Done!
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Technology: Though behind the galactic curve in respect to medical science and advanced machine intelligence it could be said that bitumans are one of the leading technological super-powers, if not the defacto kings. The bulk of these advancements are focused towards quality of life, further understanding the universe and artistic endeavors, though that isn't to say the military sector suffers neglect.
Military Structure:
The Adipicracy distinguishes itself from other nations by fielding a peacekeeping force rather than a military in the truest sense, as such it is more apt to compare them to a very well armed branch of the police force than career soldiers. Bitumans will always prefer a cease fire to a victory, offer routed fleets safe conduct and have a special task force dedicated to guiding disable enemy vessels and lifepods out of the crossfire. Easily identified by their two-tone pink and purple color scheme and the golden disc they display as an emblem.
Both on planet and off they prefer to dig in at extreme range and cut off an enemy advance with artillery fire, complicating engagements with well planned ambushes and tactical retreats.
The Bituman Adipicracy
A species of hideous slug-like aliens covered in strange extremities that experienced a sudden surge of social and scientific growth when the Voyager-1 space probe collided with their homeworld--surviving thanks to a near non-existent atmosphere and gelatinous envelope that surrounds the planet.
This in turn fostered a certain fanaticism for these benefactors from beyond the stars and the species became enamored with human culture, to the point of emulating it where applicable. Obsessed with showing off just how 'ennobled' they've become and 'humanizing' the less civilized species that come in contact with bitumans are actually pretty meddlesome as far as space fairing nations are concerned; even if they're damnably polite about it.
This in turn fostered a certain fanaticism for these benefactors from beyond the stars and the species became enamored with human culture, to the point of emulating it where applicable. Obsessed with showing off just how 'ennobled' they've become and 'humanizing' the less civilized species that come in contact with bitumans are actually pretty meddlesome as far as space fairing nations are concerned; even if they're damnably polite about it.
Bituman territory is developed in a repeating pattern. In the center lie decadent civilian systems sanctioned for pleasure seeking and artistic pursuit. Next we find more industrialized systems where materials are refined and produced. Lastly a shell of 'border systems' protects the previous two, housing a higher concentration of peacekeeping forces and security measures. Of course bleed over exists from one cross-section to the next, with trade and commerce connecting them (Think of it a spherical venn diagram) This sequence repeats over and over to the very edges of the Adipicracy's sphere of influence.
Moreover, nearly the whole hundred systems of Bituman space are bathed in the vibrant emissions of a massive nebula
Home System - The unimaginatively designated Bornthere system houses a series of high volume, low density planets orbiting a magnitude 12 binary star nearly four times as luminous as earth's sun. Firsthome is the third planet from this star and has a swampy almost gelatinous texture to the soil and an oxygenated envelope of something best described as jell-o holds most of the world's water. The remaining six planets either grow larger, lighter and drier as they approach the star or smaller, wetter and colder with distance. Of note Cantland, the closest planet to their sun has such low density that it would float on water and much of its atmosphere escapes in a comet-like tail.
Capital System - The Voyager's Grace system benefited a bit more from post-probe naming convention and is highly urbanized. Chosen mainly on the merits of beauty this system became the seed from which organized expansion grew. Voyager's Grace houses three worlds in total, Johnny B, Cascabel and *Whalesong noises*. Planetary 'triplets' they orbit their star at the same approximate distance approximately equidistant from each other. For sixty percent of any one planet's trip around the sun inhabitants may observe a nearby hypercompact stellar system in the night sky. The surface of these worlds could be considered a superstructures, since they have been built up, colored, carefully maintained (and on more than one occasion orbitally bombarded) to present a pictorial record of bituman achievement.
Moreover, nearly the whole hundred systems of Bituman space are bathed in the vibrant emissions of a massive nebula
Home System - The unimaginatively designated Bornthere system houses a series of high volume, low density planets orbiting a magnitude 12 binary star nearly four times as luminous as earth's sun. Firsthome is the third planet from this star and has a swampy almost gelatinous texture to the soil and an oxygenated envelope of something best described as jell-o holds most of the world's water. The remaining six planets either grow larger, lighter and drier as they approach the star or smaller, wetter and colder with distance. Of note Cantland, the closest planet to their sun has such low density that it would float on water and much of its atmosphere escapes in a comet-like tail.
Capital System - The Voyager's Grace system benefited a bit more from post-probe naming convention and is highly urbanized. Chosen mainly on the merits of beauty this system became the seed from which organized expansion grew. Voyager's Grace houses three worlds in total, Johnny B, Cascabel and *Whalesong noises*. Planetary 'triplets' they orbit their star at the same approximate distance approximately equidistant from each other. For sixty percent of any one planet's trip around the sun inhabitants may observe a nearby hypercompact stellar system in the night sky. The surface of these worlds could be considered a superstructures, since they have been built up, colored, carefully maintained (and on more than one occasion orbitally bombarded) to present a pictorial record of bituman achievement.
Adipicracy (rule by fat) A quasi-religious meritocracy where the largest (best) examples of their race occupy the most desirous positions. These primarchs form a democratic body where each individual is weighed at the time of a vote. It is the total weight of the voters, not the number of votes cast in favor or against that determines if a motion is passed. It's surprisingly efficient.
