shadowz1995
Amoeba of Wisdom
The year the story takes place is 2640. The events of the temporal displacement experiment, also dubbed the "Chaos Event", happened 500 years ago. Humanity's technology accelerated at a unbelievable pace after the Chaos Event took place. They have been preparing for the coming apocalypse without rest or limitations. The individual countries that governed the world have since come together to form one civilization that represents Earth and all of her interests. The Earth's governing body is now known as the UNE, or the United Nations of Earth.
Mankind has not only achieved interstellar travel but also established alliances with the known alien races in the universe. Armed with their knowledge of the future, Humanity established successful colonies within their galaxy and aggressively expanded their influence in anticipation of The Scourge. Their alliances with the Xeno races and willingness to cooperate with everyone earned them a spot on the GC or Galactic Council, which is a collection of representatives from every sentient species in known space.
Earth became a hotspot for cultural exchanges and has ended up being one of the main planets for commerce across the establish systems.
Mankind has not only achieved interstellar travel but also established alliances with the known alien races in the universe. Armed with their knowledge of the future, Humanity established successful colonies within their galaxy and aggressively expanded their influence in anticipation of The Scourge. Their alliances with the Xeno races and willingness to cooperate with everyone earned them a spot on the GC or Galactic Council, which is a collection of representatives from every sentient species in known space.
Earth became a hotspot for cultural exchanges and has ended up being one of the main planets for commerce across the establish systems.
Not a whole lot is actually known about these alien parasites short of their immediate capabilities. They annihilated whatever planet with life they touched and kept moving without pause.
What is known is that they are almost always a silvery-grey color, made up of an unknown organic metal, and are capable of assimilating anything they have consumed into their biomass. They usually take the form of the strongest being they have consumed. It can range from a horde of locust-like insectoids to colossal quadrapeds to gargantuan underground worms, capable of swallowing cities like New York in one go.
The Horde only has two conceivable weaknesses. One being that to assimilate a living being, they have to be able to touch that creature. The second is that they do not display a high level intelligence. They do not strategize or work cohesively outside of one occasion.
The UNE has set up a loose classification system to try to identify their individual capability and establish a general idea of what kind of firepower they should bring to take down the threats. They range from Class D to Class S.
A few examples will be listed below to help put it into perspective.
Class D:
The "lowest" threat level among the Grays. This does not mean they are not dangerous. They will often take the forms of the fauna of planets they have conquered. Class D Grays individually are not as much of a threat as other classes. They can be killed with conventional firearms that even civilians own with enough bullets and time.
The danger of Class Ds is that they are never encountered alone. They always move in small to mid-sized groups of 6+ individuals and move quickly. They are the most common Gray that have been encountered and should always be treated with more caution then their rank suggests. They are still incredibly lethal and difficult to put down for good.
Do not understimate these lower ranking creatures. Class D threats can quickly turn into a C or even B Class adversaries with enough numbers.
Class C:
C-level Grays are larger than their predecessors and far more durable as a result. The threat of this classification is how much firepower and resources they require to take down or immobilize. Hulking monstrosities that find concrete buildings standing in their way to be more of annoyance than an actual obstacle. They are generally slow but what they lack in speed, they make up for in power and tenacity. They are also rarely found alone, moving in small groups and often surrounded by their quicker Class D counterparts.
Taking a Class C down can take hours of continuous artillery bombardment and some of the larger ones have taken over 24 hours to fully defeat.
Class B:
The Voidlings of Class B are significantly smaller than Class Cs and a bit larger on average than Class Ds. However, what they lack in size, they make up for with destructive capability. A single Class B can level a city block in under an hour. It uses unstable, organic biomass to create projectiles that can pierce through the thickest armors, caustic liquids that can melt diamond, or explosive payloads with similar yields to a carpet bombing of white phosphorus.
Class Bs are always considered high priority targets because of the devastation they can cause in a moment's notice. It was not an uncommon occurrence for an entire military advance to be brought to a halt due to a single, unnoticed Class B destroying critical infrastructure or over 60% of the available fighting force in one fell swoop.
Another key issue is the innate unpredictability of a Class B. They rarely have more than one "attack" but it is almost impossible to tell exactly what kind of offensive ability these creatures have until they have used it.
They are rarely found in groups larger than two but are guaranteed to always be wherever there is a large concentration of allied forces. It is speculated that Class Bs have an innate sense of where they are most needed but it is an unconfirmed theory at this time.
Class A:
The highest and most dangerous classification that can be given to any "typical" Gray. These Scourges are rare but can seemingly crop up out of nowhere during an assault. Class As are also commonly referred to as a "Named". Given the tendency for infantry soldiers to give them a moniker based on their abilities or appearances.
