C'thur in the Federation

Overview

Vaurca are still a recent arrival to the Federation, and while they have begun to branch out towards the Inner systems, the truth is there is still a lot of skepticism to trust them as full citizens of the Federation, particularly by the older Skrell generations. This weariness, however, is in contrast with fascination towards the species and the unarguable benefits they provide to Skrell society. Unlike humanity, who sees the species as a nuisance, grotesque, or a threat to greater society when taking into consideration the Lii'dra Hive, Skrell as a whole view the Vaurca as an ancient civilization worthy of their appraisal and a position in Skrell society.

Unbound can be seen as citizens and like the Dionae of the Federation, may face hardships as a result of their status within the Social Compatability Index system and Federation law, but ultimately their place in the Federation gives them opportunities that they would not see elsewhere in the Spur. As all other Vaurca, their role is determined prior to birth by the Breeders, but unlike the other Hives the Vaurca from the C'thur Hive are less likely to be forced to find other means of employment if their niche in the Hive cannot be fulfilled outside of it. A warrior from the C'thur Hive will rarely be excluded from military or security work in the Federation, and there are less restrictions overall on what kinds of work a Vaurca would be allowed to pursue in the greater society they live in. However, this comes with increased monitoring by the State and extra caveats that are expected to be followed as Vaurcae maneuver through both Skrell customs and the Social Compatability Index. This can cause some issues, as the system by its nature disfavors non-Skrell, and the eusocial nature and loyalty seen in Vaurca society puts them at odds with having to prove their allegiance to the Nralakk Federation.

Bound, on the other hand, are seen as a synthetic analogue, causing bound forms to be seen as highly controversial by the Federation and monitored closely. Efforts have been made by the Federation for the Hive as a whole to reduce their Bound workforce, and Xetl in particular, mostly due to the pressure of her mother and sisters, has now begun to produce plenty of Unbound. While bound are begrudgingly accepted by the Federation to alleviate its manpower issues, they are strictly regulated and the population of bound in a hive cell is capped at "necessary" numbers.

Vaurcae and Loyalty

Education of Federation values is a problematic issue. Due to how Vaurcae are raised and schooled in Virtual Reality, the Federation has little to no control when it comes to the actual contents of the teachings and must trust what is reported by the Hive officials. A new system has been introduced to middling effect where periodical evaluations are held, often by surprise to the hive-cell as a whole. While most hive-cells are successful during these inspections, this can be seen as unfair if a single individual of the hive-cell is deemed too problematic as it lowers the score of every other member of the cell.

Living Conditions

Outside of C’thur dominated population centres, hive-cells might have trouble adapting to the Nralakk lifestyle. Unlike in Republic of Biesel or in Tret, the C’thur are not limited to ghettos and while their living conditions are often poorer than most, they are not comparable to the chaotic Flagsdale or the wastelands of Moghes.

Life on Diulszi, in particular, is often regarded as of the highest quality for Vaurcae across all the Spur, with New Sedantis coming to a close second. Those that have been sent to remote areas for work, however, are not as fortunate. Many hive-cells have been separated due to differing demands of the workforce, especially when it comes to infrastructure or mining. A Vaurca may even lose much of its contact with its Hive if shipped alone to a strange system, with Skrell less eager to interact with the alien being a common occurrence. While Virtual Reality and Hivenet are never cut for Unbound, it can still be traumatic for a Vaurca to live on its own, especially if they are unfortunate enough to not have a high-quality voice modulator to allow for proper conversation in Nral’Malic.

Qerr'Malic is seen as an outlier of C'thur living conditions in Federation space; most C'thur work there in the Second Surface region, deep underground. The general darkness and cramped conditions may not affect Vaurca as much as they would a Skrell or Diona, but the general lack of amenities and barely held-together infrastructure make it much more similar to the deplorable conditions found outside of the Federation. Crime is rampant here, with C'thur on Qerr'Malic being stereotyped as grifters and con artists as they try less than legal avenues to help support their hive-cell; this reputation is so prevalent that posters warning tourists on Qerr'Malic to avoid the Second Surface and C'thur-run establishments are common in the more touristy parts of the moon.

