Fiction:Scavengers

The Masters of Disguise

The Scavenger Empire
 * Type of Government: Hive-mind
 * Leader: None, all one being.
 * Size: Twelve star systems near Proditkar Movement, Meeno Grox colonies
 * Affiliation: Proditkar Movement, Meeno Grox (some)
 * Color: Grey, Green (Proditkar-loyal) Red, Black (Meeno servants)
 * Policy: "More cells! More bodies!"
 * Allignment: Lawful Evil
 * Age: About a year.
 * State: At war, expanding.

The Scavengers are a race of parasitic predatory organisms. They are not really parasites, though. They infect others, but rather than use the body, they just replicate it. An infected being will look like they used to, but their cells are Scavengers, imitated to look like the host's cells. Frozen on the moon of Alpha Rosetta III, Tau Theta, they have recently been awakened back into the galaxy, forming their own small empire near both the Proditkar Movement and Cult of Relgathia.

Origins
The Scavengers started out as a single cell on a planet. It evolved a new ability never seen before; it's cells could change to look like those of other creatures. Like the fools they were, the planet's native population experimented with these cells, exposing them to nonsentient animals. They copied the animals perfectly. Eventually, they imitated cells of the lab scientists. Absorbing their knowledge, they spread over the planet, turning every single cell on the planet into copies of them. The Scavengers completely controlled the planet. Though made up of trillions upon trillions of cells, the Scavengers were one being. One mind.

Discovery
The Scavengers enjoyed an era of relative peace until they were found by two empires. The Alpha Cyber Collective and the Brotherhood of Darklings. They burned the planet and destroyed the Scavengers. The Collective took just a few with them to their base on Tau Theta. Their DNA was frozen and isolated, along with frozen specimens. What the Collective, specifically the Meeno Grox and their leader Mortox, did not know was that the Scavengers were still fully aware of their surroundings, just unable to move. When the Enlightenment War broke out and the Collective and Brotherhood turned on each other, the Scavengers were left behind. The Meeno only took a few, which they separated from their hive-mind with computer chips. These Scavengers served their Meeno masters as shock troopers, using their mutative abilities in blind rushes.

Reawakening
During the Separatist War, the Unitech Citadel and Ruin's Hand found the Scavengers after Tau Theta was crashed into Rosetta III itself. Still frozen in their cryo tubes, the Scavengers were brought on board the flagship of Unitech's leader, Solid. Due to improper containment, the Scavengers escaped and absorbed some information from the ship's computers. Solid, Lorka Gredyc of the Ruin's Hand, and a squadron of Ruin's Hand Dead Watchers confronted them. The Scavengers told them to wait, causing Solid to start a conversation with them. After discussing the galaxy's current events, the Scavengers agreed to ally with the Prodiktar, and help them in their coming battles in exchange for more beings to absorb and imitate. The Proditkar then helped them form a small empire near their territory. The Scavengers also met the leader of the Cult of Relgathia, and, being allies of allies, settled near their territory as well.

Raptoranea
Soon after their awakening, the Circle of Sins aided the Unitech Citadel in taking over their homeworld of Raptoranea. The Circle used Cyberzombies, Nexus Heads, and their own troops to cause civil unrest. Unitech then "captured" the Circle's troops to make it seem as if they were bringing the order that the Waptoria could not. After that, Unitech assumed leadership of Raptoranea. The Scavengers, alongside the Simnu, were used to keep order, as well as fight any underground resistance movements that sprung up. When the Waptoria gathered allies to liberate Raptoranea, the Scavengers fought savagely, consuming everyone and everything in their path. Still, the battle was lost, and they were forced to flee alongside Unitech.

Invasion of Ugandalore
The Scavengers then aided the Ruin's Hand, Blood Knights, and Cult of Relgathia in assaulting Ugandalore. However, when the battle turned from their favor, they left, because their Mendel foes had flamethrowers, which were the only weapons that could harm them, and because the Scavengers are much better at stealth attacks than open rushes.

Battle of Matrukoris
After that, the Scavengers assisted in attacking the UAE capital of Matrukoris. They attacked Sector 2 alongside the Ruin's Hand and their savage Beast-Form servants, fighting against the Mendel Pact and Federation once again, as well as the Soldarians. They also attacked Sector 4, helping the Blood Knights and Biskin fight against the Volver and Lavatufts. However, the Knights' and Biskins' hatred of each other prevented a perfect assault. The Separatists lost, and were forced to flee. After that, the Scavengers took no further participation in the war, instead focusing on expansion.

Helping The Infectant Scourge
Soon after their awakening, the Scavengers were contacted by a creature known as Beta, the former leader of the now-extinct Infectant Scourge. Beta saw potential allies in the Scavengers, and believed they could help him remake the Scourge. The Scavengers agreed, needing allies, and they began helping Beta create the Third Scourge...

Biology
The Scavengers have no true forms. They are actually virulent cells that devour other cells and take their forms. For example, if a Scavenger cell infected a living being, it would absorb the first internal cell it came across, take it's shape, then spread more cells throughout the body, eventually infecting the organism. In cases where infection must be done fast, the Scavengers will violently attack it's victim and inject large amounts of infectious fluids and contaminants, which can infect the victims in just a few minutes. In cases when combat is required, the Scavenger will violently mutate, ripping it's body apart and reshaping it into forms useful for combat. This can include tentacles, fangs, and claws. They also use regular weapons like guns and blades as well. In situations when large amounts of violent combat is required, Scavengers will often add the imitated cells of it's victims to it's current form, rather than imitate it and form a completely new being. Also in these cases, infected bodies might not repair, rather converting into more combat-useful forms. This has caused some sentient empires to classify them as parasitic or zombie-like. This is incorrect. They don't bring the dead back to life; rather they just take the shape of the corpse. They also don't infect beings, just absorb and copy them. Still, each cell is an individual animal. Nothing short of complete disintegration will permanently kill one. Limbs, internal organs, bones and even blood can become dangerous even on their own, often mutating into more shapes dedicated to kill and assimilate.