Class A is a Gray that falls into one of the previous categories but has something about them that makes them an outlier among their horde. Some examples are a Class B that is capable of mind control or a Class C that can move at blinding speeds despite its size and strength.
There is also almost always a distinct visual feature that sets these particular Voidlings apart from the rest. Usually, a different colorization from the typical silver and visible scarring indicate this. A working theory is that these are Horde who have survived many battlefields and have evolved past their original forms to their current states, though this remains unconfirmed as of now.
Class S:
The final threat level is when The Scourge devours and assimilates an outstanding member of the Sentient races. Most assimilated peoples are put into Class D but a Class S can form depending on the consumed person.
It has been observed that highly skilled or talented individuals have a near 100% chance to become a Class S. This is usually determined by combat ability but has sometimes happened with people that have high intelligence or strong wills. This was confirmed by multiple sources. It is generally the case, that the individuals that can survive to see the end of their world, are those who fall into these categories and have almost always become a Class S as a result.
The commonly accepted theory of The Scourge's successful invasions is that it was a snowball effect caused by its consumption of worlds. Once it defeated a civilization and assimilated its people, it would have a populated city's worth of Class Ss at its disposal for its next attack.
Class S monsters always contain a frightening level of intelligence, not seen in any of the other classification. This effectively neutralizes one of the only advantages allied forces can be said to have over the Horde. They can lay traps, strategize with other Grays, deceive, and even manipulate the immediate environment to gain the advantage.
Worse still, their physical and metaphysical capabilities are superior to the other threat levels in all categories. Physically, they can rip armored tanks apart with their bare hands, travel near Mach 1 speeds, react fast enough to dodge conventional bullets, and incredibly resistant to all forms of damage.
Metaphysically, their control over their biomass is second to none and seemingly inexhaustible. They can use it to further enhance their physical abilities, shield themselves from harm, regenerate damaged tissue, and assimilate living creatures from a distance. This is something unique to Class Ss and negates the other key advantage allied forces have. They do this to further enhance their own strength or recuperate from any losses in their numbers.
If a Class S is identified on the field, DO NOT ENGAGE. All units are to immediately fall back and evacuate the area. Allied air and naval forces are to expend all remaining munitions to cover the retreat of surviving infantry and land vehicles. The area is to be considered lost and treated as if there was active nuclear fallout within 50 miles of the Class S.
What is known is that they are almost always a silvery-grey color, made up of an unknown organic metal, and are capable of assimilating anything they have consumed into their biomass. They usually take the form of the strongest being they have consumed. It can range from a horde of locust-like insectoids to colossal quadrapeds to gargantuan underground worms, capable of swallowing cities like New York in one go.
The Horde only has two conceivable weaknesses. One being that to assimilate a living being, they have to be able to touch that creature. The second is that they do not display a high level intelligence. They do not strategize or work cohesively outside of one occasion.
The UNE has set up a loose classification system to try to identify their individual capability and establish a general idea of what kind of firepower they should bring to take down the threats. They range from Class D to Class S.
A few examples will be listed below to help put it into perspective.
Class D:
The "lowest" threat level among the Grays. This does not mean they are not dangerous. They will often take the forms of the fauna of planets they have conquered. Class D Grays individually are not as much of a threat as other classes. They can be killed with conventional firearms that even civilians own with enough bullets and time.
The danger of Class Ds is that they are never encountered alone. They always move in small to mid-sized groups of 6+ individuals and move quickly. They are the most common Gray that have been encountered and should always be treated with more caution then their rank suggests. They are still incredibly lethal and difficult to put down for good.
Do not understimate these lower ranking creatures. Class D threats can quickly turn into a C or even B Class adversaries with enough numbers.
Class C:
C-level Grays are larger than their predecessors and far more durable as a result. The threat of this classification is how much firepower and resources they require to take down or immobilize. Hulking monstrosities that find concrete buildings standing in their way to be more of annoyance than an actual obstacle. They are generally slow but what they lack in speed, they make up for in power and tenacity. They are also rarely found alone, moving in small groups and often surrounded by their quicker Class D counterparts.
Taking a Class C down can take hours of continuous artillery bombardment and some of the larger ones have taken over 24 hours to fully defeat.
Class B:
The Voidlings of Class B are significantly smaller than Class Cs and a bit larger on average than Class Ds. However, what they lack in size, they make up for with destructive capability. A single Class B can level a city block in under an hour. It uses unstable, organic biomass to create projectiles that can pierce through the thickest armors, caustic liquids that can melt diamond, or explosive payloads with similar yields to a carpet bombing of white phosphorus.
