Android
Android
pic_android.jpg
Biological information
Type Humanoid
Size Medium
Intelligence Artificial sentient
Life span Unknown
Sociological information
Planet of origin -
Achieved warp -
First contact -

Complex technological creations crafted to resemble humans, androids were originally a servitor race, but they have since broken free to form their own society. Unlike ordinary robots or ship AIs, androids do not simply respond according to their programming; rather, they have independent consciousnesses and are animated by souls—a distinction crucial to their generally accepted status as people rather than property.

Mechalus fall into three categories within Rigunmor space – leased, contracted, and independent. Leased work between Rigunmor and Aleer. Contracted work outside Rigunmor. Independent take no long term obligations with anyone. It should be noted that the game takes place on the Verge, far from Rigunmor space, and it has been 100 years since anyone has seen normal space.

Android Liberation Front

A more radical organization of android who seek the extermination of biologicals.

Homeworlds of Vision and Aleer

Personhood


The Galactic Concord has afforded androids to have full personhood rights. However, other Stellar Nations have more nuanced android rights. The Thuldan Empire sees them as 2nd class citizens. The Rigunmor Star Consortium allows certain androids autonomy, but has many others under various forms of servitude. Voidcorp views all androids as property and affords them no rights.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION


Type V Androids are biomechanical constructs created in technological crèches called foundries. While the first androids are believed to have been mostly biological, difficult to distinguish from the humans they lived among, modern designs are more varied, and many favor metal skeletons and processors that support synthetic organs and living flesh. Nearly all androids feature a humanoid body shape and tattoo-like circuits that glow through their skin when operating at full power, but beyond this commonality, variations in physical appearance reflect an android’s design, role, and personality. Some take pains to blend into human society, while others deliberately display their mechanical nature. Though some androids are constructed or customize themselves to look like other races, such models are relatively rare. Due to their biological components, androids need to eat and sleep, but as constructed beings they do not reproduce in the human fashion and have no biological need for gender—some identify strongly as male or female, while others shift fluidly or ignore it altogether, and still others actively reject it on philosophical grounds as a relic of their former slavery.

Though android bodies are assembled using tiny machines called nanites, their complex nervous systems attract and integrate souls in the same way organic creatures do. Most androids are fully grown at the time of their birth, and can technically live forever through constant repair, though most androids voluntarily release their bodies after a century or so to allow new souls to inhabit them—a process called renewal that’s viewed more as procreation than suicide.

Roles


Navigators

Due to her unique nature, Melfina is capable of many feats impossible for ordinary life forms. Among these is her unique connection to the Galactic Leyline, acting as an interface of sorts with its reality warping capabilities to alter matter and energy when connected to it. Among her other unique features is her immunity to mind control by biological organisms such as the alien cactus, which could control and subdue several dozen organic beings simultaneously, even ones such as Aisha, Gene, and Jim, all three of whom are known to possess incredible willpower. Among her other unusual abilities is her power to heal others. This was first seen when she partially healed Gene's life-threatening wounds by taking him into her interface capsule within the Outlaw Star's bridge.

Melfina navigates the Outlaw Star from within a cylindrical chamber on the bridge that rises from the floor and fills with a clear, liquid-like substance, supposedly to help her link with the ship. The liquid is most likely a stabilizing agent to help ensure that her link is static-free, and because of this she has to navigate without wearing any clothes.

Melfina's primary power is her ability to run the Outlaw Star all by herself. In fact, she's required to run the ship, and unless she's onboard and in her glass navigation tank, the Outlaw Star isn't going anywhere. The navigation tank normally sits recessed in the floor of the Outlaw Star's bridge, accessed via a hatch in the floor. Melfina opens the hatch and drops down into the tank, at which point it rises out of the floor. Melfina is now inside (nude), and fully immersed in what looks like some sort of fluid (No, I have no idea where her clothing goes…). Within this tank she can plot the Star's course, pilot the ship while Gene runs the Grappler Arms, and generally handle most support systems. One could put the OIF (Immobile Navigation Tank; - 1 1/2) Limitation on the following skills if so desired, to further represent how dedicated her systems are: Combat Piloting, Navigation (Space), and Systems Operation.

Persocom

A Persocom is a very advanced technology. They are made to be human-like computers and come in three different types: Mobile, Laptop, and PC. They can be utilized as computers, of course, and can download software to search with and use the Internet, send messages via e-mail, call or receive calls, download freeware from the Internet, and download programs. Every Persocom must have their CPU or Operating System installed to be used at all, although this is usually installed before purchase; a Persocom without an O.S. would no different from a doll because they are incapable of movement or speech. A learning program is also a common software. Many different kinds of software can be downloaded into a Persocom to mold their personality, habits, and knowledge, again, to make life much simpler. This is also because Persocoms are often bought as companions as well as employees. Choosing the right personality for a Persocom is an important choice for long time Persocom fans and newbies alike. All and all, they are supercomputer, human-shaped companions for better or more efficient living.

