Species 615

Overview
Species 615 is a genus of lifeforms native to the Shackleton Expanse. These humanoids are silicone-based, gelatinous bipeds with an exterior, translucent ‘skin’, encasing a singular central brain and muscular hydrostat. Possessing no facial features and/or other regular sensory organs, the species is believed to derive awareness of their surroundings through their skin and extrasensory perception such as electromagnetism. The absence of a digestive system also suggests other forms of biotic-energy production and storage.

It is presently unclear whether the physical representation of Species 615 is their naturally evolved appearance, or an artificially created host body. If naturally achieved, it would suggest an extensive timeframe of evolution. As does the heightened telepathic and telekinetic abilities, as well as the proposed transference of one’s entire conscience into another host body temporarily, across vast distances.

Additionally, Species 615 is virtually immortal, as their bodies don’t experience aging, and could theoretically be replaced easily, by transferring one individual’s conscience to another. Taking that into account, it is believed that they evolved to not perceive the passage of time as a linear process, but rather as past, present and future, existing within the very same moment. As is evident in their language conveying an entire conversation in one sound. Even answers to question that haven’t been asked yet, by linear standards.

External Characteristics
Species 615 is bilaterally symmetrical along its dorso-ventral axis; the head and foot are at one end of an elongated body and function as the anterior (front) of the individual. The head includes the brain. The arms are elongated and end in two-digit prongs with one imposable thumb each. These features are highly devolved and mostly vestigial, due to the presence of telekinetic manipulation.

The skin consists of a thin outer epidermis with mucous cells and sensory cells, and a connective tissue dermis consisting largely of collagen fibres and various cells allowing light to pass through. Most of the body is made of soft tissue allowing it to lengthen, contract, and contort itself. Lacking skeletal support, the entire body works as muscular hydrostat and contains longitudinal, transverse and circular muscles around a central axial nerve. They can extend and contract, twist to left or right, bend at any place in any direction or be held rigid.

Circulatory System
These humanoids have a closed circulatory system, in which orthosilicic acid circulates between the muscular hydrostat and the mucus exterior membrane. Not possessing a heart, or other circulatory pump, the solution moves due to electromagnetic polarity.

Orthosilicic acid, enriched with hydrogen radicals from the surrounding medium, gains a positive charge and is thus attracted to the negatively charged core, where the energy is being exchanged through a hemocyanin membrane. Thus, gaining a negative charge, the liquid is then pushed back towards the exterior skin. In cold conditions with low oxygen levels, hemocyanin adopts hydrogen more efficiently than hemoglobin. The hemocyanin is dissolved in the muscle instead of being carried within blood vessels and gives the core a bluish color.

Respiration and Digestion
Due to the fact that no oxygenating chemical reaction takes place to produce energy, Species 615 does not require a respiratory system. The hydrogen radicals, absorbed through the skin, deliver an energy charge to the muscular hydrostat, and central nervous system, via a simple dynamo effect. This energy is then partly stored in luminescent, white, silicate crystals, that form within the core.

A highly specialized and effective storage solution, individuals can persist within a hydrogen-free environment for extended periods of time, up to 30 years. During such time, silicate crystals are dissolved into hydrogen bromide, giving off 99.99% of their originally retained energy. Taking on a bright red hue, these isotopes remain within the body and will loose 0.01% effectiveness, when being transformed back into silicate crystals. This chemical byproduct is considered to be the only sign of linear ageing, present in Species 615.

Nervous System and Senses
The species has the highest brain-to-body mass ratio of all known humanoids; it is also greater than that of many vertebrates. It has a highly complex nervous system, only part of which is localized in its brain, which is contained in a cartilaginous capsule. Two-thirds of an individual's neurons are found in the nerve cords of its body, which show a variety of complex reflex actions that persist even when they have no input from the brain. Unlike other humanoids, the complex motor skills of Species 615 is not organized in their brain via an internal somatotopic map of their body, instead using a nonsomatotopic system unique to large-brained invertebrates.