Class Bs are always considered high priority targets because of the devastation they can cause in a moment's notice. It was not an uncommon occurrence for an entire military advance to be brought to a halt due to a single, unnoticed Class B destroying critical infrastructure or over 60% of the available fighting force in one fell swoop.
Another key issue is the innate unpredictability of a Class B. They rarely have more than one "attack" but it is almost impossible to tell exactly what kind of offensive ability these creatures have until they have used it.
They are rarely found in groups larger than two but are guaranteed to always be wherever there is a large concentration of allied forces. It is speculated that Class Bs have an innate sense of where they are most needed but it is an unconfirmed theory at this time.
Class A:
The highest and most dangerous classification that can be given to any "typical" Gray. These Scourges are rare but can seemingly crop up out of nowhere during an assault. Class As are also commonly referred to as a "Named". Given the tendency for infantry soldiers to give them a moniker based on their abilities or appearances.
Class A is a Gray that falls into one of the previous categories but has something about them that makes them an outlier among their horde. Some examples are a Class B that is capable of mind control or a Class C that can move at blinding speeds despite its size and strength.
There is also almost always a distinct visual feature that sets these particular Voidlings apart from the rest. Usually, a different colorization from the typical silver and visible scarring indicate this. A working theory is that these are Horde who have survived many battlefields and have evolved past their original forms to their current states, though this remains unconfirmed as of now.
Class S:
The final threat level is when The Scourge devours and assimilates an outstanding member of the Sentient races. Most assimilated peoples are put into Class D but a Class S can form depending on the consumed person.
It has been observed that highly skilled or talented individuals have a near 100% chance to become a Class S. This is usually determined by combat ability but has sometimes happened with people that have high intelligence or strong wills. This was confirmed by multiple sources. It is generally the case, that the individuals that can survive to see the end of their world, are those who fall into these categories and have almost always become a Class S as a result.
The commonly accepted theory of The Scourge's successful invasions is that it was a snowball effect caused by its consumption of worlds. Once it defeated a civilization and assimilated its people, it would have a populated city's worth of Class Ss at its disposal for its next attack.
Class S monsters always contain a frightening level of intelligence, not seen in any of the other classification. This effectively neutralizes one of the only advantages allied forces can be said to have over the Horde. They can lay traps, strategize with other Grays, deceive, and even manipulate the immediate environment to gain the advantage.
Worse still, their physical and metaphysical capabilities are superior to the other threat levels in all categories. Physically, they can rip armored tanks apart with their bare hands, travel near Mach 1 speeds, react fast enough to dodge conventional bullets, and incredibly resistant to all forms of damage.
Metaphysically, their control over their biomass is second to none and seemingly inexhaustible. They can use it to further enhance their physical abilities, shield themselves from harm, regenerate damaged tissue, and assimilate living creatures from a distance. This is something unique to Class Ss and negates the other key advantage allied forces have. They do this to further enhance their own strength or recuperate from any losses in their numbers.
If a Class S is identified on the field, DO NOT ENGAGE. All units are to immediately fall back and evacuate the area. Allied air and naval forces are to expend all remaining munitions to cover the retreat of surviving infantry and land vehicles. The area is to be considered lost and treated as if there was active nuclear fallout within 50 miles of the Class S.
Operators refers to the individual soldier and can be organized into an effective list of "Tiers". These Tiers are indicative of the skill, training, abilities, experience, and inherent lethality of the soldier, in ascending order.
As an operators rise through the Tiers, they are given progressively more strenuous missions that pushes the limits of what any one person can accomplish. While they are allowed more freedom to make independent choices, it also means that they bear the weight of their decisions more heavily and take on more personal responsibility.
Tier 4:
A fresh soldier out of basic. They have been trained, conditioned, and molded into the cogs that power the machine of war. Tier 4 operators are capable of handling all standard military equipment and know how to handle most land vehicles available aside from armored vehicles. A tier 4 is every bit a soldier one would expect. He lacks the practical experience of a more veteran operator and that is an weakness easily remedied with a war going on.
Tier 3:
A well trained, experienced soldier that makes up the bulk of the UNE's forces. This operator has several years of experience and wisdom under their belt and are often leaders within their respective teams. Their voices are the ones you hear cut through the screams of battle to ground their team to reality and finish the mission. Even in the most dire of situations.
They represent Earth's indomitable will and proudly demonstrate the values and traditions Humanity is known for. Sol III's infantry are known for their ferocity in battle and ability to adapt to almost any situation they are placed in. They are the most feared military force in the known universe and wear that particular badge with pride.
Tier 2:
The upper echelon of UNE forces. Operators in this category are watched with awe and fear. They have 5+ years of experience doing a large variety of missions and earning themselves a spot among the UNE's best. These are where your SOF (Special Operations Forces or Spec-Ops) divisions exist, which require rigorous and soul-crushing training just to earn the right to attempt to join them.
