical forms are twisted, surreal, and horrific. The Infinite are perhaps the greatest threat to any race, anywhere in the universe because of their power and twisted natures. Ironic, considering it is only the dimension separation that makes them monsters.

The Fiction - The Wormhole
However, other dimensions also bring to the table one of the two effective means of traveling great distances: by way of wormholes. Wormholes are more-or-less direct routes through other dimensions from one place in our dimension to another, which is drastically shorter than in our own reality. They exist for every dimension and travel across every other dimension, as awkward as that may sound. Wormholes are most commonly artificial in that they're held open by specially-made devices called Traub Gates (although rare natural wormholes do exist). Operating around a wormhole or traveling through one is damaging to the mind and sometimes to the body, hence the frequent use of special enhancements (read: glorified steroids) that lend clarity and adrenaline to the mind and body while in the presence of this danger.

The Other Side of the Gate

Wormholes permit the travel of great distances, if only so that the other side can madden its visitors...

Would you believe that there's a place where dreams are reality and that the inhabitants think about reality in their sleep? There, if you wanted to touch the stars, you could walk upon a hill and stretch out your hand - or you could travel to them, and look back at the gleaming hint of something one might call an endless field of melancholic worlds. Here, among what could be the beginning and the end of our universe, is where everything is possible but nothing has yet happened.

What the Other Side Is

The other side is an improper term, because there is not just one other side - there are an infinite number inside an infinite number. Because these sides are truly infinite in quantity, one can find within them infinite alternate realities based on what ifs both small and colossal, in addition to the alternate realms that do not match our own. By visiting these possibilities one can examine them, but tampering often causes unforeseen waves in a web of chaos theory. It is tempting but also irreversibly maddening to contemplate the effects one person can have on any of these realities in addition to their own.

The simplest explanation is: the universe is a mirror. That mirror that we call home resides in a fun house full of mirrors. And they all reflect each other.

The Other Side[/size]

The Redcoat looked puzzled at the stairway. It rose about nine feet, turned to the left, and ended at a platform that looked sturdy despite having no support. When he climbed them slowly, worried with each step they'd fall in, he realized it was an excellent vantage point - he could see the radio tower from its top - his destination. The only problem was what lay before it: five kilometres of chaotic excuses for graveyards, shopping malls, and car dealerships. The Twilight Eye beamed down on much of the landscape, leaving plenty of places for Them to hide...

He removed his hat to scratch his head, then put it back and shouldered his rifle. He'd served in Bucharest for two months with a battalion of Marines when the dead wizards laid siege to it, and been lost for days in dark castles that never seemed to end, but they were nothing compared to a single encounter with one of Them. He sat down almost unwillingly and wept for but a moment, before gathering courage from some unknown depth of his soul, and marched on.

Here in the vastness of the Other Side, the stars are always at one's fingertips, while logic is at a distance unattainable...

The playing card gives her the impression it wants to kill her. That's no surprise - the paper mills have been out of service for some time. In the distance, a televised Hitler spews forth fascism in the form of essential children's advertisements. No ghosts haunt the Castle, although the graveyard hidden miles beneath it is infested with the undead. Just over that hill is the salty air and the ocean, which is always bordered by some foreign shore overlooked by those that do not know of other destinations...

The guitar plays itself for want of someone to control it, for it is weak and submissive in the face of a moonlight drive...

A rebel with hate for the Soc drives his madman Cadillac across the glass, avoiding the hostile fingerprints and lipstick smears. Presley is in his radio speaking of the jailhouse, and in the back seat Athena waits patiently for her movie. A war rages on at the bottom of the glass between the gin and the tonic. Even here the government enforces its jurisdiction, on no grounds it owns and no souls it understands. The ringing caused by all the calamity causes the glass to begin to crack, spelling peril for all involved - including the drinker...

The Day That Never Comes

Born to push you around...

The sunshine never comes. Chains glisten in the darkness. Here it is emotion that provides the insignificant light - red is the reckless rage of the guards, blue is the sorrow and agony of the mutilated, and green is the color of the virus - it has a mind of its own. The worlds here look out upon other worlds more fortunate through barbed-wire fence and amidst the smell of burning bodies. On a distant hill is a spacecraft, whose open doors shine white, cold light that stands out like a beacon, but such light provides no comfort when it is accompanied by screams. The Grays are there, and the Angel of Death is here - which will you choose?

A Modern Babylon/An Ancient Chicago: Disconnect

Is it really impossible for this all to exist? For every point of interest there are a million of disinterest, although to someone else they might very well be vital. How many butcher's shops, banks, art studios, night clubs, recruiting depots, out-of-the-way apartments, restaurants, gift shops, and police stations do you never see? How many monsters wait in alleys you've never seen, and how many more in the ones you have? If They touched down tomorrow, would you even notice? Communication makes everything part of a greater metropolis. The phone lines link our thoughts but isolate our minds.

Ideals and Nightmares

The Unreality is more than just a realm of bizarre physics and twisted chemistry - it is what The Universe is not. It is the home of dreams and of terrors beyond comprehension; a place as influenced by the unknowing minds of mortal creatures as they are by it. Because of this, the Unreality is infinitely finite, where as the Universe is finitely infinite. The concept of spatial limits exists only within the boundaries, for outside of realms of existence, there is not even nothing - it is simply The Out.

[Biohazard]

The Great Unknown[/size]

Once, I sat out at night with my daughter comparing an ancient star chart with the starry expanse above us. She asked me questions that left me speechless and made me feel vulnerable, because I didn't know what to tell her. The maps we looked at were so much brighter. It was hard enough to explain all of the inconsistencies and false knowledge contained, but then she started to notice the dark regions - sections of our sky dark now that were once as brilliant as any other part. I felt proud, and at the same time, ready to choke knowing that those darker regions - perhaps part of a Dyson structure, or a KVR channel, a dim space region, or perhaps just a field of debris from some long-forgotten battle between pirates - were created by us. It was humanity and its allies that made the universe dark. I've never felt the same since.
-Lieutenant Vladinya Savaros

The Real World, The Real Universe

Although there are many more habitable and varied characteristic planets in the universe than thought by our ancestors, the reality of this is that they are not as fantastic as fiction has commonly proposed. The idea that life could exist on planets with multiple moons, rings, multiple suns, and similar traits was not disproven but was shown to be very rare and complicated. While they exist sparsely in "reality", they are commonplace on The Other Side. In certain realities there, one can experience them as the everyday, normal world, where "natural" qualities can exist alongside each other without ever affecting one another.

