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Vaurca (Vaur'uyit'zir)

V. esseli / V. sapiens

Home System: Sedantis (Sc'theth'stak, "Blinding Light.")

Homeworld: Sedantis I (Vaur'avek'uyit, "Home.")

Language(s): Vaurcese, Hivenet.

Political Entitie(s): Zo'ra Hive, K'lax Hive, C'thur Hive.

Overview

Vaurcae (/ˈvaʊrkə/ VAUR-kah, Vaurca in singular term and Vaurcae in multiple) are an arthropodous species that naturally organize themselves into eusocial groups. They are largely humanoid in shape, with most having a pair of arms, hands with four digits divided equally between thumbs and fingers, and legs ending in feet perfect for climbing the tunnels and caverns they used to dwell in on their homeworld, Sedantis. The Vaurcae are one of the oldest surviving civilizations in the known galaxy, with a history that can be traced back to 730,000 years ago. Forced by circumstances to flee their homeworld, the once mighty Vaurca have only recently concluded a brutal era-spanning exodus and arrived in the Orion Spur as colonists, the unusual aliens reluctantly taken in by other civilisations. Now the species under the watchful guidance of its ancient and enigmatic rulers, schemes, manoeuvres, builds, and claws its way to regaining the great splendour and power they once possessed, from within a Spur more interested in using them for its own gain. 

The Vaurca form complex eusocial groups called Hives, each led by a High Queen, whom the Hive is usually named after, and a council of Lesser Queens, each holding jurisdiction over specific Hive functions. Beneath the Queens in leadership are the Ta, who within a byzantine social structure act as diplomats, Queen consorts, and mothers to the multitudes of less individually important Vaurca. These Ta occupy all positions of governmental import not directly overseen by the Queens and share in the same biological immortality enjoyed by them, many being born in generations long gone. Queens, lesser and high, are the only types of Vaurcae capable of producing eggs, and it falls to the Ta to fertilise, genetically shape, and nurture these eggs to maturation. Being born under a specific Queen places a Vaurca in her brood, with each brood pushing the Vaurca towards distinctive traits reflective of her will and a variant carapace color. More information on these structures and broods can be found on the Vaurca Hives page.

Vaurca civilisation is separated into several castes, with members of each caste having their biology, psychological inclinations, and education determined before they are even hatched. These castes range from diligent Workers and bulky Bulwarks carrying the rebuilding of the species upon their backs to the often thrill-seeking and war-inclined Warriors and the perplexing biological computers the Cephalons, to say nothing of the multitude of subtypes and theoretical designs. Consequently, each Vaurca is born for a specific function pertaining to their caste. Vaurcae are then separated further between being Akaix (Unbound) and Viax (Bound). Akaix are no less of a person than any human, whereas Viax are incredibly simple minded, running on no more than a desire to do what they are told, designed for their function rather than versatility.

Doubtless the most notable of the technologies still possessed by the Vaurca is that of the advanced Virtual Reality which permeates every element of their culture, treated by most of the species not as a simulation but rather as an entirely separate and quite real afterlife, the holy domain of the venerated Queens. Owing to the installation of an augment known as a Neural Socket into the brain of almost every Unbound, nearly the entire species can access this Virtual Reality in one form or another at will, given they are within range of a Hivenet transmitter. Perhaps even more importantly, they can, through a mechanism some suspect is intentionally obfuscated by the Hives from the rest of the Spur, even have their minds saved and uploaded after death. It would be difficult to overstate just how vital this technology is to the Hives, and without its influence over the ages, modern Vaurca society would doubtless be very different indeed. 

Vaurcae have many mechanical extras such as extensive xenowear loadout, flags, K’ois as a product in-game and a rather grand set of unobtainable event-spawn objects and mobs. The massive Vaurcae Ta (also known as Breeders) are playable as consular officers representing their Hive's, and their lore can further be explored through artifacts and merchant items.

To apply to be one of the insect-like Vaurcae, apply here. Vaurca playable on the Horizon may be Workers, Warriors, Bulwarks or Ta.

Important notes: Vaurcae can't be any Heads of Staff, including being elevated to an Interim command position. They used to require an Avowal of Responsibility to work any position higher than an intern level, but as of 4/24/2463, Avowals were abolished in SCC facilities.

Mechanics

• Global Hivenet, accessible via ,9 and heard only by other Vaurcae and station-bound synthetics.
• Pressure and cold resistant, allowing them to survive in space with internals.
• Unaffected by phoron gas but require it to breathe.
• Have natural insulation.
• Immune to slipping.
• Can only healthily consume food consisting of k'ois paste and byproducts.
• Do not self-heal.
• Can see very well in the dark.
• Take additional toxin damage.
• Suffer from additional blood loss.
• Can be permanently rendered blind by flashing them several times in a row.
• Vaurca Warriors can bite and are more resistant to burns.
• Vaurca Workers cannot bite but are more resistant to radiation and brute damage.
• Vaurca Bulwarks are slow but immune to radiation and can fireman carry two people at once.

Non-mechanic traits:

• Dislike light.
• Be raised in virtual reality.
• Generally very specialized, often no inter-department knowledge.
• Face severe discrimination in human space.
• Be incredibly sensitive to smells.

Relationships with Megacorporations

The following is an updated table listing which megacorporations employ Vaurcae. All playable characters must adhere to these specifications; failure to do so may result in administrative action.

Vaurca Hives' Relationships

Corporations	Zo'ra	K'lax	C'thur
NT	Preferential	Yes	Yes
Heph	No	Exclusive	No
Zavod	Yes	No	Yes
ZH	Yes	Yes	Preferential
Idris	No	No	No
PMCG	VP/NT	VP/NT/DPF	VP/Eridani
Orion	Yes	Yes	Yes
Einstein	No	No	Exclusive

Biology

Vaurcae are eusocial insect-like sophonts stemming from the distant Sedantis I. To humanity, Vaurcae most closely resemble terrestrial eusocial species such as ants. The species’ similarities to the Formicidae family have led human scientists and media to use traditional insect taxonomy to classify the Vaurca species. While the Vaurca understand themselves under distinct biological terms–something that has, in recent years, interested xenoanthropologists–the efforts made by the Xavier Trasen Medical School in Biesel permeate all current biological discussions. Thus, this page is written following the perspective of the most recent taxonomy accepted by the Vaurcaesian Research Journal, a human publication vouched by the Zo’ra Hive.

Taxonomy

Vaurcae are a polymorphic species with radically different forms, known as Bioforms. Each Bioform is described by various observable characteristics (such as unique phenotypes), physical traits, and ecological niches.

Bioforms are diverse and divided into four traditional castes–Workers (Ka), Warriors (Za), Breeders (Ta), and Cephalons. In 2463, a new Vaurca bioform was introduced to the public: the Bulwark (Ra). However, Bulwarks are not a traditional caste, and scientists still debate whether they can be formally classified under the Worker caste. More information on the Bulwark discussion can be read here [jump to the Bulwark subheading].

Furthermore, some Vaurcae are lobotomized during their development. To state the type of ‘freedom’ each individual has, the Vaurca use two terms: Bound (Viax) and Unbound (Akaix). In human taxonomy, the two types are known as the psyche. Traditionally, human scientists believed that psyche was a surgical process, with the only difference between Bound and Unbound being the atrophied brains of the Bound. Nonetheless, recent studies suggest that the Bound receive unique pheromones from birth, which seemingly result in different brain development.

Besides their biological differences, caste and psyche play an important part in Vaurca society, as reflected by the Vaurca naming system.

Morphology and Physiology

Exoskeleton

Vaurcae are best characterized by their exoskeleton, also known as carapace. It is composed of a complex polymer chain involving sulfur as a key catalyst with silicon, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen forming a strong bond. The exoskeleton itself is very tough. Depending on the Bioform, it can be more tightly packed, with Bulwarks having a denser and thicker exoskeleton, Warriors having a more flexible and mobile exoskeleton, and Workers in between these variations. This exoskeleton provides the Vaurca with numerous benefits, such as high radiation resistance and strong structural support against a vacuum.

Blood and Respiration

Vaurcae have an open circulatory system, allowing the free flow of their sulfur-based blood. Unlike other sapients, Vaurca blood does not require oxygen but phoron. The dependency on phoron has been one of the greatest challenges the Vaurca race has faced in recent years.

In Sedantis, oxygen was found in small traces in the atmosphere. Unlike pure phoron, which is highly volatile in contact with oxygen, the common phoron compound in the Vaurca home planet did not react to any basic elements. In nature, Vaurcae inhaled phoron with oxygen and exhaled carbon monoxide with remnants of phoron. The current filter ports used by Vaurcae in human space use minimum oxygen to power their internal phoron tanks. In exchange, the filter ports exhale carbon dioxide as humans do, fully repurposing all phoron.

Dangers in Human Space

Because humans require oxygen to survive, Vaurcae must wear a filter port at all times. While filter ports cause no phoron leakage, there is a record of some incidents occurring during the early days of Vaurcae integration to Biesel which caused spillage. However, despite the adverse reaction caused by media and local politics, and the remaining misconception among many Biesellites, the leaks were not a result of a faulty design but rather improper use by individuals who were unfamiliar with the technology. Alongside k’ois outbreaks, both problems have been solved in recent years.