They can perform multiple tasks, just like humans can, and can even get jobs. They interact as they were taught to, either by a learning program or by personality software installed. They can easily be mistaken as humans if you aren't careful to take notice of their ears.

Culture


SOCIETY AND ALIGNMENT

Android society tends to be insular. While androids are treated equitably in most settlements, especially Absalom Station, many androids have not forgotten their people’s bondage and remain keenly aware of prejudice from other races based on their “unnatural” origin or jealousy over the androids’ freedom from aging. This leads most androids to feel a sense of kinship with others of their kind and to go out of their way to help each other, though they may also bond with members of other races who treat them well. Despite popular belief, androids’ impressive deductive reasoning abilities do not preclude sentiment, and most androids feel emotions keenly—they simply don’t always express them well, and different individuals may have trouble processing and communicating particular feelings. The average android alignment is a practical neutrality; they are focused on their own welfare and that of their friends.

Society and Law

The full implications of artificial intelligence remain unexplored. Once a matter of theoretical debate, the issue is growing more immediate, and each culture struggles to find an answer. At first, robots were simply property, but they were soon given special status under the law. Malicious attack on a robot is classified as property damage, but if a robot’s memory or processor cores are damaged, charges of homicide can be levied.

Many historians believe the shift in attitude toward robots and AI’s during the last hundred years is a result of contact with the Mechalus. With Mechalus working alongside roboticists, it was easier for everyone to accept broader robot rights. The precedent was established in the Rigunmor Star Consortium in the Guilder Van Huys murder case, when robots first testified as witnesses in court by performing memory downloads. The Orion League, StarMech Collective, and Insight soon followed suit, granting robots the right to act as witnesses in court cases, as well as for wills and other legal documents.

Increasingly intelligent and independent robots may someday be accepted as full citizens, at least in progressive nations such as the Orion League, Insight, and the Borealis Republic. There, robots are already gaining civil rights and must be treated as full citizens in many respects. They may own property, run businesses, and access public places; emancipated robots must even pay taxes. But even in the most liberal stellar nations, free robots are rare. In the rest of space, emancipated robots don’t exist. They simply must accept orders from their creators – or risk depowering and reprogramming.

RELATIONS

Often cautious around strangers, androids have the most strained relationship with humanity, which built them in its image and remains their most frequent oppressor. They feel closest to shirrens, who also know what it is to be enslaved and misunderstood, and respect kasathas’ self-sufficiency. They generally dislike vesk, whom they see as slavers, and only grudgingly tolerate ysoki’s antics.

ADVENTURERS

Androids adventure for many reasons: to earn a living, trace the origins of their race, or rescue androids and other creatures from servitude. Their quick thinking under fire makes them natural operatives and soldiers, while their affinity for machines makes them excellent mechanics and technomancers.

NAMES

Androids have no single naming convention. Many take names from the cultures in which they first awoke, or from media they enjoy. Some accept call sign–like names based on appearance, personality, or exploits. Still others go by numbers as a deliberate reminder of their mechanical nature, or a combination of name and number denoting how many times the body their soul inhabits has been renewed.

Some sample android names include Asha, Blue-17, Emene-3, Flick, Garro, Iseph, Melody, Naga, Olas, Stringer, Twenty, and Yose.

History


Type I

Synthetics were first developed by Borgia Industries around 2030. The early Type I models were hulking bipedal constructs more closely resembling a mechanical robot than a synthetic human, although they featured a humanoid "driver" at their core. Mostly used as hauling, labor and manufacturing machines.

Type II

They were widely employed by the Neonopolis Police Department, often used for riot suppression, as well as in private security ventures.

Type III

Type IV

Type V

Androids have advanced to such a degree that they are nearly identical to a human being.

The three major manufacturers of Type Vs are

Thyst Rebellion

In the modern era, various corporations unraveled the secret to android creation and began mass-producing androids as cheap, skilled labor perfect for hazardous work. This practice lasted until about 150 years ago, when the Thyst Rebellion and subsequent android revolts across the system, combined with the now legendary speech known as “The Automaton’s Polemic” by android revolutionary Serphaeus-6, led the Galactic Concord to officially recognize all androids as independent citizens. This ruling, however, has not completely stopped unscrupulous corporations in less regulated parts of the system from crafting illegal android slaves or forcing newborn androids to “work off” the expense of their creation.