The Tragedy of Neptune

Leave the Earth for a moment and look around the Solar System, and what lies beyond; things are (on a basic level) much the way they were on our home planet. What is truly spectacular is the way the other seven planets have become resorts, testing grounds, colonies - or energy slaves. Perhaps the greatest sadness in all of Sun's reach is the tragedy of the furthest planet from it, Neptune - once a place of cold beauty and curious weather, it is now the Human Federation's premiere energy and fuel source - great orbital platforms are strung about it almost like its vague rings, harnessing the mighty frozen winds to power the factories of mass-produced fuel cores for the modern age. Neptune's original wonder is now overshadowed both literally and metaphorically by an industrial monstrosity that keeps it caged in favor of using it for profit and sustenance.

The Worlds of Steel

Of course, simply colonizing planets would never have been enough for our ancestors - that drive, that human urge to fill and populate meant that not even the vast emptiness of interstellar space would emerge unscathed. Developed by the leading scientists at the University of Kupier (primarily the New Dallas campus, where most of the astrophysics research takes place) and later purchased by HalovCorp, the SLIDE (Sustained-Life Interstellar Developed Environment) module was and continues to be one of the greatest achievements of mankind. Each a quarter of the size of Pluto and possessing most any feature, whether technology or entertainment that might be necessary to sustain a significant population indefinitely, can be found on these massive world-ships that drift through space. More often than not they are leased (in the very-long term) by corporations that use them as entire "nations" for happy, loyal employee citizens that rarely, if ever need to leave their SLIDE homes. Every SLIDE is fully operational with effective means of propulsion and the necessary provisions for multiple wormhole jumps (when required), needing only to come into one of the colonized Solar Systems every decade to refuel and restock the few things that don't keep (although they tend to visit populated planets every six months or so in most cases).

The Dyson Structure

Imagine a spider's web, within which hang spider webs whose webs have webs, and so on. This is the nature of the Outregions, or the boundaries of individual solar systems, local clusters, and local groups as they are known in astronomy. At each tiny particle point where a strand of web is woven is an intelligent Harvester - a space probe the size of a small nation that gathers energy from the surrounding stars, dark matter, and gravity itself. The trillions of these structures in the Earth local regions alone transmit the energy they absorb through wormhole technology to "Hot Storage" where it is conserved until transportation takes place. Never has a working man's life been more promising than with the introduction of the Dyson Modules, for production of such structures - which allow the civilized galaxy to achieve a Kardashev value of 2.5.

Lockdown Hunters

The largest spaceports are now always found just outside of a species' Heartland, and for a very particular reason. Throughout spacefaring history there have been incidents that have required a total cutoff of travel into another species' homeworld regions - an uncrossable border for foreigners - to protect the security of said worlds and their people. Knowing of the dangers inherent in allowing any craft without military designation past the blockades during biological or political crises, the alliance between the Wraz, Humans, and the Grays signed a pact creating the Lockdown Hunters. Lockdown Hunters are specially-trained crews of smaller, faster vessels with the authority to obliterate anyone violating said starspace without question.

Dim Space

A common sight - or lack thereof - today in the galaxy, dim space is the culmination of human technological advancement; the medium through which darkspeed is possible on vessels. Every vessel equipped with the engines possess their own dimming mechanisms, but it was not long after the development that the Shadow Stations were established all over common space. Providing additional darkening power, the Stations ensure that those who seek to wield the fastest method of space travel can do so in even the brightest regions of the void.

[Biohazard]

Factions: Military[/size]

 No futuristic reality would be complete without paramilitary terrorist organizations to combat and oppose the governments of the many populated worlds - which more often than not are just as untrustworthy and damaging to society. What once was termed a Private Defense Contractor is more aptly called a Private Military Division, as there are several larger stellar corporations and banking companies that at least possess specially-trained security guards, if not entire units designed to take the offensive.

The United Defense Network

Also called the United Earths Military, The UDN is the primary military body of Earth and its colonies - the "strong arm" of the government, as it were. The successor to countless agencies such as the CIA, FSB and the like in addition to traditional military forces. While in reality its main sphere of influence is Earth, it does have some sanction in more distant colonized regions and keeps countless outposts free-floating in dead space or orbit, and on planetary bodies themselves. The UDN is unique in that the last couple of hundred years have seen the abolishing of any division between state/regional/federal police institutions and the military, under the Unified Security Act. Its many branches continue to act with much independence through their advanced training, purchasing of equipment and contracting, and regional duties, but primary training and policy is now the same across the board.

The Combat Branch of the UDN consists of three departments: Planetary Defense, Navy, and Marines, all of which possess their own fully-independent support and intelligence divisions. Planetary Defense consists of human ground forces trained in anti-invasion warfare, aircraft ideally suited to function within a planet's atmosphere and low orbit, and electronic and nuclear systems and weaponry designed to cripple any assaulting force. The Navy is the backbone of the UDNCB, possessing the largest star fleet (in numbers, not power) of any stellar force, with ships both large and small and created for most any task, from the stealthy and fast Warhawk-18 to the massive Verehan-Class juggernauts, whose launch bays carry many smaller attack craft and guided/targeted weaponry. The Marines are the UDNCB's invader force, designed to infiltrate and neutralize any planetary defenses, and answer and function in most respects as a department of the Navy (Officer ranks in the Marines only go up to Colonel, and beyond that any officer must "transfer" to the Navy). The UDN's colors are yellow and blue, with the Marines also adding green.

M.O.T.H.

M.O.T.H. (Militaristic Operational Terror Harbinger) is the largest and most fearsome of all rogue forces in Known Space. Also known as Bio-Doom (their original name before being given the acronym and fancy term after their distinctive faction insignia), M.O.T.H. operates outside of all jurisdiction and regulation. Thought to be headquartered on one of the three-dozen or so human outposts that are lacking in strong governmental presences, they follow an agenda laid down by an unknown master with an unknown ultimate goal. Founded originally when LtCol Hans Huntington (a man decorated for his many combat accomplishments and head of special operations group S.P.E.C.T.R.) went AWOL and then reappeared in a small terrorist movement known as Hittite, M.O.T.H. accomplishes its goals primarily by deadly specially-trained operatives that can infiltrate various networks with impunity, and by biological warfare - the viruses engineered in their secret laboratories, if they engineer them at all - are the deadliest, some of which have required complete annihilation of affected populations.