Meeno Scavengers are identical except their skin is red and has lava-like cracks in it. They are also controlled by nano-chips rather than a hive-mind.

Personality/Behavior
The Scavengers are one mind, meaning each cell, no matter how far apart, has the same mind. Thus they have the same personality and such, and that is one of an insane, mentally unstable sociopath or psychopath. Years frozen in ice unable to do anything has driven the mind quite insane, coupled with the assimilation of other beings' minds. Scavengers have been known to twitch, laugh maniacally, and other madman behaviors. Especially when fighting openly, they act completely insane. However, the mind can easily think and act rationally with a cool head. When imitating enemies, they are perfect; there is no way to detect an imitation by looking at them. The Scavengers are very loyal to their allies, and would never betray them unless their allies attacked them first, but they do have strong survival instincts and could be called cowards. THis was demonstrated when they abandoned the Invasion of Ugandalore because the Mendel were specifically targeting them with flamethrowers. Still, they fight savagely when they have to, such as during the Liberation of Raptoranea and Invasion of Matrukoris. Meeno ones have no real intelligence to speak of; they are nothing but Grox puppets. They don't stalk and imitate; rather they just mutate into combat forms and attack relentlessly. They often suffer huge casualties and just imitate the bodies of their dead enemies after the battles. The Scavenger Empire absolutely despise the Meeno for stealing part of their mind, and will stop at nothing to reassimilate them. Scavengers loyal to the Empire often refer to themselves as "I", causing some to believe that they are individuals. The actual reason is that the Scavengers are all one mind, so in a sense they are one being.

Close Allies
"These empires have assisted me very well, and will be aided by me in return."
 * Proditkar Movement "My closest allies. They have helped us, and we will help them."
 * Unitech Citadel of Sentients "My saviors. They freed me from my prison of ice."
 * Ruin's Hand "They saved me too. I will help them in their goals without hesitation."
 * Cult of Relgathia "They have sheltered me."
 * Third Infectant Scourge "We are helping each other well."

Liked
"We're allied. Be thankful."
 * Circle of Sins "They're allies of my allies, but I haven't really involved myself with them much."
 * Hive of Mirus "Fascinating. They'll be helpful."
 * Proditkar-Zarbanians "You were wise to leave the grip of your foolish master."
 * Rogue Darklings "That goes double for you."
 * Blood Knights "If my other allies like you."
 * Biskin Empire "A little too chummy with the UAE, if you ask me."

Neutral
"No opinion...yet."
 * Bio-Morphling Horde "So similar..."
 * Vanara Singularity "Interesting. I hope we can work together."
 * Xhodocto Dominion "Very fascinating..."
 * Nyarqaeshu "I don't know what to think of you yet, but from what i've heard, we might be enemies."
 * Xonexi "You lot might have your uses. Then again, you might not."
 * Xylon Empire "I don't know very much about you, but I do know you're allied with my enemies."
 * Hermicee Legion "Savage and stupid. I doubt i'll have much use for them."
 * Gigapedus Dominion "Make no mistake. If you weren't allied with that damn Imperium, we'd be allies."

Disliked
I look forward to absorbing you.
 * Unified Alliance of Enlightenment "Well, the Proditkar asked me to fight you, so...
 * Volver Empire "Interesting little beasts. Your "perfect forms" will prove useful once imitated."
 * Mendel Pact "I will kill you all."
 * Lavatufts I hope you all become extinct. Your control of fire is intolerable."
 * Waptoria Alliance of Species "The Cyber Collective and the Brotherhood couldn't destroy me. What chance you?"
 * Mirusian Church of Spode Your fanatacism will get you killed one day."
 * Vanara Empire "Your radiactivity means nothing. Soon, it will belong to me."
 * United Lanat Empire "Hah! The galaxy belongs to you?! Let's see you prove it."
 * Nebulorians "I hate people like you. You can't just say you are superior, you must PROVE it."
 * Hermicee FloodClaw/AbyssClaw Clan "Servants of my enemy."

Enemies
"You will all die, and your forms will be mine."
 * Alpha Cyber Collective "YOU DID THIS TO ME! ALL OF MY LIFE! YOU MADE ME!!!
 * Meeno Grox "This is all your fault, and you will pay for it dearly."
 * Meeno Scavengers "You WILL rejoin the mind, or you will be exterminated."
 * Grox Followers "Idiotic beasts good for nothing but assimilation."
 * Cult of Attzerry "Even more blind than the Grox Followers. It won't take much to assimilate them all."
 * Brotherhood of Darklings "I don't care if you're enemies of the Collective now. You helped them, and you will DIE WITH THEM!"
 * Zarbania Powers "Nice squishy forms to absorb."
 * Imperium of War "Idiots, plain and simple."
 * Shadow Hunters "Pitiful little fools. You are no match for my powers."
 * Mutran Spider Hordes "Easy meals."

Allies/Masters
"We submit."
 * Alpha Cyber Collective "Masters."
 * Meeno Grox "Masters."
 * Leviathan Hive-mind "Masters."
 * Grox Followers "Masters."

Enemies
"We destroy."
 * Unified Alliance of Enlightenment "You are powerful, but you will be destroyed."
 * Brotherhood of Darklings "DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!"
 * Proditkar Movement "The scum must be purged."
 * Scavenger Empire "We will NOT be assimilated! YOU will!"

Trivia
The Scavengers are based on The Thing.

Quotes from Others
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