C’thur in the Kala

Vaurcae, especially those from Vytel’s brood, are no strangers to serving in the Federation military. The former Lukala subdivision of the Federation's Qukala was dominated by C’thuric Warriors, and with its dissolution, these Vaurca Warriors have found themselves becoming welcome additions to the Qukala. C'thur in the Qukala are loyalty chipped, ensuring that orders given by Federation superiors and those given by their queens are considered equal, forcing the Vaurca to go into hibernation in the event of conflicting orders. Now full members of the Qukala, the veteran C’thur Warriors who formerly served in the Lukala have shown eagerness to prove themselves in their new station, and are adjusting well to the hierarchical change.

While less common, C'thur also serve in other Kala branches, with the Nlomkala benefiting the most as their support staff are augmented by C'thur data analysts, surveillance monitoring teams, and other auxiliary roles. Although less common, there are some Vaurca Nlomkala enforcers, but these are typically used more to liaise with and police C'thuric communities. Due to the mixed feelings regarding non-Skrell policing Skrell, the other Kala branches see similar situations where the C'thur are nominally relegated to support staff and auxiliary roles much the same way they were utilised in the Lukala.

Government Interactions

Citizenship

Unlike Zo’rane and K’laxian Vaurcae that have been accepted universally as citizens in exchange for their contributions to the workforce of the States they are subservient to, C’thuric Vaurcae are required to pass an interview in order to acquire Nralakk citizenship. This is attained similar to Dionae, with new Vaurcae being given basic residency until they leave Virtual Reality fully and are ready to begin their careers in the real world. Once out of VR, they are given a brief interview where their views on the Federation are evaluated, with those who pass being given citizenship and an Index rating based on their answers.

The interview process is fairly straightforward, with the questions being specifically designed to invoke a response in the Vaurca, and their reaction being what is analyzed. For example, a Vaurca that responds aggressively to the suggestion that they may need to accept orders from someone who is not from their own Hive would be immediately rejected. The aim is not to have a Vaurca who shows more loyalty to the Federation than their own Hive, but to gauge their responsiveness to working within Federation space. Vaurca who fail this process are returned to VR, and Federation officials provide a list of issues to the Brood's teachers that need to be addressed before they are able to re-take the test. If a Vaurca subsequently fails the interview they will no longer be considered candidates and are returned to the Hive. While the Nralakk Federation officially condemns culling of Vaurcae, they turn a blind eye when these undesirable Vaurcae are removed from the populations as their organs and augmentations are recycled.

Older Vaurcae that were already alive when arriving at Glorashi required a similar education in Virtual Reality. However, many personal opinions of the Federation may vary within them, since they are not as malleable as new-born Unbound. The process of interviewing every Unbound has been slow due to their sheer numbers, with some still waiting to be able to apply. These Workers or Warriors basically have residency status, however, they are not allowed to leave Federation space. Some older Vaurcae may resent the younger ones as the process is more straightforward or may romanticize their pre-Federation lifestyle.

Unbound Vaurcae were able to vote in the 2463 elections to the controversy of some. Regarded as much as a vote as that of a Skrell, they may have played a role in boosting the vote count of Weashbi Jrugl, because the C’thur Hive was supportive of him. The question of how the Federation should deal with the Vaurca vote, as well as how much influence of their Breeders is acceptable in the process is currently a debated topic in Nralakk politics. As it stands, Vaurca are allowed to vote in local and national elections, which by and large generally results in the Hive voting as a singular bloc for a chosen official. It is believed that the Federation will "gently nudge" Ta into convincing their cells to vote for a specific candidate when deemed necessary, which has resulted in many running for public office trying to curry favour with their local hive-cells.

Due to the uniqueness of Viax, they are not considered citizens, nor do they interact with the Social Compatability Index.

Vaurca within the Social Compatability Index

Since their arrival to the Federation, Vaurca have been subjected to the same Social Compatability Index as Skrell, rather than be placed in an alternate system with its own processes. This is due to the critique made by officials regarding the way that the Dionae Social Compatability Index operated before their full integration; the byzantine nature of which was noted as inefficient and ultimately unneeded. The population difference between the C’thur Hive and the initial Diona population was also a factor in skipping the secondary system, foreseeing the large number of Vaurcae having to migrate to the main system later on as a bureaucratic nightmare.