M.O.T.H. is the subject of the majority of the UDN and MOF's budget, as countless dollars have gone into the training of operatives to combat this force and the intelligence and technology to gain the upper-hand against them. It is likely that M.O.T.H. masks many of its logistical exchanges under cover of small-time shipments and independent space pirate actions, as only one combat-capable spacecraft has been observed flying their flag: the Void-class Annihilator, a destroyer that was hijacked and disappeared for years only to resurface as a heavily-modified war machine. M.O.T.H.'s banners and accepted faction colors are "nightmare purple" and black.

Martian Orbital Force

The Martian Orbital Force, while not the largest military in known space, is the most powerful one - every allied society relies on the Martians for their innovative rocketry and physical science skill. Residing so close to Earth, the Martian military has - luckily - not come into any major conflicts with the UDN, although defense escalations and tensions akin to a historical period known as the "Cold War" have taken place. The MOF likes to present its policy and political appearance as being docile and friendly, which it is - if you leave it and its research colonies alone. Besides Mars itself (which looks happily upon its repeated reputation as an entity of war), the Martian Stellar Nation possesses one (albeit a very large) cluster of star systems that are colonized and used for various forms of research and development. Most of their projects involve weaponry and the advancing ways of war, bringing it full circle back to the MOF - but when technology is so far advanced, what else is there to do but prepare for destruction?

The MOF's colors are red and gray.

Halov Corp

The Halov Corporation is the largest mult-division company of the many that are "independent" machines. They manufacture small-arms, exoskeletons and power suits, and short-range communications and motion sensing technology in the Combat Research Division, while also possessing several other divisions of varying sizes for the development and construction of various important and innovative products (such as the infamous SLIDE). Halov is a "neutral" company, selling their products to most everyone, including M.O.T.H. as rumors tell (which the UDN, MOF, and Copriar Delta and their allies do not approve of), while keeping some of it for their own personal use (and leaving their customers to crudely imitate, in some cases). Their colors are black and white.

Halov Corp also happens to possess a sizeable private military - and although they have had few instances so far to prove themselves, the situations when their intervention has been required have shown their effectiveness. Their signature weaponry is the ECHELON (Electrically-Charged Hand Engagement Light Offensive Neutralizer), an electromagnetic breakthrough in the form of powered lightning blades and charged shields to match. The technology involved renders many common forms of ranged attack obsolete and requires appropriate melee to defeat it. The lightning halos are powerful enough to inflict severe burns in addition to the damage the sharpened super-alloy blades do themselves.

Copriar Expeditionary Force

Akin to a futuristic version of many Marines forces of ancient days, the Copriar Expeditionary Force is the military projection of Copriar Delta, The Berengis Field, and the Char System (all of which are located in the Copriar Sector). The CEF maintains a relatively small, diverse force that is capable despite being more than a little underfunded. Lacking significant interests in galactic politics, the Copriar military's primary purposes are to defend its home Region by unconventional (read: offensive) means and serve as the official escort and security for any exploration or expansion civilian groups may intend - making them at times little more than a government-funded mercenary force. Their faction colors are gray and turquoise.

The Sons of Sirius

The Sons of Sirius are a small and only moderately powerful force on a galactic scale, though they are a very dangerous foe in planetary war. The Sons or the Sirian Army are one of the foremost promoters of laser and energy warfare on the small scale as opposed to continued use of metals for ammunition. They wield CR-5 "Revolutionary" rifles, AMBER X44 Charge Guns and DeBrolat SUC-90 pistols - all of which fire plasma shots and use energy shells - instead of the countless metal shell-based weapons that continue to be used in advanced variants by almost every other force. This different base of arms has had only marginal effects on the Sirius Union's need to mine and import raw materials, but has advantages in prolonged combat that have been proven more than once. The Sons of Sirius' flag is orange and dark green. The Sirius Union itself is actually completely surrounded by the UDN, something which has dampened its war efforts significantly. Although the two have never seen significant war, there is some unrest and dislike towards the UDN, with various groups within the Union feeling that they should break out and control more territory.

Demeter V and Zextesselus

Two small, backwater colonies at the far edge of the Milky Way, Demeter V and Zextesselus were once Halov installments shortly after the widespread use of Darkspeed vessels, but increasing interest in other regions left them to fend for themselves. Possessing moderately state-of-the-art (in Galactic Edge terms; by standards of any of the Heartlands they are aged) research and industrial facilities, these two single systems support each other and scorn larger territories. The combined 17 planets and 338 moons of the systems (most of which are in Zextesselus and its outer asteroid belts) are havens for the lawless and dangerous mixing of many species. They maintain a single military presence, mostly a ragtag assembly of smaller spacefaring vessels and HMR (High-Mobility Response) forces, which has done surprisingly well against the rare raid launched on them by Halov, the UDF, or the MOF.

The Hagathon Group

Hagathon is a "special interests" organization like many others, meaning that it seeks wealth, power, and information by secret and often illegal means. Much like ancient groups such as the CIA, KGB, and MI6, or groups that rose for short periods in the 25th and 26th centuries such as the KLO, DMM, VARC, and Red Anvil. Running an extensive network with capabilities that give them access to nearly every small-to-moderate-sized resource. Unlike official military sections, Hagathon is part of a long list of groups that operate either small, stealthy utility vessels or none of their own at all, instead taking advantage of "public" services and infiltration of other agencies. Although their allegiances are questionable, it is believed they are at the center of a hub that links them to many other major factions.

Factions - Civilian[/size]

The many military parties of the Milky Way, however, are neither the most numerous nor the most controversial entities that affect regular life. Through various religious, social, political, and environmental movements countless organizations have risen to become justifications - but more often nuisances and excuses - for people to seek out their goals and desires.

Matadela

Matadela is a religious social movement that threatens many societies with its existence, but somehow continues to gain support and slowly make its way into small-time political offices. At its heart, the Matadela movement is a kind of escapism; it seeks the rights of those who choose to live their lives as different and/or digital people on The Network. Though social interaction, roleplaying, and exploration of other cultures through electronic representation are encouraged by all but the most backwards governments and religions, few condone the equivalent of a new welfare society - Matadelian heads of power lobby for an actual wage and/or salary given to those who become Netmen in exchange for "odd jobs" on the Network, from marketing to administration and policing. As such things are either handled directly by corporate representatives or governments themselves, the Charter of Network Native Rights is something met with much skepticism and one of the few things that interstellar enemies can readily agree on.