Caste Summary

Shortly after making first contact with the Titan Prime, Vaurcae were listed as being divided into four castes known as the Workers, the Warriors, the Breeders, and the Cephalons with each assigned a letter of the alphabet. In 2463, the Bulwark lifeform was introduced and marketed as a new caste, assigned the letter “E.” However, xenobiologists disagree that the Bulwark is a “true” caste, but rather a subtype of Worker. While the same argument has been made for the Cephalons, most literature still considers them to be their own caste.

In Vaurca xenobiology, the definition of a caste remains debated. Many components are considered, including each caste’s echelon and behaviour in Vaurca society. Thus, a caste can be loosely defined as an established Bioform, reinforced by hormones and augmentation, that serves a specific niche that cannot be interchanged. This means that a Breeder Vaurca will always retain its function and may not act as, instead, a Worker.

Subcastes are defined as specialized Bioforms with similar behavioural patterns and ecological functions as the larger, all-encompassing caste. Some subcastes have incredibly specific niches, only manufactured for one particular industry and rarely seen by the public. Nonetheless, all Vaurcae, regardless of their caste or subcaste, are restricted by their same biological constraints. The more creative subcastes, which are imaginative and have no limitations to their forms, exist only in Virtual Reality.

In general terms, high-ranking Breeders and Cephalons are amongst the largest Vaurcae. Some highly-specialized subcastes, such as the so-called Warforms, may achieve similar heights. Nevertheless, due to their open circulatory system, maintaining larger bioforms is incredibly expensive. For example, Queens require various augmentations to ensure their blood is properly pumped, a problem a regular Worker would not have with their standard dual-heart system.

When translated into basic, the majority of castes are known by "type" with the first letter of the type being the biological base and the first of that design, with subcastes being marked by the second or depending on prevalence, even third letter. A and B are the two most common castes, which are Workers and Warriors, respectively. Having been the first of the species born beside the Ta in Vaurca evolutionary history, the overwhelming majority of designs originated from one of these two bases.

Ka, The Workers (Type A)

Type A are the most abundant of the Bioforms in Vaurca populations, being described as the backbone of the species. The most prevalent feature of the Ka is the hardened exoskeleton, tending to be thicker relative to other Vaurca due to more tightly packed polymer chains. This robust exoskeleton provides protection against harsh radiation, solar or otherwise, and acts as a tough pressure-suit to seal their soft inner core from the outside world. This allows most Type A Vaurcae to have extended, several day-long EVA expeditions, assuming they have phoron in their internal tank. They can be bipedal or quadrupedal, with bird-like talon toes. Their hands consist of two middle fingers with small talons at the end, and two opposable thumbs, a left and a right, on either side of their hand. Type A ranges from 5ft to 7ft tall on average, though outliers of both spectrums are not unheard of for the more specialized tasks.

It is important to note that Workers explicitly avoid violent situations wherever possible. This is not their function, and they are always more useful to the Hive in peak condition. Nearly all Ka are designed to find violence almost abhorrent, with the sight and smell of blood instilling fear and worry. Workers designed to deal with or be around bodies have to undergo extensive Virtual Reality conditioning to avoid this reaction to blood, but not all can successfully overcome it.

Examples of Type A Vaurca Bioforms

Type AA - Retainers

AA Type Workers or "Retainers" are small, and fill similar roles to that of maintenance drones. They are all exclusively bound, and deal with the more trivial repairs to ships, systems and structures utilized by the various Hives as well as fulfilling extremely simple jobs such as the transportation of small objects.

Type AB - Bearers

Type AB or "Bearers" are workers similar to that of the Type AA, both being extremely simple, inexpensive utility drones; however, they are more suited to transporting heavy loads. Ranging in size anywhere from a dog to a bear, they possess small, robust legs and a strong flat back, forming a large surface area to bear weight. Though not as versatile as a Bulwark they see extensive use by the K’lax, in particular across Tret, transporting materials and goods to and from the multitude of warehouses.

Type AC - Familiars

Type AC Workers or "Familiars" are an oddity amongst the Bioforms with each being hand designed as personal assistants, both for notable Ta shortly after hatching, growing with them from youth and as a gift to those Workers and Warriors who become Xakat’kl’atan. Acting as one of the rare symbols of status amongst the species, they uniquely tend to sit somewhere between Bound and Unbound, many maintaining both rudimentary intelligence and unique personality whilst others still act as advisors with the full complement of intelligence required for such. Each Familiar has a separate design normally complementing the character of the recipient. These designs range from a standard Worker with markings to recreations of favoured V'krexi since passed away, strange amalgam creatures, intricate artistic masterpieces embedded with rare materials and everything in between. Whilst each one has separate capabilities, they are almost all capable of performing very well at a variety of helpful secretarial tasks ranging from quickly transcribing documents to performing translations or even booking appointments in the new environment of the Spur, although some Vaurca have questioned the necessity of these duties beyond a status piece due to the capabilities of the Cephalons. When a Familars assigned ward perishes and enters VR be it by choice, accident, age or anything else, the Familiar is uploaded alongside them so that they may continue to fulfil their duties if needed or if not find their own virtual purpose. Rumours persist that the K'lax Hive is contemplating offering expensive Familiars as gifts (or bribes) to Hegemony officials, but so far they have made no public move to do so.

Type AD - Burrowers

Type AD or "Burrowers" are very large hexapods resembling most closely a shoulder height earthen beetle and exist for one purpose which is to assist in mining and excavation, a task they make seem easy thanks to a plethora of installed tools including an industrial-sized thermal drill. They are one of the oldest Bioforms, versions of the design having supposedly been utilized as far back as the Technological Revolution to clear out new caverns and paths in the crust of Sedantis, however the modernisation of the Era of Augments and later the Hives Renaissance saw them fall out of favour, surpassed in usefulness by larger machinery. The Type AC has made a limited return since the Exodus, used in small numbers primarily by the Zo'ra Hive to clear out tunnels on Caprice and by Queenless hive-cells who either can't afford to maintain or lack the ability to manufacture more modern equipment.

Type ABD - Freighters

Type ABD Workers commonly referred to as "Freighters" are one of the most recent Bioforms, having been designed by the C'thur Hive in collaboration with the Nralakk Federation in 2461. They are very large Bound, bearing similarities in appearance to isopods and exist for underwater freight transportation, moving large quantities of goods between aquatic cities on Qerrbalak and Aweiji with each one helping alleviate a portion of the massive cost associated with maintaining deep-ocean cargo vessels. This Bioform unfortunately for both the Federation and the C'thur Hive is rather time intensive to grow, taking 6 months each even after extensive study to speed this up and scepticism towards Viax from Federation transport vessel crews prevents them from being produced at scale.

Type AE - Cultivator

Type AE Workers, also known as "Cultivators" are a Bioform most closely resembling a large arachnid and that possess a variety of tools to assist in farming, agriculture, and, as their name suggests, cultivation. Original designs are alongside Burrowers, one of the oldest Vaurca Type's in existence, with mythological references and artworks depicting them assisting Workers in the plantation of K'ois dating back to the early era of agriculture, though it is suspected by scholars that they only began work earnestly in the Technological Revolution. In the generations since their origin, Cultivator's have seen dozens of different variations of tools and augmentations by every Hive, some effective, some less so, to help perform their duties, and since the arrival in the Spur, Cultivator's have been a common sight in K'ois plantations. The most unique usage of Cultivators in the Spur, however, is by the C'thur Hive, who have outfitted the Type AE not just with industrial farming tools but also a social stomach to pollinate plants, pesticide and fertilizer dispensers, a detailed plant scanner, and a unique probiotic injector developed by the Hive that allows small adjustments on the spot to the genome of crops, providing the Cultivator with the ability to perform its job with nearly unmatched intricacy. These modified Type AE have been deployed by the C'thur Hive in aid of the Nralakk Federation primarily to Aweiji and other agricultural locations, especially colonies that often struggle to produce their own food, in exchange for funding and increased phoron supply from the local governments.

Za, The Warriors (Type B)

Type B are the second most prominent of Vaurcesian society, taking the form of heavily augmented Warriors. Type B can range in size from 5ft tall to 8ft tall, with Za Bound rising to as much as 20ft tall. They can be bipedal, quadrupeds, or hexapods, which are called types BA, BB, and BC respectively. Many usually have weapons physically attached to their bodies, making them unwieldy or impractical for any situation other than combat. Unlike Workers, a Warrior's exoskeleton is not as well equipped for extended EVA expeditions, however they can still withstand a few hour long excursion.

Warriors, unlike other types of Vaurcae, are not typically passive and lack the aversion to violence and blood that Workers possess. This means that they tend to be more suitable for combat oriented positions, while Workers and Breeders tend to be poorly suited for the disposition these occupations demand. Additionally this results in medical jobs being more evenly split between Warriors and Workers than might otherwise be expected. Many Hives whilst preferring Workers for peaceful medical positions and Warriors for more agility based first-response and combat medical, are unwilling to run the, admittedly unlikely, risk of a completely defective batch of medical Workers due to blood aversions and so grow a few Warriors alongside.