The Mechalus were once human, created in laboratories by the empire in its development of cybernetic enhancements. After a few generations, something changed within the subjects and the offspring began to be born with an affinity for cybernetic enhancements. Such affinity required such devices to be implanted in them at a very young age. In time even these enhancements bred true and the Mechalus race was truly created. However, this is when they found the true motivation behind the Empire's encouragement of breeding these children as they were taken into custody and enslaved, being considered no longer human. While no longer considered to be human, they did have a greater affinity for technology than most humans and excelled in technological endeavours, securing their place in the heirarchy of the slave races as they were the ones to keep the fleets and systems of the empire running smoothly. They were not foot soldiers or shock troops like the Weren, but they kept the vast array of military hardware running, including the armies run by artificial intelligences. In the end, they were still human enough to be affected by the plague that afflicted the empire and died just as swiftly as the humans did.

Anatomy
Mechalus are different to other species in that their cybernetic enhancements are 'natural'. They are born with small amounts of cybernetic enhancements which overtime grow with them and provide additional functionalities, though they can be programmed to take a certain path for specific enhancements to the child, most are allowed to develop organically, the child's skills and talents directing the course of the cybernet growth. These cybernetic enhancements have been noted as being more like living tissue that then secretes metals to form the cybenetic connective tissue, utilising minerals found in the Mechalus' blood.

Because of the basic resemblance between the two species, a mechalus (pronounced “meck-ah-lus”) can be mistaken for a human if the viewer only catches a glimpse or if the area is shadowy. Averaging about 1.8 meters tall and weighing around 90 kilograms, the mechalus has the general shape and size of a human. On closer inspection, however, the similarities are quickly outdistanced by the differences. Veins of circuitry weave with flesh and blood to form a totally synthesized body. The mechalus’s hair is a combination of protein strands and filaments of cable and wire. Even the skeleton has been reinforced with superstrong synthetic material, and bony protective plates can be seen beneath the bio-organic flesh at the shoulders and across the chest.
Roleplaying

Mechalus have the same range of emotions as humans, though they lend to try to downplay hostile or aggressive emotions. They were once responsible for the annihilation of another species, and since then they have made a conscious and constant effort to suppress or regulate their negative emotions.

Perhaps the hardest aspect of mechalus for humans to get used to is their ability to merge with computer systems. While the mechalus can easily employ standard computer interfaces, they have the unique ability to personally connect to computer systems. Filaments extend from fingers, snake into the computer in question, and form a solid link between body and machine. This link gives the mechalus speed-of-thought access to the computer system, and more precise control than any manual interface can provide.

With a natural affinity for technology and computers, mechalus make excellent Tech Ops. They aren’t limited to this profession, however, and can be found filling the ranks of a variety of careers.
The mechalus have very ordered minds, which translates into a strictly structured society and an equally organized outlook on life. Although they think with the precision and logic of a machine, they are highly emotional people who work exceedingly hard to promote their positive emotions and subdue their negative ones.

In a tense or dangerous situation, mechalus are likely to remain calm and logical; it’s not difficult for them to suppress all their emotions when they deem such action appropriate or necessary. But in a climate of relaxation or celebration, their emotional pendulum can swing to the other extreme to humans, it seems as though they are making a special effort to appear cheerful or jubilant. The mechalus don’t consider their behavior at such times to be exaggerated: strong displays of positive emotion, when the situation permits, are simply their way of demonstrating (to themselves as well as members of other species) that mechalus are more than just machines encased in biological bodies.

History

The planet Aleer, an Earthlike world relatively close (on a cosmic scale) to the Sol system, gave rise to an intelligent humanoid species that would someday be called the mechalus by humans (who have a penchant for putting their own names to everything they encounter). The early history of the Aleerins follows much the same path as that experienced by Earth’s humans—primitive tool-makers eventually built great civilizations, with periods of enlightenment crudely punctuated by episodes of brutal warfare. Eventually, the development of technology led to the invention of computers—and this is where the technological evolution of Aleerins and humans sharply diverged. Strides in medicine and genetic engineering, coupled with their computer know-how and their fascination with all things mechanical, gave the Aleerins the means to bio-engineer their species. Cybernetic implants performed on a molecular level produced a synthesis of flesh and circuitry that now pervades the entire species—they are born with cyberbionics.

It was about this time that the species also developed space travel. Within a few generations, they had totally settled their solar system but this breakthrough had its shameful side. Aleerins had always been a warlike species, and this behavior was never more evident than when they made contact with the sentient but primitive natives of another planet in the system. In response to a hostile reception from these creatures, who were barely able to defend themselves, the Aleerins used their heavily armed ships to obliterate the population of the planet.