Superhumanism

Superhumanism is a variant of standard Humanism which seeks to spread the idea that humans (or at least humanoids) are the ultimate being, akin to gods in the biological world. Superhumanism has its origins in the Psionic Wars, or rather the aftermath; as it became clear that humans had achieved a peak of power not yet seen in recorded history, would-be Superhumanists began to move against the established equality of species. While considered a radical semi-cult, Superhumanism garners large amounts of support in the Martian regions and is believed to be supported by M.O.T.H., although with the latter it is not known whether they consider it a legitimate religion or just fuel it to spread social dissonance.

The main conflict that arises between Superhumanists and their opposition is their perfectionist ideals when it comes to fitness, health, and intelligence - Superhuman dogma requires its followers to be always looking for ways to improve, adapt, and reach new peaks of personal power. This extreme belief combined with other social and political tensions has more than once led Superhumanists to take up arms in drastic action and begin conflicts on planetary scales. The movement is ironically opposed to Transhumanism; Superhumanism rejects the use of genetic engineering and like technologies that enhance in any way (although it is not opposed to war machines and combat add-ons) - one of the core aspects of the religion/philosophy is that perfect human form can be achieved only through selective and ideal breeding.

HERA

The Heavy Energy Regulation Administration is the largest energy and resources organization, specifically focusing on "Heavy Energy", meaning energy that is harvested from planetary bodies and from stars themselves. It has an office in every capital city of each human colony allied with the UDN. Frequently contracted by the UDN, it has jurisdiction over all usage and licensing, an impressive and versatile fleet of specialized craft, and is able to quickly activate or deactivate any operation that does not pass requirements. HERA is one of the largest civilian employers of humans and also has a strong presence in Reptilian territories.

Kergild Engineering

Once a specifically Martian company, Kergild Engineering is now a "neutral" investment group whose headquarters is a SLIDE unit, which oversees various semi-independent offices and camps that are spread throughout the galaxy and are aligned with various individual factions and regions. Kergild's people specialize in civil and electrical engineering, specifically the design of Controlled Space Transit Systems in the former field and Wormhole Communication Transmitter Trajectories in the latter. The company has constructed and continues to develop and research in their chosen fields the most effective and efficient methods of transportation and communication. Kergild only recruits the brightest and best engineering minds, often fresh out of primary schooling to be specially trained to their needs and hierarchy.

Eluranism

An influential philosophy in the human existence, Eluranism is an extension of Humanism like many modern religions that suggests that above all of the political and economic hierarchies, there must be an elite or elites appointed to oversee the ultimate design of intelligent life. Eluranism embraces the idea that the universe will one day fail and seeks to find a method by which it can prevent this or at least find a purpose for people to prosper. The movement rejects democracy in favor of a form of oligarchy-meritocracy - a small elite is appointed based on their abilities and value to debate and determine direction. A necessary element of the philosophy requires the Eluranist faction to operate as a shadow government to anyone and everyone - Eluranism's institution is more popularly known as the Far Side.

Aveloranity

A cult that arose in the 26th century during the gradual fade of Christianity into a "private religion" along with most other non-life stance beliefs, Aveloranity mirrors the teachings of the Bible and of Christianity but rejects the idols and timeline that is traditionally accepted, stating that Christianity itself was meant to arise in the 13th century with more similarities to Islam. Aveloranity strongly endorses the development of science in honor of God and eliminates any conflict between evolution and creationism in its primary script.

The Second Search for Heaven

A religious movement similar to the First Search for Heaven mostly only in name, the Second Search (also known as Kenwickism) is a faith that follows in the footsteps of what was Christianity, taken mainly as a series of metaphors related to real events and theories, and also to an old astrobiological theory that maybe, just maybe, the proponents for life did not originate on Earth and other planets. Instead,, it was brought to them by meteors originating somewhere; the question asked, then, is "where?"

Thus begins the Search. Fleets of curious and faithful collectives from all across the galaxy (many not human; the Second Search has been quite popular with other humanoid species in particular) have acquired tools both advanced and crude to seek out this literal Heaven, which is said to be a great expanse of exotic, rare combinations of elements that are not "natural" in the galaxy's sense, and strange physics that spawn bizarre scenarios. Most believe that this "Heaven" is definitely beyond the Milky Way galaxy, and is probably not located in any one galaxy (although some variants propose that there could also be a theoretical "First Galaxy" located wherever the center of the universe is, at the exact point of the original Big Bang, that could be the Heaven they're looking for), but rather is beyond the universe all together. There are also those that suggest it is somewhere on The Other Side, through the infinite alternate realities and possibilities that permeate the place, but where these areas are poorly understood and not all-that-easily entered, explored, and interacted with, there is much less support for this avenue of thought.

[Biohazard]

Some updates. A map or two soon. And of course some statistics for things most likely, done through the Star Wars Saga system.

[Biohazard]

Chaos Theory[/size]

Did you think we would have control?

One cannot plan with absolute certainty anything for the long term - or can they? That may be what gives control. An unforeseen, overlooked event can shape things in ways unexpected and undesired in the long term - but that is the nature of the art of Chaos. The word, archaically tied to the idea of unpredictability, is better applied to the science of patterns, and of cause and effect. What once was a single class meant to introduce students in universities to a single specialty in the world of mathematics has become its own field. To plan for the long term, one must embrace the unpredictability and overwhelm the system with their own factors.

Psionics[/size]

But there are elements we have mastered...

Destiny, of course, manifests in many forms. It is no surprise that the dreams of our ancestors would be realized (mostly) as they had hoped and foretold through the power of the mind. Though the body is a vessel whose power has never been (and never will be) fully tapped and utilized, the mind is also a powerhouse that has finally come to the fore. Despite still being a rare power possessed by only those of specific genes, psionics are a real (if dangerous) force.

Most psionics manifest what powers they do have in the form of telepathy, light telekinesis, and precognition. Unusual (in the relatively small percentage of the population, about 0.08%, that actually have psionic powers) is the presence of all three, or more complex abilities, but the youthful part of human nature continues to surprise its scientists. This is also only what psionics are capable of upon early Realization; over time, one who is given the opportunity can hone and extend their capabilities.

The most prominent example of organized use of psionic power is - you guessed it - in the military. Every military and paramilitary outfit that operates on a large scale possesses training facilities and systems for harnessing this power - especially M.O.T.H. - and seeks to use them to achieve goals through the most unconventional methods known to unconventional warfare.

