Biology of the X'i (codex)
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| Biology of the X'i (codex) | |
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| Datacube | |
| Category | codex |
| Rarity | legendary |
| Price | 0 |
| ID | radien9-codex |
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Spoiler Warning! |
| This page contains spoilers, proceed at your own risk! |
Contents
To be clear: most of us know less than we'd like about them...but more than anyone else does.
We do have some speculations not widely accepted or considered by most historians that we'd like to get into if time remains when we're done.
-- Biological Notes on X'i -- Their body chemistry resembles nothing we've seen in our galaxy thus far, with very little affecting their cells - specialized diseases seem one of the few things that affect them. They are silicon based yet contain heavy doses of DNA that resembles the genetic makeup of plants. Their bodies even follow some similar patterns to the plant kingdom: they place a bulb, which grows to maturity. If the conditions are right it will 'hatch' and a new X'i could be born. The actual way this happens, unfortunately, eludes us. It is believed that this is an asexual process but we have no verification on how fertilization occurs if this is indeed the case.
Their birth rate is extremely low (thus far, to our knowledge, not a single live birth has happened in the last four decades) and no method we have been able to devise is capable of artificially inducing the plant to flower into a new X'i. In fact, most of the time this destabilized the core within the plant. This is a bad thing, as they have a habit of exploding when jostled firmly. When you're not immune to most forms of radiation, this is exceptionally hazardous. My team learned this the hard way. Extra precautions are now observed in the bulb lab. The X'i seem to be able to generate these bulbs on demand (so to speak...it's actually a somewhat disgusting process that is entirely too reminiscent of defecating) and use them to physically transport their bodies! I've also seen them use the explosive aspect of the bulbs to ward off threats. And that's not all! These bulbs also form the basis for most of their art, homes, weapons and tools! Imagine crafting equipment from pieces of yourself!
Another of their innate capabilities is in forming wads of radioactive spore that a X'ian can physically lob. This is apparently entirely defensive in nature, and was likely utilized in ancient times to incapacitate potential food sources in addition to protecting themselves.
As for their shells: it seems that the 'skin' of a X'i is actually very similar in nature to Graphite. Rather than a hexagonal structure to its molecules, however, theirs has a very unusual octagonal structure that sets it apart. It appears to be exceptionally absorbent, allowing the majority of a X'is radioaction to not spill out from its body and instead be reabsorbed and used to further fuel the core. When the X'i is alive this flesh is more pliable and generally coated with a thin layer of 'feathers' that act as further insulation for their radioactive cores. With the feathers and flesh combined the spillage of radioactive energy is nearly zero.
Once a X'i dies, however, their core immediately begins to destabilize. When this occurs their flesh hardens into a stone-like surface that is indistinguishable from Graphite without use of a microscope. After approximately 12 hours their core ruptures and explodes. The result is a tiny explosion of nuclear energy that very quickly collapses in on itself due primarily to the absorbent nature of their stony flesh. Once this reaction is completed they become entirely inert.
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