Vaurca as a whole tend to be in the mid-secondary numerical range, and their Index rating is almost entirely based on the hive-cell’s performance. A hive-cell with its members performing well or above average will find all of its members holding a respectable Index rating, while cells with underperforming will find their members having significantly lower ratings than what would be expected.

This system is unique in that credit score is more dependent on who you associate with as a Vaurca, compared to other species in the Federation. While a Skrell may find their Index rating lowered slightly for associating with particular individuals, a Vaurca may lose a significant amount of their rating based on the performance of another member of their hive-cell.

Vaurca crime is often prevented in the Federation; like those Skrell with a low rating, the Vaurcae under 3.0 are in observation. However, unlike the Skrell, Vaurcae rarely have a chance to run away or hide from the Federation enforcement, thus keeping their offense rate low. There are, of course, exceptions to this, especially in poorly connected colonies where a hive-cell's performance can be left unreviewed due to distance from officials.

The Bound Vaurcae are not considered citizens and do have a Index rating, however, hive-cells may receive a lower score if they have Bound forms within their cell.

Vaurca Idols and Queens in the Social Compatability Index

The collective nature of SCI calculation is not true however for Vaurca idols, members of the species that are designated model citizens and exemplars of what the Federation expects of members of the species.

C'thur idols generally consist of Ta, mostly the lesser queens of C'thuric broods but also those of well-performing hive-cells. This is mostly used as a means to impact the internal beliefs of the Hive, who will see their Ta being treated well by the Federation, promoting positive associations of the Nralakk Federation and the C'thur. While still in the experimental stages, regular forms are also elevated to idol status; these C'thur are showcased much in the same way a Skrell idol would be, and is preliminary results show that they have a similar impact on promoting conducive behaviours thanks to the Skrell's competitive nature.

The highest rating registered in a Vaurca is 9.25 and belongs to Queen Vytel, with her sister Mouv coming close at 9.15. High Queen C’thur, despite being bedridden, sits at a comfortable 9.22, while Queen Xetl’s Index rating is undisclosed. The most successful Vaurca idol, for example, is an Aliose scientist called Ka’Akaix’Nonetz C’thur who is working to use the techniques that promote fertility and egg production with Breeders in Skrell. Nonetz’s rating, however, is "only" 7.24 despite its large contributions to solving the Skrell's infertility crisis. The other few that have elevated to idol status may be anywhere between 7.2 and 8.1.

Vaurca and Employment

Vaurca are hyper-specialised in their role, and are utilised extensively by the Federation in many industries. Viax tend to be used for simple labour such as mining and agriculture, or working in factories, while Akaix may find themselves in almost any industry, with some even found in low-ranking managerial roles in workplaces with mixed species employees - making them technically a superior to a Skrell professionally - a concept almost unheard of outside the Federation.

The C'thur Hive's ability to produce legions of workers, warriors, and other forms to the benefit of the Federation has cemented their place in Skrell society. The ability for Vaurca to solve the labour crisis in the Federation, however, is limited. Regulations regarding the Viax population of the C'thur Hive are strict; there are limits to how many Viax can be working the same shift together if the project is sensitive, such as military installations or facilities that are vital to the Federation, and their Hivenet connection is jammed so that only local, close orders can be sent.

Due to their synthetic-analogue nature, combined with their ability to work long hours and requiring little maintenance, the state has been forced to regulate Viax on multiple fronts; many Skrell believe Viax are too similar to synthetics, their use by the Skrell being seen as poor taste if not abhorrent. Others, specifically Tertiary Numericals, see Viax as stealing opportunities for social advancement, as their ability to outwork Skrell and the sheer number that can be produced causing fear that Skrell will no longer be able to easily advance in the Social Compatability Index. Viax are seen with suspicion and mistrust by their Skrell coworkers, and regardless of how the individual may feel about the C'thur Hive, many Skrell do not look fondly at the role Viax have in the Federation.