You really all that surprised that we pretended for such a long time? What would you have done, as a child, if one of your new friends showed you something they could do that you had no idea how to even begin to attempt? You'd probably have lied, told them you were an expert and knew some stuff they didn't but made a strong attempt at dodging any actual show of ability. Well, that's exactly what we did when we were knew on the galactic stage. Everyone else was throwing around all of these psionic powers and, well, we wanted them too - but the few people around that could do that shit willingly at the time were being dissected in labs, or were being persecuted for having a gift. So we pretended for a long time, and in the end some of our bullshit actually came true - we developed a branch that was all but myth to the rest of them. That's one of our defining mental differences, along with a couple other weirder breeds out there on the Milky Way, from the rest of our comrades - our first judgment is to hide our weakness instead of assessing our enemy's.
-Vickah Camprel, disgruntled construction forewoman

The Re-Emergence of Slavery[/size]

Why in all of the countless galaxies would anyone or anything be racist, when idiocy spans all races and things? It is a shame that it does exist, but we can be thankful that it is in small amounts and mainly between species. Now where it is seen is mostly between the Alliance Races and the Magellanites, most notably the Vorov, who have a habit of being equally hateful towards anything not of their own kind.
-Amelina Dolosanto, De Briga, Magnolia, Earth, UNR

Slavery was always bound to surface again in the history of humankind, but did it ever really disappear? It did not help that at the height of the supposed human rights movement, the first contact was made with the Grays, who enslaved various creatures of moderate intelligence prior to the development of their most advanced artificial intelligence, some 300 years ago. This is, however, how slavery continues to exist, through the utilization of AI to extreme lengths. One could argue that this is a flawed application of terms to functions, because many robotics were built specifically to do various kinds of work. This cheap and widely-available resource hasn't stopped various groups from subjugating natural intelligences, however. Some AIs cannot rightly be pegged as being slaves regardless, for they enjoy the work - they were programmed that way.

[Biohazard]

Systems of the Known Galaxy[/size]

The United Nations Region

The UNR is the largest and most populated region, for obvious reasons - home to both the homeworlds Earth and Mars, as well as significant outposts of several other major factions. Also known as the Earth Region, it spans a distance of about 99 light-years across. It is bordered towards the Galactic Center by the Reptilian-D Region Belt in a 92 degree radius, Halov Private Interstellar Territory in the opposite direction in a 33 degree arc, and neutral zones in the remaining radius. Although they possess many outlying colonies and jurisdictions, the UNR is primarily located here. And it is also here, in a region 20 light-years across, centered on Earth, where the Industrial Heartland can be found.

The Gray Void

Named for the Grays while at the same time for the sparse star population of the region, the Gray Void is the Gray equivalent of the United Nations Region and is located almost directly opposite it on the other side of the galaxy. Those passing through the area keep their distance in most cases not because of military presence but because of the inherent "creepiness" of it - the cold and distant method by which native traffic passes, the way even the most populated sections are quiet - one always has the feeling that the Grays are plotting something, that your disappearance is scheduled. Gray architecture is extremely apparent and imposing, with its circular and sprawling styles.

Reptilian-D

Merely the human classification for the area, Reptilian-D is actually the Wraz's second territorial acquisition and, while a poor zone of habitation, D consists of 451 systems, 90% of which are rich in vital chemical elements and planetary orbits ideal for defense and observation. Reptilian-D is one of the more frequent regions used for weapons testing and joint exercises between humans and the Wraz.

[Biohazard]

Technology of The Future-Modern Age[/size]

Nitrocameras

A development of Lockeon Technologies under military contract, Nitrocameras were originally inspired by the Reptilian Observation Modules (small, intelligent aerial vehicles that can be set to patrol or explore with a feed sent back to a terminal). They are incredibly micro-sized floating cameras that are found in the millions per cubic foot, named for the high percentage of Nitrogen in human atmospheres. Although expensive, such a technology allows unparalleled surveillance for federal agencies and private companies alike. Nitrocameras allow all-around total imaging in any environment once they've populated the area, and relay live feeds near-instantly to monitoring systems. Upon widespread use of this technology many kinds of criminal activity were stifled for months and years - but no system is unbeatable.

The Second Age of Chivalry: Plasma Weaponry

You're thinking blaster pistols and repeating rifles that shoot glowing energy, right? Unfortunately, the Dystopian Universe has developed such technologies only in small doses and most colonies have found them inefficient in favor of metal-based munitions. However, that is not to say that melee weaponry and defenses have not been more fortunate - quite the opposite. Through the emergence of increasingly small and stable electrical foci and channeling gates, the sword and shield has been reborn, and is ironically almost completely the same in function (except for the damage they cause). Although armor is incredibly difficult to realistically achieve and still provide mobility and diverse application, weaponry and shields, lightweight yet incredibly sturdy, have revolutionized warfare in a sort of "reverse forward".

Military training for almost all services now includes extensive melee training as well as methods at defending against ranged attacks - the technology does provide resistance against standard ranged weaponry to some degree, but is not completely capable of deflecting attacks on its own.

CCT-5 Goliath Headsets

The CCT-5 and its variants, a product of Terminalot Industries, is a common and extremely diverse form of utility gear. Possessed by all but the very poor and worn almost perpetually, it includes an earpiece, mouthpiece, and a half-visor (also available in double ear, double mouth, and full eye visior configurations) that extends or retracts as needed. The Goliath is a miniature, all-encompassing information, entertainment, and accessibility console - using voice, movement, and sensing variations in the skin, it can provide its wearer with all services that they have purchased and/or acquired. By default the service includes a near-limitless encyclopedia, news, weather, music streams, basic inter-headset communications, and navigation and travel data.

Planetary Engineering

Planetary engineering is the crown achievement of humanity and its allies, and often considered to be the ultimate destiny of intelligent races. It is not taught as an independent specialty in schools (in most cases) but is rather a great collaboration between countless individuals who are skilled and specialized in specific fields. Between the three Alliance races, over 600 planets have been terraformed successfully, with only an 8% failure rate. No statistics for non-Alliance members have ever been compiled.

One of the most notable effects of terraforming is the effects immediate colonization and exploitation have - cities and societies are unnaturally orderly and well-structured. A current project underway is the notoriously difficult Sol Venus Project, which after all of these years still struggles to make Earth's sister planet into a habitable locale.

[Biohazard]

Aliens[/size]

The Spacefarers[/u]

Not every species on the galactic stage was the designer of its own space travel technology. Those who have are called, for obvious reasons, the Spacefarers, and tend to be the most powerful species in terms of territory, wealth, and advancement, even if they are divided by hundreds of factions. Those in this category are listed here.

