Species/Xenohybrid

Introduction

Children of one of the galaxy’s oldest and most tenacious apex predators, Xenohybrids are a very new addition to the galactic stage. The exact mechanism behind their arrival is hotly debated, with theories ranging from divergent evolution to experimental, surgical, intervention. The one thing the major players of the Galaxy can agree on, is that they don’t know how to feel about the arrival of such beings.

Biology

Physicality:

Due to their questionable provenance, no general scientific consensus has been reached on exactly what the baseline “Xenohybrid” is. An obvious evolutionary descendant of the Xenomorph species, in many cases there are little to no structural or morphological differences between a Xenohybrids and its closest living ancestor. Commonalities recorded amongst the most numerous concentrations of Xenohybrid entities have indicated that the “first” Xenohybrids all originate from the same hive.

Members belonging to this theoretical hive exhibit the following specific morphological differences: a shortened tail with reduced prehensile acuity, a shorter overall height, a tendency to traverse via bipedal locomotion, and an apparently superficial range in chitin coloration and patterning.

At first, the bipedal nature of observed Xenohybrid specimens was taken as a mutation, or perhaps even an attempt at mimicry. However, later dissections have proven that this shift to upright motion is not consciously executed. It is theorized that these developments evolved naturally and were beneficial in whatever original environment produced the original members of the species. The shift from lateral motion to walking upright has also lead to a general reduction in Xenohybrid height; no longer as tall as Xenomorphs are long, Xenohybrids stand at roughly average height with Humans, if not slightly below. Their exotic structure has been reduced into a more compact, humanoid form that retains some signs of its original elegance.

With this shift towards primarily bipedal movement, the Xenomorph’s easily recognizable tail reduced naturally. Still generations away from becoming a vestigial organ, the tail retains its prehensility and role as a balancing limb for the Xenohybrid. The shift from a pointed to more blunted tip implies a gradual decrease in the usage of the tail in hunting prey, which may be tied directly to the limb’s reduction in overall accuracy and utility compared to the modern Xenomorph’s.

Although no satisfactory scientific answer has been determined, beyond natural arguments regarding environmental pressures on species coloration, a marked variety of different natural chitin pigmentations have been observed. Typically duskier, desaturated tones, Xenohybrid chitin retains its glossy sheen and texture, but the formerly black base may now range across a wide spectrum of blues and purples. In some rare instances, dull greens, greys, and even dark reds have been reported. On top of this, many specimens bear asymmetric splotching patterns not dissimilar to vitiligo or intentional bleaching. There is much current conjecture as to whether these patterns are cultural decorations akin to tattoos, or side effects of genetic experimentation.

Xenohybrids are sexually compatible with every known species in the Galaxy. This is most likely a result of the standard Xenomorph’s long history of genetic absorption and assimilation. Unlike their ancestors, Xenohybrids do not reproduce via a parasitic cycle of embryonic implantation. Instead, Xenohybrids reproduce via generally more conventional methods. The offspring that results from a Xenohybrid pairing will inevitably be a new Xenohybrid drawing from the shared genetic material of its parents. Due to physical concerns, most pregnancies involving a non-Xenohybrid mother are completed surgically, as natural birth is often hazardous to the health of the host body.

Mentality:

Xenohybrids are sapient creatures. The debate over whether their cousins, the Xenomorphs, are equally intelligent was settled centuries ago, even though the sentiment that Xenomorphs are nothing more than wild animals remains widespread to this day. As descendants of Xenomorphs, Xenohybrids inherit these same misconceptions. Consistent biological study, and the modern Xenohybrid diaspora have helped to reinforce the fact that Xenohybrids are intelligent, self-aware creatures in the minds of the general populace.

Beyond the simple question of whether Xenohybrids are, in fact, intelligent life forms, little more can be easily established. Individual Xenohybrids universally, ironically, possess a strong sense of independence and a desire to distinguish themselves from their peers. Prevailing behavioral health theories suggest that, having detached from a Hive Mind, Xenohybrids innately lack a sense of “self”, and eagerly pursue their own actualization.

This desire to express themselves and stand out as unique, self-defined entities, is most commonly exhibited in the Xenohybrid trends to engage in avant garde fashion, intense body modification, and cosmetic surgical or genetic modification. An entire industry has exploded around this very demand, making Xenohybrid fashions commercially accessible to the same people who simultaneously hold the species at arm’s length.