The two most lucrative career paths for a Federation Vaurca are in law enforcement and scientific research. Like elsewhere, Vaurcae are not rewarded the same pay for their work, but there is a considerable ‘loophole’ when it comes to science, as grants do not discriminate between species. However, the more their salary the more they have to pay their brood, and whatever may be won in a grant is usually returned to their Queen.

The C'thur make great use of bioforms to the benefit of the Federation as well, both in industry and warfare. The Freighter is the most notable addition, a large isopod-type creature designed in collaboration with the Nralakk Federation specifically to assist in underwater transport. The form has seen success, but current animosity towards the form's largely Viax crew complement along with issues pertaining to gestation time prevent it from seeing large-scale use. The Cultivator, in comparison, is seeing greater success in the Traverse. The tiny, arachnid-like form is used heavily in agriculture, being able to maintain and even pollinate crops on planets that struggle with large-scale food production. The C'thur have also designed the Mangler, a decapod Warform roughly the same size as an average Skrell. The Warform's primary armaments are its large, scythe-like claws and deadly pincers, while also being able to mount light weaponry for ranged combat. The Mangler's most interesting design feature however is its low phoron consumption, which is considerably less than other Warforms. The C'thur designed the form specifically in response to the Phoron Crisis and the Nralakk Federation's lack of domestic phoron deposits, making it an ideal replacement for other Warforms while still allowing the Hive to contribute militarily to the Qukala.

Cephalons, a Vaurca form utilised as large computational bio-machines and as servers for the Vaurca's expansive Virtual Reality space, have also begun to see use in the Nralakk Federation. This form's massive potential for processing power would allow the Federation to completely bypass the need for Artificial Intelligence, if not for pushback by the Skrellian academic and scientific communities. The Skrell by and large have had their interest in Cephalons piqued after one was used by the Ruupkala to analyse and accurately predict the location of a smuggler base out in the Traverse, but many have raised concerns about the Federation itself utilising them; some have drawn comparisons between Cephalons and Viax and Artificial Intelligence, while others raise ethical concerns over using a technically living being as a supercomputer. Other scientists have even gone so far as to say that using Cephalons in this manner is on par with Glorsh-Omega using Skrell as slave labour during its reign - although this radical opinion has largely been admonished by most. Regardless, the usage of Cephalons for data analysis in law enforcement and other fields is currently being explored by the Federation.

Broods and Support from the State

The Federation government provides resources to each brood based on need and their ability to contribute to the State. Assistance can come in the form of monetary aid, housing, or any other request the Queens make. Broods such as Vytel’s or Mouv’s are overall treated better by the government, similar to high secondaries, while others such as Xetl's brood are treated more like Skrell tertiary numericals.

In Mouv’s case, the creation of the Bulwark caste has ensured that the Federation is more amicable in providing her Hive with what she needs. Vytel’s brood, similarly, has always had a unique relationship thanks to her contribution to the military, with most warriors in the Qukala coming from her hive in particular. Conversely, Xetl’s brood has mostly been given the minimum amount of assistance it requires from the State, with it being seen more as a necessary burden by officials thanks in part to their general disposition towards hedonism, a trait that is considered unseemly and unconducive to Federation society.

Unlike Skrell, Vaurca are not given a stipend on top of their pay. Instead, UBI that would normally be given to an individual is instead paid directly to the hive-cell or brood they are a part of, which usually adds up to being significantly less than if it was the same number of Skrell. These payments can fluctuate as the performance of a specific brood or hive-cell changes, with Mouv and Vytel seeing significant payments thanks to their contributions to the Federation.

Skrell Caretakers

In late 2463, Qrra’Myaq-Kaax or “Caretakers” were announced for the C’thur Hive. These five-hundred officers of Skrell origin serve as liaisons between the Vaurca and the Nralakk Federation, divided regionally across the Federation's territory.

Some have raised concerns about their implementation. The divisions between the Caretakers are geographical and a single officer may supervise hive-cells of different broods. Their welfare checks are also considered too spontaneous, as their general surveillance of the hive-cells and their activities. While this is all said to be in good faith, as to ensure their safety, the measure to prevent crime may be considered too drastic by the public.

