Starfish Aliens

A Brief History of Aotearoa

In the aftermath of the Drone Wars, the early 2100s saw the birth of multiple plans for extraterrestrial colonisation. While lunar colonies were successfully establi-shed, they remained dependent on Earth for some supplies. Most preferred the idea of a terraformed world, but suitable candidates were difficult to find. Despite its relative nearness, Mars was rejected due to its toxic soil, though Deimos later became a hub for in-system traffic. The most successful colonies in Sol system were the Galilean moons, with Ganymede and Callisto ultimately being terra-formed. While some water was obtained from Europa, the harvesting was quickly regulated after the discovery of primitive life beneath the ice.

Some desired to go further still. The idea of ‘sleeper ships’ floated around for decades before the development of suspended animation made them possible. Three such ships were ultimately constructed, each by a different nation; the European Deucalion, the Indian Garuda, and the Oceanian Aotearoa. Each ship had a vast habitat dome, containing the equipment and supplies the colonists would need. Only a small number of colonists, dubbed ‘skeleton crews’ travelled in stasis; each ship carried frozen blastocysts and artificial wombs to source the majority of the population. The skeleton crews were sent in case of faults in the ship, as well as to guide the young colonists after landing. Some concerns were raised due to most skeleton crew members coming from disadvantaged backgrounds; due to the nature of their missions, few other volunteers could be found.

Constructed independently, the three ships were launched in 2121. While atte-mpting to ‘slingshot’ itself out of Sol system, the Deucalion entered a decaying orbit around Saturn, and was destroyed despite the efforts of its skeleton crew. The Garuda successfully reached Rigil Kentaurus after a 50 year voyage, but ceased signalling soon afterwards; its fate remained unknown for centuries. Only the Aotearoa was successful, entering orbit around its namesake planet in 2276. The dome was landed 40 days later.

Aotearoa is roughly 4 fifths Earth’s size, but has approximately 91% its gravity due to an unusually dense core. It possesses a single moon, Maram, and a 27.6 hour day. These conditions could have supported indigenous life, but fossils indicate this has not been the case for at least 3.2 billion years. Without biotic processes to sustain it, the atmosphere had long since frozen over. Nonetheless, the terrafo-rming process was relatively easy to accomplish. The sudden melting of the frozen atmosphere caused a surge of volcanic activity, helping warm the re-vitalised world. However, the process still took 122 local years to complete.

The Aotearoa possessed 6 skeleton crew, all descended from first nations groups of Oceania. Despite their circumstances they did a reasonable job governing the early colony. They seized upon the opportunity to break from their post-colonial history, rapidly reinventing their culture and even language. The Aotearoa’s gene banks carried a substantial amount of fauna and flora from pre-Maori New Zea-land, in addition to organisms the colonists might need; except for honeybees and certain crops, only the former were released onto the new world. Most notably were the 5 local species of Dinornis.

As they aged, the skeleton crew selected replacement governors from among the colonists. Manaaki was the longest lived of the original 6, passing away on the 17th of Tanea, 51 FY. In the following month, a colonist named Mikaere staged a coup, possibly angered that he was not chosen as Manaaki’s successor. He soon expanded his ambitions toward supplanting the council entirely. Mikaere’s followers were armed with flamethrowers derived from terraforming equipment. The council often found itself at an impasse in the days that followed, slowing response to the attacks. The most serious damage Mikaere did was the destruct-ion of several food stocks, as well as the vats used to grow synthetic meat. The colonists ate several indigenous birds to allay starvation until new crops could be grown, with moas being favoured due to their large size. To this day, moa farming is the principal source of non-vat-grown meat.

After Mikaere and his followers were subdued, the council was reorganised to have only 5 members, in order to prevent deadlock on similar issues in the future. 2 months were renamed, Manaaki and Mikaerin, with the latter being the month of the attempted coup. Ever since that time, Mikaerin has been widely considered an unlucky month; the superstitious regard any endeavor begun during that month as doomed to disaster.

The remaining history of Aotearoa was largely uneventful, being divided into the periods before and after the planet acquired an atmosphere and the habitat dome was dismantled. The former site of the dome is currently Pourewa, the only major city on the planet. Their first contact with other Humans and the Sapiens Commonwealth occurred in 159 FY. Due to its location close to several important colonies, especially Meliotopia, Aotearoa is currently regarded as the ‘centre’ of Human space, being the greatest influence on the culture of the non-Terran population. In particular, the current lingua franca of Humanity is Tearoan, derived from a combination of Maori and some English loanwords.

