Vaurca Biology

Biology

A diagram of Type A Biology from the Vaurcaesian Research Journal.

Vaurcae are eusocial insect-like sophonts stemming from the distant Sedantis I. To humanity, Vaurcae bear most a resemblance to terrestrial 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 article 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.

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.

Unbound Vaurca are sapient beings with a similar sense of identity to any other living being in the Spur, but Bound are considerably different. Bound Vaurca are popularly called "lobotomites", but this is known to be inaccurate. The environment and unique pheromones that Bound eggs receive from birth induce what is more or less a deliberate birth defect. The brain of a Bound Vaurca is largely atrophied, and they are docile, simple-minded workers who will prioritize orders they are given above their own well-being.

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. 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.

Castes

Biological sketches of some prototypical Zo'rane Bioforms.

Shortly after making first contact with the Titan Prime, Vaurcae were divided into four castes—the Workers, the Warriors, the Breeders, and the Cephalons—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 behavior 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 behavioral 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 difficult. For example, Queens require various augmentations to ensure their blood is properly pumped—a problem a regular Worker would not have with their stand dual-heart system.

Ka, The Workers (Ka, Type A)

Workers are the most abundant caste in Vaurca populations. These types of Vaurcae can be defined by various characteristics. Physiologically, most Workers have a characteristic thick exoskeleton composed of tightly knit polymer chains. The robustness of their exoskeleton allows them to be very versatile, providing moderate protection against radiation and high tolerance to the vacuum of space. Workers may be bipedal or quadrupedal, equipped with bird-like talons that provide a strong grip. Furthermore, their hands include two middle fingers and two opposable thumbs–a left and a right on each. All of these features ensure that Workers are the best caste for manual labor and other similar tasks.

Perhaps more important are the psychological attributes of the Worker. The caste is notable for being mostly pacifistic, avoiding any danger when possible. As subjects to the Breeder caste, Workers are also known for their unquestioning loyalty.

This does not mean that Workers are literally incapable of violence; if seriously pressed, or very agitated, they may lash out. How comfortable they are with scenes of bloodshed or fighting likely depends on the individual Worker, though in the case of fighting, they tend to make poor combatants regardless. A construction Worker might become sick at the scent of blood, while a surgeon Worker may simply hate the thought of fighting or be a staunch pacifist. Fear of violence also does not preclude Workers from being verbally belligerent, snarky, or teasing.

Average Workers traditionally range from 4’3” to 6’3”. Depending on their niche, they may be taller or even a bit shorter. The recent stability of the Hives has also allowed newer Workers to be 7 feet tall, especially in human and Unathi space.

Examples of Type A Vaurca Bioforms

A depiction of a Type AA Bioform.

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. They see extensive use by the K’lax, in particular across Tret, transporting materials and goods to and from the multitude of warehouses.

Type AD - Burrowers

The Type AD Workers, or “Burrowers,” are one of the oldest Worker subcastes, believed to have been created during the rise of the modern Hives. Burrowers are large hexapods, ranging from 5 feet to 8 feet depending on the project, created to assist in mining and excavation. During the Era of Augments, the Burrowers were first equipped with a plethora of installed tools including an industrial-sized thermal drill–an identifying feature the subcaste retains today. Despite this, the modernization of the Era of Augments and later the Hives Renaissance, saw this bioform fall out of favor, surpassed in usefulness by larger machinery.

Since the Exodus, the Type AD Workers have seen a resurgence in the planification of the new Vaurca colonized planets in human space, especially by the Zo'ra Hive on Caprice. Nonetheless, they remain unfavored by the Hive, with many of the active Burrowers outdated and belonging instead to Queenless hive-cells that cannot afford modern industrial equipment.

Type ABD - Freighters

The Type ABD Worker is a recent bioform, first developed by the C’thur Hive in 2461 in collaboration with the Nralakk Federation. Freighters are a similar design to the Bearers, equipped with resilient extremities like an isopod and used for underwater freight transportation. These Workers provide auxiliary aid to the deep-ocean cargo vessels found in the underwater cities of Qerrbalak and Aweji.

Freighters remain a controversial subject in the Nralakk Federation. Some Skrell question the use of Bound Vaurcae for the transportation of goods, while others are skeptical about their practicality, as they are time-consuming to grow. As a result, the production of this bioform remains limited until a change in public opinion occurs.

Type AEA - Orb

The Orb, known as the Zk’reii by the Vaurcae, is a special subtype of Cultivator that is used as a live storage for phoron. This bioform has gained recent attention during the phoron crisis and has been subject to some political controversies.