Like cephalopods, Species 615 can distinguish the polarisation of light. Researchers believe that opsins in the skin can sense different wavelengths of light and help the body to distinguish objects without help of the brain. Other researchers hypothesise that photoreceptor proteins in the skin may use chromatic aberration to turn monochromatic input into a form of ‘color vision’, though this sacrifices image quality.

Attached to the brain are two special organs called statocysts, that allow the species to sense the orientation of its body. They provide information on the position of the body relative to the galactic plane and can detect angular acceleration. They are thus not bound to gravity in order to determine their orientation within a given space. The statocyst may also be used to hear sound. It is estimated they can pick up sounds between 400 Hz and 1000 Hz, and hear best at 600 Hz.

Additionally, Species 615 has an excellent sense of touch. Their skin is equipped with chemoreceptors so the individual can taste what it touches. The skin also contains tension sensors, so the body knows whether its arms or legs are stretched out, which is sufficient to determine the position of all limbs and negates the need for proprioceptive sense – a visual input.

In terms of extrasensory abilities, Species 615 has a cognitive process that is not bound to a distinct neuroreceptor pattern. It can thus transfer their entire conscience easily to a suitable host across distances in excess of 50 lightyears. It is believed that such vast distances, for telepathy and telekinesis, are possible due to the evolutionary similarity of brainwave patterns and background radiation eddies, within the Expanse. However, limitations do apply in the similarity of host bodies to the standard genetical makeup of Species 615. Especially in terms of neuroreceptor patterns.

Thus they can only remain for indefinite amount of times within their own species, but are limited to shorter excursions within host bodies of other humanoids and vertebrates. Typically up to a week at a time.

Society
Little is known about Species 615’s rituals and social hierarchy. On their homeworld - the only known place for their physical forms to exist – individuals can aggregate in groups up to 200 specimens. Mainly to share conscience and act as small hive minds.

Since one individuals conscience can both exist within multiple host bodies at the same time, as well as sometimes one host body being home to more than one individual’s brain patterns, precise population numbers are impossible to discern.

There seem to be no traditional family groups or other interpersonal connections specific to certain individuals, as there are no parents or children, and everyone is – in a sense – related to one another, in equal measure.

Technology
Species 615 possesses no technology to speak of. Their entire development seems to have evolved into a form of biotechnology that provides support for everyday life. Such as their host bodies and their telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Being able to possess the minds of any sentient species within at least a 50-lightyear radius of their homeworld, use for space travel is nonexistent, as is the technology that would normally be associated with it.

At the same time, as they are biologically engineered to absorb energy through hydrogen radicals in their environment, there is no need for agriculture or any form of energy producing technology. As they have no eyes, there is no need for electricity and artificial lights. And as their home planet has no seasons or weather, they don’t have housing or architecture either.

Considered an existentialist lifestyle, Species 615 seems to have also moved on spiritually, from any and all material possessions and necessities. Including the use of weaponry and defensive mechanisms.

Politics
Being an isolated society, and a dominating superpower on a stellar scale, it is hard to qualify Species 615 by political motives. Although never leaving their homeworld, they exert a great deal of influence and control throughout the Expanse due to their elusive telepathic abilities. Some civilizations have leadership that is almost continuously possessed by one or more individuals, essentially being governed by Species 615. Other races hold a somewhat religious dependency, assuming them to be deities who appear in visions and manifestations, to control their fate.

As there is no indication that the species does pursue any kind of strategic interest with the control exerted, there are notions of defense and preservation suggested, in the way other civilizations are deliberately kept away from the inner core of the Expanse, and their homeworld. Where at the same time, there seems to be little care or worry, about harming or controlling other sentient species. Or any regard for the furthering or improvement of their development.

Never displaying a deliberately aggressive stance, Species 615’s external affairs could nonetheless be considered careless and omnipotent.

Internally their organisation could be easiest described as anarchistic. As there seem to be no individuals of higher value, or standing, than all the others. They also seem to act more out of individual momentary instinct, rather than premeditated design. Which could be a byproduct of them presumably not experiencing time as linear. Eliminating the need for discussions or votes.