Sunday Spotlights: Inhabitants of Weinbaum’s Mars

Thoth are not the only creatures on their planet with ‘plant’ and ‘animal’ traits. Biopods are a diverse clade, including shapeless blobs, and blades of ‘grass’, but all types are equally mobile. More sessile seeming flora may be close relatives. While capable of photosynthesis, biopods have also been observed to function as decomposers, forming mass aggregations on deceased organisms.

Fig 2. A Barrel-Beast with an empty cart

The bizarre, radially symmetric Barrel-Beasts seem to represent a second sapient on Mars, though meaningful communication with humans has thus far proven impossible. Unlike Thoth, their psychology may be too alien for them to find any common ground with us. The membrane atop their bodies allows them to reproduce words, but none have learned to use them in context. They communicate through some unknown means, possibly infrasound, which allows them to rapidly transfer information across vast distances. Barrel-Beasts inhabit mud cities, though the surface structures are dwarfed by vast underground tunnel complexes. These labyrinthine networks contain unevenly distributed lights, and free spinning wheels of no discernable function. Due to an apparent symbiosis with Thoth, it is unclear if Barrel-Beasts invented this technology themselves. Their lives consist of frantic activity, using their carts to collect rocks and bits of vegetation, which are ground up to provide the ‘soil’ that nourishes them. Each colony seems to function as a communal intelligence, with individual members displaying little sense of self-preservation. Curiously, Barrel-Beasts reproduce in the same way as Thoth, though their method of childcare has never been observed.

The largest predator encountered by the Ares Expedition is the sinister Dream Beast. These sedentary, anemone-like creatures dwell in underground burrows until they detect something’s approach. Their curious method of luring prey involves projecting a psychic illusion, causing them to resemble something their victim desires. Example illusions include food, or a desired romantic partner. For unknown reasons, Dream Beasts can be highly abundant in certain areas, and probably represent the apex of the present Martian food chain.

Fig 4. Pyramid Maker; cross section of a ‘pyramid’ under construction(below).

Possibly the strangest creature on Mars is the mysterious Pyramid Maker. Unlike all other denizens of the red planet, its biochemistry is based on silicon instead of carbon. Its apparent anatomy is backward, with the ‘tail’ functioning as combination proboscis/root, as in the Thoth. It uses its tail to absorb silicon from the soil, then excretes silicon dioxide through its ‘mouth’. Due to its inherent properties, this waste is produced as solid bricks, which the Pyramid Maker uses to construct a unique ‘shell’ around itself. It then hibernates for an unknown period, before breaking through the top of the pyramid and starting again. These creatures are potentially biologically immortal, with one specimen being estimated at 500 000 years old. Pyramid Makers produce ‘eggs’, presumably asexually, in the form of fragile glass bubbles, which float in Martian gravity. These bubbles contain a foul smelling gas, which may act as a catalyst to form new Pyramid Makers. Due to their low metabolism, it would likely take millennia for this process to occur.

Sunday Spotlights: Tweel

While the Xipehuz might be the earliest starfish aliens, A Martian Odyssey seemingly brought us the first such aliens with a positive relationship to humans. Their species name is unknown; the Ares expedition dubbed them Thoth, which is as good a name as any.

The main difficulty here is that their language uses multiple words for the same concept, and seemingly never uses the same word twice in succession. For instance, the main Thoth encountered by the expedition may be called Tweel, or possibly P-p-proot, or any one of a number of noises. Humans also find the alien syllables hard to pronounce. It is probable alien social rules dictate what word is used at any given moment. However, Thoth can learn English words, though they have so far been unable to produce complex sentences in this language.

Fig 1. Thoth. Note the utility bag around the midsection.

Thoth are considerably taller than humans, and superficially resemble an ibis. However, their ‘beak’ is really a proboscis, without separate mandibles, and possessing the ability to flex slightly. A Thoth can take advantage of the low Martian gravity to jump up to 150 feet, landing on the tip of the proboscis. They are more than capable of supporting their weight in this position, and often rest in this way; with their limbs tucked in they closely resemble certain Martian flora.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Thoth combine characteristics of plants and animals, exposing the artificiality of Terran taxonomy. The proboscis also functions as a root, allowing them to absorb water and nutrients from the Martian soil. Based on their highly active metabolism, this is likely a mere supplement to their true diet, probably strange, motile ‘plants’ known as biopods. They are xerophiles, refusing to drink liquid water even if it is offered to them.