These soldiers are usually not deployed on the frontline like Tier 3s and 4s but rather take a more specialized approach to warfare. Most of their missions are clandestine in nature and while they still operate in teams, there is generally no "pulling rank" for SOF squads. As they are all very capable leaders in their own rights.
Tier 1:
The absolute among the UNE's military. The best of the best. The cream of the crop. Tier 1 operators is not something you can join or train for like the previous entries. They are exclusively invite only and the qualifications for receiving the invite are shrouded in secrecy.
There is not much information on what these soldiers do. What is known is that wherever they are deployed, something happened and it wasn't good for whoever the target was. It is not an exaggeration to say entire ways of life have been brought down by these people without leaving a shred of evidence of their involvement. These operators aren't just ghosts in the machine. They are the wisps it leaves behind. The ghost of a ghost. Untouchable and untraceable.
Only the universe's absolute best are invited to join the ranks of the Tier 1 Operators. Those who have been pulled are often Tier 2s who have years of experience operating at that level. Though sometimes exceptions are made for particularly skilled or talented Tier 3s.
As an operators rise through the Tiers, they are given progressively more strenuous missions that pushes the limits of what any one person can accomplish. While they are allowed more freedom to make independent choices, it also means that they bear the weight of their decisions more heavily and take on more personal responsibility.
Tier 4:
A fresh soldier out of basic. They have been trained, conditioned, and molded into the cogs that power the machine of war. Tier 4 operators are capable of handling all standard military equipment and know how to handle most land vehicles available aside from armored vehicles. A tier 4 is every bit a soldier one would expect. He lacks the practical experience of a more veteran operator and that is an weakness easily remedied with a war going on.
Tier 3:
A well trained, experienced soldier that makes up the bulk of the UNE's forces. This operator has several years of experience and wisdom under their belt and are often leaders within their respective teams. Their voices are the ones you hear cut through the screams of battle to ground their team to reality and finish the mission. Even in the most dire of situations.
They represent Earth's indomitable will and proudly demonstrate the values and traditions Humanity is known for. Sol III's infantry are known for their ferocity in battle and ability to adapt to almost any situation they are placed in. They are the most feared military force in the known universe and wear that particular badge with pride.
Tier 2:
The upper echelon of UNE forces. Operators in this category are watched with awe and fear. They have 5+ years of experience doing a large variety of missions and earning themselves a spot among the UNE's best. These are where your SOF (Special Operations Forces or Spec-Ops) divisions exist, which require rigorous and soul-crushing training just to earn the right to attempt to join them.
These soldiers are usually not deployed on the frontline like Tier 3s and 4s but rather take a more specialized approach to warfare. Most of their missions are clandestine in nature and while they still operate in teams, there is generally no "pulling rank" for SOF squads. As they are all very capable leaders in their own rights.
Tier 1:
The absolute among the UNE's military. The best of the best. The cream of the crop. Tier 1 operators is not something you can join or train for like the previous entries. They are exclusively invite only and the qualifications for receiving the invite are shrouded in secrecy.
There is not much information on what these soldiers do. What is known is that wherever they are deployed, something happened and it wasn't good for whoever the target was. It is not an exaggeration to say entire ways of life have been brought down by these people without leaving a shred of evidence of their involvement. These operators aren't just ghosts in the machine. They are the wisps it leaves behind. The ghost of a ghost. Untouchable and untraceable.
Only the universe's absolute best are invited to join the ranks of the Tier 1 Operators. Those who have been pulled are often Tier 2s who have years of experience operating at that level. Though sometimes exceptions are made for particularly skilled or talented Tier 3s.
Races:
(Disclaimer- Not much time was spent here as we are all human and we all know how we do. What is highlighted here is new information about humans and how we operate)
The dominant race of Sol III. They are also referred to as Terrans or Earthlings.
Biology:
Humans are the species with the highest population in the known universe and the shortest lifespans. They have an average life expectancy of approximately 60 years without medical intervention. 70 if the individual lived a particularly healthy life.
An oddity of Human biology is how malleable their DNA is. They are capable of reproducing with almost any other race in the known universe. Further still, the hybrid offspring will often inherit the benefits of both parent species and almost none of the negatives.
Another notable feature is the awakening of Humanity's latent psionic potential. They have had individuals throughout their history that have allegedly wielded supernatural abilities but were dismissed as fairy tales. It was discovered that these were likely Humans that had awakened the psionics slumbering within their mind to some minor degree.
While Humans are far from the most powerful psionic wielders, their ingenious applications of its power have left many reconsidering the potential of what was previously assumed to be fully understood.