Virtual Reality and the Federation

Virtual Reality is often seen as a barrier for the Federation, with their progress to crack it being slow and tedious. The VR logs are often regarded as junk data, but the Sromkala, which has taken over to investigate Virtual Reality affairs, thinks there may be something valuable in those records. Currently, no brood has assisted in the aid as much as they have had with the Hivenet logging.

The biggest relay tower is in Diulszi, which has much more capability than the Flagsdale or New Gibson relays. Unlike the ones placed by the Republic of Biesel, the Diulszi relay tower uses the infrastructure of the Nlom relays to reach everywhere across the Federation. While the Virtual Reality logs themselves might say nothing, the data they leave behind has proven to not be as random as originally thought. In early 2463, the Nlom relay of Qerr’Malic received information that has provided a limited understanding of the C'thur realm for the Skrell. While an important topic, the advances of Virtual Reality deciphering are undisclosed with the Queens and Hive representatives, as it may sour their relationships. It is unknown how the C’thur Hive may react if more progress is achieved.

Skrell, as humans, have a limited understanding of Virtual Reality, and are only aware of what either the Hive’s wish to share or have formed an idea of these Realms through small revelations found during conversations with Vaurca. Mouv’s Realm is one of the least understood, as her data flow is interpreted quite differently by those that have read the logs. No Vaurca has been able, or even willing, to properly explain what happens there. If discovered, however, the Federation most likely may disapprove of her methods, with the exact reaction being speculative.

C'thur and Government

The Queens Views on the Federation

All C’thuric Queens generally have a positive attitude toward the Nralakk Federation, although how positive differs depending on which Queen is in question.

Mouv and Vytel are, by far, the most in support of the Nralakk Federation. Mouv benefits greatly from the technological expertise of the Federation’s Scientists, and works with them to produce new wonders regularly, including the recently created Bulwark caste. Vytel on the other hand admires the Federation’s strict rules and laws, seeing them as a just order of things, highly valued by Vytel herself as well as her brood.

C’thur’s brood has an attitude more bordering on Neutral towards the Federation. They admire all the Federation has done for them since they arrived, as well as their relatively good position in comparison to the other Hives, but still feel the pressure from the predicament of their High Queen at all times, with some viewing her as a hostage of Nralakk, although they would never publicly claim as such.

Xetl’s brood varies vastly in how they see the Federation. Some have great admiration, while others may be indifferent to it and only see it as a contractor. It mostly depends on which areas they are specializing and how much the Federation has impacted them. While some of her Unbound are too strange and hedonistic to put overtime in a Skrellian project without proper incentive, it is in the Xetl brood where Skrell idol culture has impacted the most, and many may be motivated by their favourite idols alone.

Unbound and the Federation

Unbound Vaurcae typically hold similar views to the Federation as their Brood Queens, with most being pragmatic to the relationship; the Federation provides security and stability for the Hive in exchange for labour and typically stays out of Hive politics and affairs unless it involves the Federation. Generally speaking, a C'thuric Vaurca will follow what their Ta believes, with some small variations depending on individual circumstances. Most if not all C'thur genuinely believe that the Federation is the Hive's best hope to survive and thrive in the Spur.

Some Unbound, despite this general view, find the relationship to be unacceptable and see the Federation as an oppressive force preventing the C’thur Hive from being able to achieve its potential in the Spur. Unbound that hold this belief tend to be the more under-performing individuals of a hive-cell, and are typically responsible for delinquent behaviour such as what can be seen on Qerr'Malic. Despite the low-level disobedience and crime, however, these Unbound will still follow orders from their Queens and by extension, the Federation.

The Queens Views on Loyalty Implants

The Queens as a whole have an odd fascination with the concept of loyalty implants. Since Vaurcae have biological loyalty hardcoded into their psyche, the concept of needing to reinforce that same loyalty towards external organisations is seen as novel.