Unlike Workers, a Warrior's exoskeleton is not as well equipped for extended EVA expeditions, however they can withstand a few hours long excursion.

The majority of the Warrior caste Vaurca employed by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate are type BA, meaning that they are deprived of most advanced augments and mostly differ from other types simply in that they are more mentally suited for combat or being involved in the function of something that could be considered a weapon. Type BA warriors are akin to Type AA workers, making up much of the average Za population. As with all Vaurcae, there are slight differences between individuals to cater to the specific environment they’re designed to work in. A logistics officer, combat overseer, or commander may not be suited for engagements but may possess a mind capable of processing data rapidly. Likewise, Vaurca, designed for engagements, would be built for the job. A guard may be observant and attentive, with plenty of patience, and a soldier may be inherently capable of communicating efficiently and quickly.

Examples of Type B Vaurca Bioforms

Type BB - Attendants

Type BB Za or "Attendants" are digitigrad bipeds, built to be agile and quick. They’re primarily made to be scouts or serve in support positions and they excel at quick guerrilla tactics. They can occupy the same roles as regular warriors, but their speed-built forms aren’t as hardy. They’re commonly attributed to the role of combat medics - providing medical assistance on the field, or removal of the Neural Socket if the individual cannot be saved.

Type BC - Endurers

BC variants of Za also known as "Endurers" are typically hexapod Bioforms used in extreme environments, being made to withstand the fiery surface of Sedantis. While not capable of handling a full-blown firestorm, they’re the closest the Hives have to a Bioform that could. They are slow, but durable and relentless. Not many BC's have been seen, and it is thought that many of this Type have died out due to lack of maintenance as well as a lack of need.

Type BE - Marshal

A critical backbone of any Vaurca military, Type BE Warriors, or "Marshals," as they are commonly known, are one of the oldest surviving Warrior Bioforms, with the Zo'ra Hive going so far as to claim Zo'ra herself invented them during the Age of Death, a claim which other Hives frequently dispute as mythology. What is not in dispute, however, is the role this Bioform has to play in matters of war strategy, each being an expert in tactics, planning, and shaping the flow of conflicts. Historical artworks depicting Zo'ra Ta concocting plans of subjugation with Marshals at their side are abundant. To this end, the Marshals have undergone extensive genetic and augmentative modifications before assuming their role as military advisors to the Ta and perhaps most notably, they have developed an unusual connection to the Cephalons as a result of their neural enhancements.

The Cephalons, immensely powerful supercomputers that they are, are utterly invaluable in conflict, providing statistical analysis of outcomes, logistical planning, and troop deployment suggestions to maximize the user's tactical position. However, without the use of complicated and slow protocols, much of this data has to be output in its original raw format. During combat this pure flood of information can be streamed in real time to a Marshal over the Hivenet, who, thanks to their neural augmentations, can avoid collapsing into immediate insanity from the seemingly endless flow of numbers and information now overwhelming their senses. Instead, they process this mass of mathematical predictions and suggestions and seamlessly integrate them into their own plans, making split-second decisions on what to prioritize and what to discard before sending updates back to the biocomputers and repeating the cycle.

As a result, the Marshals, more than any other Bioform, tend to come to see themselves as extensions of the Cephalons, nodes of the great intelligences tasked with carrying out their "will" in service of the Queens. It is rare for this to bother all but the most puritanical Ta due to the amount of help the Marshals are capable of providing, with even the most military-minded Breeders battling to effectively direct the masses of Warriors placed at their command in times of conflict without these advisors. Since the arrival in the Spur, the Marshals have had to adapt and have worked tirelessly alongside the Queens to restructure the military structure of the Hives in a way that is both effective and, much to their chagrin, cheap enough to not drain the economy. The Marshals of Zoleth's brood, numbering significantly more than any other, are plentiful throughout the newly formed Vek'tak Phalanx and even sometimes the upper echelons of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, providing advice and direction, though rarely with respect to the TCAF viewing themselves as anything other than consultants. It is not unheard of for the Hives to turn a Warrior of another Bioform who demonstrates a strong understanding of strategy or tactics into a Marshal.

Za'Kax, Warforms (Type BD+)

Warforms are constructs of war, heavily augmented Vaurca outfitted with in-built weapons, and coming in a variety of heights and forms. They are almost always Bound, though exceptions have been known to exist, and can range from as small as 2 feet to towering behemoths standing at heights of 20 feet. Despite this incredible variety, Type BD are the Warforms that the majority of the public in places that know of Vaurca have seen or heard about. They are tall bipedal Vaurcae designed by the Zo'ra Hive that have been augmented and induced with extremely large amounts of growth hormones to reach heights of 10 to 20 feet. Many possess large scythe-like blades in place of their claws, capable of cutting through various forms of reinforced steel, and they can be equipped with a variety of in-built or shoulder-mounted weaponry. The most infamous and perhaps terrifying of these weapons is a strong napalm-like compound known as Zo'rane Flame, expelled through the Warform’s mouth. Those in the Spur who have seen the rare occasions the Zo'ra Hive has deployed Warforms for actual warfare rather than simply parade duty, most prominently members of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion during the second Solarian Invasion, have witnessed the Zo'rane Flame in action and tend to speak of it grimly. To be covered with the substance is almost invariably to die slowly, painfully, and utterly, skin dripping from bone and ligment melting away, until all that is left is a disolved puddle where man or vehicle once stood.

Many other types of Warform exist or have existed in the past but were destroyed in events such as the Great Hive War. It was in these catastrophic events that creative Warforms were deployed in the thousands, and their conclusion, in which a return to traditional and honourable cultural combat replaced many of the underhanded tactics employed by the Bioforms, led to the loss of many of the more fanciful designs. It's not unheard of for those Vaurca who relish in diving the forgotten corners of the Cephalons to occasionally stumble upon one such design, marvelling at genetic blueprints hiding like ancient lost treasure. As the inventors, the Zo'ra Hive possesses both the most Warforms in the Spur by numbers and the most designs, having had plenty of time for mastery. 

Examples of Type BD+ Vaurca Bioforms

Type BDE - Batteries

Type BDE or "Batteries" are among the largest of the Za’Kax warriors and are frequently hexapods or decapodals made to be durable and load-bearing, with heavy artillery typically installed into their backs. Despite having been originally designed by the Zo'ra Hive during the Great Hive War to act as a siege weapon that could manoeuvre through the cramped caverns of Sedantis, it is not the Zo'ra or C'thur who have deployed them most often in the Spur, though they do keep a small number cryogenically stored, but rather the K'lax. In the conflicts on Moghes that the K'lax have participated in they have been known to arm the Type BDE with everything from jury-rigged Hegemony artillery pieces to accurate long-range cannons that fire not shells but concentrations of deadly acid drawn from internal biological sacs. The results were appropriately devastating, and the Type BDE quickly became a priority military target during these brief wars. Type BDE are most often used to complement large military formations but have yet to be mass-produced due to high maintenance costs. Rumours abound that geneticists under the K'lax and C'thur Hives have begun separately looking into methods to reduce how Phoron-hungry the Type BDE is but have yet to turn up results.

Type BDF - Vanguard

A quadrupedal Bioform designed by the Zo'ra Hive standing at 9 feet tall and filling in the lines for heavy infantry, Type BDF Warriors or "Vanguards," have been used by almost all Hives at some point in their history of conflict, dating back generations. They were most recently seen being used by the Lii’dra during their incursion with Elyra. Their quadrupedal form, aided by climbing augmentation in the form of mag-claws, allows them to traverse various terrains quickly, and they are frequently seen carrying anti-armour weapons.

Type BDG - Flock

Type BDG or "Flock" are one of the most common military Bioforms and are only about 2 feet long. They are not dissimilar to Type AB Workers but adapted for military use. Possessing wings, they are deadly when deployed in swarms as demonstrated by their use by the Lii'dra Hive during the Elyran invasion and when used are typically employed to scatter defensive lines or attack structures. Their mobility and speed also means they’re excellent at surveillance.

Type BDJ - Mangler

The Type BCJ or "Mangler" is a decapod Bioform resembling that of a crab or Qerrbalak crustacean, roughly a Skrell tall, with thick reinforced carapaces, large sharpened claws and a central light-mounted weapon. They primarily operate in small groups, utilising high mobility to close the gap between themselves and a target laying down covering fire before getting near enough to utilise their deadly pincers, mutilating the foe in brutal fashion. They are an invention of the C'thur Hive, who utilizes them exclusively, and were developed as a method of fielding smaller, less-phoron intensive warforms in support of the Nralakk Federation's Qukala, as well as assisting in aquatic operations, being capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. 

