Dionae in the Federation

Overview

PLACEHOLDER

Dionae at Each Lifestage

Coeus (Nymphs)

When a nymph is first born, it will have one of two upbringings: it will either be raised by a Skrell quya, where it will be taught the ideals of the Federation and how to be an upstanding citizen (see the adoption section below), or it will be entrusted to a gestalt for tutoring. The gestalt in question must have:

• A high social credit score of at least 6.35,
• Of a mind type that best represents the Federations collective ideals,
• A clean record since gaining their citizenship with the Federation.

At this stage in life, the nymph is cared for like a child; its needs being met by their primary caregiver and is usually attended to at all times to ensure a stable upbringing.

Coeus (Gestalts)

Once the nymph has formed a gestalt and gained citizenship, they will be given a job by local officials which best matches their aptitude and disposition as determined by their citizenship exam. The more common jobs suggested by the Federation include botanical, mining, and logistical roles, with other roles being available depending on mind type. Gestalts who accept roles suggested to them tend to have a higher social credit score than their peers in the same field.

Coeus at this stage are monitored by the Government carefully, more so than Geras, to ensure that they remain productive members of Federation society. This monitoring is relaxed as they grow older and more set in their ways.

Geras

As a gestalt ages, opportunities arise which allow them to further expand their knowledge. The Federation highly encourages gestalts to seek out traditional learning at one of their universities. Combined with consenting blood samples, the Diona either specialises in their assigned field or begin learning in a new field of study. It’s common for a Diona to be just as educated as a Skrell of a similar age, if not exceeding them in some cases.

Penumas

Once the gestalt reaches the Penumas stage of the Diona lifecycle, they will be interred in one of the many Spiral Gardens dotted across the Federation. Here, they will be cared for by both Skrellian and Dionae caretakers, with the latter being highly specialised phytologists who are also tasked with monitoring the Dionae population as they interact with each other.

Spiral Gardens and Dionae Living Spaces

‘Spiral Garden’ is the name of a common closed ecological structure found across the Federation that houses the majority of its Dionae population. The size varies, but the general layout is the same: a large dome with several spires dotting it, with various native flora and fauna making their home there.

These spires are initially made out of man-made material, but in some cases can eventually be either reinforced or expanded by the Penumas living inside the Garden. Due to the rarity of Penumas Dionae however, there are many Spiral Gardens that do not have this specific feature. The spires act as living spaces for the Diona, and if the Garden houses a Penumas, is usually expanded upon and connected to other nearby spires.

Monitoring of Dionae

As mentioned previously, the Skrellian caretakers are also botanical scientists given the task of researching the Dionae species. As such, Dionae are given quite a bit of freedom inside the Spiral Gardens to facilitate this research. However, this only extends so far, meaning a gestalts size and the number of nymphs it’s allowed to contain are still regulated. Unsanctioned splitting, merging, or reforming is still frowned upon. The observations made inside the Spiral Gardens are all passive, with recording equipment constantly streaming data for the scientists to analyze and study. Dionae, including the caretakers, are not made aware of this monitoring in order to prevent the scientific data collected from being affected.

Living conditions can differ greatly between planets, but is mostly dependent on the gestalts Social Credit Score. Those with a good score will be given more access to technology such as weather simulators to provide ideal conditions in their living space, and personal holographic projectors such as nralak projectors or stelloscopes that showcase planets, systems, and constellations of interest for education and entertainment. Gestalts with a lower social credit score are only given the bare essentials in their living space to allow their survival, with access to radiation limited to further prevent their growth.

Other Living Spaces

Dionae may also find themselves taking residence inside one of the Federations underwater cities. These cities offer similar comforts as your average space station for Dionae; with artificial light, warmth, and radiation all provided by the hydrothermal vents typically located near these cities. The conditions here are similar to those given to tertiary numericals in the Spiral Gardens: they allow for a gestalt to live comfortably, but not thrive. Most gestalts who decide to live in the depths are tertiary numericals because of this.