History

Origin System:

Due, once again, to the many questions surrounding their origin, no one institution can agree on an exact system of origin for Xenohybrids. The general consensus is that although it is not their place of origin, most Xenohybrids come from the Natt System, in the Malum Sector. The Natt system itself is comprised of four planets orbiting an Old Brown Dwarf star, resulting in only the closest of the four bodies matching baseline habitability requirements: MN-003F, ‘Dysterhet’.

Homeworld:

Originally intended to serve as a fueling station and logistical supply node for Orion Federation expansion into the Malum Sector, the colonies on Dysterhet were established without incident around 2463. The phrase “without incident” may be generously applied throughout the colony’s history, as even though the Federation’s plans to expand into Malum were largely stymied by foreign interference, the colony itself – ‘Bergakungen’ – served as a largely neutral post for any interested parties.

Naturally dim, Dysterhet’s day/night cycle could only be described as gloomy. Without an orbiting satellite, nights on the planet reached a degree of darkness which could only be mitigated by artificial lighting or a natural ability to see in the dark. Days on Dysterhet are comparable to Terran dusk.

Perhaps due to this generally dark atmosphere, the inhabitants of Bergakungen became notorious in local systems as a superstitious, paranoid lot. Multiple times, Bergakungen’s administration requested direct military aid from anyone that would render it to help them suppress a burgeoning Xenomorph invasion. Every expedition lead by an external party failed to return results, until, at last, the local governing bodies simply stopped answering the calls.

When video footage of unidentified xenovariants approaching Bergakungen during the day was finally secured and transmitted, the military response was appropriately sluggish. By the time Confederation forces reached Dysterhet, the crisis had already been largely resolved. Facing open hostility from the colonists, despite sustaining casualties, the xenovariants sheltered in place and attempted to open a line of communication with the human defenders. When Confederation forces took over the negotiations, the scope of the situation quickly became apparent.

Although the actual records of the negotiations have not been published, the “Siege of Bergakungen” is famously regarded as the first recognized appearance of the Xenohybrid species. This incident served as the catalyst for the formal recognition of Xenohybrids as an independent species by the Orion Confederation. Xenohybrids have since been granted settling rights on Dysterhet, and here they live in relative harmony with the denizens of Bergakungen.

History:

Millenia prior to the “Siege of Bergakungen”, a Xenomorph hive broke itself against the defenses of the Adversary. Across the galaxy, entire swarms were being systematically cleared and obliterated, wiped from the collective consciousness of the Greater Hive Mind. In response, many hives were directed to screen attacks while their depleted stock withdrew to rebuild. One such hive migrated to Dysterhet, and burrowed deep into the planet’s natural caverns. Here they entered hibernation, whilst in the stars above, a victor was decided.

The Queen of the Dysterhet Hive eventually died, and from amongst the Drones, a new Queen was elevated to take her place. Scarred by the wars above, this new Queen bore a genetic defect that, unbeknownst to any, was being passed along to her offspring. For generation after generation, the natural Hive organs mutated, and without the direct influence of the Greater Hive Mind to order a cull, these genetic faults were allowed to develop unhindered. Eventually the Dysterhet Hive lost its ability to communicate as a collective, even though it retained the memory that such a time had once existed. The Hive therefore maintained its general cohesion, even as its society began to experience a drastic paradigm shift. In the millennia that followed, the Xenohybrids developed into a proper civilized society, their morphology adapting to match. Naturally adapted to Dysterhet’s climate and topography even before their unintentional exile, Xenohybrid culture thrived.

The arrival of human colonists sparked much interest amongst the Xenohybrid people, but every tentative introduction between the two cultures was met with a ferocious hostility that drove the Xenohybrids to attempt communication via more surreptitious means; this desire to make “First Contact” eventually lead to the famous “Siege of Bergakungen”.

Current Racial Status/Government:

Since that time, Xenohybrids have slowly dispersed throughout Orion Confederation space – the one area where they are generally welcome. As a recognized client species of the Confederation, the Xenohybrid population is far too small to be considered anything more than a political curiosity, and their heritage makes them unwelcome even in the relatively enlightened world of the Confederation.