Type BGM - Ripper

The Type BGM, or "Ripper" is the latest arthropod Warform from the C'thur Hive. Modelled after a variation of a Diulszian creature known as a "Rhixea," the Type BGM possesses 6 legs, several sharp talons, and, thanks to an amalgamation of the Rhixea's natural defenses and C'thuric technology, a sonic scream loud enough to deafen, hurt, and disorient listeners. It appears almost like an isopod, not unlike the Hive's earlier Freighter design; however, the Ripper is instead deployed for warfare in support of the Nlomkala. Only a small handful of these Rippers exist so far, plans to create more being currently stalled due to the phoron crisis. Despite the small number however in testing they have exceled at breaking up large groups of combatants, mostly pirates, and shattering their morale. Queen Vytel originally intended to use the Ripper as a form of riot crowd control, arming them with a weakened Sonic weapon; however, negotiations with the Federation have been largely unsuccessful, with Federation officials citing their "terrifying appearance" as too much for civilian anti-riot squads, not to mention the requirement of developing special ear-plugs to protect the Riot Teams' own hearing.

Type BDZ - Exterminator

Type BNZ or "Exterminators" are only seen being deployed by the Lii'dra, and from reports by the Vaurca Hives, it appears to the Spur to be a new advancement by the malicious Hive on an older Type of Warform which still sees some limited usage in the Spur. They were most commonly used in terror tactics and assassination, taking out key personnel and vehicles. They are 15 feet of pure terror, resembling most closely terrestrial centipedes. Type BNZ are able to burrow into most natural surfaces and have been seen taking out combat mechs due to their speed and the incredibly acidic venom, which they can spray if need be. To this day, only three of them have been successfully killed, mostly by being bisected, which is the method of cutting the spinal cord to sever the Warforms link to its Hive. According to the Vaurca Hives, it is not immediately clear why severing the Warforms link to the Hive immediately disables it, whereas other Lii'dra maintain a limited level of self-control; theories range from it being a safety mechanism to a necessary biological function.

Ta, The Breeders (Type C)

The Leader's of the species, Type C are rare among Vaurca and make up only 2-3% of the entire species. Outside of being biologically immortal they are the only individuals in Vaurca Hives that are fertile, except for the Queens and Lesser Queens themselves. The males are raised as bound while the females are raised as unbound, with both of them acting to ensure their respective Hive cells possess the resources they need to function, fertilize eggs, act as advisors to Queens, replace a dying Lesser Queen or even become an additional Lesser Queen if the Hive needs more growth. The males are considered CA and the females CB. Since Vaurca Hives began to develop rudimentary democracy generations ago, female Breeders have been used as representatives and diplomats for their respective Queens, a departure from their traditional evolutionary duties. This extension of their role comes about from their keen social intelligence, making them ideal candidates for negotiating with aliens on economic and political matters. They easily grasp the nuances of social context, contracts, and systems that other castes have difficulty navigating. More information regarding Ta biology can found under the Life Cycle section of the page.

It is possible to play as a Ta as the Liaison/Representative role. More about Ta society can read here

Playing a Hive Representative

As a Ta aboard the Horizon you are one of the venerable leader's of the Vaurca species and more valuable than any individual Workers and Warrior, a fact you are deeply cognizant of. Vaurca of your Hive are biologically compelled to follow your orders except where they directly contradict a Ta of their own Brood and many Vaurca of other Hive's will do so in ordinary circumstances out of respect, though they are not strictly required to. Your position places you as the head of a hive-cell aboard the Horizon with diplomatic duties consisting of representing your Brood in a positive light, advancing the political goals of your Hive and providing emotional support and advice.

Below are rules for playing a Ta. Any bends of these rules must be clarified with the species maintainer prior to playing the character. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in punishment.

• No height taller than 11 feet tall.

• As a Breeder, you are allowed to have a three-syllable name instead of the usual monosyllabic.

• Auto-hiss basic (s becomes z or more frequently not at all). You've been assigned to work on a station full of aliens, so you’d have a vocal implant aiding this significantly due to your status.

• Avoid combat and avoid doing any labor or specialized work except where absolutely necessary. Ta may and almost always do have hobbies, often talents in line with the skills of their brood, and they are expected to be extremely good at them owing to their incredible age. Despite this, they are leaders and politicians, not Warriors or Workers, and they should have no intention of changing this. On matters of strenuous labor, Ta ultimately prefer delegation and inspiring others to do something.

• Avoid social ignorance. Ta possess a high social intelligence thanks to generations of evolution, being literally made for it, so they'd be knowledgeable on whether trying to clean a Unathi’s horn would upset them or not.

• Ta are biologically immortal, many having lived through what would to other species be recognised as entire era's of history. Each brood has different customs regarding the age at which a Ta is ready for duties though few broods trust Ta under 100 years old with any serious positions, Athvur being the most prominent exception, and the absolute upper limit on playable Ta age is 35 thousand years, for a Ta born (to them) not long before the Great Hive War. Ta older than this are very rare and typically either Queen's or Queen consorts, not finding work aboard the Horizon. Despite this extraordinary range the average Hive Representative will fall between 500 and 3000 years.

Examples of type C Vaurca Bioforms

Type CA

Type CA are male Viax Ta, having given organ inhibitor hormones during their larval development as all Bound are. They closely resemble that of the females save for a few key differences such as their exoskeleton being far more drab in terms of structure, not possessing regal growths and also not possessing wings. In contrast with Bound of other castes Type CA additionally have much shorter lifespans than Type CB, only living on average for half a decade or so. Being that they are Bound they are rarely seen outside of the main Hive territory, being created only to continue the Hive's existence. Some CA Ta are seen alongside lesser known CB Ta, acting as personal assistants, though the act has mostly fallen out of favor lately. Additionally, some larger Queenless populations are given the occasional CA from time to time in exchange for goods or services, whether lending a labor force, supplies or otherwise contributing towards the economic gain of the gifting Hive.

Ta Social Structure and Law

Ta Social Structure

Whenever the Spur speak's of the Ta it is almost always in reference to the Type CB. The Type CB have for the species' entire evolutionary history acted as the leaders of the Vaurca, each playing a part in pushing them forward through time to various degrees of success. With each of these Ta being near immortal, wielding a much greater degree of independence then the other castes and having a tendency towards holding increasingly strong views as they age, a curious society has arisen amongst them independent of Vaurca society at a large. To an outsider, the social structure of the Ta has a tendency to appear flat or even simplistic but nothing could be further from the truth, its true complexity invisible to those outside it. While it is true that Ta typically only possesses one of a small handful of "ranks" in a traditional sense (Diplomat, Breeder, Consort, Queen), behind each of these titles is a ancient bewildering and byzantine social hierarchy built up over untold generations and which varies not only from Hive to Hive but even within the same Hive.

For every action a Ta wishes to take, there is a delicate protocol, with the first challenge being even working out who or what to approach for permission. Actions that, for another species or even another Vaurca caste, would be completely innocent, such as entering a realm, requesting aid from a Cephalon protocol, applying for funding, or even viewing works of art, can be swarmed with centuries-old bureaucratic mazes and an army of social gatekeepers who battle with reputation and seniority. This is to say nothing of the innumerable rivalries spanning generations and layers of hierarchical nuance long forgotten. With Ta particularly unlikely to be susceptible to traditional bribery or threats, many outside the system would find it near impossible to navigate.

Fortunately, however, by the time Ta are considered of sufficient age to begin involving themselves in Hive affairs properly, all but the most inept have already established themselves with what, to a shorter-lived and less socially engineered species, would be an impossibly wide array of connections. Each can manage hundreds of delicate relations spanning everything from contacts, friends, and favors to the less openly discussed blackmail. It is these social tools, not firearms or blades, that form the weapons of the Ta.

Queens rarely involve themselves directly in the great game of internal Hive politics and bureaucracy beyond their direct court of consorts. With each Ta subservient to their will, even if sometimes a particular Ta will stretch their interpretation of exactly what the Queen's will is close to breaking, they can easily cut through these structures. It is considered a great honour for the Ta if a Queen takes a direct interest in them or a project they are overseeing; however, the Biology of Vaurca makes this less unusual than direct contact with the rulers of many other species. The Hivenet keeps a Queen in constant informational contact with her lesser kin, and whilst not exactly frequent due to the Queen's preference for delegation, she can easily pass praise, orders, or admonishment to whomever she wishes.