Almost immediately thereafter, an emotional backlash swept through the entire Aleerin culture when the members of the species realized collectively what they had done. In a change of character that was essentially unanimous, the Aleerins became more sedate and less inclined toward hostility (or at least toward showing their hostility). They resolved that never again would they use violence unnecessarily against another sentient species.

Some Aleerins took this new attitude to an extreme: a splinter group composed of pacifists and technocrats rose up, taking the position that incorporating circuitry into flesh was not going far enough along the technological path. “Creatures of flesh are by their nature aggressive and fallible. They cannot resist the impulse to do harm to others.” the leader ol the group proclaimed. “Only by completely shedding our flesh can we achieve the next level in our evolutionary development.”

The splinter group conducted illegal experiments in transferring living minds into computers. In the end. the computers that held the living minds were placed into spaceships, and the splinter group left Aleerin space to find its own destiny. To date, nothing further of these living computers has been heard.

Shortly after that time, humans encountered the Aleerins (renaming them the mechalus), and Aleerin space was pulled into the ever expanding human galactic community.

Aleerins, also known as Mechalus, are a species of humanoids that blend flesh and metal unlike any other species. Orderly and logical, they hide passion in their hearts that strive to keep buried except around those that they fully trust.

The Aleerins made first contact with what was then known as the Terran Authority, or the Sol Systems Alliance now, not long after the First Contact Wars. Although relations where cool between the two parties at first, the emergence of the Illithid threat made them realize that it was better to be part of the galaxy instead of trying to survive alone.

Physical Description/Biology: An aleerin can be easily mistaken for a human at a distance or in poor lighting, for he bears the general shape and size of a human. Closer inspection, however, reveals veins of circuitry that weave with the aleerin’s flesh and blood to form a totally synthesized body. An aleerin’s hair consists of combined protein strands and filaments of cable and wire. Even the aleerin’s skeleton has been reinforced with super-strong synthetic materials, and bony protective plates cover the bio-organic flesh at the shoulders and across the chest. The aleerins’ appearance has led to humans calling them “mechalus” (singular and plural), and the aleerins don’t seem to mind.

Aleerins are slightly heavier than humans, on average, but their builds are less varied. The average aleerin stands approximately 6 feet tall and weighs 175 to 200 pounds. Aleerins tend to have well-proportioned, athletic frames. Their lustrous turquoise eyes are opaque and have no visible pupils.

Aleerins share an affinity for computers. While they can easily employ standard computer interfaces, aleerins have the ability to personally connect with computer systems. Filaments can extend from an aleerin’s fingers, snake into a computer, and form a solid link between aleerin and machine. This link gives the aleerin speed-of-thought access to the computer system, with more precise control than any manual interface can provide.

Personality: Aleerins have ordered minds, which translates into a highly structured society and an equally organized outlook on life. Although they think with the precision and logic of a machine, they are deeply emotional people who work hard to subdue their negative emotions. They possess the same range of emotions as humans, although they downplay hostility or aggression. Aleerins have demonstrated violent tendencies in the past. Their early forays into space placed them at odds with another warlike race, which the aleerins ultimately annihilated. Appalled by this heinous act and jarred by an unexpected emotional backlash, modern aleerins have made a conscious and consistent effort to suppress or regulate their more primal nature.

In a tense or dangerous situation, aleerins are likely to remain calm and rational. They easily suppress their emotions when they deem such action appropriate or necessary. However, in a climate of relaxation and celebration, their emotional pendulum can swing to the other extreme—to other species, it seems as though they are making a special effort to appear cheerful or jubilant. The aleerins do not consider their behavior at such times to be exaggerated. Strong displays of positive emotion, when the situation permits, afford them the chance to demonstrate that they are not merely machines encased in biological bodies.

Homeworld: Aleerins hail from the highly advanced world of Davck in the Mehal system. They have not colonized other worlds, though they do maintain several space stations in the system.

Religion: Officially, there is no religion in Aleerin culture. However, their connection to technology and their continuing desire for technological perfection reaches near fanatical levels. Some Aleerin express interest in the religious beliefs of other cultures, and may even take part in a religion for a while, but few ever stick with it.

Mutations: Aleerins have a very strong genetic makeup that is nearly as rigid as their personalities. Birth defects and genetic disorders are rare and mutation is unheard of.

Cybernetics: Aleerins are born with cybernetics as part of their bodies. There is more of a stigma of not being outfitted with cybernetics than there ever could be about having cybernetics installed. To them, cybernetics are as common as jewelry is to most other species.