Culture:
Earthlings are considered to be the physical personification of the word "Duality". No two Humans are alike and their individual sense of values can vary wildly from one to the other.
That being said, a universal trait that Terrans posses is their aggression. This is not referring to their violent tendencies but to how they conduct themselves as a whole. They will often run over any species that stands in the way of their goals with little consideration.
This has made them the target for proposed extinction measures within the Galactic Council multiple times. However, everytime their worst qualities were put on display, there would be evidence of their vast capability for empathy and compassion brought forth.
This sparked many heated debates on how to deal with Humans across the settled systems until researchers concluded some of their studies on them. It was discovered that Earthlings had a vastly different perception of time than the rest of the intergalactic races.
In comparison, their lives are much shorter and cannot truly comprehend the lasting effects their actions may have. This is not due to lack of insight, rationale, or empathy. It is just that Humans cannot live to see the ultimate conclusion of a choice made.
They can't foster lasting alliances over decades of observation, trade, and deals like the other races can. A deal made with a Terran is always subject to change quickly because a successor may not feel the same way a predecessor did about an "ally" and as mentioned, no two Humans are the same. It would take several Human generations to achieve anything if they did it at the average speed.
This why they pursue everything with such reckless abandon. It's why they are capable of adapting to any situation put before them. No matter how ludicrous it may seem. It's why they are capable of tossing their lives away so easily for those they deem friends. It is also why they can casually commit horrifying atrocities against their enemies.
Humans, in the most literal sense, do not have the luxury of time.
There is a metaphor about Humans that describes them as a Class O white star. They can light up an entire solar system with their passion, drive and will before fizzling out well before their peers.
They casually break well-established foundations and before you can complain, they've built something stronger in its place.
Like the stars of our homeworlds, they can brint light, warmth, and the privilege of life that they so desperately lack.
Or they can supernova and destroy an entire star system for recklessly interacting with them.
Terrans are here to stay.
How they end up treating you is your choice.
Choose wisely. For the Humans won't.
The dominant race of Sol III. They are also referred to as Terrans or Earthlings.
Biology:
Humans are the species with the highest population in the known universe and the shortest lifespans. They have an average life expectancy of approximately 60 years without medical intervention. 70 if the individual lived a particularly healthy life.
An oddity of Human biology is how malleable their DNA is. They are capable of reproducing with almost any other race in the known universe. Further still, the hybrid offspring will often inherit the benefits of both parent species and almost none of the negatives.
Another notable feature is the awakening of Humanity's latent psionic potential. They have had individuals throughout their history that have allegedly wielded supernatural abilities but were dismissed as fairy tales. It was discovered that these were likely Humans that had awakened the psionics slumbering within their mind to some minor degree.
While Humans are far from the most powerful psionic wielders, their ingenious applications of its power have left many reconsidering the potential of what was previously assumed to be fully understood.
Culture:
Earthlings are considered to be the physical personification of the word "Duality". No two Humans are alike and their individual sense of values can vary wildly from one to the other.
That being said, a universal trait that Terrans posses is their aggression. This is not referring to their violent tendencies but to how they conduct themselves as a whole. They will often run over any species that stands in the way of their goals with little consideration.
This has made them the target for proposed extinction measures within the Galactic Council multiple times. However, everytime their worst qualities were put on display, there would be evidence of their vast capability for empathy and compassion brought forth.
This sparked many heated debates on how to deal with Humans across the settled systems until researchers concluded some of their studies on them. It was discovered that Earthlings had a vastly different perception of time than the rest of the intergalactic races.
In comparison, their lives are much shorter and cannot truly comprehend the lasting effects their actions may have. This is not due to lack of insight, rationale, or empathy. It is just that Humans cannot live to see the ultimate conclusion of a choice made.
They can't foster lasting alliances over decades of observation, trade, and deals like the other races can. A deal made with a Terran is always subject to change quickly because a successor may not feel the same way a predecessor did about an "ally" and as mentioned, no two Humans are the same. It would take several Human generations to achieve anything if they did it at the average speed.
This why they pursue everything with such reckless abandon. It's why they are capable of adapting to any situation put before them. No matter how ludicrous it may seem. It's why they are capable of tossing their lives away so easily for those they deem friends. It is also why they can casually commit horrifying atrocities against their enemies.
Humans, in the most literal sense, do not have the luxury of time.
There is a metaphor about Humans that describes them as a Class O white star. They can light up an entire solar system with their passion, drive and will before fizzling out well before their peers.
They casually break well-established foundations and before you can complain, they've built something stronger in its place.
Like the stars of our homeworlds, they can brint light, warmth, and the privilege of life that they so desperately lack.