Bitumeno sapiens sapiens, bitumanity or just bitumans if you prefer resemble nothing so much as large, hairy slugs when they are born. These 'hairs' are actually fleshy electroreceptors through which they map their environment, so sensitive as to provide a sort of 'electrosonar'. In the thick, jell-o-like ooze of their homeworld this allows for individuals to monitor their neighbors rather precisely, a habit that's earned them an entirely justifiable reputation for being nosey. Four sensory tentacles protrude from their face--such as it is--these stalks being matched pairs of mechano- and chemosensory organs. If one could say they 'see' electric fields than so to do they 'hear' smells, their language based largely on chemical emission and detection. Uniquely this allows for any member of the species to leave 'messages' as a chemical footprint, which in turn gave rise to scent graffiti; their bathrooms are horrible.
Initially on the low rung of the evolutionary ladder and far end of the food chain a fluke of nature cemented their dominance. While lacking a proper brain they do possess knots of nerve cells capable of processing a myriad of sensory inputs and the larger a bituman grows the more numerous these knots become. The importance of this ties into their prehensile inner workings, which they may use to 'hermit crab.' bits of the recently slain onto themselves. Originally a survival mechanism for reattaching sections of themselves or graft to a mate appropriating the advantages of other fauna allowed for a level of predation and safety their species sorely lacked. Over time these new extremities are assimilated, taking on the same soft, seemingly fragile but surprisingly robust consistency as the rest of their host and grow a layer of electroreceptors. More importantly they gain control of the new appendage which serves to house new nerve clusters. Socially this means that bitumans associate smallness with stupidity and are much happier to interact with fat diplomats.
Technically genderless they give 'birth' by grafting onto a mate and the two dividing into several juveniles. As such they again associate size with virility. Beyond that they share many of the same peculiarities of terrestrial slugs, including an extreme susceptibility to water loss through osmosis.
Initially on the low rung of the evolutionary ladder and far end of the food chain a fluke of nature cemented their dominance. While lacking a proper brain they do possess knots of nerve cells capable of processing a myriad of sensory inputs and the larger a bituman grows the more numerous these knots become. The importance of this ties into their prehensile inner workings, which they may use to 'hermit crab.' bits of the recently slain onto themselves. Originally a survival mechanism for reattaching sections of themselves or graft to a mate appropriating the advantages of other fauna allowed for a level of predation and safety their species sorely lacked. Over time these new extremities are assimilated, taking on the same soft, seemingly fragile but surprisingly robust consistency as the rest of their host and grow a layer of electroreceptors. More importantly they gain control of the new appendage which serves to house new nerve clusters. Socially this means that bitumans associate smallness with stupidity and are much happier to interact with fat diplomats.
Technically genderless they give 'birth' by grafting onto a mate and the two dividing into several juveniles. As such they again associate size with virility. Beyond that they share many of the same peculiarities of terrestrial slugs, including an extreme susceptibility to water loss through osmosis.
A repressively civil society bitumans of all walks of life value little so much as manners, bearing and of course their own personal standing--and those that don't are remarkably good at keeping up the pretense. Perhaps one of the only species to make use of edible currency those driven enough to 'make it big' do so literally, for in the adipicracy girth equals worth. Ruled by a council of primarchs, selected from a monthly census as examples of the biggest (thus best) citizens; this system guarantees that only the most worthy are elevated to positions of power. While political parties are strictly outlawed for the sake of impartiality there are two accepted schools of thought on national policy: focusing on how aggressively uncivilized space should be 'humanized.' One end of the spectrum suggests leading by example and encouraging others to emulate them, the other preaches a doctrine where 'savage' species are actively sought out and reformed, whether they wish it or not.
Furthermore bitumans tend to specialize themselves as they mature, acquiring the experience, knowledge and not least of all anatomy necessary for certain career paths. Essentially the 'Mr. Potato Heads' of the universe for their ability to assimilate freshly acquired body parts an observer can usually get a good feel for an individual's interests and field of expertise with a cursory examination. This leads to anatomy being treated as personal property in the eyes of the law, and thus subject to confiscation if misused. Likewise body parts are regulated like any other commodity and make up a respectable portion of their markets.
Very much a people defined by the arrival of voyager-1 and its golden record they've modeled themselves in the enlightened image of humanity that the probe depicts, having barely invented a technology analogous to the phonograph beforehand. Where once recreational senses like sight and hearing had been niche interests the wealth of things to see and hear within the object sparked a planetwide phenomenon that persists to this day. Since then they've fostered their own artistic growth and have arguably surpassed all others in this endeavor--from cities to starships, clothing and cuisine beauty abounds. It has to, as the absence of such constitutes a finable offense.
Conversely their architecture ranges from difficult to impossible for bipedal organisms to traverse, designed around the ability to adhere to sheer, smooth surfaces. As such they tend to design tourist tracks for any such visitors--keeping certain areas inaccessible for the sake of privacy or peace of mind.
