Nanitch (World Guide, Sapient Species) (Patreon)

Nanitch

Often classified as one of the known galaxy's most exotic life forms, the nanitch are a species of non-organic, mono-synthacell organisms. Individually, these artificial, microscopic carbon-silicon organisms are capable of basic movement on dry, smooth surfaces, or through most liquids using their dozens of tentacle-like mechanical cilia. They also have a very high resistance to caustic and acidic substances, high heat, electrical discharge, and ionizing radiation. As a defensive mechanism, they are also able to change their outer coloration at will, typically choosing one that allows them to blend in with their environment.

Nanitch gain their energy from a combination of heat and light. They can store a relatively significant amount of energy for their size, and can remain fully active for days in the absence of an energy source. Should that absence extend too long, they will go dormant. Once a source of energy it provided, it takes about ten minutes for them to fully charge up their internal 'capacitors' and become active again.

The one overriding motivation of all nanitch is to find other nanitch to combine with, and thereby create more usefully functional forms. As a basic ball of nanitch grows, it becomes more intelligent as each constituent nanitch adds its own capability to the whole. Initially, this ball can only take on more complex shapes that it has observed within its own vicinity. These are hardly perfect reproductions in any respect, an each form will carry with it the unique, bio-mechanical aspects that make any nanitch form instantly identifiable.

Once a mass of nanitch reaches a 'critical mass' of about 150,000 individuals, it can communicate with other nanitch masses of similar or larger size. At this point, a hive mind is formed, and the constituent nanitch will begin to create shapes that best fulfill the needs of the whole. Typically, the hive takes on a form most appropriate for interaction with local sapient organic organisms, both to help establish itself as non-threatening part of its local environment, and to facilitate its growth. The nanitch hive located on a disused farm plot west of Runai appears to be a collection of bizarrely shaped, metallic gray mounds surrounding a tall, central, egg-shaped edifice. Numerous bio-mech humanoids can be found both within, and periodically wandering the locale in a reasonable imitation of their organic neighbors.

Should a nanitch form face a significant threat to its existence, it can separate in various, virtually arbitrary degrees in an effort to escape. As the nanitch lose intellectual ability the smaller their collective form(s) gets, this act is generally one of final desperation. This loss of intellectual capacity includes the permanent loss of collective memory. While the memories of a proper hive will be retained by the rest of the hive, should all aspects of the hive separate beneath the level of critical mass, all of the hive's collective memories will be lost.

Due to the fundamental impermanence of their intellectual ability, including the outward appearance of sapience with respect to their collective combinations, the nantich form no genuine attachment to anything other than their own species, and their innate 'desire' to live. As a result, and though individual collectives of nanitch are able to develop what appear to be unique personalities, it is often argued that they are not genuinely sapient, and only imitating the variety present among their organic neighbors. Their generally cold, completely mechanistic treatment of those neighbors as resources for the hive's support and growth does little to help combat this sentiment. Even so, and despite almost a century of considerable fearmongering, they are considered 'organisms of alternative sapience' by the Feyli Empire. This provides them will full rights while in forms of critical mass or larger, and certain protective rights when not.

Nanitch found in forms lower than critical mass are typically collected and delivered to an already established hive whenever found. Groups of nanitch splitting off from a hive that has exceeded its realistic maximum size must obtain approval to establish a new hive. Depending on the locale, this may be as simple as obtaining property and getting a rubber stamp approval by the local administration, or as difficult as jumping through months worth of bureaucratic hoops before getting a local zoning exception.

Nanitch communicate 'telepathically' with organic sapient organisms. Direct stimulus of the auditory organs via hundreds of focused, sub-audible vibratory emissions is the mechanism used. This is highly effective, but precludes humanoid nanitch collectives from speaking to more than one person at a time. Generally, only within the hive's 'buildings' can the nanitch that form them create a more generalized audible emission, filling the space with arbitrary sound waves. Often this takes of the form of soft, melodic tones. Whether or not this constitutes music or has some other function is a matter open for debate.

While the nanitch are benign at best, and perhaps a bit of a nuisance at worst, they do require living organisms in order to reproduce. While there is no definitive answer as to why, the most popular theory suggests that those who created the species desired to force anyone wanting to expand the number of nanitch to sacrifice themselves to facilitate the process. The one feature common to all nanitch hives, no matter the form or size of it, is the so-called 'nanitch pump', the structure via which sapient beings are physically converted into roughly five billion nanitch.

The nanitch pump looks like lumpy-rimmed abscess in the floor of the hive's conversion chamber. While much of the hive is dark, metallic gray, the interior of the pump in almost silvery. Should a sapient being stand on this interior surface, it grows around its lower legs, back and arms in a virtual instant, raising its subject up into a semi-seated position while inserting nanitch injectors into his or her lower body orifices. Hundreds of thousands of nanitch are released into the subject's body, converting flesh into more nanitch in a surreal, completely painless process that, more often than not, takes the form of the subject being transformed into a humanoid shaped nanitch collective similar to those already present in the hive.

Though the nanitch have no value whatsoever for the living mind of a subject being converted into more nanitch, they take considerable care to preserve it, and absorb its qualities into the hive mind. About half way through the subjects conversion, tendrils are inserted into his or her ears, and nanitch injected directly into the brain. These transfer all aspects of the conscious mind into the collective mind of the hive, where its constituent parts are picked through for anything the hive might find useful enough to retain.

Subjects converted to nanitch do not die, as evidenced by the lack of life essence 'flare' which always occurs when a living mind snaps back from the mortal dimension and returns to its fundamental plane of existence. However, exactly what happens to that still living stream of conscious thought is unclear. Whether or not a subject becomes one individual nanitch, or lives on as part of the hive's own consciousness is unknown. The only evidence thus far observed is the tendency of the resulting humanoid nanitch collective, when allowed to remain as such by the hive, to exhibit periodic behaviors suggestive that the source organism's mind is somehow specifically attached to it, and at least partially in control.

The nanitch do not specifically advertise their desire for subjects to be converted into more nanitch. They will, however, try to lure in individuals they encounter near the hive. At no point will they try to force individuals to step into a nanitch pump, or prevent them from leaving. Instead, they try to convince them to do so willingly. Words are the preferred method, though more recently, the nanitch have taken to decorating their hive's interior with enticing, suggestive shapes. Several hives, including the one west of Runai, have taken to embedding humanoid nanitch collectives into the hive walls in poses often quite a bit more than just suggestive. Quite recently, this décor has been expanded to include unconverted organic subjects kept in a state of pleasurable bliss purely for the viewing pleasure of visitors who might be enticed into conversion.

The Runai hive acquires its organic décor by paying subjects for 2, 4, and 6 week stays. The hive gets a portion of the money to pay for these willing artworks through grants from the Imperial ExoLife Assistance Administration's ExoLife Cultural Promotion Fund. This provides sufficient funds for the maintenance of over five hundred such positions, making the hive quite a successful tourist attraction. What isn't paid for by the Fund is more than made up for by the tips offered by visitors.

Pay to become a living artwork in the Runai Hive is ¢1,400 for a 2 week stay, ¢3,200 for a 4 week stay, and ¢7,500 for a 6 week stay. Artworks can decline release at the end of their contract, and will automatically be considered into a new contract of the same terms as the first. When an artwork ends their time in hive, they are both paid and won't be able to take another contract for 6 weeks. Should an artwork remain within the hive for 18 continuous, uninterrupted weeks, they are so mind-numbed from the perpetual pleasure than they are incapable of resisting the contracts stipulation that they be converted into nanitch should the remain for that length of time.