Psionics: Aleerins have little aptitude with psionics. Some individuals do have the ability for psionics, but it has been estimated that as little as .01% of each generation has the ability.

Aleerin Species Traits (Savage Worlds)

Hardy: Aleerins start play with a d6 in Vigor.

Cybernetic Adaptability: When calculating the character’s maximum strain, treat the higher die (Vigor or Spirit) as one die higher than it actually is to a maximum of d12). Also, when having a Street Doc install and remove cybernetics, Aleerins suffer only a -2 penalty during installation, and a -1 penalty during removals.

Computer Link: An Aleerin can make a Computers check to connect to a computer by touch. This connection allows an Aleerin to control the computer via speed of thought rather than relying on manual coordination. This link can be severed by the Aleerin or whenever he cannot reach the computer any longer.

Quirk: All Aleerins try to keep their stronger emotions (anger, hatred, frustration, even laughter and love) in check.

Rigid: Aleerins tend to be too “stiff” to many other species. When dealing with non-Aleerins, an Aleerin character suffers a -4 penalty to Charisma checks.

Aleerin Species Traits (Rogue Space)

Archetypes: Soldier or Technician, and add +1 to either Fighting or Science

One with Machines: Aleerins start play with the Brainware implant that allows them to interface with computers easily. In addition, they can install two pieces of cybertech before having to lower their Empathy by the typical -1.

Psionics: Aleerins cannot be Espers.

The third sentient species to be brought into humanity's fold, the aleerins were discovered and adopted by a young stellar nation just as the weren were. For the aleerins, though, the meeting took on a different, though benevolent, tone. Rigunmor diplomats were astounded by the wonders of Aleer, and paid the natives a compliment by sparing no expense to demonstrate the advantages in an alliance with the Rigunmor Star Consortium. To the amazement of the Rigunmor delegation, prepared for months of arbitration, the aleerins signed a commercial agreement after only a few days.

Although the Rigunmors attributed the aleerins' haste to their appreciation of Rigunmor society or to the aleerins' ability to communicate quickly through their Grid, the truth was that the aleerins were especially vulnerable at the time. Three centuries previously, the warlike and expansionist aleerins had discovered and fought a sentient species within their own star system. The complete annihilation of this species produced a revolution on Aleer and a radical change in aleerin culture. The aleerins vowed to put aside their violent ways.

More radical pacifists, the uncompromising Negationists, swore that their own biological components were incompatible with peace. Shedding the last remnants of organic life, the Negationists became one with their computers. After stripping aleerin military vessels of their weaponry, they departed in the aleerin fleet. Those who remained on Aleer still felt the impact of their departure for decades afterward, as the fleet slowly sailed out of radio communication range.

Though it wasn't obvious on the surface, the Rigunmors had encountered a species just recovering from incredible internal turmoil. And though it never became an issue, the aleerins had no fleet. The Rigunmor proposal to incorporate Aleer within the Rigunmor sphere of influence met no resistance. The aleerins even accepted the name that humans gave them: mechalus. Shedding their old name seemed to serve as the last element of the revolution.

The mechalus's unique abilities and technology have contributed to the Star Consortium's growth as an interstellar power. Though most mechalus refused to fight in the Second Galactic War, the indirect effects of mechalus assistance proved essential to the Rigunmors, especially against computer-savvy VoidCorp. Even the most pacifistic mechalus, it turned out, did not consider Grid warfare a form of violence. The mechalus don't speak about their contribution to the war effort often, but surely they had something to do with the Consortium's freedom from crippling electronic attack.

Today, the mechalus are recognized as the unquestioned masters of computer and Grid technology; they are the front-line defenders of Rigunmor Grid sectors against hostile tampering. In fact, their skill at manipulating the Grid is so advanced, only the best of Insight and VoidCorp can match them. For the Rigunmors and those lucky enough to secure mechalus labor con- tracts from the Consortium, mechalus technology provides a powerful source of efficiency and protection.

Mechalus are a race of cyber-humanoids that millions of years ago evolved from the Human colonists of the planet Aleer III. Physically and genetically they are almost but not quite identical to their original Human stock. However they have evolved to become an amalgamation of biological and mechanical parts. They are not Cyborgs, living beings that graft mechanical improvements to their bodies. Mechalus are actually born with their mechanical improvements. They are techno-organic life forms. Their bio-technology is quite fascinating, the Mechalus reproduce sexually & when a female Mechalus’ ovum is fertilized the offspring grows in the Mother’s womb where the Mother’s nano-bots begin the cybernetic augmentation of the fetus. Veins of circuitry weave with flesh and blood to form a totally synthesized body. The hair of these beings is a combination of protein strands and filaments of cable and wire. Even the skeleton has been reinforced with super-strong synthetic material, and bony protective plates can be seen beneath the translucent bio-organic flesh at the shoulders and across the chest. Their eyes are a pure white with a slight glow and because of their advanced digestive system they can live on virtually anything organic. Finally their biological body generates electrical current (not unlike an electric eel) which powers their cybernetics.