Thoth often go long periods without rest, and it is unclear if they need sleep in the human sense. They also possess adaptations against dust storms, including a ‘moustache’ that folds in to protect the nostrils, and a furry membrane that extends over the eyes. Due to the lowered visibility, Thoth walk during such storms, as opposed to their usual high-speed leaps.

Fig 2. Developing Thoth infant, at 2 weeks old.

Possibly the strangest feature of Thoth is their reproductive cycle. Two Thoth seek a secluded location and fuse part of their tissues together. The fused area gradually develops into an infant Thoth, which is cared for by the broader community once it separates from its parents. With no sexes, any two Thoth can produce children this way, though reproduction is likely rare, based on the species’ low population. A Thoth’s lifespan is completely unknown.

The species as whole rivals humanity in technological advancement. One of their most well known innovations is a bag that forms an opening when needed, otherwise sealing up completely. Thoth technology also includes glass ‘pistols’ that can fire hundreds of poisonous darts without reloading.

Thoth maintain Mars’ ancient canals, although it is unclear why when they do not drink liquid water. It is also unknown whether it was them that constructed the canals in the first place. No doubt, the red planet has many mysteries that are yet to be solved…

Aleptidate Reproduction

Another monoecious race, Aleptidates have two separate sets of genitalia. The palm of each hand possesses both a retractable phallus, and a separate duct to receive a partner’s sperm. The process of mating greatly resembles a handshake. Aleptidates have no taboos about mating in public, with ignorant individuals sometimes believing humans to be a very promiscuous race. Touching an Aleptidate’s hands without permission is a grave taboo and has been known to cause misunderstandings when humans greet them.

Fig 1. Aleptidate laying egg (bottom); Birth Tree, with hatching ‘fruit’; newborn Aleptidate (top)

Unlike Thirthai, mating tends to impregnate both partners. The tip of an Aleptidates tail produces a single ‘seed’ that develops into an organism resembling a palm ‘tree’ the height of a human being. Upon reaching maturity at two months, the ‘tree’ produces ‘fruits’ from its leaves, with fetal Aleptidates inside. Each frond develops one ‘fruit’, with ‘trees’ typically possessing 3-5 fronds. After another month, the ‘fruits’ are shed, and subsequently hatch, just before the rest of the ‘tree’ dies.

Small, helpless, and undefined, newborn Aleptidates inhabit nutrient rich ‘Birth Pools’ until the age of 3. After that, they were traditionally raised by a small group of caretakers. In the modern era, it is equally common for them to be parented by a single individual, who may not necessarily be related to them. Initially identical, young Aleptidates take on the appearance of the Hex-Clan that raises them, regardless of the underlying genetics. A 12-year-old Aleptidate is equivalent to a 7-year-old human. Adolescence begins in their twenties, with sexual maturity being reached around a decade later. However, Aleptidates are not considered fully mature until the age of 51. This is traditionally the age they lose their phenotypic plasticity although even before contact this varied considerably. The issue is further confused in the present, with many modern Aleptidates retaining the ability to alter their appearance throughout life.

Thirthai Life Cycle

Thirthai mate end to end, utilising a ‘cloacal kiss’ (technically the anus is seperate from the genital opening, being located between the middle legs). A monoecious species, any individual can become pregnant, and Thirthai use a variety of methods, including intellectual games and wrestling to determine which individual carries the other’s offspring. Four days (based on Oru’s rotational period) after mating, a gravid Thirtha submerges kherself* to melon height, before laying up to 3000 eggs in a frogspawn-like mass. One of the driving forces of civilised development was the need for enough water for spawning.

*khe/kher are the most commonly used pronouns for monoecious individuals

Fig 1. Larval development of Thirtha. Depicted stages are not to scale.

The eggs hatch within three weeks (Aotearoan Time). Although broadly tadpole-like, first stage larvae have an external skeleton, which is non-permeable to guard against moisture loss in their highly saline habitat. Until specialised glands develop, they obtain water from their food. Like arthropods, the larvae must moult to grow larger.

One month after hatching, the larvae begin to develop lungs, as well as an internal skeleton. They lose their gills, and the ninth moult reveals smooth, orange skin. Second stage larvae gradually develop adult features, including light-sensitive flaps and the oral trunk. A pair of broad fins develop as the tail diminishes. Over the next month, these fins gradually split into legs, and the young Thirtha abandons the Birth Pool to live on land. Khe develops palps and loses the remains of kher tail soon afterwards.