The subcaste hangs upside down along constructed railings where a mix of k'ois and other various nutrients are transferred to the Orbs. Being able to remove what phoron they need, even down to the molecular level with excess, they are able to store this in a form of trophallaxis; where Vaurcae can then extract this excess phoron for themselves.

Type AE - Cultivator

Type AE Workers are a subcaste resembling a large arachnid. They are equipped with special tools to aid in k’ois agriculture. The Cultivators are believed to be modeled after the Zk’ois, a mythical creature often depicted as the guardians and harvesters of k’ois by early Vaurcae. Despite their remote origin, most Vaurca believe the bioform was not invented until after the Technological Revolution. The design of the Cultivators has been constantly modified by the Hives that use them and shaped by the evolution of k’ois agricultural techniques.

The most unique usage of Cultivators in the Spur is by the C'thur Hive, who have added to the Type AE, introducing a social stomach to pollinate plants, pesticide and fertilizer dispensers, a detailed plant scanner, and a unique probiotic injector that permits small adjustments to the genome of crops. These additional tools have provided the C'thuric 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. Federation Colonies that struggle to produce their own food are frequently given Cultivators in exchange for funding and increased phoron supply from the local governments, making the Type AE one of the Hive's most significant contributions.

Za, The Warriors (Type B)

Warriors are the second most prominent caste in Vaurca society. They are also some of the most diverse, especially when considering augmentation. Because of this, it is hard to define Warriors physically. Some notorious trends include modified exoskeletons that favor agility in combat and a usually higher size – a notion challenged by some niche Worker bioforms. Warriors are also known for their increased amount of limbs. While some basic Warrior morphs may be bipedal, more advanced Warrior types can be quadrupeds, hexapods, and even decapods.

The biggest defining factor in a Warrior is their psychology. Unlike Workers, who are typically passive or averse to violence, Warriors are considerably more aggressive. This can range from being better-suited to high-stress combat situations to outright bloodlust. Warrior personalities tend towards the straightforward or brutish, though it would be incorrect to assume Unbound Warriors are unintelligent. Despite the stereotype of aggression, many Warriors are perfectly capable of more diplomatically-focused officer positions, and have taken on such roles in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, Tau Ceti Armed Forces, Hegemonic Navy, and the Kala.

Breeders may raise Warriors for a variety of non-combatant positions, especially with regards to medical positions. Most Queens prefer Workers for peaceful doctoring and Warriors for first response but are unwilling to run the small risk of a completely blood-averse batch of Workers. As a result, it is standard procedure to grow the number of Warriors alongside.

Examples of Type B Vaurca Bioforms

The following bioforms are some of the most relevant Unbound Warrior types. However, it does not consider the many augmentations some Warriors may receive. For example, a highly decorated Warrior may be equipped with huge fire machinery or full-body prosthetics. Often, these exaggerated modifications are considered medals of honor by the traditional Vaurca military structure.

Type BA - Myrmidon

The Myrmidon is the basic Warrior bioform and the most well-known to humanity, mainly because they are employed by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate. Vaurca archeology suggests that the current Myrmidon was engineered during the Great Hive War and that ancient Warriors were more robust and had more physiological differences when compared to the Common Worker. The modern Myrmidon was designed as a flexible and agile unit that works best in a team. The Type's lean shape allowed the Myrmidons of the Great Hive War to traverse Sedantis's spelunking warfare with ease.

The adaptability of Myrmidons allows the Hives to introduce small differences between individual Type BA to cater to the specific environment they are designed for. A logistics officer, combat overseer, or commander may not be suited for a firefight 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, whilst a soldier is capable of reacting faster and communicating clearer.

Type BB - Attendants

A depiction of a Type BB Bioform.

Type BB Warriors or "Attendants" are digitigrade bipeds, built to be agile and quick. They are primarily made to be scouts or serve in support positions and they excel at guerilla tactics. They can possess the same roles as regular warriors, but their speed-built forms are not as hardy. They are 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 Warriors, 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 are the closest the Hives have to a bioform that could. They are slow but durable and relentless. Not many Endurers have been seen, and it is thought that this type has 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+)

An artistic depiction of the K'lax Type BDE Warform.

Warform is the title given by human languages to Bound Warriors, constructs of war heavily augmented and outfitted with in-built weapons. They come in a variety of heights and forms, ranging from as small as 2 feet to towering behemoths standing at heights of 20 feet.