The Wraz

(With thanks to Llum)

More popularly known as reptilians, the Wraz are the most philosophically and socially similar species in comparison to humans - warlike, colonialist and, at heart, very tribal. It doesn't help that their species has a habit of occasionally producing a Scion - a Wraz child that sports an unusual, oversized crest that gradually grows larger atop its head - which always possesses heightened intelligence and very fluent psychokinetic powers, and these "elite" have at times been everything from divinely-appointed rulers to subjects of racial inequality wars. The Wraz, like humans and most other races, exist in a variety of philosophies and factions, but across the board they tend to be very sporadic and flamboyant. A Wrazk takes pride in possessions as much, if not more, than achievements.

A Wrazk appears roughly the size of a human, although the typical body frame hints that they should be much taller, being lanky but powerful. Its body is covered in a strange outer layer that's not quite scaly, but not quite the smooth, human-like epidermis. They are hairless, have large, lizard-like eyes and a mouth that somewhat resembles a beak, suggesting an avian evolutionary history. Wraz hands have four digits instead of five (something which has influenced their mathematics), possess superficial tails in the form of extending stubs, and have internal genitalia.

Vorovka

Vorovka are the terror of most known space - little known and barely understood by even the longer-spacing species, both their appearance and their agendas are cesspools of fear. Believed to have a long, bloody, and complex history filled with answers to questions that plague most other races of the galaxy, Vorovka do not attempt to communicate or respect interstellar borders. They possess a radical xenophobia that extends to everything that isn't vorov (but are no strangers to genocide, either). Their technology in the realm of physics has long ago reached a plateau that they seem to have no intentions or desires of surpassing, instead focusing on the drastic alteration of biological systems. Their creations are the subject of much horror and the cause for large portions of government spending.

If laid out flat, a vorov might vaguely resemble a cross. It has a thick, boneless, "muscular" body that has few defined segments and is a little over a meter long on average. It's bottom "half" consists of a slimy, bland kind of exotic flesh that is covered in millions of tiny follicles that serve as a natural propulsion. At its center is an equivalent of a chest that ripples occasionally, though the action's relation to breathing is unknown. A vorov features crude, hypersensitive limbs on either side of its body that, in most cases, serve little function. Above the limbs is a moderately long segment followed by a "head" that is really a gaping maw of rows of teeth, making the creature look much like a leech. Vorovka, however, are rarely seen in this state ("bare"), as the race are skilled in the creation of exoskeletons that stand tall and have arms and legs with manipulative features. A vorov's extremely sensitive "hands" combined with the strength of its brain allows it to indefinitely bond with an exoskeleton's receivers and control it with natural dexterity.

The Grays (Tetrobor)

"When a man witnesses a UFO, he is encountering a Gray. When a Gray witnesses a UFO, he is encountering a god."
-Unknown

The Grays are the classic stereotype for alien lifeforms in human history, and ironically now are (occasionally) some of their closest allies. Grays are, next to the Vorovka, the most advanced race in the realm of mechatronics and biological engineering. They seem to have a much less bloody history than other races of Known Space, although the Gray is as notorious for its secrets as it is for its scientific skill. Many in the technological community say that they are second-rate Vorovka copycats with the exception of their willingness to actually function in the presence of other races - their goals are malicious at best, murderous at worst, and in most cases focused almost solely on scientific advancement. The concept of an "un-dead" creature is an entirely new one to them, something that fascinates them about human history and human biochemical achievements (read: failures).

Contrary to the 20th and 21st centuries' popular opinion, a Gray stands well over seven feet tall, has a well-defined muscular system, and possesses few visible orifices. Their eyes are large, oval-shaped objects black or white. Their skin is hairless and a bland greenish color, changing around the joints to an almost brown; their flesh and organs also possess a superior regenerative quality. In place of ears on a very slightly inflated head are two nearly invisible, veined and dull depressions. They have two thin slits for a nose and only a vestigial mouth in the form of a depression similar to the ears. All Grays communicate entirely through gestures, expressions, and most importantly, telepathy. They are known to manifest some degree of psychokinesis, although psychokinetics in Grays are almost as rare as humans.

The reason for much of the original confusion over their traits prior to a defensive/scientific pact with the human race lies in their greatest achievement: the Moglin. A moglin is a masterful creation they've possessed for at least 1,500 years, and is the shorter "version" of the Gray once known to science fiction. Moglins are robots complete with artificial intelligence on the same levels as humans, reptilians, and grays, built out of exotic and rare metal alloys and designed for RC (Resource Colonization) and information collection. Although entirely mechanical, Moglins possess all of the wicked mental traits of their creators and are notorious for their cold machine stares that seem animated by pure evil.

The Wzzev

"Hope you don't mind spiders... or wasps... or any of the weird fuckers that swarm you on Chelsenda Quad... 'cause you'll never work outside of the Heartland with that kind of phobia. Not with the Wzzev creeping around."
-Sgt. Avier Ramirez, Interstellar Affairs SAGITTARIUS

A sinister cross between the most capable hunting spiders and the most deadly of wasps, the Wzzev have evolved to be even more perfect killing machines since the dawn of their evolution, and extend that now to their technologies. Extremely skilled and focused as a species, the Wzzev are driven by an ever-greater desire to know all things much like humans, but their lust for that knowledge has driven them into an almost exclusive obsession with astronomical engineering. Built to control, monitor, and document, the "slide lanes" of the Alchant (the Wzzev Heartland) are like an endless web or nest of travel lanes and markers - fitting considering their appearance. Wzzev architecture is very efficient and sturdy but at the same time features much excess - structures are frequently seen with many more supports than are necessary or support connectors between primaries that serve no practical purpose. It has both a kind of paranoia and an obsession with random symmetry built into it, as the addition of one feature often requires the addition of a matching one at a suitable distance to show "equality"; this tends to be done many times over before the image of such perfect design is achieved.

A wzzev is met with much uncertainty in the Primary Systems, as even though they've made significant contributions to the colonization of the Milky Way, they are fairly rare and for the most part have not made strong alliances with non-wzzach factions. Additionally, a wzzev's unusual anatomy, while not completely incompatible with humanoid design, makes things awkward for them on planets and in ships not of their own design.

The Praetor

Less popularly known by the name they gave their race, Dyen, the Praetor are one of the original spacefaring races, possibly the first (depending on the validity of various accounts in their public history). A very tight-knit, orderly, and warrior-like race, the Praetor, despite being a mainstay in galactic affairs for millenia, have had almost no comprehensive exploration or research efforts into other planetary systems (other than those deemed "necessary"). They've conveniently and intelligently developed the technology, which has been applied to infrastructure and social structure, to be capable of supporting a race of some 38 billion individuals all within two solar systems. Compared to most other home regions, this is an immense population, but its stellar crossways are surprisingly uncrowded. This also creates a large population of very patriotic, bored, and powerful military members of Praetorian breed in such a small area, guaranteeing anyone who is bold enough a boxing match at the very minimum - something that has helped concrete the humorous label given to Praetorian space by humans, "the Praetorian Arena". Praetorians in general are unsure whether to be flattered or insulted by the labels given to them along this line.