Aside from ensuring the Birth Pools contain enough food and do not evaporate, a Thitha pays little attention to their larvae. As a result, they typically possess five or fewer surviving offspring. Once kher offspring have left the water, a Thirtha takes an active interest in raising them, although it remains very hands off compared to human parenting. After ten years (Oru time), young Thirthai become avoidant of each other’s presence, and disperse to set up their own accommodations. However, it takes three more years before they are fully mature. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Thirthai tend to live well into their 60s.

Intro to Hayekka: Aleptidate Communication

The art known as Hayekka among Humans is usually described as uluqwa by Aleptidates. So far, Aleptidates are unique in having developed it independently of the Yesh Valley Temple. At its most basic, Hayekka involves an individual using their haya (‘life force’), to produce alterations in a lifeform’s genetic structure. The art is most developed among Aleptidates, with even conservative estimates placing its origin millenia before the Jahari. In this time, they have gained the ability to perceive alterations of their genes, as well as create them in others. This has become their primary method of communication, supplanting whatever method they originally used.

There are two major variants of uluqwa. The basic form involves the ‘speaker’ modifying the genes of the ‘listener’, who interprets the modifications as conveying information. Unlike spoken or gestural languages, it is impossible for bystanders to ‘overhear’ a conversation. Uluqfewa, sometimes translated as “rootspeak,” is a distance form of the language. Speakers make use of the root networks covering large areas of Aelsa’s surface to transmit genetic messages to distant recipients. Accuracy is low and, unlike uluqwa, messages can be ‘overheard.’ For this reason, it is used primarily to transmit important information to the public.

Aleptidates are normally illiterate, being unable to understand how information is encoded in written form. They have instead developed the ability to secrete memories in chemical form, for storage in specially designed vessels. This is the basis of the famous Library of Memories, which has branches in all Aleptidate colonies. Even in optimal conditions, stored memories deteriorate faster than writing, requiring reingestion every 5 Aotearoan months on average. Memories are inevitably distorted through this process, but relatively clear records nonetheless exist, with some being thousands of years old. When Aleptidates die, they frequently add their experiences to the Library as a “living testament.”

Sunday Spotlights: the Xipehuz

Starfish aliens have a long pedigree. Les Xipehuz, published in 1888, may be the earliest appearance of such beings, as well as one of the first examples of science fiction. In the story, Early Bronze Age tribes are attacked by mysterious beings, their origin and motives unknown.

Fig 1. the four types of Xipehuz. The cone bears a newly coined glyph, referring to the strange bipeds with which its kind is at war.

The Xipehuz (shapes in the original French) remain some of the strangest aliens in all fiction. They are of entirely geometric appearance, not resembling any known animal in the slightest. They invariably take one of the forms depicted above. Whatever its form, a Xipehuz always possesses a glowing light upon its body, from which they project lasers to burn and destroy all animals indiscriminately. They communicate by carving glyphs onto each other, which fade over time. As well as these glyphs, Xipehuz bear permanent markings around their lights. Through their communications, Xipehuz evidently possess distinct personalities, and also display human like behaviours, such as teaching their young.

Xipehuz reproduction is as odd as their appearance. Four times a year, on clear nights near the solstices and equinoxes, they gather into groups of three, as shown. They merge together to form vast ellipses, which separate into pieces at noon the following day.

These pieces turn into giant smoky forms, which gradually coalesce into new Xipehuz. Xipehuz are likely formed in multiples of three, with six being the plausible minimum. Curiously, they get smaller, and presumably denser, as they mature.

Initially, the Xipehuz restrict their activities to a single territory, ceasing to pursue their victims beyond its boundaries. Unfortunately, as their numbers grow, so does their territory, as well as the threat they pose to humanity.

Aleptidate History: the Jahari

Fig.1 Aleptidate protection charm, depicting an Evil being slain, intended to ward off misfortune.

Little is known about Aleptidate history. According to themselves, they evolved as part of the only known cooperative, rather than competitive, biosphere, and it is true that few organisms on their planet do not provide some benefit to others. Yet it is equally, if not more, likely that Aleptidates themselves are responsible for this state of affairs. It is entirely possible that they ‘adjusted’ the planetary environment for their own benefit. The presence of microscopic parasites is not conclusive proof for either theory. While such organisms may have survived the hypothetical ‘adjustment’ period, it is also possible that they evolved to ‘cheat’ in a truly cooperative biosphere.

Aleptidates have no clear records prior to <6000 of their years ago, when they arrived on the world called Aelsa. Until their planet of origin is rediscovered, it will be impossible to verify either theory.