The basic Type BD are the Warforms that the majority of the public in places that know of Vaurca have seen or heard about. It is from them the caste derives its name. They are tall bipedal Vaurcae designed by the Zo'ra Hive that have been augmented and induced with 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 reinforced steel, and they can be equipped with a varied arsenal of in-built weaponry, with the most infamous and perhaps terrifying being 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 ligaments melting away until all that is left is a dissolved 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, where creative Warforms were deployed in the thousands, and its conclusion, in which a return to traditional cultural combat replaced many of the underhanded tactics employed by the Bioforms led to the loss or outlawing of many designs. The Zo'ra Hive poses both the most Warforms in the Spur by numbers and the most designs, having long mastered them.

Examples of Type BD+ Vaurca Bioforms

Type BDE - Batteries

Type BDE or "Batteries" are among the largest of the Warriors. They are frequently hexapods or decapods made to be durable and load-bearing, with heavy artillery typically installed on their backs. Despite having been designed by Hive Zo'ra during the Great Hive War to act as a siege weapon that could still maneuver through the cramped caverns of Sedantis, they are most often deployed by the K'lax Hive, who are 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. Type BDE are most often used to complement large military formations but have yet to be mass-produced due to high maintenance costs. Rumors 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 are 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. A modified version of the traditional Vanguard was 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-armor 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. When used, the Flock Warforms are typically employed to scatter defensive lines or attack structures. Their mobility and speed also mean they’re excellent at surveillance.

Type BDJ - Mangler

The Type BDJ or "Mangler" is a decapod Bioform resembling that of a crab or Qerrbalak crustacean. They are roughly a Skrell tall, with thick reinforced carapaces, large sharpened claws, and a central light-mounted weapon. They primarily operate in small groups and utilize high mobility to close the gap between themselves and a target lying down, covering fire, and getting near enough to utilize their deadly pincers, mutilating the foe in a brutal fashion. They are an invention of the C'thur Hive, which 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 under the water for extended periods of time.

Type BDNB - Ripper

The Type BDNB, or "Ripper" is the latest arthropod Warform from the C'thur Hive. Modeled after a variation of a Diulszian creature known as a "Rhixea," the Type BDNB 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 BNZ - Exterminator

Type BCZ or "Exterminators" are an arcane and banned Warform design from the Great Hive War, now only seen being deployed by the Lii'dra. From reports by the Vaurca Hives, it appears some of these Exterminator Warforms still remain active inside 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 BCZ 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—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.

Breeders (Ta, Type C)

Vaurca Breeders are considered the most important members of Vaurca civilization and amount to a tiny percentage of the whole Vaurca population. The only Vaurca that retain their sex organs after birth, they are the species' only fertile members. The male Breeders (Type CA) are all raised as Bound, while the females (Type CB) are all Unbound. The species Euosoecial nature has Breeders as the top members of Vaurca hierarchical society.

Perhaps due to their importance as individuals, the scientific literature does not recognize different bioforms or subcastes of Breeders. Nonetheless, female Ta fulfill different important social functions and can be distinguished by size and other unique features. The debate on profiling the Breeder caste with similar nomenclature used for the other Vaurcae still persists.

Type CA - Consorts, Male Breeders

The Type CA, also known as Consorts, are the only male representatives of the Vaurca race. The Consorts are huge, with a fuzzy carapace and lightly-patterned wings. On average, a modern Consort can live up to 500 years.

The role of the Consort has radically changed throughout the history of the Vaurca. In ancient times, the Consorts were not mentally stunted but rather important children of the Vaurca Queens. As late as the early Agricultural Revolution, male Breeders were known as “Princes” and served as representatives of their respective Hives. They were highly educated members of the Vaurca society and, as evidence suggests, may have held administrative roles in the earliest large-scale Hives.

The royal courtship was also different than in modern times. Typically, when ready to mate, a Queen would secrete powerful hormones to summon Prince Vaurcae into her chambers. The farther one of these Princes traveled, the better suitor they were considered. Once they arrived, the Princes had to prove themselves by completing a series of challenges. Usually, these tasks included mortal fights against the Queen’s Warriors and complex puzzles to prove their intellectual capabilities.

As the Vaurca Hives became more complex, this old system became problematic. The Consorts once helped create primitive alliances between smaller Hives, but the large-scale empires that emerged during the Age of Death had different political needs. Additionally, the short natural lifespan of a Consort (around 70 and 90 years) when compared to a Vaurca Queen made long-term political pacts harder to maintain.