A praetorian stands about as tall as a Gray, but appears much more muscular and bulky. Their entire physiology seems to suggest that their evolutionary path favored fewer but stronger methods of environmental manipulation; instead of five digits they have two very thick fingers and a thumb that can at times stretch and shrink small amounts as needed. Likewise, their feet are more like a very large bird's, and their arms and legs are very large diametrically. All praetorians grow what has been coined an episkeleton - while it is not shed at any point in life, nor is it as hard in comparison to an insect's, it provides significant toughness to their epidermis. This includes their heads, which are almost entirely encased in this skin-shell. This is the primary means of identification between individual dyen along with voice - each episkeleton grows around the face in a very distinct pattern, while the rest of the body's episkeleton is mostly distinguished by coloring. Praetorian vocal capability is almost identical to that of humans (which has puzzled human scientists considering the difference in the structure of their breathing mechanisms as well as vocal chords), although when compared side-by-side with the latter, they sound much more "singular" - a human in comparison almost sounds as if there are two voices speaking simultaneously, one at a slightly higher pitch. This sound is made more distinct in the minds of others by the structure of their jaws, the lower half of which is split into two separate mandibles that mirror each other when moving.

Corax

Coraxen, like the amaskodi, are an aquatic species, and strangely they inhabit planets that are very near each other. Unlike them, however, coraxen inhabit a world covered by seas of ammonia, and their molecular structure is silicon- rather than carbon-based. As a result they have a strikingly different biochemistry, and equally striking physical characteristics. Their homeworld, Arkib-1, is a quiet, sparsely-inhabited place - compared to Earth the number of advanced lifeforms to evolve there is small - and while drifting in the ammonia oceans of their planet one is greeted by little else than eerie, dim lights and sounds that seem to completely ignore the liquid as a buffer. Coraxen thought process is fragmented and chaotic, and their technology is very limited - there is little they can't do with their natural telepathy and telekinesis, both of which are incredibly powerful in comparison with other races.

To a human, a corax might look like the crystalline form of a mad scientist's twisted attempt to turn a shark into a jellyfish. They are semisolid and transparent creatures that appear to glow faintly from within. Their outer layers, although only a marginally effective camouflage to other creatures used to their surroundings, makes them appear almost invisible to nonnative species because of the chaotic distribution of crystal growths and patterns that cover their bodies. A corax's "vocal" system is almost entirely vestigial and is completely separate from their digestive system. At the front of a typically 3 meter body shaped vaguely like an inverted L is the hub of sensory systems, although this consists of one of three brain-like structures that projects mentally to perceive the world around the creature; the only non-telepathic primary sense they possess is tactile, although they have almost all senses common to fish and birds that most humanoid species are incapable of using, such as electroception, magnetoception, and current detection. A corax possesses a total of three separate organs akin to brains, divided roughly equally about the body - the one at the "head" is sensory, the one near the tail end controls motor skills, and the central one at the midsection handles all other functions. It also appears as though this central brain is slowly losing its purpose as well, as it is clear that various systems within it are slowly being migrated through evolution to the outer brains, and the arousal system involved with sleep is of little use all together - coraxen have limited distinction between waking and sleeping periods.

Perhaps the most puzzling (and interesting) trait of the coraxen species is their agelessness - for reasons still unknown they do not age after maturing. This among other factors has led relations between coraxen factions and the factions of other races, regardless of ideology, to be very strained. Their warfare technology is very singular in design and tactics, but frighteningly effective, with a not-surprising natural affinity for the use of basic substances in chemical warfare. The only elements they maintain and progress to great levels are their warp-speed technologies, knowledge of chemical systems, and through that, their medical prowess. Much speculation is given towards their origins and the things they might know about the past - in particular, there is much evidence from the limited communications between them and other species, as well as artifacts left behind from great battles, that suggest they've had a very long, complicated and bloody series of relations with the vorovka.

The Enlightened Species[/u]

The enlightened are the product of the Spacefaring Species' drive to explore, catalog, and in rarer cases lend a hand. These species are either creatures that could not become players on the galactic stage without outside assistance, or were simply too early on in their cultural and technological progressions to do so when they were first interacted with.

Amaskodi

The amaskodi are one of many spacefaring races that became such by the hand of others - in this case, the grays - and did it with a great deal of difficulty. While other races had to deal with a variety of issues with venturing into space, including radiation and weightlessness, the amaskodi are an intelligent race of octopus-like aquatic creatures, presenting an additional issue with the construction of vessels. Fortunately (and very suspicious by would-be conspiracy theorists that support the faith of the Second Search for Heaven), the fact that they can breathe and dwell within perfluorocarbons makes it easy for their allies to interact with them. Their ships are filled with water and most also carry small breather-converters for other species that wish to board. Everything of amaskodi make that is not submerged in a body of water itself is wholly filled with such fluids, and has complicated filtering systems to ensure the fluid is clean at all times.

Coming from a planetary system that includes not one, but two planets that are covered in global oceans (one of water - their home planet - and one of hydrogen peroxide), it is not surprising that an amaskod quick to make ventures into aquatic worlds before others, even when the "aquatic" environment in question is a global ocean of molten lava. Their exploration of alien worlds is a polar opposite of that of other races - an aquatic environment is the more easily hospitable one, while terrestrial ones are explored with the kind of caution that humans and their allies once practiced when exploring the depths of the seas on their own worlds.

An amaskod appears almost exactly like an octopus that has evolved to grow more vertically than horizontally. Some variations of them possess coats of fine hairs instead of suction cups, and their bodies are significantly larger to support both a much larger brain and as means of defense and control. Lacking any significant skeletal structure (although there is suggestion by the persisting composition of their insides that at one time they did possess one), amaskodi are extremely nimble and can avoid many problems present in the locomotion of other races. This also, however, requires them to build sufficient environmental exoskeletons to support them in non-aquatic excursions. The design of their nervous system as well as the capabilities of their brains makes their arms even more independent than those of Earth-based octopi; something that disturbs even those that have never seen the Earth versions of the creatures. They, like the Earth creatures they resemble, have very short lifespans, which are overcome by a passing of general knowledge through generations that has developed over long periods of evolution. Amaskodi communicate through an extensive telepathy that has been a normal trait of their species for as long as they can remember, but are otherwise as average as the Alliance races when it comes to psionic ability. Unlike most telepathic projections, however, which when heard in the head almost seems to echo as if there were multiple voices speaking the same words as they manifest, amaskodi telepathy is a pounding, singular assault on the head that feels almost painful - something that does deal some damage to galactic relations.