Furthermore bitumans tend to specialize themselves as they mature, acquiring the experience, knowledge and not least of all anatomy necessary for certain career paths. Essentially the 'Mr. Potato Heads' of the universe for their ability to assimilate freshly acquired body parts an observer can usually get a good feel for an individual's interests and field of expertise with a cursory examination. This leads to anatomy being treated as personal property in the eyes of the law, and thus subject to confiscation if misused. Likewise body parts are regulated like any other commodity and make up a respectable portion of their markets.
Very much a people defined by the arrival of voyager-1 and its golden record they've modeled themselves in the enlightened image of humanity that the probe depicts, having barely invented a technology analogous to the phonograph beforehand. Where once recreational senses like sight and hearing had been niche interests the wealth of things to see and hear within the object sparked a planetwide phenomenon that persists to this day. Since then they've fostered their own artistic growth and have arguably surpassed all others in this endeavor--from cities to starships, clothing and cuisine beauty abounds. It has to, as the absence of such constitutes a finable offense.
Conversely their architecture ranges from difficult to impossible for bipedal organisms to traverse, designed around the ability to adhere to sheer, smooth surfaces. As such they tend to design tourist tracks for any such visitors--keeping certain areas inaccessible for the sake of privacy or peace of mind.
Various offices each held by a body of primarchs, higher primacies superseding the authority of lower ones. Divided as so:
The Ultraprimacy: Governs matters that concern the civilization as a whole and consisting of five seats. Members average the size of a cruise liner.
Supreme Primacies: Govern matters of systemwide importance each instance holding a number of seats equal to the populated planets within the system in question. Members average the size of a jumbo jet.
High Primacies: Govern matters of planetary importance, each instance holding a number of seats equal to the amount of provinces it oversees. Members average the size of a blue whale.
Low Primacies: Govern matters of provincial importance, each instance consisting of seven seats. Members average the size of truck trailers.
Local Primacies: Govern matters of citywide importance, each instance consisting of nine seats. Members average the size moving vans.
Due to the relation of size to competence this system is less effective at the local level, leading to 'shit rolling uphill'. As such High Primacies tend to be utterly beleaguered, as new mandates are set for them at the supreme level and old problems rise up from on low.
While technically equals within their own office the heaviest in the Ultraprimacy holds the honorary title of First Primarch and with it custodianship of Voyager's golden record--since become a medallion of status.
The reason all levels of government aren't filled by Ultraprimarch sized citizens is owed to the fact one may decline the position if offered, with many sizable individuals having more important things to do than hold a 'mere' planetary office.
The Ultraprimacy: Governs matters that concern the civilization as a whole and consisting of five seats. Members average the size of a cruise liner.
Supreme Primacies: Govern matters of systemwide importance each instance holding a number of seats equal to the populated planets within the system in question. Members average the size of a jumbo jet.
High Primacies: Govern matters of planetary importance, each instance holding a number of seats equal to the amount of provinces it oversees. Members average the size of a blue whale.
Low Primacies: Govern matters of provincial importance, each instance consisting of seven seats. Members average the size of truck trailers.
Local Primacies: Govern matters of citywide importance, each instance consisting of nine seats. Members average the size moving vans.
Due to the relation of size to competence this system is less effective at the local level, leading to 'shit rolling uphill'. As such High Primacies tend to be utterly beleaguered, as new mandates are set for them at the supreme level and old problems rise up from on low.
While technically equals within their own office the heaviest in the Ultraprimacy holds the honorary title of First Primarch and with it custodianship of Voyager's golden record--since become a medallion of status.
The reason all levels of government aren't filled by Ultraprimarch sized citizens is owed to the fact one may decline the position if offered, with many sizable individuals having more important things to do than hold a 'mere' planetary office.
These organizations tend to be filled and founded by the more well fed members of society, either sitting or ex-primarchs or those weighty enough to be their peers. In general they are major enterprises and monopolies, academies and members-only clubs for art and science. Whilst all adipicians (adips for short) enjoy a certain measure of privileged they're always vying for status amongst themselves, making such organizations somewhat similar to the noble houses of old.
These organizations tend to be filled and founded by the less well fed members of society, usually juveniles, down-and-out adults or those purposefully 'held-back' by their superiors. In general they tend to be labor unions, adoption agencies, communal houses and support groups. Inprocerians (inpros for short) range from the size of a hippo to as small as a human being, organizations like these take some of the pressure off being the little guy in a society where girth is worth.
Humanites - An order of 'human enthusiast' that selectively alter their bodies to better emulate homo sapiens, often donning skin jumpsuits and gender identities to do so. Seen by and large as sexual fetishists by their genderless peers, morphs--as they're better known--tend to be secretive about this socially damaging hobby. To be fair the bulk of them really are just perverted xenophiles--but they make up an embarrassingly large slice of the populace.
Lessers - A catch all term for non-conformists, radical thinkers, anarchists and career criminals that offend the established norms and accepted moralities of the adipicracy as a whole. Recently expanded to include alien species that fall flat of the expected level of refinement bitumans adhere to.
Dry Eclipse - A powerful terrorist group dedicated to a pro-bituman agenda and the preservation of pre-voyager traditions. Allegedly composed of influential sleeper agents and highly modified assassins they've claimed responsibility for several high profile saltings and murders. Thanks to piracy, the trafficking and sale of narcotics as well as private interests both within and without the nation they persist as a destabilizing force in the region.