The Mechalus home planet is totally urbanized & covered with metal also the industrial pollution is very toxic to most life forms with the obvious exceptions of Holograms & Mechanoids. Indeed the excessive pollution is the reason for the evolution of the Mechalus. You see rather than control or clean up toxic waste & smog on their planet the original Aleer colonists just began to use cyber-tech in order to survive. Way back in ancient times during the transition period from Human to post Human Cyber-humanoids much of the Machalus history was lost. The modern day Machalus believe they evolved naturally from the “metal jungles” of their world & have lost all knowledge of their human origins. As one might expect the Mechalus are experts at computer science & get a natural +2 for any computer skill checks.

Aleer III

This Planet is an inhospitable world of pollutant wastes and acidic clouds, the result of tens of thousands of years of industrial manufacture. The native Machalus people live in huge cities - constructions so tall that their higher levels pierce the toxic clouds that cling to the surface of the planet and rise into the upper reaches of the atmosphere. There are miles of steel, ash, & concrete waste strewed across the surface of the Planet. It was not always this way. Once Aleer was a garden world carefully & meticulously terraformed by a lost Robot Terraforming Star Fleet. Now it’s an environmentalist’s vision of hell! Only a handful of life forms can survive this toxic world. First there are the Machalus of course. Then an underground civilization of Evolved Rats (see main Red Dwarf RPG book) who in spite of the grungy nature of this planet STILL manage to have the cleanest most immaculate Zoot Suits you have ever seen (GELF scientists & GELF owners of Interstellar Laundry Mats are STILL trying with little success to learn the Rat’s secret). Various semi-edible Algae, Fungi, Lichens, & mutant weeds still grow on Aleer. Plus giant cockroaches & other large mutated intelligent & non-intelligent insects live in the industrial ruins.


Approximately three centuries after the Morning War, the geth were approached by the Reaper Nazara, also known as Sovereign. It offered them technology that would aid them in achieving their goal, in exchange for their assistance in capturing the Citadel and letting the Reaper invasion begin. The majority of the geth dismissed the offer, deeming it better to accomplish their goal with their own technology rather than be dependent on another race's technology. These geth discarded what they called the "superstitious title" of the Reapers, and simply called them the Old Machines.
Heretic geth established outposts on several barren worlds in anticipation of a major assault

A small percentage of geth, however, accepted the Reaper's help. Henceforth these geth were referred to by the mainstream geth as "heretics". They were allowed to peacefully leave the main geth network, and aid Nazara and its turian agent, Saren Arterius. The heretics came to revere Nazara as a god, the pinnacle of synthetic evolution.

Unknown to them, Nazara was repulsed by the heretics' worship of it. The Reaper was actually insulted by their "pitiful devotions", though it recognised their value as tools to facilitate its goals. They aided Nazara and Saren in many engagements, such as the attack on Eden Prime, and the Battle of the Citadel. After Nazara was destroyed in the latter battle, the heretics lost much of their menace, and their operations outside of the Perseus Veil were quickly mopped up by Council forces. The heretics did maintain operation of a large space station within the Terminus Systems, located in deep space between stars.

According to Legion, the geth that served Sovereign were actually a splinter faction, and the much larger geth collective opposes the Reapers. Legion is part of this larger faction; they refer to the Reapers as "Old Machines" and Sovereign as Nazara. Legion explains that other geth have no hostility towards Commander Shepard or even the quarians. While the geth heretics that serve the Reapers want the Reapers to give them a future, Legion and like-minded geth want to make their own future.

Despite this difference, the baseline geth respected the heretics' decision and did not label it as "wrong". Using another analogy, Legion explains that in simple terms, "Heretics say, one is less than two. Geth say, two is less than three." The heretics were allowed to leave peacefully, to join their god and its prophet.

It was therefore a shock to Legion when the heretics grew deceitful against the baseline geth. The heretics planted run-times within geth networks to spy on them, and obtained a Reaper virus from Sovereign capable of changing a geth's judgement, introducing a subtle math error which would eventually compel them to believe that worshipping the Reapers was correct. If Legion is allowed to join Shepard's team, they can go to Heretic Station in The Sea of Storms to stop the virus. Legion suggests that the virus could be re-purposed to reprogram the heretics into rejoining the collective or destroy them, thus depriving the Reapers of useful servants. Legion, however, cannot reach a "consensus" among its programs and defers to Shepard's judgment, insisting Shepard make the decision because the Commander has fought the heretics and the "Old Machines". This gives Shepard a perspective the baseline geth lack.