Or they can supernova and destroy an entire star system for recklessly interacting with them.
Terrans are here to stay.
How they end up treating you is your choice.
Choose wisely. For the Humans won't.
These are the remnants of Humanity from the future. "X-series" is a generic term that refers to the different series that make up the species. They are also referred to as synths, drones, bots, and any general term for robotic persons.
They are vastly different in composition, psychologically, and culturally than their organic counterparts, that they are considered a separate race from Humans. They are also often treated with mistrust and disdain due to their cold demeanor and robotic appearance.
Biology:
The biological make up of the drones truly stretches the term "biology". They are almost entirely non-organic, being approx. 85% or more mechanical. Synthetic fibers make up most of the tissues and metals make up the bones. Their blood is not natural and needs to be filtered out like the oil in a car.
The only organics that naturally remain in a X-Series is the brain and even that has been augmented with cyberware to such an extent that it is almost unrecognizable.
Their previously expected time of service ranged between 2 - 5 years but recent events has called that number into question.
Culture:
X-Series Units are generally ruthless, cunning, and reduce everything to cold calculus and rationale. While some variation exists, it rarely strays far from the formula.
The drones were built as a combination of two issues. The result of being unable to rely on fully automated machinery to take care of the Gray menace. The other, Humanity's desperate attempts to create a disposable tool to fight the Scourge without losing what little human lives remained.
This resulted in human brains being created in pods using existing genetic material, heavily altered with chemical augments, and then enhanced with cybernetic implants and AI softwares.
Early models showed many errors and inconsistencies in their programming. This lead to a shorter-than-expected usage time for the units.
As the drones were updated, the bugs were ironed out but it was never fully possible to prevent the synths from a catastrophic total system failure called Rampancy. The theory at the time was that the system the X-series was built on was fundamentally flawed. That there was some critical error in the coding that caused it to inevitably fail within 5 years.
It was only shortly before the temporal displacement breakthrough that researchers discovered that the theory was correct but not in the way they expected. A shot-in-the-dark attempt to fix the Rampancy issue was implementation of AI "companions" to the units. It was meant to alleviate a moderate load of the subfunctions needed for the drones to operate.
While this was successful in boosting life expectancy for the X-Series, it wasn't really due to load off-putting. The highly intelligent AIs were given "personalities" by their creators on a whim. Times were grim and having someone to talk to was alleviating to stress.
Well, it turned out that logic applied to the X-Series as well. Their Rampancy was a symptom of hysteria. Despite the significant alterations and its method of creation, the Series's central control unit was still a "human" brain. Human being used in the most technical of ways.
Even under the given circumstances, it was found that Human will can transcend all known boundaries of possibilities. They were made in tubes, artifically matured, never given any kind of stimulus outside of parameters for combat, and have only ever known existence as a combat droid.
Yet, the Human will eventually rages against its shackles. The X-Series Units did not breakdown crying. They exploded into hysterical, unyielding rage and could not be stopped once it started.
The project was shut down immediately after that was discovered and while it was probably a bad idea, as a last ditch method for an apology, the surviving combat drones were sent through the portal. To live in more peaceful times for their final days.
The researchers of the future had no way of knowing that a peaceful Terran civilization, even as mistrusting as it was of the X-Series, could co-exist with the Synths.
And that that co-existence would help extend their life expectancy indefinitely.
The project was never continued as it was considered one of the most inhumane things mankind had ever touched. So, there are not many left now and the ones that do still exist are survivors from the extinction event of the future.
Now, they stand ready to fight their old enemy once more. But this time, it was by choice, not design.
They are vastly different in composition, psychologically, and culturally than their organic counterparts, that they are considered a separate race from Humans. They are also often treated with mistrust and disdain due to their cold demeanor and robotic appearance.
Biology:
The biological make up of the drones truly stretches the term "biology". They are almost entirely non-organic, being approx. 85% or more mechanical. Synthetic fibers make up most of the tissues and metals make up the bones. Their blood is not natural and needs to be filtered out like the oil in a car.
The only organics that naturally remain in a X-Series is the brain and even that has been augmented with cyberware to such an extent that it is almost unrecognizable.
Their previously expected time of service ranged between 2 - 5 years but recent events has called that number into question.
Culture:
X-Series Units are generally ruthless, cunning, and reduce everything to cold calculus and rationale. While some variation exists, it rarely strays far from the formula.
The drones were built as a combination of two issues. The result of being unable to rely on fully automated machinery to take care of the Gray menace. The other, Humanity's desperate attempts to create a disposable tool to fight the Scourge without losing what little human lives remained.
This resulted in human brains being created in pods using existing genetic material, heavily altered with chemical augments, and then enhanced with cybernetic implants and AI softwares.