Lessers - A catch all term for non-conformists, radical thinkers, anarchists and career criminals that offend the established norms and accepted moralities of the adipicracy as a whole. Recently expanded to include alien species that fall flat of the expected level of refinement bitumans adhere to.
Dry Eclipse - A powerful terrorist group dedicated to a pro-bituman agenda and the preservation of pre-voyager traditions. Allegedly composed of influential sleeper agents and highly modified assassins they've claimed responsibility for several high profile saltings and murders. Thanks to piracy, the trafficking and sale of narcotics as well as private interests both within and without the nation they persist as a destabilizing force in the region.
What is the history of a nation to outsiders but the same tired play they've seen before performed by actors they've never heard of? Regimes that come and go, nations that rise and fall, the tides of war and peace pitted with the death and rebirth of knowledge. Etc. Etc. ad nauseam. Like all superpowers it started with a single planet and an unlikely animal making the impossible possible one thought at a time. Not much of note could be said of those early eras, they were a pragmatic people but needed a kick in the ass. The universe obliged.
Now each culture has that defining moment. One event so relevant to how they evolved socially that history gets chopped into pre and post right then and there. For the bitumans it was receiving a message in a bottle by way of the voyager space probe, which just so happened to coincided perfectly with the invention of the phonograph and thousands of years of not giving a hot heck about outer space. Somehow between one half the witnesses rushing over to worship the thing and the other thinking they were under attack someone with a few thoughts to rub together gets ahold of it and sees the thing for what it is. Hard not to looking back, considering how much trouble those that built it went through when making the instructions. That golden disc may as well of been handed down by some almighty for how it effected people--it wasn't just like looking at another world it was like staring into the future and what might be accomplished there.
It's damned impressive what enough people can do when they set their minds to the same goal and let it be said there wasn't a single mind didn't want to see what other secrets the probe held. In time they had it all, even disassembled voyager and reverse engineered it. Culture bloomed, science took off by the seat of its pants and the old divisions of race and nationality began to fade. But hey, that's that story we've all heard before isn't it? Regimes that come and go, nations that rise and fall, the tides of war and peace pitted with the death and rebirth of knowledge. Etc. Etc. ad nauseam. Just moved the show to a bigger stage. So the era catches up with folks and they need that second boot to come around, well don't it just suit whomever's watching to kick a little harder this time. The universe obliged in a big way.
See that thing about pre and post awhile back has a way of repeating itself (and with history ain't that just the way?) So if someone were to ask about bituman history they'd get a simple question in return:
Where should we start? Pre-True Vacuum or after?
Now each culture has that defining moment. One event so relevant to how they evolved socially that history gets chopped into pre and post right then and there. For the bitumans it was receiving a message in a bottle by way of the voyager space probe, which just so happened to coincided perfectly with the invention of the phonograph and thousands of years of not giving a hot heck about outer space. Somehow between one half the witnesses rushing over to worship the thing and the other thinking they were under attack someone with a few thoughts to rub together gets ahold of it and sees the thing for what it is. Hard not to looking back, considering how much trouble those that built it went through when making the instructions. That golden disc may as well of been handed down by some almighty for how it effected people--it wasn't just like looking at another world it was like staring into the future and what might be accomplished there.
It's damned impressive what enough people can do when they set their minds to the same goal and let it be said there wasn't a single mind didn't want to see what other secrets the probe held. In time they had it all, even disassembled voyager and reverse engineered it. Culture bloomed, science took off by the seat of its pants and the old divisions of race and nationality began to fade. But hey, that's that story we've all heard before isn't it? Regimes that come and go, nations that rise and fall, the tides of war and peace pitted with the death and rebirth of knowledge. Etc. Etc. ad nauseam. Just moved the show to a bigger stage. So the era catches up with folks and they need that second boot to come around, well don't it just suit whomever's watching to kick a little harder this time. The universe obliged in a big way.
See that thing about pre and post awhile back has a way of repeating itself (and with history ain't that just the way?) So if someone were to ask about bituman history they'd get a simple question in return:
Where should we start? Pre-True Vacuum or after?
Officially the populace is to keep a stiff upper pneumostome about the whole affair, as it ill behooves them to get their wigglies in a twist over the sudden displacement. Oh it's all well and fine to be irked surely but now is the time for actions not hysterics. At the end of the day there's an awful lot of unfamiliar dots on the horizon and someone's going to have to sort that out before all the good names are taken.
Surely given the previous breadth of creation the adipicracy is unlikely to be the only system-spanning space power to have survived relatively unscathed, a notion that's somehow less comforting than being the sole inheritors of an empty Eden. But this does bring a small measure of hope that there may yet be time for that momentous first contact between themselves and humanity, assuming they too endured this cataclysm.
Lastly the improbable cookie-cutter cordoning of their territory into the true vacuum seems to point towards this being a deliberate action, some of the more eccentric thinkers suggesting the nation was 'pulled' here at the behest of powerful aliens. But then, decent folk don't lend much credence to these crackpot theories.
Surely given the previous breadth of creation the adipicracy is unlikely to be the only system-spanning space power to have survived relatively unscathed, a notion that's somehow less comforting than being the sole inheritors of an empty Eden. But this does bring a small measure of hope that there may yet be time for that momentous first contact between themselves and humanity, assuming they too endured this cataclysm.