It is also believed that the Princes eventually threatened the political power of their sisters. Though the actual motives are varied, the male Breeders fell in grace and the royal courtship system was dismantled. In turn, the Consorts were traded as chattel by the Hives and kept uneducated. By the Era of Augments—the time when the modern psyche system was developed—the male Breeders became fully Bound.

The Modern Consort Trade

Today, Consorts are prized commodities that are still exchanged between Hives. Historically on Sedantis, the main Hives maintained a sufficient supply of male Ta to avoid inbreeding through trade or conquest. The Exodus and modern technologies have necessitated a change in this system with some Consorts now “cloned.”

These expensive procedures restructure the DNA of young Consort larvae into copies of male genomes that each Hive keeps as a reserve. Since their introduction to the Spur, the Vaurca have drastically improved their methods of cloning and trading Consorts. These new processes are responsible for the large new numbers of Vaurca populations.

Type CB - Gynes, Female Breeders

The Type CB, or Gynes, are the leaders of Vaurca society. They have huge bodies with prominent gasters, 6 elongated legs, and four thin large arms. Female Breeders additionally have long, non-functional wings, often adorned with intricate cultural patterns. Unlike other castes, the carapace of female Breeders is sturdy yet highly flexible, allowing for an increase in size. Such a change may occur for any number of reasons throughout the Gyne's lifespan, a lifespan that is theoretically unlimited as a result of modern medicine. Those Ta unfortunate enough to find themselves without access to such life-extension technologies, such as many Queenless, would either be beholden to the historical lifespan of 1000 years or forced to rely upon extensive augmentation to sustain themselves.

All Gynes are female and, while they are technically all born fertile, most are sterilized as larvae to prevent the formation of rivaling Hives. This sterilization may be reversed by the Hive if a Ta advances to an Aliate or if it is otherwise required. Alongside their individuality, the unclear biological distinctions of Gynes make scientists doubt the existence of Type C subcastes. Instead, their preferred nomenclature for the different subtypes of Gynes is ranks.

The following information is not a complete overview of each rank. Instead, it only aims to explain the general cues in size and physical appearance between the Gynes. For more information on the social functions of each Gyne rank, read here.

Gyne Ranks

Queens

Traditionally, Vaurca Queens fought to keep their brood and were ranked this rank during adulthood. However, in modern Vaurca society, Vaurca Queens are select candidates, groomed from birth to be able to perform royal duties. Despite each brood having a pool of candidates to pull from, the choosing of a new Queen is a rare event—only two have been elected recently (Athvur and Tupii).

To display their new rank, Vaurca Queens are fed special royal hormones to increase their size. Lesser Queens usually double their size, while High Queens may triple or even quadruple it. The process can leave their carapace more vulnerable, as it expands until it becomes thin. This is usually not a problem for Queens, as they have Bound Workers tending to all their needs. Despite this, some Queens undergo augmentations or special treatments to harden their carapaces if they are concerned about them.

Vaurca Queens possess a markedly different physiology from their subjects, appearing significantly larger even in comparison to imposing Diplomats. Their most striking feature is a swollen abdomen, giving them a segmented, almost worm-like appearance. This enlargement is theorized to be a consequence of their prolific egg-laying capabilities. However, the biology of Vaurca Queens remains shrouded in mystery, as they maintain strict seclusion from both public and private scrutiny.

Surrogates

Like Queens, the Surrogates are immense fertile Gynes. Because of their social importance as representatives of the Queens, Surrogates are often modeled as smaller versions of the Queen they serve—this may be through acquiring similar augmentations or even trying to match their body build.

Surrogates share a similar morphology to Vaurca Queens, albeit on a smaller scale, though still imposing by most standards. Like their Queens, they possess distinctly swollen abdomens, a trait attributed to their egg-laying functions. As with Vaurca Queens, the biology of Surrogates remains enigmatic, as they largely remain concealed from public view.

Aliates

Aliates are medium-sized Gynes. Aliates are recognizable for their luxurious-patterned wings. While traditionally a biological feature, today most Aliates enhance their wings through augmentation or decorative garments.

Some Aliates may increase their size. While they never become as big as Queens or Surrogates, the size increments allow Aliates of important and historical hive-cells to distinguish themselves.

Diplomats

Diplomats are the smallest of the Gynes. They share a similar build to the Aliates, the rank from which they stem. The size of Diplomats allows these Gynes to travel and tend for themselves without the aid of any Bound Workers. Diplomats are always sterile and do not lay eggs of their own.