Ta society and Vaurcesian law

Vaurcesian law reflects the realities of Ta social structure and is indeed intrinsically linked to it. A proper legal code regarding the behavior of Ta, Queen's, and Hives was established generations earlier on Sedantis as one of the first and most important acts of the reformed Court of Queen's, replacing the previous largely inefficient conventions, and whilst it has been modified over generations, the original structure is still largely present. This legal code was for centuries enforced by C'thuric Queen Vytel from her realm, the Chambers of tranquillity, however since the Exodus, it has been handled internally by Hives, where it has been applied at all. Vytel's attempts to re-establish herself as the legislative arm of the Court of Queen's are yet to bear fruit. While each Hive has concocted their own statutes and interpretations since the Exodus, Vaurcesian law almost universally deals only with Ta. Offenses committed by the other castes instead tend to fall on whichever Ta was responsible for them to resolve or, if preventable or done by their order, to bear the consequences of any serious legal breach. The trials of Ta are always overseen by another of her kin, typically a panel of three, though it varies. For a Hive to have a Worker or any other caste oversee such would be an unacceptably grievous offense. The nature of Ta make cases uncommon, but the more common breaches include Ta not following treaties, acting against another Hive without permission, indirectly acting against the best interest of the Hive, acting dishonestly towards their sisters, knowingly circumventing Cephalon regulations, or misusing resources. Much of the legislation covers rare edge cases, especially the ever-complicated sections regarding the application of the law and Virtual Reality. Sanctions if a breach is discovered to have occurred typically range from warnings to removal from positions of importance. The majority of the actual damage to a Ta found guilty tends to be reputational. While the above is true most of the time, there are, however, exceptionally rare and extreme cases from time to time. While there are statutes regarding violence between Ta of the same Hive, in nothing but the most extraordinary circumstances is it considered acceptable for a Ta to move against another of her own Hive with violence, and even then the conventions regarding such are completely exhaustive. To use violence against another of her kin without following the conventions would bring social damnation with the strictest legal sanctions, and committing the near unthinkable act of a Ta moving to intentionally kill another of her sisters permanently, soul and all, would almost invariably bring being completely cast from the Hive and forbidden from returning under penalty of voiding, a very taboo sanction for Ta indeed. Even Ta captured from other Hive's during acts of aggression are expected to be treated as respected hostages and, if possible, integrated into the victorious Hive's retinue. The punishment for not doing so may not be as extreme as killing one's own sisters, but it is still very punitive.

Cephalon (Type D)

The Cephalon is the strangest of all Vaurcae beings, if it can still be considered such. They are bombarded from birth with special hormones designed to expand their brains. These special treatments hypercharge their thyroid and pituitary glands, which results in a brain that will continue growing far, far beyond the needs even of the Unbound - it will grow so much in fact that they - the Cephalon's handlers - can cut live samples, spread them across trellises and racks, before treating them with even more hormones and chemicals to keep them growing further. After a decade of pruning, racking, and tanning, and some extensive and complicated cybernetic wirework besides, the end result is a new Cephalon - a biomechanical supercomputer with the processing power somewhere in the tens of zettaflops that is required to host the Vaurca Virtual Reality Network, if it can even be measured that way, and a lifespan of hundreds of years. Whilst the Cephalon's processing power is impressive, its most incredible features instead result from simply having a fundamentally different way of performing tasks compared to a mechanical computer. This, much to the frustration of the wider Spur, makes a comparison of simple processing nearly meaningless except as a quick gauge.

Each Lesser Queen tends to keep several of these in specially designed mainframes, acting as servers from which their VR Realm is hosted. These mainframe rooms are almost always stored near the Queen's quarters under exceedingly heavy guard, eclipsed only in protection by the ruler themselves. Cephalons are not generally considered Bound or Unbound, but inert, motionless equipment and their "names" only exist for ease of reference by those charged with maintaining them.

Further information and public views on Type D Bioforms

Part exceptionally powerful computer, part server, part "artificial" intelligence (if a massive brain augmented with quantum substacks and an array of biomechanical enhancements can be called artificial), part oracular prediction machines, the researchers of the Spur have struggled endlessly to properly categorize or even begin to understand the Cephalon despite the caste having pervaded every element of Vaurca civilisation, arguably as much as their magnum opus Virtual Reality with the two being intrinsically linked. Few Spur scientists have begun to understand the extraordinarily convoluted structure of the Cephalon, each one a monumental archive in and of itself, and the Hives seemingly do little to alleviate this state of confusion outside of correcting the occasional misconception or perceived fear. From what little can be gleaned, it would appear, at least to outsiders, that the amalgam design of the Bioform takes the best of both worlds for wetware and quantum computing, making use of an organic brain's incredible pattern recognition, memory and branched decision-making then incorporating a quantum system's incredible speed, accuracy and parallel processing. The perspectives of those in the Spur towards the Cephalons are extremely diverse and depend heavily on location.

Many scientists in Tau Ceti see massive potential in the Cephalons, and some Megacorporations even think it may be replicable by humanity, but the closed-lip nature of the Hives and the complexity of the systems have prevented them from gaining much ground so far. It's not uncommon for people and corporations with a strong interest in the Bioform to eventually give up and seek other sources of computing power or to conduct such research quietly so as not to jeopardise their relationship with the Hives, as some suspect Zeng-hu Pharmaceuticals of doing. Ethical concerns and the parallels with artificial intelligence, both mundane and of the singularity variety, are discussed in academic circles but have yet to reach the public consciousness much beyond conspiracy boards and idle philosophical musings, a state of affairs that the Zo'ra Hive seems fine with maintaining and may, by some suggestions, even have an active hand in. 

The Nralakk Federation began to turn much more interest towards Cephalons after the C'thur Hive allowed one to be used by the Ruupkala to analyse and accurately predict the location of a smuggler base out in the Traverse, but many Skrell have raised concerns about the Federation itself utilizing the caste, with some drawing comparisons between Cephalons and Viax with artificial intelligence, while others raise ethical concerns over using a technically living being as a supercomputer. These views have prevented widespread uptake, despite the immense potential to alleviate the nation's ongoing computation crisis, but the usage of Cephalons for data analysis in law enforcement and other fields is currently being explored by the Federation.

The final nation to host a Hive in the Spur is the Izweski Hegemony; however, as of yet, they have shown very minimal interest in the K'lax Cephalons. The majority of Unathi scientists simply write them off as another piece of strange Vaurca technology, focusing their attention on other more immediate areas, and those few that understand what the Cephalons are responsible for lack the required experience or diplomatic influence to conduct any deeper investigations.

Ra, The Bulwarks (Type E)

The newest caste of the Vaurca, Type E, are heavyset industrialists that specialize in jobs involving hard labor, engineering, and maintenance. Average specimens stand at 8-10 feet tall and require special clothing due to their unique shape. Type E Vaurca are the least prominent population-wise in the species, due to the fact they were only recently conceived as a joint operation between the C'thur and the Nralakk Federation. They were unveiled at the first session of the reformed Court of Queens in 2463, before specimens belonging to the other Hives began appearing.

Being larger in size means their internal structure is different from the majority of Vaurca, instead possessing a more reinforced central ‘spine’ of sorts under the carapace on their back and also possessing two hearts. The larger of the two is situated in the lungs, while the second is lower, around the pelvic region. Bulwarks tend to be strictly defensive in their temperament, meaning they will fight to defend themselves and those in their immediate surroundings before escaping when presented with the chance. They will not chase down threats or run into situations they are not already involved in.

To muddy the waters, it is debatable if the Bulwark has enough genetic diversity over a Worker to be considered its own caste; rather, it was unveiled as its own by the Zo'ra and C'thur Hives as a PR method, hoping to ignite interest from the public in the Vaurca. For this end, many of them are encouraged by the Hives to foster unique personalities and hobbies, such as coin or stamp collecting or the consumption of content by Extranet celebrities. It is debatable whether the measure was widely successful, but the Zo'ra Hive maintains the depiction of Bulwarks as "gentle giants" in the content they put out, and this view of the caste has gained some traction throughout Biesel and the Nralakk Federation.

Bulwarks are only employed in select locations as of now, due to their relatively recent appearance. Notable locations include the NTCC Odin, the NSS Upsilon, the NSS Aurora and the SCCV Horizon. Outside of these locations they are heavily monitored in where they go, and are typically kept in more secure locations. There are no Queenless Bulwarks.

The Unbound

The Unbound make up the upper castes of Vaurcae society and form the only sentient and self-aware parts of its greater population. Their eggs and larvae are given more graceful care by Ta and Bound Workers. They are born with fully developed organs, though Unbound not meant to become Ta or Lesser Queens are still sterilized. The Unbound are perfectly capable of making rational, thinking decisions, and are naturally intuitive, curious and capable of understanding abstraction, much like a human. However, Unbound are not raised in a traditional manner. While in its early years Vaurca Virtual Reality was meant as an escape from reality, for modern Vaurcae in known space it's become every aspect of their lives and supposed afterlife.

Although Unbound are sentient and self-aware, they still typically maintain unwavering subserviency to the respective hierarchy of their Hive, due to a combination of pheromone excretion and indoctrination methods imposed during the growing process of an Unbound. However, when they are not under the direct instruction of a Lesser Queen, they will typically pursue their own or their own hive-cell's interests.

Unbound disconnected from VR can still connect themselves to the 'internet' of the Hive, called the Hivenet or Hive Network, where the Unbound all connect their consciousness. Unbound Vaurcae can share their knowledge, memories, and even feelings through the Hivenet. The Bound are barred from most non-utilitarian aspects of the Hivenet, due to biological constraints.

The Unbound typically take up jobs that require more critical thinking skills, ability to learn or adapt and greater abstract thought than simple Bound. In this respect, Unbound Vaurcae can simply be considered on the same level as any human. Integration in the Orion Spur and other alien communities has some of them living alone or in small groups in their own apartments like any other citizen or family, working to support themselves, rarely having monetary aid from their Hive.

The Unbound can be any of the basic types mentioned above except for Warforms and Type D.