Annihilation of Competition[/size]

Did you think all of these bountiful, habitable planets would be taken en masse by each race without consequence, and without the destruction of their natives? The great spacefaring races may have had countless wars over regions of space, but those were actual wars - what they speak little of are the exterminations of what are now called the Dead Races.

Uvelle

A bizarre race of avian quadrupeds, Uvelle inhabited the planet Chomorse, which orbits star L674-15. Upon discovering the planet, which resembled Earth's supercontinent past in almost every way, the UDF was quick to send a MEADE team to the surface. Most of the flora and fauna was harmless and proved to be quite ideal for resource harvesting, but the Uvelle, despite being very primitive, were extremely intelligent - and therefore dangerous. The first few were killed using the standard automatic charge rifles found in the military, but after a few weeks of examination, scientists engineered a deadly virus that targeted the Uvelle genetic structure specifically, and within another month they were all dead save the few thousand that were kept for experimentation and entertainment.

Hleeb

An extermination widely publicized as propaganda against M.O.T.H., the hleeb were an oversized amoebic species of intelligent, psionic beings with an unusual biochemical makeup found in a very hospitable homeworld environment - a planetoid called Auv-14 which had another planetoid locked in decaying orbit around it, and had at the point of the hleeb's discovery come very near to Auv. Both environments were very forbidding places; where they were not molten mountains and seas, they were jagged, rocky, towering ranges of stone and dust particles that could be mistaken for pollen at a distance. But here, among the nothing, the hleeb flourished. When M.O.T.H. found them, the Division of Mental Adaptation was a fledgling thing, and their capabilities limited. But they captured many of them, hiding them away in some secret stronghold in a secluded star system, and they annihilated the rest. Undoubtedly the sudden explosion of psionic knowledge in their organization was owed to extensive study and testing on the hleeb. To date no extensive knowledge on them exists, for all that the UDN found upon reaching Auv-14 afterwards were the remnants of the slain species and a mocking M.O.T.H. signal flag planted near the equator.

[Biohazard]

Science Gone Wrong: The Undead[/size]

The Grays are absolutely fascinated by funerals. As strange as it may sound, never in their history has the concept of mourning for a fallen comrade occurred to them. A Gray feels a sense of loss and sorrow like pretty much any other naturally-breeding race, but actually having a ceremony and elaborate mythology associated with death, well, that just drives them insane. I remember reading Dr. Rocha's journal on the first few post-mortem examinations of humans in M.O.T.H.'s early days - the Grays present couldn't understand why they didn't have the body harvested on the spot.
-Colonel Volkov

The concept of the undead has always fascinated the human mind. In the realm of the Grays, it has been a means to an end - since time unrecorded they have had their most fluent psychics animate the dead, and later create them through means of grafting body parts together with the proper influx of energy (something we humans also did, albeit secretly, since the 1800s). The most common form of undead now comes from genetic experiments gone awry and viruses that infect and warp the mind and body. Instead of trying to catalogue the forms that the undead may take, instead listed here are a number of incidents involving the creation of, and/or the destruction caused by, undead.

The Brinsley Drive Incident

Occuring in 2201 C.E., the Brinsley Drive incident was the first major outbreak of a Meissner Virus. In a remote area of Austria, within a gothic structure not unlike those depicted in horror epics, an experiment by the legendary Dr. Lothar Boll on the properties of regenerative tissue went horribly wrong. Boll turned himself into an infectious, enhanced monster that proceeded to hunt other humans, infect those it did not devour, and cause a total of 772 casualties and 303 infected individuals. Some of the infected specimens were never neutralized or recovered, and all but a few of those given the antidote returned to normal. Many still suffered side-effects following the cure. Interestingly, after three months of eluding capture, those that were still infected no longer spread the disease, and later on they would be found one-by-one atop towering structures in cities and in remote areas, from skyscrapers to windmills.

Operation TOTAL HOLOCAUST

Also the name for the development (and now common use) of the weaponry involved in the incident, Operation Total Holocaust was an experiment in the effects of nuclear bombardment on an entire planet and the survival of life in the fallout. Not an appropriate entry for the books of the morally righteous, TH was done intentionally without warning any of the inhabitants of the planet - and although a backwater, ghost world - the place was not without a significant population. Many of those who were within blast radii were killed instantly, while others grew horribly sick. It was, however, in the generations that followed those first few decades of nuclear winter and strange biochemical changes that became the fruit of the experiment...


The Xu Complex

A modern day Area 51, Xu was a former Halov research facility that stretched over two miles into the crust of Amar-Robilov. Although sabotage was suspected - the introduction of a virus into the facility's infrastructure - no proofs were ever uncovered. Following the contamination and subsequent quarantine by the military, an entire regiment entered the facility, and a six-month lockdown ensued. Constant battle took place for control of the massive structure, and victory seemed almost in the military's grasp - but a sudden, mysterious turn of events cut off and isolated the soldiers. Despite strong and effective leadership the operation fell apart and within a week all contact with operatives on the inside was lost. The Xu Complex, Amar-Robilov, and its moons are all restricted space and are watched from 1 AU by a detachment of the Marines.

Russia III

Once a dumping ground for the Vorovka's failed experiments, Russia III was colonized by the Grays and the Wraz in a joint communications/harvesting project. However, during the final stages of development of the semi-hospitable planet into an industrial superworks, a rogue organization (not M.O.T.H. but perhaps the Amerite League or the Tetrarmy) introduced the VT-4 psionic strain, not only annihilating any hopes of turning the planet into a permanent habitat and resource ground with the now-poisonous atmosphere, but also turning all present into mindless yet sadistic undead creatures.

The Depths of Venice

The classic, romantic, gentle Venice, Italy retains its beauty well into the 33rd century, now taking on the traits of the standard Earth Tower-City. Its oldest levels have long since been submerged along with several of the newer levels built over the years, leaving water around the city hundreds of feet deep with long-forgotten structures as the city's foundation. Although the city no longer sinks, there are no plans to raise Venice, as the lower levels, some of which possess air bubbles and can be reached only through specific and hidden entrances, are the dumping grounds for countless things not meant to be seen. Be they the experiments of the government or private and individual designs, the depths of Venice are infested with them...