Cephalons (Type D)

The Cephalon caste is perhaps the least understood of all Vaurcae. The Cephalons serve as biological computers; immense hardware that makes full use of the Vaurcae brain and their biological augmentation.

This artificial caste was first constructed during the Technological Revolution and originally consisted of modified male Breeders with special wires connected to their brains. Eventually, the Cephalons became a caste of their own. They have soft carapaces that never harden, allowing their brains to keep expanding. The body of a Cephalon becomes limp; it is not rare for the gestating modern Cephalon to require augments to keep its other organs working.

In order to protect a Cephalon’s body, a group of Bound and Unbound Workers is dedicated to each bio-computer. These handlers encase the Cephalon in solid iron cabinets. Newer Cephalons are encased in cybertronic cabinets that serve similarly to full-body prosthetics.

Type DA - Cores

The Type DA Cephalons are hyper-computers that function as the main database servers for Virtual Reality and Vaurca computing operations as a whole. 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. This is despite the caste having pervaded every element of Vaurca civilization, 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, with each one a monumental archive in and of itself. The Spur's Hives seemingly do little to alleviate the existing 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 decision-making, then incorporating a quantum system's incredible speed, accuracy, and parallel processing.

The creation of Cores is complicated. 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 that the Cephalon's handlers can cut live samples, spread them across trellises and racks, and treat them with more hormones and chemicals to keep them growing further. After a decade of pruning, racking, and tanning, and some cybernetic wirework besides, the end result is a new Cephalon—a biomechanical supercomputer that houses a large portion of the Virtual Reality Network, and will live for millennia. Each Lesser Queen tends to keep several of these in specially designed mainframes, acting as servers from which their Virtual Reality Realm is hosted. These mainframe rooms are almost always stored near the queen's quarters under exceedingly heavy guards, eclipsed only in protection by the rulers themselves. Cephalons are not generally considered Bound or Unbound, but inert, motionless equipment.

Type DB - Terminals

Type DB Cephalons, known as Terminals, vary in size, though all are smaller than Cores. Terminals primarily function as relays, connecting Cores, Virtual Reality, and the outside world. Slices of Cephalon brains are grafted into Terminals, granting them rudimentary processing capabilities. Terminals serve as a physical link to Virtual Reality and the Hivenet, allowing one the ability to modify Virtual Reality externally, initiate neural socket uploads, and monitor the Hivenet. Additionally, Terminals were used as an equivalent to shipboard AI on Vaurcaesian vessels. Smaller spacecrafts only used one Terminal for all operations, larger ones may have several Terminals, each dedicated to a specific function aboard the ship. The smallest Terminals, also known as “Nodes,” are even found inside high-end Vaurcaesian equipment in order to amplify their capabilities, providing such items with a degree of self-referential decision-making and problem-solving.

Bulwarks, (Ra, Type E)

The Bulwark is the most recent Vaurca caste to be developed. There is some controversy over whether they count as an entirely new caste or are simply a bioform of a Worker. Motivated by politics, the Biesellite scientific community is inclined to classify the Bulwark as a unique caste.

Bulwarks are the second-largest caste, with a height ranging from 8' to 10'5. They are slower than Workers but are excessively strong, able to lift up to a metric ton in each hand. They are completely immune to radiation due to the thickness of their carapace and complex hormonal secretion that neutralizes ionizing radiation in their bloodstream. As a result of their hormonal structure, they are very vulnerable to conventional toxins and illnesses.

Bulwark temperaments are typically purely defensive. Unlike the passive Worker or the aggressive Warrior, Bulwarks are somewhat averse to fighting but are capable of defending themselves with powerful blows if they or their fellow workers are threatened. Nevertheless, they do not have a Warrior’s instinct for killing.

Life Cycle and Expectancy

The lifecycle of a Vaurca is fairly complicated when compared to other species. Each stage of Vaurca 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. Without cryostasis, the Worker and Warrior castes have a life expectancy of 20 years. Meanwhile, the Breeder and Cephalon castes can live indefinitely. For human scientists, the process by which Vaurca Breeders can live forever is not yet fully understood. The scientific consensus is that it consists of multiple factors: constant maintenance, augmentation, a slower metabolism, and some form of biological immortality.

Imagotis

Imagotis is a powerful process in which each Vaurca egg is assigned its function to the brood. The Imagotis consists of an imaginal stage in which Surrogate Breeders hold in their minds the image of their completed offspring. The Imagotis vision is imprinted into the Vaurca egg by a special saliva, providing a cocktail of pheromones that controls the development and gene expression of each Vaurca. These Imagotis pheromones decide the caste of each egg, radically altering their anatomy by the time the larvae hatch.

