Queenless

The Queenless are Vaurcae that do not fall into the lineage of any current queen or lesser queen but remain from the same Hive. For whatever reason, these Vaurcae were sourced for the Hiveship outside of the lineage of the lesser queens, perhaps for different traits only found within their line or brood. In the case of the four hives, Queenless are only an issue within the K’lax and Zo’ra Hives.

Queenless Vaurcae may believe that the Lesser Queens currently in command of the Hive have gone outside of what the High Queen originally intended for them. Other broods may view them with pity, or see them as restless servants of the Hive without a queen to call their own. In general, they are often ignored by the larger Hive populations, with many having little to no oversight by the other hive-cells or broods within their own Hives. Despite this, the Queenless are still supplied larvae, albeit at a greatly reduced amount than other cells, and given limited access to their Hive’s Virtual Reality when available, though they are the most likely to be denied. It is partly because of this that most Queenless Ta tend to hide within the Interstice.

Life and Organization
Instead of the Queens, communities of Queenless tend to build themselves around their mother Ta, who raised them since larvae. Unlike the traditional Vaurcae, the bonds are much more similar to the nuclear human family, and they openly consider themselves children of the Ta that raised them. Although many try to be self-sufficient and live fulfilling lives, their training is limited mostly to the teachings of their Ta and their elders, in something similar to homeschooling. Thus, even the best Queenless may be limited in job opportunities due to their education.

Typically the mother Ta of a Queenless Vaurca is the highest authority one can go to, but there have been documented cases of multiple Queenless Ta working together, for different purposes. As for the Ta themselves, some have resigned to their status, and are comfortable with ignoring and being ignored by the lesser queens as a whole, recognizing the shadow that they live under, and the roles that they must carve out for themselves and their spawn if they are to survive. The most hopeful ones believe that the light of their High Queen will never truly be lost, that out of the horrible illumination of the unknown, the High Queen will return to right the direction of her wayward daughters, and to align all surviving broods under her will.

Some communities have Xakat’kl’atan brought from Sedantis. Because their Ta lack formal authority, however, new masters cannot be elected. In result, some Queenless groups have made their Xakat’kl’atan Pantheons, with these figures deemed as gods. Their Ta, while holy, is rarely regarded as a Goddess. That title is reserved for High Queen Zo’ra or High Queen K’lax only.

In reality, the Queenless are amongst the poorest and secretive of the Vaurca upon Tau Ceti. Some may resort to crime, drugs and other less than legal means to maintain any comfortable standard of living they might possess.

Notable Queenless groups
Queenless communities are a varying vast spectrum, with many possibilities and differing sizes, but a few have risen to prominence due to their deeds, whether good or bad.

Ky’klux
This Zo’rane Queenless group is mostly known for their flashy signs with apocalyptic messages in broken Basic, and can be found all over Mendell City, especially in bus stops or the metro system. Although their rhetoric can be seen as violent or rightward obscene, Ky’klux mostly keep to themselves and use their beliefs as a way to acquire pocket change.

The most accepted reason behind their doomsday mentality is that their Xakat’kl’atan predicted the phoron shortage galaxy-wide since Sedantis. Now that the effects of the shortage are clear in the economy, they believe that the remaining phoron should be redistributed to Vaurcae, suggesting humanity to find alternative means of energy. Although their beliefs are not widely accepted, some radical environmentalist or anti-corporate groups have identified and endorsed the Ky’klux.

Ak’riix
Also known as Venom Mandibles, the Ak’riix are a rebellious faction of Queenless Zo’ra that have taken over Flagsdale. While many know them for their crimes in neighboring districts, they are also infamous for their repurpose of Da’loks in biker cells inspired by Tajaran street gangs of Little Adhomai. Although many Ak’riix gangs have beefs with each other, most are in good terms with young Tajara bikers, with whom they share an anti-authoritarian sentiment. Additional information can be found here.

Mi’kuetz
The Mi’kuetz are known for being a cheerful, easy-going group of Vaurcae from the Moghesian Wasteland. More about their importance to their ecosystem and relationships can be read here.

Yiaa’mak’tzut
Commonly shortened as ‘Yiaa’, and also known as the Metal Mi’kuetz, this group of K’laxian Queenless have found affinity with the Aut’akh. Unlike the Mi’kuetz, they are not endorsed by the Hegemony or have close relationships with the K’lax Hive, as official policy requires K’lax to not consider Aut’akh as allies. Because of the nature of both groups, some Aut’akh communes have adopted Yiaa’mak’tzut as their own, believing their struggles to be shared.

Unlike other Queenless, which are tolerated by the Hives to various degrees, the Yiaa’mak’tzut are despised by most K’lax, especially those that are completely loyal to the Hegemony. The only exception would be the Vedhra brood, which are known to be less hostile, though they tend not to get too close as to not cause any misconceptions.