Prior to the Exodus, Aleptidates were part of a biosphere consisting of “no more than a hundred” macroscopic organisms, all living in intricate symbiosis. Their peaceful existence was disrupted by the arrival of a race known only as the Evil*. According to tradition, the Evil fell from the stars, and slaughtered half their planet in a single day. While the scale of the destruction is likely exaggerated, it is clear that the Aleptidates were initially defenceless against the Evil’s onslaught.

*The word is both singular and plural

However, worse was to come. After a year of this bloodbath, 99 of every 100 Aleptidates were dead, and most of the survivors developed a madness known as Jahari. Initially translated as “madness”, a more accurate translation is “eater.” Lacking digestive systems, Baseline Aleptidates tend to be horrified by the idea of consuming other creatures for sustenance. The oral history claims that the Jahari was a taint caused the Evil’s presence, although it also lead to the extinction. Their rage unspent, the Jaharis rampaged across the planet until nothing remained alive.

According to Aleptidates, the remnants of the biosphere formed itself into a vast ship, which launched itself into the aether to escape the Jaharis. With it went only one of every 100 who had survived the Evil. The ship travelled for an unknown period, before arriving on the planet known as Aelsa. This planet was terraformed by the survivors, and remains their home to this day. After landing, society was organised into several autonomous regions known hex-clans. Each hex-clan had its own guardian, whose role was to communicate with any future alien visitors. Aleptidate society experienced no major changes until the coming of Barliit.

It is unknown how much truth resides in the official history. Even the earliest Aleptidate records are not first hand accounts of the disaster that destroyed their home. The only evidence of the Jahari’s historical existence is the xenophobic madness exhibited by the individual known as Shatrqil. Likewise, the Evil have never been encountered in modern times, and, given their general behaviour, are hopefully extinct. Finally, the transformation of the Aleptidate biosphere into an ark is dubious. Although Aleptidates evidently did not possess space travel during the Jahari, it is probable that the survivors escaped in a spacecraft stolen from the Evil. The living ark is likely a comforting legend, which evolved to remove any connection between the Evil and the survival of their species.

Thirthai

At first glance, Thirthai have been noted to resemble an elephant’s head combined with a squid. The second description is somewhat more apt, since Thirthai are descended from aquatic lifeforms that resembled cephalopods. Their evolution into their new environment has been driven by their native sun leaving main sequence, and the resulting drying of the oceans. The first terrestrial ancestors of Thirthai appeared 14 MYA.

Many of the quirks of Thirthai anatomy can be explained by their rapid terrestrial adaptation. Their internal skeleton is rudimentary, consisting entirely of a cage-shaped structure that protects the vital organs, as well as ‘vertebral’ columns that support the legs. For millions of years prior to their sun’s expansion, Thirthai had been deep-sea organisms, hence their reliance on sonar rather than sight. A Thirtha’s ‘eyes’ are light-sensitive flaps, that can only distinguish between light and dark.

Thirtha have multiple adaptations to their drying homeworld. Their bodies are covered by a layer of dead skin up to an inch thick, protecting them from skin cancer. A Thirtha’s lungs rival a bird’s in complexity, and their orange blood is highly efficient at oxygen transfer. Due to the extreme heat of their native environment, Thirthai are cold-blooded, unlike most sapiens. They can drink water as saline as 50 000 ppm; indeed, water less saline than 19 000 ppm can cause sickness or even death from osmotic shock.

Behaviourally, Thirthai are almost nothing like the elephants they resemble, being solitary carnivores. The average Thirtha is most comfortable alone, perceiving most other beings with suspicion and distrust. They evolved a limited capacity for social cooperation around 18 000 years ago, in order to survive the drying of their homeworld. Outside of extraordinary circumstances, Thirthai still lead solitary lives today, with their position within the Commonwealth being a matter of perennial debate.

Note on Dating

Most Human colonies use a variation of the Aotearoan Planetary Calender, which begins with the colonisation of the planet. Since Aotearoa’s year is 388 days long, four Aoteroan years correlate to roughly five of the archaic Terran Calendar.

Each year of the Aotearoan calendar is counted as a Foundation Year with 1 FY being equivalent to 2276 CE. Pre-Foundation years are measured using Terran years as a base. For example, the period 2175-2275 CE is the First Century Pre-Foundation, consisting of Pre-F year 100 through 1. As with the Gregorian Calendar, there is no year zero.

The months of the Aotearoan calendar are, in order, Rangini, Papatuary, Manaaki, Tumatau, Tanea, Mikaerin, Pungary, and Ronga. Every third year is a leap year, with the extra day being added to Mikaerin.