Lastly the improbable cookie-cutter cordoning of their territory into the true vacuum seems to point towards this being a deliberate action, some of the more eccentric thinkers suggesting the nation was 'pulled' here at the behest of powerful aliens. But then, decent folk don't lend much credence to these crackpot theories.
Technology: Though behind the galactic curve in respect to medical science and advanced machine intelligence it could be said that bitumans are one of the leading technological super-powers, if not the defacto kings. The bulk of these advancements are focused towards quality of life, further understanding the universe and artistic endeavors, though that isn't to say the military sector suffers neglect.
Predictive Imaging - A joint effort of the late, great ultraprimarchs Elderrime and Oddtallow the predictive imaging technology of today is owed much to the 'prognostication theorem' of their colleague and rival Ser Drywort Deeptang. The theorem posits that due to the deterministic nature of creation an observer of sufficient intellect can accurately predict its future state via analysis of present conditions. Much as one might deduce past events in a similar manner. Deeptang's body of life's work then was a algorithmic compendium of 'shorthand' for this process, therein allowing one to simplify the equations and become 'minutely omniscient'
In practice the device takes a detailed 'snap-shot' of a region of space using a sophisticated and prohibitively expensive array of sensors then feeds that raw data to its operator. This prognostitian then immediately begins to ply their trade, attempting to sort and 'solve' the information it's been given at a fast enough pace to prove useful. Inherently they cannot account for interactions from outside the 'cropped' area, and thus produce a larger margin of error the more time elapses between each 'blip' of the array. Likewise communicating the predicted state and acting on this foreknowledge 'fouls' the equation by inserting new factors. Finally any object 'escaping' the analyzed region can no longer be calculated accurately.
All of the above means that the only effective military application of this technology is in a manner similar to sonar, providing a brief 'ghost' image of where something will be a scant few seconds before it gets there. Still, this results in the bituman navy having superior 'leading' on their weapons when compared to other regional powers, so long as they can protect the prognostitian and his vessel.
The Centerpiece Initiative - An ongoing effort by bituman society as a whole the centerpiece initiative demands not only minimum standards of beauty by law, but enforces a certain editorial control via the ultraprimacy. This means that not only does every facet of their culture a exude a certain artistic merit but fits carefully into the overall composition of Adipician space. Through the careful vetting and occasional excisement of available sights and stimuli this creates a web of subliminal influence designed to have broad appeal and personal draw. In other words it is almost impossible for a creature of above animal intelligence not to have at least a cursory appreciation of bituman art--and the longer one is subjected to it the more receptive they become to integration.
Advanced Time Dilation - Bitumans have developed a type of surprisingly inexpensive, yet power intensive emitter capable of projecting fields of sustained time dilation. Positive emitters cause effected objects to move the same speed over a much shorter period of time whereas negative emitters cause the reverse, acting as 'stasis fields'. While more widely seen in civilian use (Accelerated crop yields, the indefinite preservation of perishables, scientific observation) The bituman military eschews standard shielding in favor of so-called 'dilative armor'--a fancy way to say they intercept enemy fire via imposing a thin stasis barrier between it and themselves. While able to take more of a wallop than conventional countermeasures the associated energy costs prohibit protecting an entire vessel this way, making them much more vulnerable to flanking. This also means that to avoid taking the full brunt of fire accumulated on a shield a ship must either carefully reposition itself or make precision use of point defense systems before disengaging stasis.
Substandard Healthcare - Bituman's are really quite resistant to mundane sources of injury, able to knead themselves back together given the necessary respite. As such they prefer to excise sickness rather than treat it, and tend to prescribe 'eat more' over anything even remotely akin to medicine. Hospitals are a rarity in space they control, existing mostly as a way to quarantine the ill and hope they tough it out, with the smallest bitumans being the most susceptible.
Absent A.I.s - Given that size is a direct measure of bituman intelligence they've never had a real need for advanced artificial intelligence, as any that would be in a position to make use of one are generally on par with what technology could provide. Certain subversive elements would have you believe this to keep the inprocerian masses over-reliant to the adipician minority.
In practice the device takes a detailed 'snap-shot' of a region of space using a sophisticated and prohibitively expensive array of sensors then feeds that raw data to its operator. This prognostitian then immediately begins to ply their trade, attempting to sort and 'solve' the information it's been given at a fast enough pace to prove useful. Inherently they cannot account for interactions from outside the 'cropped' area, and thus produce a larger margin of error the more time elapses between each 'blip' of the array. Likewise communicating the predicted state and acting on this foreknowledge 'fouls' the equation by inserting new factors. Finally any object 'escaping' the analyzed region can no longer be calculated accurately.
All of the above means that the only effective military application of this technology is in a manner similar to sonar, providing a brief 'ghost' image of where something will be a scant few seconds before it gets there. Still, this results in the bituman navy having superior 'leading' on their weapons when compared to other regional powers, so long as they can protect the prognostitian and his vessel.