Should Shepard state that rewriting the geth is morally acceptable as geth are machines, Legion will concur with the Commander's logic. If Shepard's team member expresses surprise at Legion for this, it will respond that to believe every being shares your views and abides by your morality is arrogant and racist. Ultimately, Shepard can choose whether to destroy the heretic geth, simply removing the threat, or reprogram the heretics to no longer follow Sovereign and return to the geth.


An astromech droid, sometimes shortened to just an astromech and also referred to as an astro droid, was a type of droid that served as an automated mechanic, performing a variety of repair duties and often serving as an adjunct or substitute for a nav computer on smaller starships. Astromech droids could also use the mainframes of larger ships to their advantage. Many starfighters relied on astromech co-pilots.

An astromech droid's primary purpose on a smaller ship such as a starfighter was as a backup or replacement for a nav computer; however, due to the limitations of each unit's astrogation buffer, an astromech could only hold a set number of hyperspace coordinates. The droid also provided in-flight maintenance and repair, and performed a number of routine functions so the pilot could focus on flying the ship.

Larger starships usually carried a large complement of these droids in case of malfunctions or combat damage, while some snubfighters (notably the T-65 X-wing starfighter and Naboo N-1 starfighter) carried a droid in a special port for in-flight field repairs. Astromech droids had, in some cases, also been known to carry out light janitorial duties, and several instances of slicing carried out by these droids have been known, though this often required the installation of special programming.

Most astromechs were only able to communicate in writing, conveyed via another computer system, or through binary, a special code of clicks, bleeps, and similar sounds. Some craft that used astromechs could be equipped with astromech translators to facilitate communication.

The term "astromech droid" had been used informally by spacers since around the time of the Jedi Civil War at least, to refer to the utility droids that performed similar tasks during that era. It was not until some decades before the beginning of the Clone Wars, when the company Industrial Automaton started launching its highly successful lines of astromech droids, that the term caught on and started to become synonymous with its models, most notably the R-series of astromech droids, ranging from the R1-series to the R9-series.

An astromech droid's primary purpose on a smaller ship such as a starfighter was as a backup or replacement for a nav computer; however, due to the limitations of each unit's astrogation buffer, an astromech could only hold a set number of hyperspace coordinates. The droid also provided in-flight maintenance and repair, and performed a number of routine functions so the pilot could focus on flying the ship.

Larger starships usually carried a large complement of these droids in case of malfunctions or combat damage, while some snubfighters (notably the T-65 X-wing starfighter and Naboo N-1 starfighter) carried a droid in a special port for in-flight field repairs. Astromech droids had, in some cases, also been known to carry out light janitorial duties, and several instances of slicing carried out by these droids have been known, though this often required the installation of special programming.

Most astromechs were only able to communicate in writing, conveyed via another computer system, or through binary, a special code of clicks, bleeps, and similar sounds. Some craft that used astromechs could be equipped with astromech translators to facilitate communication.

The term "astromech droid" had been used informally by spacers since around the time of the Jedi Civil War at least, to refer to the utility droids that performed similar tasks during that era. It was not until some decades before the beginning of the Clone Wars, when the company Industrial Automaton started launching its highly successful lines of astromech droids, that the term caught on and started to become synonymous with its models, most notably the R-series of astromech droids, ranging from the R1-series to the R9-series.


Moya's Pilot

From his chamber deep within the bowels of Moya, Pilot plays a regular part in the day-to-day running of the ship. Though not as much attention is paid to him in comparison with the rest of the crew, Pilot carries out his job behind the scenes ensuring day-to-day operational stability for the ship and its inhabitants. He also looks after Moya who, in turn, looks after him.
Taxonomy

Pilots appear to be bred for practicality, most likely a result of the Peacekeeper enslavement of their species. The face is large, with a human (or Sebacean) hand being about the same size of a cheek. The head appears very large, most likely to host a brain capable of intense cognitive function enabling the processing of its own thoughts as an independent, sentient creature in parallel with its host Leviathan. The four "arms" operate controls on the console the Pilot is situated at in the Leviathan, but also carry remarkable strength. Below the console, where the Pilot is situated when bonded with a Leviathan, is the second half of the Pilot's body.[1] This area is where various mandibles, tentacles and the like are that also interact with the host Leviathan. All of this is natural to the Pilot, as was discovered on the occasion when Moya's crewmembers exchanged bodies (Pilot included[5]).