Ni’mii’katz
Ni’mi’katz are the other prominent group of Queenless in Flagsdale, formed entirely of K’lax. The exclusivity is so that no Zo’ra or C’thur can be formally made a member of this exclusive group. Translated as ‘The Dealership’, they operate the biggest market of stolen electronic goods in Biesel, which is only able to operate due to the difficulties the police have accessing District 9. More information can be read here.

Klat’xatl
Because of the size and organization of the C’thur Hive, as well as the fact that they are still reigned by their original Queen, the concept of Queenless Vaurcae is foreign to them. However, some Tas have fallen into the category of punished or Klat’xatl, alongside their respective hive-cells. Despite what the name originally implies, not all punished communities have been disdained by the Queens. Some have simply fallen out of communication from the Hive, which has isolated them further. Punished Tas do not receive any eggs and, thus, their populations can only decrease. This ultimate wish for survival is what fuels the leaders of these communities, who may take drastic measures for their survival.

Whether they like it or not, they still carry C’thur in their names, and their colorations are characteristic of those from their original brood.

The Lost of the Traverse
Composed mostly of stranded Vytel Warriors among the Skrellian Traverse, they are a result of a failed colonization attempt shortly after C’thur’s arrival to the Federation. Unbeknownst to both Skrell and Vaurcae at the time, the remote, mostly uncharted sector of Qii’miiq has a zone of radio silence capable of even interfering with Hivenet communications. This radar failure is what caused the Skrell pilot to emergency land in a hostile deserted planet, tolerable to Vaurcae, but fatal to the remaining Skrell crew.

The harsh conditions of famine, as well as general isolation, have resulted in feuds between themselves, with even the few Workers on their lines reacting much more violently than what is commonly seen in Vaurcae behavior. Many of them fear they may never reunite with their Hive and a common pessimistic view, shared by their Tas, is that they are ultimately expendable and there will be no attempts of recovery. While their contact with Skrell has been minor since getting lost, it is known that some cells of this group have sided with rebels and Traverse independentists, mainly as a political strategy.

The Zinos of the Underworld
When the C’thur Hive was in the first stage of negotiations with Einstein Engines, a Xetl embassy traveled to the Eridani Federation in order to meet with Einstein Executives, as well as to offer cheap labor from their fleets. This resulted in the rest of the Queens, and Xetl herself, to become upset with the delegation and, ultimately, consider them outcasts, while also alerting Einstein Engines that they did not represent the Hive. Although it is rumored it was in fact Xetl who launched this embassy in order to be included in the Hive’s negotiations and politics —and what these Punished Tas claim—, they have been left for dead in the system, as C’thur continues to strive there.

A minority of these Vaurcae still believe they have a chance with Einstein Engines, and remain in Set and Nebthet with little success. Most of them, however, moved on to Oran, at first in hopes of being noticed by other megacorporations.

Despite this, most of the C’thur from this rogue delegation have found refuge in the Underworld, nesting themselves in what they consider ideal because of the little light and vast corridors. Called ‘Cinos’ by the Dregs, and ‘Zinos’ by themselves, they’re still at large unfamiliar with Eridian society and culture, but share the disdainful sentiment towards those that live above, especially the C’thur that have managed to find themselves jobs there.

In short, a Zino is not a Dreg, but is familiar with the Dregs and their lifestyle. They’re usually pacifist with other groups and gangs, and avoid involvement in gang disputes, mostly because of their low number of Warriors brought with them. Zinos are known for dealing cheap augments, sometimes even going as far as looting those augments of any deceased in the Underworld.

Because there have been no official efforts by the Hives to promote a Freespeak translator to the voice modulators, Zinos have managed to create their own, which is regarded as broken and, sometimes, even making communication impossible. If a Zino were, due to some uplift or for some other reason, employed at Tau Ceti, it’s likely it would trade its bootleg Freespeak modulator for a Basic one.

The New Gibson Refugees
Direct descendants of High Queen C’thur herself, they had been in dispute with the rest of the Hive since before their discovery by Skrell. Believing in diplomacy, as well as inter-hive unity, the breaking point in their relationship with the rest of C’thur was regarding the Glorashi rendez-vous, which they claim was a C’thur betrayal of K’lax. The Tas of this group believe the Lesser Queens are irresponsible and, because of the current state of Queen C’thur, one of them should raise and become a new Lesser Queen.

Never persecuted and just disliked by the rest of the Hive, the New Gibson Refugees gained their name after their claims that Vytel Warriors attempted to assassinate their Tas. Although Queen Scay seems to be mostly indifferent to the group, the refugees claim it was both Scay and the Tau Ceti that managed to save them. Most of their Breeders have given up on these claims of royal succession, and have now focused on a Zo’ra-C’thur alliance, with many of the Unbound claiming they are both Zo’ra and C’thur alike. Despite the population in Xerexes and their efforts, no political repercussions have occurred because of this.