Playing Unbound

Unbound are the human-like part of the Vaurcae species and are capable of playing any non-command role in terms of ability. They can either be unique individuals having lived out of their Virtual Reality for some time, or can be fresh from the Hive birthing chambers and or from their Lesser Queen's virtual heaven, barely knowing anything. They almost universally hate being outside of VR, as the extended stay within an environment free of strife, hunger and death have sensitized them to the presence of such things in the real world. Likely because of their biology, many Vaurcae are generally passive and hold more value in a group's opinion rather than their own, disliking isolation.

Unbound are restricted in the jobs they can pick.

Security: Security Officer, Warden, Investigator, Security Cadet
Medical: Surgeon, Physician, Psychiatrist, Pharmacist, First Responder, Medical Intern
Engineering: Engineer, Atmospheric Technician, Engineer Apprentice
Science: Scientist (all titles), Xenobiologist, Xenobotanist, Lab Assistant
Service: Chef, Chaplain, Librarian, Bartender, Gardener/Hydroponicist, Janitor
Operations: Hanger Technician, Shaft Miner, Machinist
Civilian: Assistant, Off-Duty Crew Member

As of 4/24/2463, Avowals of Responsibility are no longer required for Vaurcae above intern level positions.

The Bound

While all Bound are specialized for a specific job or instruction, all are still capable of simple labor.

Bound Vaurcae are chosen even before their egg is laid. Eggs designated to be Bound are provided with certain hormonal mixes designed to neutralise brain function critical for higher thought and are then put in a warm, moisture-rich environment while Bound Ta and Workers oversee their care. The larvae that hatch from the eggs are then taken to another specialised, moist environment to be raised and augmented. Bound are highly capable in their positions but are incredibly simple-minded due to effectively being lobotomized. The result is a very effective worker but one that struggles to adapt to unusual circumstances and has minimal ability to learn or think in abstractions.

Playing Bound

Bound, or as humans sometimes call them, Drones, have a lot in common with station synthetics in personality and playstyle. They are members of a lobotomised slave caste trained to obey orders without question. They have no concept of the self and can only act independently in matters of personal survival, maintenance, or self-defense. The Vaurcesian Drones typically speak slowly and have trouble speaking Basic.

Bound typically focus on performing their duty. If asked to do something outside of the scope of their duty a Bound will always use their duty as a reference to the task at hand. Because they are working under the decree of the Hive's Queen, only with good reason would an Unbound Vaurca ask a Bound from its respective Hive to deviate from their duty. Otherwise, Bound are taught and expected to follow station protocols to the best of their ability as it is their duty to do so. Only their Hives' Unbound, and heads of staff can order a Bound to deviate from its duties.

Bound can be easily dismissed - or culled - if their performance is unsatisfactory.

They can only take the jobs listed here. If a job title is not on this list, you cannot play them as a bound.

Security: None
Medical: Physician, Pharmacist, First Responder
Engineering: Engineer, Atmospheric Technician
Science: Scientist
Service: Chef, Bartender, Gardener, Librarian, Hydroponicist, Janitor
Operations: Machinist, Hanger Technician, Shaft Miner
Civilian: Assistant

Life Cycle

The lifecycle of a Vaurca is fairly complicated when compared to other species. Each stage of a Vaurca's development is clearly regimented by biological developments or the introduction of augmentations.

Vaurca eggs are laid by a Hives high or lower Queen, and naturally enter a state of suspended animation when they are outside of the ovipositor, locking the egg in its initial stage until it is received by its surrogate Ta. This is compounded with cryogenics to effectively transport a vast amount of eggs between the Queen and their surrogate Ta. Every Ta within a Hive specializes in the creation of many different types of Vaurcae. Ta themselves are living biological factories, capable of controlling nearly every aspect of their progeny via genetic manipulation, a process that has great cultural importance attached to it.

Before a larva is hatched, its purpose is determined by a female Ta, in a process called Imagotis. In this imaginal stage, the Ta can hold in its mind the image of its completed offspring, regulating gene expression to mold the larva into its desired form.

Bound

Larva destined to become Bound are born without parts of their brain, and their organs are undeveloped, preparing them to receive implants as soon as they are hatched. These implants grow with the Bound, and it will have them throughout its entire life unless replaced. Bound Vaurca reach maturity within six months. Upon fully maturing, they are implanted with a neural socket and begin working immediately. A Bound's lifespan is theoretically infinite, provided that the Hive keeps its augments well maintained. In reality, however, Bound are rarely maintained and thus can expect an operational lifespan of around ten years on average, provided they experience no work-related injuries. Upon the death of a Bound, the augmentations they possess are removed and repurposed, and the body is typically incinerated.

Unbound

If a larva is destined to become an Unbound, it is given six months of organic development, which allows for its brain to mature fully. After this six-month period, it is implanted with a neural socket and experiences Virtual Reality for the development of its personality and training. These six months are the closest thing to childhood that a Vaurca has. At the conclusion of this one-year period, the Unbound is fully mature and prepared for whatever purpose it may have been given by the Hive. It will receive several augmentations depending on circumstance throughout its life, unlike Bound, who receive all of their augments at birth. Furthermore, unlike Bound, Unbound are always more flesh than augmentation, so they cannot be "maintained," an Unbound experiencing a lifespan of twenty years on average, at the conclusion of which their neural socket containing their mind is uploaded into VR and their augmentations are reclaimed by the Hive. Their body is generally incinerated. Years spent in VR tend to not subtract from this lifespan, meaning that an Unbound could be extremely old if it spent most of its time in VR.

Biology of the Ta

Ta are rarely born, only when a leadership position is required or when a previous Ta has died for whatever reason. The Mother Ta will then cease all other egg production and produce one single egg with the required hormone, with the individual being an almost complete genetic clone of the mother. This egg is 7 to 10 inches in diameter, rather than the standard 5 inches, and will grow to nearly 15 inches in diameter. These eggs are treated like a precious metal or gem and are heavily protected by all parties involved. Defending these eggs is one of the only times a Ta will get aggressive. This is the same for both Bound and Unbound Ta.

The egg hatches after 10 days, and the larvae grow for a year, their carapace hardening in several places and becoming thicker overall as they grow ceremonial crests and wings that sprout along the entire length of their back; however, the Ta is usually too heavy for them to generate lift except in low-gravity. At the conclusion of this growth, they will enter the pupal stage, where they will pupate for another 5 or so months. The Birth and Second Hatching of an Unbound Ta is seen as a celebration, and depending on how important the new Unbound Ta will be, the bigger the celebration, being one of the few celebrations the Vaurca partake in.

The average Ta who was not given a regular supply of Royal hormones used to live from 200 to 300 years; now, however, since their own medical developments, they are theoretically biologically immortal, with most of the Ta aboard Titan Prime being at least over a thousand years old. When a Ta dies, their personalized and required augments are removed, with the neural socket being stored and the required augments being used by their possible replacement. Personalized augments are destroyed.

If the Unbound Ta is destined to be a lesser Queen, it is given Royal hormones which will change its form over the course of the next few years as it takes on more Royal features. A larger crown forms on the exoskeleton of their head, and they have more prominent shoulders, wings, and thorax.

Bound Ta are typically a normal Ta, but given the organ inhibitor hormones during their larval development as all Bound are. They are recognisable as having less vibrant carapace colouring, subdued royal crests, and no wings. These are the males of the Hive, with a few Unbound Ta tending to always have a bound Ta on hand to help with the odd menial task, though this was more popular in the past. Bound Ta do not live very long, with the average Bound Ta living only a couple of years. Because of this, they are always made to a certain point to ensure the Hive continues.

Vaurca Organs

Vaurca organs, whilst having some universal similarities with those of other sapient species, are very different in how they work and process the required elements for a Vaurca to live. The Vaurca brain itself is not unlike that of any other species with sapience in that it possesses a developed central lobe, but it also has features more similar to those of earth arthropods, such as set outer lobes for ocular, auditory, and other senses. The overwhelming majority of Vaurca have a neural socket installed towards the back of the brain, just before the centre spinal nerve, allowing access to the Hivenet and Virtual Reality Systems.

The exoskeleton itself is very tough. Depending on the Bioform, it can be more tightly packed, with Ra having a more dense and thicker exoskeleton, Za having a more flexible and mobile exoskeleton, and Ka in between these variations. While this exoskeleton provides the Vaurca with numerous benefits, such as high radiation resistance and strong structural support against a vacuum, it also has drawbacks:

One such drawback is that Vaurca have an open circulatory system; their bodies being essentially tanks of sulfur-based blood. As a result, Vaurca have a heart that is comparable to that of a larger animal. The heart has two individual chambers, which simply take in blood before expelling it. The two chambers essentially cause blood to flow to the left and right sides of the body.

The lungs act more as one, forming a ring around the heart, the main source of blood flow, and are aided by two implanted cybernetic and bioengineered organs, such as the Phoron reservoir, which stores phoron otherwise ingested by an individual Vaurca. This phoron is then pumped into the breathing apparatus, a bioengineered set of thin, delicate tubes that help diffuse the phoron into the lungs, allowing the latter to catalyse the respiration for the Vaurca. The reservoir can also store oxygen if required, in which case the breathing apparatus takes over in place of the lungs when a Vaurca is within a vacuum.