Pilots have the ability to regenerate themselves from injury quickly, perhaps due to their bonding with their host Leviathan. Moya's Pilot has had his arm sliced off once,[6] and the Pilot aboard Rovhu[7] has had his arms eaten off numerous times, yet they grow back seemingly very quickly. Because of the fact that Pilots cannot travel from their home planet without being bonded to a Leviathan, and those who do tend to be in Peacekeeper servitude, their parts can be high in demand by researchers. To wit, one of Moya's Pilot's arms was removed when the crew attempted to use it to bargain with the scientist NamTar.[6]

When in transit by Peacekeepers a metallic ring is used to float Pilots in the air for maneuvering. This poses the question as to the exact nature of the Pilots' home world[1] – it appears to be mountainous in some places, but generally covered with fog and cloud, obscuring the surface.

The Pilots' mother tongue is an ancient one, the same as presumably spoken by their ancestors.[1] This language is too complex for translator microbes to interpret, as it can convey huge amounts of meaning, inflection and emotion in a single sentence. As such, Pilots can have difficulty speaking in more linear terms comprehensible by other lifeforms. However, they can use this language to communicate with DRDs, voice-commanding them when necessary.[1] However, even with their great ancestry, Pilots are deemed unworthy of conversing with the deities of Leviathans, the Builders.[3] Also, Pilots are able to understand a wide variety of languages that translator microbes cannot, since they can intuit a wide variety of sensations, concepts and ideas (as is witnessed by Pilot's understanding of the language spoken by Vorcs[8]).

A Pilot can communicate throughout its host Leviathan, often using personal transmitters (comms) to communicate to each of the crew personally or an onboard clam-shaped transceiver, which not only transmits sound but also shows a 3D holographic image of the Pilot.
Relationships with Leviathans

Pilots and Leviathans seem to have co-existed symbiotically from the beginning – for some reason Pilots do not seem to be able (or willing) to travel from their home planet without being bonded to a Leviathan. As such, there is the matter of how Pilots get to the Leviathan. One theory is an intermediary party, such as the Peacekeepers or Relgarians (with whom Pilots and Leviathans both hold a deep respect for).

When Pilots are bonded they know that they will probably never be free from the Leviathan. Being a benign species, this does not seem to bother Pilots much. They also know that their circulatory systems, nutrition, and health will be maintained by the host Leviathan, so good health is assured along with the Leviathan. Pilots regularly bond willingly with Leviathans, in order to see the stars and have a greater sense of freedom. However, Pilots can be removed and replaced by another – although if the Pilot and Leviathan are not joined within roughly one arn both wounds will scab over and the two can never be rejoined, leading to the death of the unjoined Pilot.

Pilots are able to communicate with their Leviathan, both through the console and via thought. For instance, certain commands with Leviathans can be executed by focusing on a particular thought, such as a color.[5] It is thought that they also share the same emotions and feelings as their Leviathan, although they can disagree. Pilots can tell when the Leviathan is happy, sad, scared et cetera. The last two are common emotions with Leviathans, having been enslaved by the Peacekeepers. Pilots are not limited to sensing feelings however, they can also intuit what the Leviathan is planning to do and (more or less) converse with it. Good examples of these are how Pilot always knows when Moya is going to Starburst, or at the beginning of the Episode 1.17 ("Through the Looking Glass") where Pilot relays Moya's worries to the crew.

Because of this, Pilots seem to use a very complex way of thinking.[6] It is indicated that they have to link thoughts together, rather than irrationally having different thoughts. Everything must flow. This may be a side-effect of having to do some of the thinking for another being (the Leviathan) or just sharing their thoughts. As mentioned above, this is also because of some of the Leviathan's operations being thought-provoked, and the Pilot must manage all these tasks in its mind for them to be affected.[5] Pilots also do not seem to be affected by the Nebari "mind cleansing", and nullify the effect.[9] This may be because of the mind sharing which takes place between Pilots and Leviathans, along with the complex methods of thinking Pilots possess.
Enslavement and Servitude

Like Leviathans, Pilots have been enslaved by the Peacekeepers to monitor systems whilst the Leviathan does the flying, under control of the Peacekeeper control collar.[10][1] In such cases Pilots merely act as janitors of the ship, keeping the DRDs under control and ensuring everything is in working order.[11]

On their home world, the elders of their society judge which Pilots are destined to bond with Leviathans. It is possible the Pilot elders may have a pact with the Peacekeepers to train Pilots into Peacekeeper servitude, or with the Relgarians for transplant to a suitable Leviathan.[1]

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