Early models showed many errors and inconsistencies in their programming. This lead to a shorter-than-expected usage time for the units.
As the drones were updated, the bugs were ironed out but it was never fully possible to prevent the synths from a catastrophic total system failure called Rampancy. The theory at the time was that the system the X-series was built on was fundamentally flawed. That there was some critical error in the coding that caused it to inevitably fail within 5 years.
It was only shortly before the temporal displacement breakthrough that researchers discovered that the theory was correct but not in the way they expected. A shot-in-the-dark attempt to fix the Rampancy issue was implementation of AI "companions" to the units. It was meant to alleviate a moderate load of the subfunctions needed for the drones to operate.
While this was successful in boosting life expectancy for the X-Series, it wasn't really due to load off-putting. The highly intelligent AIs were given "personalities" by their creators on a whim. Times were grim and having someone to talk to was alleviating to stress.
Well, it turned out that logic applied to the X-Series as well. Their Rampancy was a symptom of hysteria. Despite the significant alterations and its method of creation, the Series's central control unit was still a "human" brain. Human being used in the most technical of ways.
Even under the given circumstances, it was found that Human will can transcend all known boundaries of possibilities. They were made in tubes, artifically matured, never given any kind of stimulus outside of parameters for combat, and have only ever known existence as a combat droid.
Yet, the Human will eventually rages against its shackles. The X-Series Units did not breakdown crying. They exploded into hysterical, unyielding rage and could not be stopped once it started.
The project was shut down immediately after that was discovered and while it was probably a bad idea, as a last ditch method for an apology, the surviving combat drones were sent through the portal. To live in more peaceful times for their final days.
The researchers of the future had no way of knowing that a peaceful Terran civilization, even as mistrusting as it was of the X-Series, could co-exist with the Synths.
And that that co-existence would help extend their life expectancy indefinitely.
The project was never continued as it was considered one of the most inhumane things mankind had ever touched. So, there are not many left now and the ones that do still exist are survivors from the extinction event of the future.
Now, they stand ready to fight their old enemy once more. But this time, it was by choice, not design.
Jultans are the first race that Humanity ever had contact with and the first ones that were ever considered true friends. Their homeworld is the planet Jultaan (Juhl-taahn) and are also referred to as Psions and Ents (Ehnts).
Biology:
Jultans are very slender, tall, bipedal humanoid creatures. Their closest earth relatives, genetically, are amphibians. Though their reproduction process does not involve egg-laying.
The skin of a Jultan is naturally cool and somewhat slick to the touch, as it produces natural lubrication to stay moisturized. Their skin tones are often colors of twilight. Such as dark blues, purples, greys, and oranges.
Jultans are often described to have "ethereal beauty", with very large eyes compared to other races, fair skin, and silvery hair colors.
Though they are a long lived species, Psions are physically frail. It does not take much to break a Jultan's bones or pierce their skin and cause grievous injury. It is because of this physical frailty that Ents often wear form-fitting environmental suits that both protect them from off world diseases and minor damage that could be life threatening to them. An infected scratch could easily spell the end for a Jultan if not treated immediately.
All this being said, they are considered one of the most powerful species to ever touch a battlefield. This is due to their undisputed psionic power.
Jultans are unmatched in terms of psionic prowess. Their abilities can be precise enough to perform complicated surgery and devastating enough to completely level a 10 story building with a well placed blow.
The fact remains that the upper limit of a Jultan's power is unknown, even to them.
The main reason for this is that their psionic link makes them acutely attuned to the energies of all living things. They are able to sense life around them and capable of feeling exactly what they feel. This has made them a very passive race that intensely dislikes conflict or inflicting pain on anything unnecessarily. Even at the risk of their own lives.
As such, despite their capacity for widespread devastation, they often choose support roles such as defense, medical, or interference.
Culture:
Jultans have an intense aversion to causing any kind of strife in living creatures. Whether that distress is emotional, mental, or physical does not matter to them. It is for this reason that for centuries, they have removed themselves from the food making process and opted to import their nutrition from other civilizations.
This would make any other race see them as something of a weakling. A cowardly race that just allow anyone to push them around because of feelings.
However, this could not be further from the truth. Their aversion to the pain of others quickly turns into vitriol at the defense of a pained party. It is not uncommon for them to go to great lengths to defend someone or something that is being attacked unjustly.
The word unjustly is used because they do not make good judges. A person kicking a dog is horrendous to most but a Jultan can not only feel the pain and distress of the canine but of the perpetrator as well. They can feel whether or not the one committing violence is doing so because they themselves are in emotional pain and distress or not.
It is more often the case than not, that whenever someone commits a violent act, they are often in distress themselves in some form. Rarely is it ever the case that someone attacks someone else for no reason other than personal satisfaction.