Beyond simply altering gene expression, the Imagotis pheromones provide a "recipe" for each Vaurca to the Bound Vaurca responsible for nursing the eggs. This recipe determines the type of augmentations, diet, and even Virtual Reality education each Vaurca is to receive. The strength of the Imagotis pheromones is such that, even after death, they remain impregnated in the neural sockets. This way, even without any specific markings, the reclaimers of neural sockets can identify individual Vaurcae by name.

Internal Organs

Internally, Type A are very similar to that of an Earth insect. They have an open circulatory system, with their blood covering their digestive system, dual hearts, lungs, and other organs. Their two hearts provide a significant sloshing motion to prevent the blood from stagnating. The Vaurca's blood is a copper-based hemoglobin, with a high dependency on sulfur, which causes their blood to adopt a yellowish color instead of the red prevalent with other species. It also emanates a very potent stink. This open circulatory system, however, can lead to wounds that pierce the exoskeleton and minor layers of skin to bleed out quickly unless treated.

Vaurcae possess, in their head, a neural socket that allows interface with the hive network communications. The exact mechanics of a neural socket, and how it processes data and keeps information secure is based on biological processes in the regional Queen, who possesses, instead of a neural socket, a neural rod.

Limbs

Vaurcae have two large insect-like eyes with two smaller ones underneath, which are hyper-sensitive to most forms of light. While they can function in light-heavy environments perfectly fine, most complain about frequent migraines and tendency to get frustrated after long exposures to light like the sun, or even general station lighting. This hyper-sensitivity, however, leads to greatly increased eyesight in dark areas. Their eyes are completely black in terms of colouration, 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 rubbing them together with another. Also acting olfactory sensory and nerve database, when these antennae are lost, they can cause confusion, dizziness, nausea, communications problems, and extreme pain.

Their mouthparts are similar to a prawn's, in that they have two large mandibles, with small feelers and chewing parts that come out of the bottom.

A Vaurca Worker and Warrior may possess vestigial arms below their main limbs, genetic remnants that serve little purpose. 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.

Augments

While virtually all Vaurcae look identical in an augmented state, aside from various shifts in colour, virtually all Vaurcae are augmented in some manner, the degree to which depending very much on their caste and purpose.

Bound Vaurcae typically undergo the most augmentation. Much of their organic mass will at some point be replaced with machinery, so they can fulfill 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 weapons and targeting augments to assault vehicles. The more complex the caste name of a Bound, the less recognizable it is as a standard Vaurca.

Unbound however will never undergo such severe augmentation. The great limitation of such heavy modification is that it eliminates versatility, the entire purpose of the Unbound caste. Their augments will typically be performance-enhancing instead of alterations of the form. Most Unbound are today equipped with at least basic communication augments which make them versatile assets for communication 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 or Type BA. Their carapace is almost totally unmodified. Bound and Unbound alike will have a neural socket and oxygen filtration system and may utilize full-limb prosthetics. Bound may have several augments designed to increase work efficiency or general survival, while Unbound will typically have very few augments to ensure that they can fulfill any task assigned to them by NanoTrasen.

Sleep Cycle

The 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.

Mannerisms

Vaurcae typically express emotions, thoughts, and feelings over Hivenet—their keen sense of smell allows them to secrete certain complex pheromones and emit specific vibrations with their antennae that indicate their emotional state. Hivenet cannot transmit actual images, but it can transmit sensations; a Vaurca in pain from being crushed by a rockfall cannot transmit an image of their suffering, but they can project the feeling of being crushed.

This is not to say that Vaurcae have no mannerisms outside of Hivenet projections; quite the opposite. Their large, sensitive eyes set on the sides of their head can see somewhat behind them, so a Vaurca may flick their antennae in the direction of new stimuli rather than turning their head the way a human might. Vaurcae typically chitter in acknowledgment of another, similar to a human’s humming or nodding. Clicking is akin to a human clicking their tongue; it can range from an expression of thought to aggravation.

Expressions of pain, frustration, or anger outside of Hivenet usually involve soft hissing or grinding their mandibles, but mandible-grinding can also be a gesture of deep thought. A particularly startled or suffering Vaurca may let out a shriek, which has been described in several circles as sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

Warriors in particular have a tendency towards restlessness and may pace or jump to attention quicker. It is not uncommon for Warriors to do laps around their place of work if they are out of Virtual Reality, or are constantly on the move.