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Item#: SAP-020, The Replons
Date of Report:
DANGER Level: Black (for baseline Replons), Red for exiled specimens
Description: The designation SAP-020 refers to instances of a sophont, extraterrestrial species known as Replons. The infrastructure and technology of their civilization is highly advanced, allowing their kind to maintain a large interstellar empire with an uncanny degree of cultural cohesion. This is partially enabled by their highly developed gravitechnical1 knowledge (see Addendum 2).
A non-modified replon resembles a pink cylinder consisting of a gel-like tissue, measuring around 1' tall and 6" in diameter (~30 cm tall and ~15 cm wide). Specimens' natural genetic variation allows for colors ranging anywhere from neon pink to dark pink to fleshy pink, with the entire body being vaguely translucent when inspected subjected to illumination. Autopsies reveal that replons possess no internal organs or differentiated tissues of any kind, with only the outermost "skin" being slightly more durable than the inside (which exhibits a consistency similar to ballistic gelatin. Thus, replonian specimens are somewhat fragile, and would presumably rupture and die if dropped from (human) shoulder height. The body seems capable of absorbing surrounding moisture and oils (as to keep the organism wet and facilitate oxygen exchange), as well as feeding off small biological particulate such as dust or bacteria within the air. A coating of microscopic cilia encompasses the thin hide, and when paired with the tissue's slight contractile ability, allows an upright specimen to slowly move along a flat surface over the course of several minutes2.
The replons possess a decent bodily repair system, and while they lack blood, cuts or ruptures within the body's solid form will leak a clear liquid of analogous function. SAP-020 individuals reproduce asexually, and when prompted by internal chemical signals, five divisions will form along evenly space areas of the cylinder's length. This causes the body to divide into six "slices" or "patties", each containing parts of the original specimen's personality and memories. Over the course of the next few months, if allowed exposure to sufficient nutrition, these will vertically elongate, developing into mature adults3. The average replon undergoes this process around once every decade. When mature, replonian instances rank a standard IQ between 753 to 757. Note how little variation occurs within the population. SAP-020 tissue cannot participate in any form of PSI.
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| Image of the "mutation" path a replonian may be subjected to. This image depicts the SAP-020-2 specimen known within the Warnen Repository as the Drexel Monstrosity, terminated in 19██ by the Office of Military Intervention, as directed by the Apocrypha Council (see Discovery). |
While the body is capable of slowly regenerating over the course of a week if provided with raw biomass, the immune system is largely incapable of cleansing the body from any foreign DNA. Thus, replons are highly susceptible to bodily "mutation" when introduced to any form of complex genetic material. When allowed to come into contact with such a substance, the body will undergo major alterations, increasing in both size and structural complexity over the next few years. Often, this involves a series of segmented or prehensile limbs growing from each end of the cylinder, and as the body enlarges, the opening of a crudely-grown maw on both such faces. Other changes may occur as well, with the now-modified creature (designated an SAP-020-2 specimen) taking on the likeness of the foreign DNA's owner. This may include, depending on the contaminant, scales, claws, bristles, fur, spines, feathers, eyes, teeth, or heat-sensing pores. It is unknown why SAP-020 tissue reacts to alien genes in this way, though it is suspected that the presence of more primitive DNA may revert the specimen to a more ancestral form. It is also unknown how replonian civilization developed, or what their primitive bodies looked like. (See Addendum 1) This transition is irreverible and applies mental strain to the SAP-020-2 specimen.
Due to this natural reaction, the culture of replonian civilization was once described by Researcher Jordan as "based almost entirely around paranoid, ritualistic quarantine and fear-filled domination of the external world". For example, two neighboring replonian houses4 will engage in rigorous ceremonial identification and remote inspection before meeting aboard the same ship, which also must be located in an exclusion zone should either house introduce non-replonian genetic material to the other (in which case, the entire vessel would immediately detonate and a proxy war between their lesser sophont subjects may begin). Still yet, various natural strains and lineages of replon may exist in SAP-020 populations, especially those located in more distant territories within the greater replonian psychosphere5. This often causes suspicion between various factions within the Replonian Empire's parliment, meaning that for productive governmental gatherings to occur, all delegates must submit biopsy samples to a neutral third party, who will then act in everyone's interest to verify that all SAP-020 specimens present are completely and utterly pure. The culture and genetic makeup of the entire empire's population is relatively homogenous for this very reason. This obsession with removing all SAP-020-2 instances (and potential sources of contamination) also leads to the exile of any and all such specimens and any other individuals they may have "infected", along with the destruction of their communal space station(s) and the exile of the altered. Replons guilty of particularly heinous crimes may even be purposefully introduced to such "contagions" and banished to the planet of a less advanced civilization, permenantly altering the body and mind of the felon.
The Replonian Empire (alternatively the Empire of Replon) is considered one of the dominant extraterrestrial spheres within the Milky Way galaxy6, with their most proximal rival being the Yerataphorian Union (composed of the slightly less advanced sophonts known as the Yerataphores)7. The territory exists as a sprawling, ever-growing, three-dimensional region of space. Booming levels of industry (especially in the fields of manufacturing, technological innovation, and science) enable a sustainable (yet expansionist) civilization measuring around a 3.21 on the Kardashev scale. Replonian territory is often denoted by the presence of star systems featuring resident klinn (SAP-043) colonies, which are both seeded (and occasionally destroyed) by the empire for unknown reasons. Much speculation exists as to why this might be.
In addition to the creation and management of klinnoid civilizations, SAP-020 collectively serve as vendors of most gravitech within and around their claimed territory8, selling it to less powerful ("lower") interstellar-grade civilizations within their territory. Evidence suggests that they are paid in protoplasm (both raw and refined) as well as a mysterious mineral referred to by humans as "Romanium", from which element 115-based fuel may be synthesized for use in powering gravitronic craft (see Addendum 2).
Aftermath Protocols: Because baseline (non-mutated) replonian specimens refuse to leave their internally sterile, hermetically-sealed spacecraft, any encounter with a typical SAP-020 adult instance involves that individual's spacecraft as well. Any survivors of a hostile attack are to be nursed back to health, and any willing witnesses are to be offered recruitment into our ranks.
However, SAP-020-2 specimens, while not an immediate world-ending threat, still pose a danger to terrestrial civilization and Earth life in general. Largely due to their incredible intellect, these individuals are highly capable of manipulating societies on even an international scale, and due to their criminal nature (and traumatic origin), are often malevolent in attitude towards the population of the planet they were forcibly stranded on. To date, only one SAP-020-2 instance is known to have existed in recent history. It is presumed that such felons are isolated within different star systems, as to avoid potentially disastrous collaboration between two or more vengeful "inmates". If apathetic towards humans but not actively damaging, any potential replonian mutants are to be captured and held for interrogation and further study. Specimens posing an active threat to human lives are a kill-on-sight.
Discovery: Drexel (crashed 1948) the exile and his progeny, he had an IQ of 678 (much more than humans but still considerably stunted by normal replonian standards)
Addendum 1: gravitech and gravitronics, AI crystals and protoplasm computers, other protoplasm tech (they're real good at that stuff)
Addendum 2: origin and protovivia and cosmovivia, how they even use tech
Addendum 3: Media included from the Main Laboratory.
An introductory video brief (produced as a part of Project Radiant Halo9) describing the replonian viator drone.