The Centerpiece Initiative - An ongoing effort by bituman society as a whole the centerpiece initiative demands not only minimum standards of beauty by law, but enforces a certain editorial control via the ultraprimacy. This means that not only does every facet of their culture a exude a certain artistic merit but fits carefully into the overall composition of Adipician space. Through the careful vetting and occasional excisement of available sights and stimuli this creates a web of subliminal influence designed to have broad appeal and personal draw. In other words it is almost impossible for a creature of above animal intelligence not to have at least a cursory appreciation of bituman art--and the longer one is subjected to it the more receptive they become to integration.
Advanced Time Dilation - Bitumans have developed a type of surprisingly inexpensive, yet power intensive emitter capable of projecting fields of sustained time dilation. Positive emitters cause effected objects to move the same speed over a much shorter period of time whereas negative emitters cause the reverse, acting as 'stasis fields'. While more widely seen in civilian use (Accelerated crop yields, the indefinite preservation of perishables, scientific observation) The bituman military eschews standard shielding in favor of so-called 'dilative armor'--a fancy way to say they intercept enemy fire via imposing a thin stasis barrier between it and themselves. While able to take more of a wallop than conventional countermeasures the associated energy costs prohibit protecting an entire vessel this way, making them much more vulnerable to flanking. This also means that to avoid taking the full brunt of fire accumulated on a shield a ship must either carefully reposition itself or make precision use of point defense systems before disengaging stasis.
-(Dilative Injection Implosion Turbine Engines) Pronounced 'di ite'
The beating heart of the bituman clean energy initiative
A clean burning, zero emission energy source, consisting of a very high yield implosion turbine engine sealed inside a secondary containment sphere. Arrayed 'positive' emitters--powered by the engine itself--cause the entire system to move the same speed but over a much 'shorter' period of time, increasing the power that can be generated when connected to systems not subject to this 'dilative injection'. A failure or breach results in an inward collapse as the massively powerful vortex violently destabilizes, an effect best observed in bituman vessels crumpling in on themselves when shot down.
The beating heart of the bituman clean energy initiative
Implosion turbines work according to the spiraling rhythmic motions of nature (bio-mimicry). The vortex inside is like a pump that is expanding and contracting by compressing the scalar wave-fields of the atomic elements centripetally as they pass through them and simultaneously expanding them centrifugally as they exit. These motions produce energy from water or air without chemically (explosively) converting either into inferior products like toxic waste or air pollution. The air and water that pass through the implosion turbines undergo a transformation of size from their normal wave-fields to extremely compressed ones at the turbine’s vortex center (the fulcrum point of the organic vacuum) and back again to normal size as they exit the turbine. This sets up an equal, but unbalanced rhythmic interchange of perpetual generation and regeneration, simulating the processes which power our Universe and give it, it’s form.
The temperature differences due to internal friction (the outer casing) in these implosion turbines and the much cooler vortex center, sets up more imbalance and the molecular sorting by weight due to centrifugal and centripetal motions adds more still, so that a rhythmical imbalance is ravenously seeking to balance itself by sucking in more air or water to relieve it’s excited condition of imbalance. There is also a process of atomic transformation which takes place as the atmospheric and aqueous elements interact with each other in this artificial environment of extreme speed and compression. This process produces enormous amounts of bio-magnetic levity (outward push) which streams upward in the opposite direction of the imploding vortices.
The rotational velocity of the longitudinal axis of the implosion turbine can be braked by a generator to produce electricity for conventional power distribution with far greater efficiency than exploding fuel to get a fraction of it’s potential energy in the form of usable power. The levity of the flowing bio-magnetism created by the implosion turbine can like wise be used to counter gravity’s inward pull and perform a staggering amount of work without creating any of the various forms of noxious pollution produced by academic methods. At the same time, an implosion turbine requires no combustible fuel as an energy source, because it uses it’s medium for the catalyst to produce energy, whether the turbine operates in air or water.
The temperature differences due to internal friction (the outer casing) in these implosion turbines and the much cooler vortex center, sets up more imbalance and the molecular sorting by weight due to centrifugal and centripetal motions adds more still, so that a rhythmical imbalance is ravenously seeking to balance itself by sucking in more air or water to relieve it’s excited condition of imbalance. There is also a process of atomic transformation which takes place as the atmospheric and aqueous elements interact with each other in this artificial environment of extreme speed and compression. This process produces enormous amounts of bio-magnetic levity (outward push) which streams upward in the opposite direction of the imploding vortices.
The rotational velocity of the longitudinal axis of the implosion turbine can be braked by a generator to produce electricity for conventional power distribution with far greater efficiency than exploding fuel to get a fraction of it’s potential energy in the form of usable power. The levity of the flowing bio-magnetism created by the implosion turbine can like wise be used to counter gravity’s inward pull and perform a staggering amount of work without creating any of the various forms of noxious pollution produced by academic methods. At the same time, an implosion turbine requires no combustible fuel as an energy source, because it uses it’s medium for the catalyst to produce energy, whether the turbine operates in air or water.
A clean burning, zero emission energy source, consisting of a very high yield implosion turbine engine sealed inside a secondary containment sphere. Arrayed 'positive' emitters--powered by the engine itself--cause the entire system to move the same speed but over a much 'shorter' period of time, increasing the power that can be generated when connected to systems not subject to this 'dilative injection'. A failure or breach results in an inward collapse as the massively powerful vortex violently destabilizes, an effect best observed in bituman vessels crumpling in on themselves when shot down.