When on Sedantis, these engineered organs were not required due to the prevalence of phoron and oxygen in the Vaurca homeworld's atmosphere. However, with phoron not being present in other atmospheres, these organs are now essential for Vaurca to live. A gas the atmosphere of Sedantis did not possess in high quantities compared to others is nitrogen, and while it is present in small amounts in the bodies of Vaurca, the gas itself is toxic to them, blocking many biological functions, hence the use of the filter that is placed at the front of the Vaurca's trachea, just above the start of the Esophagus.

Vaurca Limbs

The exact limbs of Vaurca vary heavily depending on caste. They typically have two large insect-like eyes that are hyper-sensitive to most forms of light and may have two smaller ones underneath. While they can function in light-heavy environments perfectly fine, many complain about frequent migraines and tend to get frustrated after long exposures to light like the sun or even general ship lighting. This hyper-sensitivity, however, leads to greatly increased eyesight in dark areas. Their eyes are completely black in terms of coloration, with no variation between the castes. They also have large, insect-like antennae that protrude from their head. These antennae are used for greater perception of their surroundings and to communicate with each other through subtle movements or by rubbing them together. Losing these antennae, which act as an olfactory sensory and nerve database, can cause confusion, dizziness, nausea, communication problems, and extreme pain.

Their mouthparts have two large mandibles, which are exceptionally strong in Warriors.

A Vaurca Worker and Warrior may possess vestigial arms below their main limbs, genetic remnants that serve little purpose except to hold the occasional item. Some Vaurcae may remove them for practicality while others are decorating them for fashion purposes. The latter is quickly becoming a fad for Vaurcae who regularly interact with aliens.

Vaurca Augmentation

While many Vaurcae look identical in an augmented state, aside from various shifts in color, virtually all Vaurcae are augmented in some manner, the degree to which depends very much on their caste and purpose. The most augmentation is typically seen in Bound Vaurcae. Much of their organic mass will at some point be replaced with machinery, so they can fulfil one specific task to the best of their ability. Worker Bound will at the completion of their development look more like construction machines than Vaurca, with variable amounts of limbs and a plethora of tools at their disposal. Warrior Bound will assume a variety of forms, varying from simple infantry with weapon and targeting augments to assault vehicles. The more complex the caste name of a Bound, the less recognisable it is as a standard Vaurca. Unbound however, will rarely undergo such severe augmentation. The great limitation of such heavy modification is that it eliminates versatility, which is a significant part of the purpose of the Unbound caste. For many their augments are performance-enhancing instead of completely form altering. The majority of Unbound are today equipped with at least basic communication augments, which make them versatile assets to speak with extra-hive entities. Ultimately, all Vaurcae currently employed by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate aboard the SCCV Horizon are of the least augmented tier - either Type AA, Type BA, or Type E. Their carapace is almost totally unmodified. Bound and Unbound alike will have a neural socket and an oxygen filtration system, and they may utilise full-limb prosthetics. Bound may have several augments designed to increase work efficiency or general survival, while Unbound will typically have only a few augments to ensure that they can fulfil any task assigned to them by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.

Vaurca Sleep Cycle

Vaurca Bound follow a predictable sleep pattern. Specialized augmentations control the chemical precursors that induce sleepfulness within Bound and cause them to sleep. While predictable, the times that a Bound sleeps typically depend on its duty within the Hive, with the most physically demanding jobs having the longest periods of sleep. Unbound Vaurcae spends 98 hours active on average before experiencing drowsiness. Some Unbound may change this sleep cycle depending on their work or needs, similar in scope to how humans change their habits. To sleep, a Vaurca adopts a leaning position that uses specialized joints and hinges in their exoskeletal plates to sleep standing upright.

Modern Day

For the Vaurca, co-habitation with the other species they have encountered has led to fundamental changes to their way of life, many seemingly to their detriment. In the public eye their advanced weaponry has lead to a lot of fear regarding their potency and supposed ease of mass production. Seemingly no one can deny the military domination a war-ready Hive would impose. From tachyon-based weaponry, gauss cannons, condensed thermal energy and the infamous Warforms, most believe it to be a miracle that the Vaurca have yet to attack and seize control of the galaxy, fears which found themselves at the forefront after the Lii'dra Invasion and which have only slightly quieted since.

To a certain extent within their respective societies this may be true. The Vaurca have integrated themselves into a great deal of the running of the Republic of Biesel, Izweski Hegemony and Nralakk Federation in an effort to make themselves essential, including handsome contributions to each nation's armed forces. This has provided a degree of political sway and necessity much greater than what they once had shortly after arrival. However the power of the Hives is not as simple as many believe. Weaponry was a lower priority on the list of supplies brought on Hiveships, as though while large, space was required for broods as well and materials. Some Queens such as Ta'Akaix'Zoleth'akeh Zo'ra were insistent on bringing a plethora of weaponry, to ensure their survival among the unknown threat of the stars but their pleas, only resulted in minor increases to ship defences. During their long journey, many of the of resources the species bought were used for maintenance of the ship, and by the time they arrived in the Orion Spur, their lack of materials, and subsequently, repairs, have resulted in the damaged states the three known Hiveships were found in. Additionally food supply was limited in terms of places to grow aboard the Hiveships, and as a result, a majority of Warforms and the larger Bound Workers were culled, due to being unable to sustain many of the cryogenic storage pods used to contain them. The phoron crisis has certainly not helped matters on this front and Hive's are careful to balance the cost of phoron with military readiness.

Politically and militarily, the Zo'ra remain as dominant as ever over the other Hives, though in a much reduced state compared to what that dominance represented on Sedantis. The Zo'ra possess by far the most Warriors and Warforms of the three modern Hives, not to mention the tactical acumen to use them. A significant portion of this is due to the Queen Zoleth, the Herald of Scars who, in the absence of her most trusted friend, High Queen Zora, is the oldest Vaurca in the Spur. Zoleth has always viewed herself as the hammer to the nail that was Zo'ra herself, and the two of them were responsible for the wildly successful generational conquests on Sedantis that built the planet spanning empire they once possessed. Her military genius and inclinations towards wartime preparations saw her as the driving force behind the move to invest the Hive's resources so significantly into the founding of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion and its new incarnation the Tau Ceti Armed Forces despite pushback from the newly elected High Queen Vaur. This move proved itself savvy as it gave the Hive both sway through the Legion, beginning their ascension into the political web that connects the inhabitants of the Orion Spur despite their debt and the ability to maintain their military without appearing threatening to the Republic. Part of these investments was not just providing Warriors but the hybridization of the Tau Ceti foreign Legion and recently Tau Ceti Armed Forces current weaponry and their own personal designs. These resulting weapons are currently employed by the Armed Forces, and while they are hardly the most technologically advanced, the Republic having for a balance of effectiveness and cost, and many agree that it is certainly an improvement compared to their last. The Queens of the Zo'ra Hive as a whole are benefiting from this increased power, having managed to revive the Court of Queens on Caprice, installing its chambers within their capital New Sedantis, though relative to the other Hive's many Zo'ra on Biesel live in great squalor. 

Despite the success of the Zo'ra regarding military and politics, the K'lax are the only Hive that has truly managed to adapt the species more advanced technologies to the Spur's new realities. To the Klax, this is hardly surprising; they were after all the minds behind much of these inventions, regardless of how much undue credit Zo'ra may claim. In recent years, batches of new-generation thermal drills, a tool that was by necessity ubiquitous in the caverns of Sedantis, were developed and manufactured by the K'lax, shipped, and sold across the Orion Spur. While expensive, those mining facilities that adapted saw huge increases in yields as a result. Furthermore, the Hive agreed to collaborate with the Unathi on Moghes with respect to terraforming the wasteland planet, re-creating their machines of old with the alien materials of the Spur. These factors contributed towards the K'lax Hive's eventual transformation of their barren colony of Tret given to them by the Izweski into the gigantic factory planet and industrial heart of the Izweski Hegemony it is today, though certain unfavourable deals with outside parties limit the funds the K'lax can bring to bear from this. 

Economically, it is only the C'thur who have truly profited. While the other Hives are reliant on collective money pools brought in by employed Bound and Unbound or the leftovers of their own factory exports, being harboured by the generous Nralakk Federation has opened up a large amount of opportunities, to say nothing of the C'thur Hive's historical inclinations. The C'thur have bought a significant portion of Einstein Engines, opening a connection to the Eridani Corporate Federation, and many job opportunities. These factors have resulted in the C'thur being the most economically advanced of all Hives. Money that is received by Hives is typically distributed between the Queens, each given the discretion to use their share however they wish within certain limits imposed by her sisters. 

Individuals

For many Unbound, adapting to their new lives has been a tough ordeal, but one that is short suffered. Once settled, most hive-cells are capable of sharing a single bedroom apartment due to their preference for confined spaces and their tendency for practicality over personality. Personal possessions are not uncommon, Unbound are welcome to spend what little money they typically receive on hobbies.