However, this interest can wane when the actual usage of the implant is considered. The ethics of loyalty implants are often debated between scientists of different broods. The general consensus is that they can be a good thing, a tool to disrupt unwanted behaviours without the use of culling, and helps further the goals of the Hive. On the other hand, they are regarded as inferior technology, and some have raised concerns of what may happen in the long term when paired with the neural sockets, fearing it might disrupt them as the loyalty implants are not as ‘pure’ as their Vaurcaesian augmentations.

Ta and their Interactions with the Government

Despite the particular respect a Skrell may have to a Worker or a Warrior, they are not seen as their equals. They are much more accepting of Ta, however, despite their monstrous size, mainly due to their intelligence and longevity. A regular Breeder may live much longer than a Skrell, with most Tas having been around since before the species' exodus from Sedantis. The Ta of the C’thur Hive coordinate with the Government for any bureaucratic process their hive-cell might require, and they often have good relationships with local officials.

Due to the eusocial nature of the species and their unwavering loyalty to the Hive first above everything else, a Vaurca in Federation politics is seen as impossible. Nevertheless, Breeders may often give speeches in universities or address their local politicians, especially to raise concerns the common Vaurca may have. It is not uncommon to see a rally being attended by local Ta and their entourage, either to press politicians on issues pertaining to the Hive or to show their support.

Ta Consulars

Ta who find themselves representing the C’thur Hive abroad have been tasked with assisting Nralakk Federation Citizens as well, albeit in a small capacity. Although unable to authorise paperwork specific to the Federation such as citizenship or visa applications, they have been given the authority to act as a liaison for Federation affairs. Faxing and receiving paperwork necessary for applications, providing consultations, and assisting Nralakk citizens abroad are all common duties given to Ta Consulars.

Ta Consular Assistants and Psionics

One of the main challenges faced by Ta representing the Nralakk Federation, is biological. Despite nearly universally possessing Psionic Receiver augmentations, they are not in of themselves true psionics. This difference can be problematic as psionics and psionic technology are major elements of the Federation and Skrell in general, with a Representative lacking the ability to interact with such handicapped. To alleviate this state of affairs, it's not unusual for Ta to be assigned an assistant by the Nralakk Federation. These assistants are frequently pulled from the ranks of the Federation's Sromkala or Ruupkala, with their specific kala affiliations being unknown to the general public. The most common day-to-day duty of these assistants is to serve the Ta as any executive assistant might. Other more unique responsibilities involve speaking on her behalf when it would be impractical for her to do so due to size, safety, or local customs; interfacing with devices that she cannot, psionic or otherwise; reporting on unusual matters regarding the Nlom; and perhaps most importantly, handling matters regarding the Srom.

Assistants drawn from the ranks of the Sromkala are charged with not just watching the Srom for the Vaurca Diplomat but tutoring her regarding it, not unlike one might an apprentice. Much like all Vaurca, the Ta naturally lack a Zonva Bovine and so rely completely on their guides in the shared-dream, even more so than a human or other such species may. Interestingly, some prospective Ta students pick up the ability to manipulate the shared dream to an extent; however, unlike a human, this capability is derived through channeling the psionic potential of the guide already present in the Srom. This is a tiring process for both parties but allows a practiced Ta to make small environmental changes within the Srom, such as warping the shape of small objects, broadcasting emotions or rudimentary visions, creating slight variations, and other such tricks as might be learned by a young Skrell. Though this pales in comparison to all but the least capable Skrell in the Spur, some Ta still never quite pick up the ability, struggling for years with little gain, much to their frustration, and those Ta that can have been unable to explain what is different about them. Theories include the ability for a Ta to re-contextualize the Srom in some sense within their minds to be not unlike their own virtual reality, a deeper relationship with their assistant on a physical or metaphysical level, or simply pure cosmic luck.

It is no secret to the C'thur Hive that these assistants are as much operatives of the Nralakk Federation sent to watch over them and ensure the Ta remain loyal as they are beholden to the Diplomat herself. It is rare for this to cause much strife, and conversely, it's not uncommon for assistants and Ta to develop quite a close relationship, at minimum one of begrudging respect. Both don't just rely on the other but share a considerable amount of time doing so, and the Ta have someone with whom they have to keep few secrets compared to many they interact with.