Government Interactions

While Dionae are generally treated well in the Federation, they are in a unique situation: Dionae have no presence in the Nlom nor the ability to enter the Srom, meaning they have difficulty interacting with the many psionic aspects of Skrell life. The Federation gives the species many freedoms, but actively monitors their behaviour and keeps a firm grip on their day-to-day life to ensure that they do not become a security risk.

Social Credit System and Dionae

The species was subjected to a similar social credit system to Skrellian citizens of the Federation soon after first contact. This system came with harsh limitations such as a hard cap on their social credit score, travel bans for all registered gestalts, and stricter regulations on gestalt sizes. This system was gradually replaced, with Diona transitioning into the main social credit system after full integration of the species in 2240.

Dionae are now beholden to the same social credit system as Skrell, with similar inductive/deductive behaviours (as seen here) , with a few additional policies:

Inductive Behaviours include being raised by a Skrellian quya from birth or being tutored by a respected gestalt, following the Orthodox Eternal faith, and going into careers as suggested by the Federation.

Deductive Behaviours include following the Blood Eternal faith, unsanctioned splitting/merging, non-consensual/unsanctioned blood sampling, refusing suggested career paths, growing new nymphs without permission, being born illegally/outside of the Federation, and failing to register all nymphs that are part of the gestalt.

How Dionae Interact with the Social Credit System

Most Diona in the Federation are secondary numericals, with an aggregate score of around 5.72. While rare, there are a few Dionae over the centuries that have been able to reach idol status as a primary numerical. Social credit score is tied to the gestalt, as opposed to each nymph having its own score. Due to the Diona lifespan, it is noticeably harder for a gestalt to increase their score in comparison to Skrell. This has lead to a strange phenomenon: members of a gestalt will stick together, even when there is strong animosity between them, in order to prevent complications arising from splitting and the likelihood of it affecting their social credit score even if sanctioned. Dionae that perform an unsanctioned splitting outside of emergency situations will take a heavy hit to their social credit score, with penalties being harsher depending on time between the splitting and it being reported to the authorities. Splits performed in an emergency should still be reported.

Difference in the Dionae and Skrell Experience within the System

While a Skrell may find themselves becoming more famous, experiencing relaxed travel and reproductive restrictions, and greater access to state resources, the unique situation of the Dionae means they are rewarded (or punished) in an entirely different way.

Diona with a higher social credit score will find themselves being modelled as the ideal citizen to other gestalts, given praise for their actions as well as having higher expectations of them by the state. Along with this, gestalts of a high score will be given lesser restrictions on the number of nymphs allowed (up to the maximum of twenty), more education opportunities, and greater freedom of travel. Compared what Skrell receive, Dionae benefits focus more on the ability to grow, learn, and proliferate, with less emphasis on comfort.

Gestalts with a high credit score will also find themselves in a unique position amongst dionae; their opinion will have more weight behind it when considered by other gestalts despite their age, overriding the general view of ‘experience is what matters’ typically held by those in the Federation.

Restrictions on Dionae-specific Actions

It should be noted that gestalts with a good social credit score are the only ones who are able to take blood samples from Skrell, and even then with extremely strict rules; Skrell with a high security clearance, specifically Government officials and members of state military and intelligence organisations of any rank are disbarred from providing blood samples. Skrell that meet these criteria that are in an intimate relationship with a Diona are also banned from having their remains absorbed by the gestalt.

Dionae with an SCS of 6.35 or above are the only ones allowed by the state to absorb a deceased Skrell, something that is considered an honour to perform and deeply intimate. More on this practice is discussed below under the relationship section.

Dionae who become tertiary numericals are treated much in the same way as Skrell; they are shunned by the state and their fellow citizens, refused access to state resources, receive a blanket ban on their reproductive rights, and the harshest restrictions on travel possible.

Splitting as a Form of Re-education

Due to physiological differences making typical Federation re-education methods either ineffective or entirely impossible, a gestalt may instead be forced to split and their nymphs absorbed by multiple loyal gestalts for re-education. This usually involves the loyal gestalt using their combined voice to effectively condition the nymph into conforming to Federation ideals. Once it’s confirmed that each nymph has been re-educated successfully, they are allowed to remerge into the original gestalt, with their social credit score reset to five.