Substandard Healthcare - Bituman's are really quite resistant to mundane sources of injury, able to knead themselves back together given the necessary respite. As such they prefer to excise sickness rather than treat it, and tend to prescribe 'eat more' over anything even remotely akin to medicine. Hospitals are a rarity in space they control, existing mostly as a way to quarantine the ill and hope they tough it out, with the smallest bitumans being the most susceptible.
Absent A.I.s - Given that size is a direct measure of bituman intelligence they've never had a real need for advanced artificial intelligence, as any that would be in a position to make use of one are generally on par with what technology could provide. Certain subversive elements would have you believe this to keep the inprocerian masses over-reliant to the adipician minority.
Military Structure:
The Adipicracy distinguishes itself from other nations by fielding a peacekeeping force rather than a military in the truest sense, as such it is more apt to compare them to a very well armed branch of the police force than career soldiers. Bitumans will always prefer a cease fire to a victory, offer routed fleets safe conduct and have a special task force dedicated to guiding disable enemy vessels and lifepods out of the crossfire. Easily identified by their two-tone pink and purple color scheme and the golden disc they display as an emblem.
Both on planet and off they prefer to dig in at extreme range and cut off an enemy advance with artillery fire, complicating engagements with well planned ambushes and tactical retreats.
The Aid Division - The most upright and adored daredevils this side of the Archon cluster the aid division risk their lives to clear disabled ships and shuttles from the crossfire, piloting sleek interceptors armed solely with stasis emitters and tow lines. Their heroism is legendary, with reports ranging from ramming disabled vessels clear of the battleground to deliberately steering their own ships into missiles.
PIEs - Predictive Imaging Equipment is deployed at the most protected point of a fleet, usually the rear or center-rear. Unarmed, unarmored and unshielded this is a delicate probe and communications relay manned by an equally inexpendable prognostician. PIEs act to enhance the leading of fleetwide weaponry not directly engage them and are appropriately defenseless.
Fleet Composition - The Bituman Peacefleet believes in safety through deterrence and to that end relies heavily on spinal mounts--fixed forward facing weaponry that each ship is built around. These designs favor a long linear profile and allow even smaller vessels to bring a big gun to the fight. Due to the larger target bituman vessels present to flankers the peacefleet begins engagements at ranges that could only be considered extreme and co-ordinate their patterns of fire to 'herd' opponents.
Like the Eym Bitumans make use of meson weaponry, with the caveat that their spinal mounted 'space artillery' are too high yield for short range engagements. For those unfamiliar with the mechanics of this:
Pi neutral mesons (created by the collision of an electron and a positron) are subatomic particles that pass through normal matter with very little interaction, similarly to neutrinos. However, the also have a very short life span, decaying with a burst of gamma rays, which reacts much more substantially with material substances. A meson gun accelerates pi neutral meson particles to near-lightspeed, where time dilation slows their rate of decay. If done with precision, the mesons can be timed to decay at a predetermined spot, and if packed densely enough in the beam they can unleash a tremendous amount of energy, approaching the level of nuclear bombs.
In general the peacefleet if fairly good at maintaining distance, preferring a tactical use of FTL if pressed into spitting distance and bristle with point defense for when missiles or fighters try to slip around their guard.
Special Use Weaponry - Again, it cannot be stressed how much bitumans like to distance themselves from the thick of a fray. Any significant fleet to fleet police action will see the use of FTL missile platforms, their strikes co-coordinated via comms buoy. Usually repurposed superfrieghters these platforms rarely cost as much as their payload and function under skeleton crews on the off chance a formation breaks off to engage them.
PIEs - Predictive Imaging Equipment is deployed at the most protected point of a fleet, usually the rear or center-rear. Unarmed, unarmored and unshielded this is a delicate probe and communications relay manned by an equally inexpendable prognostician. PIEs act to enhance the leading of fleetwide weaponry not directly engage them and are appropriately defenseless.
Fleet Composition - The Bituman Peacefleet believes in safety through deterrence and to that end relies heavily on spinal mounts--fixed forward facing weaponry that each ship is built around. These designs favor a long linear profile and allow even smaller vessels to bring a big gun to the fight. Due to the larger target bituman vessels present to flankers the peacefleet begins engagements at ranges that could only be considered extreme and co-ordinate their patterns of fire to 'herd' opponents.
Like the Eym Bitumans make use of meson weaponry, with the caveat that their spinal mounted 'space artillery' are too high yield for short range engagements. For those unfamiliar with the mechanics of this:
Pi neutral mesons (created by the collision of an electron and a positron) are subatomic particles that pass through normal matter with very little interaction, similarly to neutrinos. However, the also have a very short life span, decaying with a burst of gamma rays, which reacts much more substantially with material substances. A meson gun accelerates pi neutral meson particles to near-lightspeed, where time dilation slows their rate of decay. If done with precision, the mesons can be timed to decay at a predetermined spot, and if packed densely enough in the beam they can unleash a tremendous amount of energy, approaching the level of nuclear bombs.