Technological Advancements as Understood by NanoTrasen:

Although NanoTrasen publicly states that it hires Xenohybrids out of an interest in maintaining a diverse workplace staffed only by the best and brightest, it and many other corporations are suspected to have ulterior motives. Much of the modern medical knowledge regarding Xenohybrids, it is alleged, was obtained unethically, potentially in the hopes that the traits Xenohybrids exhibit may be artificially induced in captured Xenomorph specimens. As NanoTrasen and several of its competitors know, this is indeed the case. Many current Xenohybrids, including some hired by NanoTrasen itself, were grown as Xenomorphs in NT Xenobiology labs and surgically converted into Xenohybrids early in their life cycle.

Culture

The Typical Xenohybrid Experience:

To be a Xenohybrid is to be born truly Tabula Rasa. No longer possessing the core identity which drives their species, every Xenohybrid grows up with a desire to find their niche in the galaxy. This need to identify what facets of daily life are worth integrating into an experience that defines them leads the average Xenohybrid to be naturally curious, social, and open to new experiences. As a Xenohybrid ages and grows more secure in the knowledge of their identity, they may begin to exhibit more socially conservative or reserved traits. Regardless, individuality and freedom is intrinsic to the Xenohybrid experience.

Quirks:

Xenohybrids retain the ability to speak like their Xenomorph cousins. When speaking Common, this capability results in their speech bearing a natural hiss. Although their morphology has changed, Xenohybrids are still sensitive to heat, and vulnerable to more extreme heat sources. Conversely, Xenohybrids have a resistance to the cold and low pressure environments. Although not “space proof” like their ancestors, unprotected Xenohybrids fare better to void exposure than unprotected humans do. Lab grown and other artificially created specimens, having a direct memory of their time in the Hive, will sometimes speak from a plural perspective; ie “we think” or “we will do this”.

Language:

Xenohybrids are capable of speaking the unnamed language of their Xenomorph cousins, as well as Common and several other conventional dialects. This is a question of capability, of course. The Xenohybrid would still need to learn the relevant language.

Naming Conventions:

Xenohybrids choose their own “public” names. Every Xenohybrid appears to have an appellation of some kind assigned at birth, but as these names are an indecipherable series of hisses and guttural clicks, more significance is placed upon the titles they select for themselves. A Xenohybrid’s name is, appropriately, as personal and unique as the Xenohybrid itself. There is no strict naming convention.

Religion:

Due to their individualistic nature, Xenohybrid spirituality is as varied as their choice in piercings or chitin dye. The largest common trait found in Xenohybrid ritual is the identification of a “Greater Voice”. Anthropologists have inferred that this may be some racial memory of the Hive Mind. Interestingly, Xenohybrids that were grown in a lab, or artificially created, do not exhibit religious activity or sentimentality. No reason for this phenomenon has yet been identified.

Relationships With Other Species:

Many races distrust the Xenohybrids to such a degree that they will still engage in open hostilities. Even the more permissive races, such as Humans and the members of the Jargon Federation, are openly suspicious of Xenohybrids, though they make an honest attempt at remaining neutral.

Species Relationship Quick Reference Chart

Species	Standing
Auril	Suspicious
Akula	Suspicious
Alarune	Suspicious
Dremachir	Suspicious
Diona	Suspicious
Humanity	Neutral
Phoronids	Suspicious
Rapala	Suspicious
Shade-Kin	Hostile
Skrell	Suspicious
Tajaran	Suspicious
Teshari	Suspicious
Unathi	Hostile
Vox	Hostile
Vulpkanin	Suspicious
Zorren	Suspicious

OOC Notes

Mechanical Stats

Brute damage is multiplied by 0.95
Burn damage is multiplied by 1.5
Their Hungerrate is multiplied by 2.
Their slowdown is -0.2(for comparison tesh have -0.5)

Xenomorph Hybrids do not breath, they require no form of gas.
They are immune to low pressure, making them vacuum prove.
They "see" without their eyes, allowing them to ignore flashes and damage from welding.

Important Racial Terminology:

Galactic Species
Common Species	Humans, Synthetics, Skrell, Tajara, Teshari, Unathi
Uncommon Species	Akula, Alraune, Auril, Dremachir, Naramadi, Zaddat, Dnin-Nepids
Whitelisted Species	Adherent, Dionea, Phoronids, Proteans, Shadekin, Vox, Xenochimera, Xenohybrids
Misc Species & Data	Minor Races, Scori, Changelings