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Published: — Updated: 2006-05-20 |
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by Gerry Harris According to fragmentary records of the period, an alien sub-light vessel entered the Solar System in 1945 CE (-2576 Imperial). The vessel carried several thousand representatives of four distinct races: the humanoid ETs, the tentacular ETs, the insectoid ETs and the energy ETs. Over the intervening 38 centuries researchers have debated the nature of these four races. The aliens
For many centuries, researchers assumed the humanoid ETs were expatriate Vilani, possibly members of a religious group with Empathic talents. The comment "[s]ome of the most human looking" in the period minion-hunter handbook, Dark Conspiracy, lent credence to this theory. Moreover, scholars have documented at least one previous Vilani visit to Earth in -2613, when a Vilani cruiser broke up over northern Asia. The crew of that vessel and their descendents provided minion hunters with numerous red herrings over the next century as they pursued their own goals of world domination. The few surviving images of the humanoid ETs however show beings who are decidedly un-Vilani like. More than one researcher has commented the ETs look more like a cross between a human and a droyne. Considering the Empathic abilities exhibited by the humanoid ETs, their obviously high tech level (upwards of TL 18), and evidence that the Ancients practiced genetic manipulation, this theory has gained a measure of respectability in recent years.
The insectoid ETs are even more problematic. They were known to use humans as food, which begs the question on what they ate before being turned by the Dark Masters. They obviously did not prey upon their fellow ETs. Also, they appear to have been able to empathically link to terrestrial insects, which seems strange for a race which originated dozens of parsecs from Earth. Some scholars, noting the aliens' resemblance to the "terran cockroach" have tried to link the race to the Kafer, an extinct minor race native to the Gamma Serpenti system. However, the Kafer were four-limbed creatures, whereas surviving images of insectoid ETs show a being with six limbs. Additionally, the Kafer never demonstrated any Empathic abilities and would have been psychologically unsuited for living in the heart of human cities.
The tentacular ETs have often been associated with the Vegans, though a quick comparison of the two shows differently. Vegans have what appears to be a single eye in their heads, while the tentacular ETs obviously had two. And, besides, Vegans are not amphibious. Some scholars have tried to associate the tentacular ETs with the T'ch'gaazru, a minor race native to the Proxima Centauri system only a 1.4 parsecs from Earth. However, there is very little actual resemblance between the two and again, T'ch'gaazru are not amphibious.
Finally, we come to the energy ETs. Period literature describe the creature as "a glowing sphere of pure energy, two meters in diameter." However, contrary to popular belief at the time, there is really no way to keep pure energy from expanding at the speed of light. The author of Dark Conspiracy did note, however a small, 100 gram ball of matter at the center of the glowing sphere. Surviving images of the beings show the "glowing sphere of pure energy" to be more like static electrical discharges similar to what might be produced by a Van de Graaff generator. It is entirely possible the sphere of energy was nothing more than a light show to impress the more gullible observers. The description of the small ball of matter in the center of the energy sphere has given researchers some clues as to its nature. Most biologists feel 100 grams is too small a body to contain a brain large enough to evince intelligence. However, the mention of circuitry has led many to conclude the energy ETs were not biological at all, but more than likely an artificial intelligence of some sort. A few have noted the similarities between the energy ETs and the Cymbelline chips, which move about about using a type of static discharge. Unfortunately for researchers, no ET has survived the intervening centuries. Any remains of the aliens have since gone missing, leaving researchers to puzzle over the few tantalizing clues that remain. The spacecraft Supposedly the aliens arrived in the Solar System in -2573 aboard a large sub-light vessel. They'd travelled for nearly a thousand years in suspended animation. Once in the Solar System the crew was revived and explorations began. We know the vessel must have been extremely large because most of the crew remained aboard even after contact was made with the Terrans; indeed, it was this close proximity that allowed the Dark Master's influence to spread like wildfire through the crew. Even using a conservative estimate of two displacement tons per person, and assuming "thousands" to be at least two thousand, the lower limit on the payload section alone is around 4,000 displacement tons. The ship also needed space for reaction mass, power plants, life-support equipment and supplies. At a minimum, the vessel probably displaced 50,000 tons. Where did it go? The Sol System has been one of the most heavily-trafficked regions in known space for the last 38 centuries. Until recently nearly every substantial body had some sort of human presence (including Io). The asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt have both been extensively exploited. No trace of the spacecraft has ever been found. It is possible the vessel was destroyed at some point during the Dark Times, but no evidence of this exists. The homeworlds One of the biggest mysteries associated with the aliens is, "where did they come from?" Contemporary writings claim the ship had travelled for nearly a thousand years before arriving in the Solar System. Researchers have always assumed the vessel was only capable of sub-light travel, and given a conservative estimate the ship could travel at a tenth the speed of light, the aliens' homeworlds should be within 30 parsecs of Earth. There are several thousand stars in this region and in 38 centuries every one of them has been visited at least once. No trace of the aliens' civilization has ever been found around any of them. In the last few years, however, a new hypothesis as to the origins of the aliens has been proposed. Noting the incredibly high tech level the ETs possessed (at least TL 18 by some estimates, though no artifacts have survived to corroborate this) some authorities have postulated the aliens had jump technology. If this is so, four new major races would have to be added to the rolls. Even more importantly, it would mean the aliens' homeworlds could be anywhere within several thousand parsecs of Earth. In 38 centuries, however, no further contacts with any of the races has been made. This has led to speculation the crew of the ship were the survivors of a doomed civilization. If this is so, all four races are most probably now extinct. Hypotheses More than one researcher over the centuries has noted the resemblance between the four alien races and the ancient human concept of the four elements: the energy ETs equal fire; the humanoid ETs, air (they whisked their victims away in flying machines); the insectoid ETs, earth (wherein they burrow); and the tentacular ETs, water (they are amphibious). Some of the more arcane empathic theories hold that the aliens to be physical manifestations of the elements, possibly called into being through mankind's collective unconsciousness. If this is true, hunting for the aliens' homeworlds would be moot as they originated on Earth or in some elementary proto dimension. Another hypothesis often put forward by minion hunters is that the aliens were created by the Dark Masters themselves. However, as has been pointed out many times, the Dark Masters were never very technologically oriented and the ETs exhibited technological abilities that surpassed the Third Imperium at its height. Finally, we come to a theory based upon certain hypotheses regarding the Ancients. This theory holds the four races were actually created by the Ancients to watch over the Earth, but they were co-opted by the Dark Masters. The resemblance of the humanoid ETs to both humans and droyne is often used as proof of this theory, as is the aliens' obviously high technology. Updates 2002-11-22 Links
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