In general the peacefleet if fairly good at maintaining distance, preferring a tactical use of FTL if pressed into spitting distance and bristle with point defense for when missiles or fighters try to slip around their guard.
Special Use Weaponry - Again, it cannot be stressed how much bitumans like to distance themselves from the thick of a fray. Any significant fleet to fleet police action will see the use of FTL missile platforms, their strikes co-coordinated via comms buoy. Usually repurposed superfrieghters these platforms rarely cost as much as their payload and function under skeleton crews on the off chance a formation breaks off to engage them.
SAPs - Bitumans prefer to launch aerial air denial systems during ground engagements than engaging in dogfights (where there are considerably less non-lethal options at their disposal) As such Seek And Protect systems are engaged on mass, agile drones that attach themselves to aircraft and sap their energy to the point of a forced landing. These mobile minefields lack machine intelligence and give chase in a purely reactionary manner.
SADs - The second line of defense, gnat sized Seek And Destroy drones that pepper anything in the air with micro explosions. Small enough that a pilot must continue to sustain damage (willfully endangering himself) to be shot down. Even larger vessels can succumb to a death by a thousand cuts should the SADs make their way into air intakes, engines or interiors. These mobile minefields lack machine intelligence and give chase in a purely reactionary manner.
Should this two pronged attack not force a withdraw from aerial forces AA gads are deployed, usually more than enough to slice through the weakened airforce.
SADs - The second line of defense, gnat sized Seek And Destroy drones that pepper anything in the air with micro explosions. Small enough that a pilot must continue to sustain damage (willfully endangering himself) to be shot down. Even larger vessels can succumb to a death by a thousand cuts should the SADs make their way into air intakes, engines or interiors. These mobile minefields lack machine intelligence and give chase in a purely reactionary manner.
Should this two pronged attack not force a withdraw from aerial forces AA gads are deployed, usually more than enough to slice through the weakened airforce.
The Inprocerian Peacekeeping Corps - The rank and file of any planetary engagement these officers don distinctive shell-like armor in much the same way as a snail. With more in common with mobile turrets than traditional infantry they act area denial, able to provide overwatch from any surface they can stick themselves too.
Though heavily armored for a foot soldier such defenses fall short against heavy infantry, powered armor, vehicles and grenades.
Inprocerian Peacekeepers come equipped with triangular weapon (Integrated into their armor) that fires either non-lethal pellets of foam which expand and harden on impact or a high penetration 'particle needle' as the situation demands.
The Adipician Honor Brigades - A special levee from the lower end of the adipician social totem the honor brigades are a self-equipped, fully autonomous organization deployed in a support role alongside general peacekeepers. A combination of size, skill and flair sets them apart from their lesser comrades, eager to the last to turn combat into art
With the approximately stature of moving vans they shoulder a greater burden then their hippo sized inprocerian counterparts, favoring outlandish designs on their exterior armor. Though modest wealth affords them greater personalization two stipulation cement their role:
*They must have a means of effectively dispensing non-lethal foam
*They must be able to engage enemy armor
Since its inception the brigade has seen foam dispensed in every way imaginable (from sprays, bombs, scattershot and cannons to an impractically close range 'net' rigged with pellets) and vehicles destroyed with everything from heat rays to anti-tank hammers. Hovering on a cushion of air seems to be the favored mode of transport but the alternatives are no less eccentric.
Gadabouts - Spherical transports that can climb uneven terrain via intermolecular bonding of the exterior. The concession being that damaging the outer armor can make that section lose its 'stick' and limit driver maneuverability. They range from civilian models and personal transports to heavily armored APC variants, ball tanks and 'pop-out' artillery. All gads are submersible, able to act like rolling bathyspheres.
Though heavily armored for a foot soldier such defenses fall short against heavy infantry, powered armor, vehicles and grenades.
Inprocerian Peacekeepers come equipped with triangular weapon (Integrated into their armor) that fires either non-lethal pellets of foam which expand and harden on impact or a high penetration 'particle needle' as the situation demands.
The Adipician Honor Brigades - A special levee from the lower end of the adipician social totem the honor brigades are a self-equipped, fully autonomous organization deployed in a support role alongside general peacekeepers. A combination of size, skill and flair sets them apart from their lesser comrades, eager to the last to turn combat into art
With the approximately stature of moving vans they shoulder a greater burden then their hippo sized inprocerian counterparts, favoring outlandish designs on their exterior armor. Though modest wealth affords them greater personalization two stipulation cement their role:
*They must have a means of effectively dispensing non-lethal foam
*They must be able to engage enemy armor
Since its inception the brigade has seen foam dispensed in every way imaginable (from sprays, bombs, scattershot and cannons to an impractically close range 'net' rigged with pellets) and vehicles destroyed with everything from heat rays to anti-tank hammers. Hovering on a cushion of air seems to be the favored mode of transport but the alternatives are no less eccentric.
Gadabouts - Spherical transports that can climb uneven terrain via intermolecular bonding of the exterior. The concession being that damaging the outer armor can make that section lose its 'stick' and limit driver maneuverability. They range from civilian models and personal transports to heavily armored APC variants, ball tanks and 'pop-out' artillery. All gads are submersible, able to act like rolling bathyspheres.