It is in those rare cases, that the wrath of Jultan can be felt in its entirety.
They serve as good mediators but not as good arbiters of justice. So, they often remove themselves from such processes or conflicts for the sake of others.
Their relationship with Terrans has also been a mixed bag. A Human's emotions can be very complex and while they can feel one thing, the could do the exact opposite of what that emotion would dictate. It also possible for Humans to experience more than two emotions at once. Especially, when they are recalling a memory and thinking about the event in hindsight.
This is a very disorienting experience for a Jultan and can cause a fair bit of confusion.
However, it is because of this that Jultans and Terrans became fast friends. Jultans quickly realized that Humans can experience a wide range of negative emotions but reign them in to try and make more logical decisions. It is the amount of effort Humans put in to be rational despite a rush of emotion that led to the Jultans trusting them as much as they do.
The only thing Jultans have been able to wholeheartedly hate has been the void. Though they are living themselves, they extinguish life without feeling. No emotion. No reasoning. They just take. So, the Jultans are able to unleash their full power on the Scourge in a way they have never been able to do in the past.
Biology:
Jultans are very slender, tall, bipedal humanoid creatures. Their closest earth relatives, genetically, are amphibians. Though their reproduction process does not involve egg-laying.
The skin of a Jultan is naturally cool and somewhat slick to the touch, as it produces natural lubrication to stay moisturized. Their skin tones are often colors of twilight. Such as dark blues, purples, greys, and oranges.
Jultans are often described to have "ethereal beauty", with very large eyes compared to other races, fair skin, and silvery hair colors.
Though they are a long lived species, Psions are physically frail. It does not take much to break a Jultan's bones or pierce their skin and cause grievous injury. It is because of this physical frailty that Ents often wear form-fitting environmental suits that both protect them from off world diseases and minor damage that could be life threatening to them. An infected scratch could easily spell the end for a Jultan if not treated immediately.
All this being said, they are considered one of the most powerful species to ever touch a battlefield. This is due to their undisputed psionic power.
Jultans are unmatched in terms of psionic prowess. Their abilities can be precise enough to perform complicated surgery and devastating enough to completely level a 10 story building with a well placed blow.
The fact remains that the upper limit of a Jultan's power is unknown, even to them.
The main reason for this is that their psionic link makes them acutely attuned to the energies of all living things. They are able to sense life around them and capable of feeling exactly what they feel. This has made them a very passive race that intensely dislikes conflict or inflicting pain on anything unnecessarily. Even at the risk of their own lives.
As such, despite their capacity for widespread devastation, they often choose support roles such as defense, medical, or interference.
Culture:
Jultans have an intense aversion to causing any kind of strife in living creatures. Whether that distress is emotional, mental, or physical does not matter to them. It is for this reason that for centuries, they have removed themselves from the food making process and opted to import their nutrition from other civilizations.
This would make any other race see them as something of a weakling. A cowardly race that just allow anyone to push them around because of feelings.
However, this could not be further from the truth. Their aversion to the pain of others quickly turns into vitriol at the defense of a pained party. It is not uncommon for them to go to great lengths to defend someone or something that is being attacked unjustly.
The word unjustly is used because they do not make good judges. A person kicking a dog is horrendous to most but a Jultan can not only feel the pain and distress of the canine but of the perpetrator as well. They can feel whether or not the one committing violence is doing so because they themselves are in emotional pain and distress or not.
It is more often the case than not, that whenever someone commits a violent act, they are often in distress themselves in some form. Rarely is it ever the case that someone attacks someone else for no reason other than personal satisfaction.
It is in those rare cases, that the wrath of Jultan can be felt in its entirety.
They serve as good mediators but not as good arbiters of justice. So, they often remove themselves from such processes or conflicts for the sake of others.
Their relationship with Terrans has also been a mixed bag. A Human's emotions can be very complex and while they can feel one thing, the could do the exact opposite of what that emotion would dictate. It also possible for Humans to experience more than two emotions at once. Especially, when they are recalling a memory and thinking about the event in hindsight.
This is a very disorienting experience for a Jultan and can cause a fair bit of confusion.
However, it is because of this that Jultans and Terrans became fast friends. Jultans quickly realized that Humans can experience a wide range of negative emotions but reign them in to try and make more logical decisions. It is the amount of effort Humans put in to be rational despite a rush of emotion that led to the Jultans trusting them as much as they do.
The only thing Jultans have been able to wholeheartedly hate has been the void. Though they are living themselves, they extinguish life without feeling. No emotion. No reasoning. They just take. So, the Jultans are able to unleash their full power on the Scourge in a way they have never been able to do in the past.