Expulsion of Penumas

Penumas gestalts that find their social credit score falling into the tertiary bracket will find themselves ejected from the Spiral Gardens, being allowed to float in the void of space while being closely monitored by an assigned research vessel.

Adoption

Due to the lack of presence in the Wake, the Federation takes more active measures to ensure that the species conforms to its ideals. The most widespread and accepted way of doing this is through ‘adoption’. While there’s no official adoption agency, Skrell are encouraged to take in newborn nymphs and raise them as part of their family unit. Over the course of several years, it’s the duty of the quya to instil the same ideals and positive qualities the Federation looks for in its citizens into the Dionae they’ve adopted. No two cases are the same, but it’s typically agreed that once the nymph has become a gestalt, and is able to complete its citizenship test and find employment, they are ready to join the Federation as an independent citizen rather than seen as dependents of their quya (or as some outside observers have mentioned, as pets).

Xrim and 'The First Consciousness'

Adoption is also the Federations preferred method of dealing with the Dionae from Xrim that worship ‘The First Consciousness’. Typically taken in by older Skrell who lived during the time of Glorsh-Omega. The gestalts are encouraged to take blood samples from their host family in order to experience what happened centuries before, and are slowly taught the truth behind their ‘deity’. Not many older Skrell who lived through this era are willing to relive their past and assist in this endeavour, but those that do take the duty seriously.

Citizenship

Dionae do not receive citizenship at birth. Instead, they are given the equivalent of residency, and they must apply for citizenship once they have reached what is considered ‘maturity’ in the Federation. This usually means they have spent a few years under the care of a Skrellian quya or a respected gestalt, and have outwardly shown strong loyalties to the Federation.

The Citizenship Test

The Dionae citizenship process is relatively easy compared to the process for other species and can be split up into two sections:

The first section is a health exam. The gestalt is tested mostly for their physical and mental skills, and is usually the deciding factor when suggesting jobs for a gestalt.

The second section is a disposition test. The gestalt is given a series of hypotheticals, where they must answer to the best of their ability. Diona behavioural specialists determine the mind archetype of the Diona in question, with mind types that are more in line with the Federations collectivist ideals being preferred. Mind types that allow members of the gestalt to coordinate well together are favoured over more anarchist ones.

Mind Types and Social Structure

Gestalts with both a harmonious social structure and a favoured mind type will be given a higher social credit score than other gestalts, as well as receive a wider range of initial employment opportunities to choose from.

Gestalts of a more anarchic social structure and unapproved mind type may find themselves under a glass ceiling, unable to progress in the social credit system. They may also find themselves unable to change careers as easily, or even at all, as well as experiencing harsher restrictions on travel and gestalt growth.

Nymph Tagging

After they gain their citizenship, the gestalts associated nymphs are all tagged in two ways. The first is a similar chip system to the one used in the Republic of Biesel, introduced in response to Bill 41-2C to facilitate immigration to the Republic by Federation gestalts. The second system is solely an internal system that’s been in place since the start of the species’ integration. Each nymph is provided with the equivalent of a ‘passport’ in the form of a barcoded token. The barcode when scanned will show the name, DNA marker, and recent incidents related to the nymph. These tokens are kept close at all times, and can often be seen joined together on a chain worn around the gestalts neck.

Dionae in the Military

Up until recently Dionae served alongside Vaurcae in the Lukala, a subsection of the Qukala, functioning as auxiliary soldiers in the Federation Navy. The Lukala were given simple roles such as border patrols and pirate hunting operations. Due to the species’ pacifistic views, most Dionae were given positions in logistics, medical, and engineering fields. It is not uncommon to see a Geras gestalt in a combat or combat-adjacent position, with Coeus, in particular, being given roles as scouts or field medics.

Today, the Lukala has been dissolved and Dionae are now finding themselves to be equals to their Skrellian counterparts. They are now expected to handle the same responsibilities and are no longer relegated to what was considered by many in the Qukala to be ‘un-important affairs’. Even with this progressive change Dionae are still excluded from certain positions due to their views on pacifism, and in some cases are simply unable to interact with certain equipment needed for the role due to physiological differences.