Workers mostly shifted from serving the Hive to employment well, with only a few incredibly specialized Unbound finding difficulty. While confusion was apparent at the complicated process of the simple act of going to work, once clarified, many Vaurcae brought their specialised knowledge and pragmatism into like-minded fields, typically able to share their intricate knowledge with great practical success. On a social level, however, many Unbound are prone to varying levels of discrimination. Such acts can be extremely discreet, such as being made to do a less desirable task. On the other hand, some overtly voice their dislike, often showing their ignorance of how Vaurcae operate and live. More obvious examples of dislike include incidents such as Tajara gangs reacting violently to the Lii'dra invasion and going as far as to murder Vaurca near their territory.

Warriors, however, did not have such an easy transition. While there were some who could transition as well as most Workers, many of the Unbound purely bred for combat struggled to find applicable work. Some of these soldiers slowly managed to trickle into work as private security, bodyguards, and alike, while others found trivial work doing menial or laborious tasks. K'lax warriors mostly serve in the Hegemony and many others, especially from the Zo'ra Hive, have found a place doing what they do best in the Tau Ceti Armed Forces. Much of this situation was recently alleviated by the founding of the Pan-Vaurcesian military the Private_Military_Contracting_Group#Ve'katak_Phalanx which draws in a large percentage of what would be the otherwise unemployed Vaurca Warriors, giving them a place in service to the Court of Queens.

Social

Language

Before the invention of the Hivenet in the Era of Augments, Vaurcae would communicate by distributing pheromones from mouth to mouth for complex messages, and vibrations with their antennae for simpler messages, sent via larger distances. Since Vaurcae don’t possess a vocal tract, spoken language was unknown to them until their arrival to the Spur. The invention of the Hivenet allowed for a better and more long-range method to communicate with each other, making cooperation more efficient. While to a stranger Hivenet might just sound like rhythmic vibrations, for a Vaurca the received message, which are encoded pheromones coded and transmitted as signals, ‘sounds’ in their head, which is how the Vaurcese vocabulary has been incorporated in Human, Skrell and Unathi space.

These encoded pheromones can also transmit emotions and other kinds of warnings. Because of the lack of facial expressions available for Vaurcae, it is common for individuals to express themselves by sending a message such as this on the net. Other simple encoded messages such as small onomatopoeic sounds, reactions like eye-rolls and basic "images" may also be sent. "Videos" are too heavy to be encapsulated by pheromones in the way other species would understand it, instead coming across as a collection of feelings and basic information.

Since the species arrival in the Spur, they have been forced to developed augmentations known as voice synthesizers which allow for speech and the translation of language. The majority of these voice modulators are cheap, which is responsible for much of the species possessing a peculiar buzzing accent. Without this augmentation no Vaurca is able to audibly receive or reproduce a xenolanguage. Additionally despite the species not having used a written language commonly since the invention of Virtual Reality, Vaurcae are able to learn to read and write in Basic, and for an employee on board the SCCV Horizon, part of their education would have consisted in such.

Speaking like a Vaurca

Vaurcae working in alien space have augments that allow them to have an easier time speaking the Languages of the Orion Spur. However, due to the desperate times the species is in, speech augments tend to be of variable quality. Vaurcae typically expresses an unfamiliarity with most alien languages, preferring to use basic words and sentence structures over more complex ones, and often may be unaware of the exact meaning of words, or the names of objects, instead describing them. This tends to happen most to those who aren't used to alien culture.

Many Vaurcae, and their vocal augments have difficulty producing sounds related to the letter "s", and instead substitute with a harsh buzzing in the throat. ("May I please have some k'ois?" becomes "May I pleaze have zome k'oiz?"). Some Vaurcae may have difficulty producing soft consonant sounds such as those produced by "f" or "ph", and instead substitute them with a more guttural "vh". ("Phoron gas is fine!" becomes "Vhoron gas is vhine!". Some unfortunate specimen may even be plagued with both impediments at once. ("The phoron in these k'ois lets me breathe." becomes "The vhoron in theze k'oiz letz me breathe."), or even further, more exotic impediments.

Naming System

The traditional naming system is complex, with first names being made of three parts. The first part is either Ka for Workers, Za for soldiers, Ra for Bulwarks or Ta for breeders. The second syllable is Viax for Bound, or Akaix for Unbound.

Finally, the last syllable of the name is unique, decided by the player. In Vaurcese, this segment would translate to a number —like a serial code, it is a unique identifier. The only restriction is that it should not be longer than a single syllable, at the very most two syllables. For a Worker Unbound it might be: "Ka'Akaix'Siith Zo'ra." With 'Siith' being created by the player. The surname is the Hive that the Vaurca is a part of, in the example's case "Zo'ra".

In summary, you create a single unique name, which is slotted after your caste and whether you are Bound or Unbound, and your surname is the Hive you are from.

Inter-caste Relationships

Relationships between each type and each caste tend to be a universal constant among Vaurcesian Hives. The Bound are thoroughly exploited by the Unbound whenever an opportunity for such arises. It is typical for an Unbound to delegate any menial labour to the nearest Bound whenever possible. While especially "lazy" Unbound are not prevalent on human stations, all Unbound tend to display this mindset towards the Bound to a degree. When encountering a dangerous situation, the response is similar —the Bound are expected to attempt to make the situation safer for the Unbound in any way possible. Bound are perfectly subservient to the whims of the Unbound, and do not begrudge this exploitation.

Worker vaurcae tend to be esteemed more highly than Warrior Vaurcae, especially in Unbound circles, and especially in these difficult times when the value of labour to the Vaurca is more important than the value of defense. Unbound Breeder Vaurcae are esteemed very highly, especially those at the top of the hierarchy. Bound Breeder Vaurcae tend to rarely interact with other Vaurcae, except for Bound caretakers.

As for different types of the same caste, Unbound Ka or Za of the same 'duty' tend to organize themselves into hive-cells. For example, a Worker who works in construction may live, sleep and work with the same people within their hive-cell. A hive-cells size can vary drastically, but ultimately, they tend to organize the labor of Ka and Za into the most efficient means, with each hive-cell reporting to a particular Ta, usually their birth mother. Vaurcae tend to be closest to those that they work with, and so many Vaurcae consider their hive-cell their closest relatives.

Inter-hive Relationships

The Zo'ra and K'lax Hives maintain warm relations, while officially the diplomatic tension between the C'thur and K'lax Hives is tenuous at best. The Lii'dra Hive is universally hated. The Zo'ra percieve themselves the rightful rulers of the K'lax and C'thur, and the K'lax have thus far made no official statement against this. Meanwhile, the C'thur changes their announcements constantly. The Bound of each Hive serve other Vaurcae of their Hive firstly and are completely subservient to the will of their Hive's rulership. The K'lax Bound however will also serve Zo'ra Vaurcae should there be no conflict with the desires of K'lax hierarchy. The same can be said to a lesser degree with the C'thur. Zo'ra Bound will rarely ever service K'lax Vaurcae, and only when instructed to do so by Zo'ra Unbound. Zo'ra, C'thur and K'lax Unbound typically do not intermingle except on an individual basis and remain subservient to the desires of their respective hierarchy.

Inter-species Relationships

The Zo'ra tend to be cooperative with humanity out of necessity, but on an individual level opinions vary between each Unbound. This approach is largely shared in reference to all other aliens, viewing them as potential benefits to their Hives. Perhaps in response to, or as a result of this, the Zo'ra Hives have begun to re-imagine themselves as something aliens can identify with. Supporting cross-species initiatives that further increase cooperation between each species feeds into this idea of ultimately benefiting all species involved. Besides this, the servitude that Bound abides by is a topic of concern for humanity in particular, because Bound are hard-wired to satisfy the needs of other Unbound of their Hive firstly, it creates the possibility for conflicts of interest between the humans that use cheap Bound labor, and any Unbound Vaurcae of the same Hive. However, such situations are unreported if they do occur, and the cheapness and effectiveness of Bound labor tend to surpass potential dangers.

The Skrell of the Nralakk Federation have taken to using a work drafting system to assign duties to Vaurcae of the C'thur Hive. The Federation or an empowered representative would requisition an amount of C'thur for a particular job, which would then be supplied by the Hive. These C'thur would complete this assignment and then return to their Hive. This entire process is overseen by a legal counsel comprised of both species, providing fair and equitable exchanges for all parties. The largest orders of labor come from the Federation itself and the Nanotrasen corporation.

K'lax tend to maintain terse, but warm relations with the Izweski Hegemony, sharing cultural and sometimes technological advances for the betterment of both species. Beyond this, they maintain little contact with the galaxy at large, save for their begrudging but needed trade relation with the human owned Nanotrasen corporation. Due to their unfavorable circumstances within this deal, the K'lax tend to view humans in a negative light.

Overall, the approach all Hives have taken when sending their populations to work with aliens is to treat their 'workplaces' as an adopted Hive cell. All Hives encourage the development of social bonds that normally come with working closely between Vaurcae in the same Hive cell. This has led to some Vaurcae considering their co-workers a second family.