Name: Hyper-Urchins, Space-Sheafs Description: A Hyper-Urchin, or Sheaf, appears as a shimmering, green bulb drifting in space. These bulbs open to reveal brilliant, near-crystalline petals, that absorb sunlight. When closed, it uses several small offshoot petals to radiate waste heat. A purple bulge at its base serves as its anchor- the organ that connects its phase-matter roots with the rest of its body. These roots, use this specialized organ to reach into hyperspace, appearing as translucent, violet-green whips that spread out like fibrous webs. Behavior: They simply spread their roots into hyperspace, absorb sunlight from realspace, grow, and reproduce. They tend to congregate near levels of higher ECF or hyperlane entrances, making them a considerable menace that obstructs space travel. Tamability: Mindless, the sheafs are not tamed. One can learn and take advantage of how they react to stimuli, but that is as far as that matter goes. Where is it found?: Their roots are often found in the chaotic cosmos of hyperspace, often entangling near where hyperlanes bulge through systems, and usually within nebulae. Their realspace counterparts are also often found near hyperlane entrances, or scattered near and around any anchor-worlds or systems with higher than average ECF. Rarity: A relatively new development, they are growing to be more and more commonplace. Too commonplace. Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: Because their roots are in hyperspace and their main bodies are in realspace, they are able to synthesize needed compounds and siphon material from hyperspace, while photosynthesizing in realspace in a much more normal, plant-like fashion. Products?: One can extract fluid from their rather large hyperphasmix organ, which acts as a slightly inefficient erchius substitute for the desperate. One should note that using it to fuel a hyperdrive can cause wear and tear over time. Other than that, their foliage is silicate heavy and isn't carbon-based, and can even be readily chiseled into shapes and statues that are as long-lasting as stones. Reproduction: Sheafs exchange their equivalent of genetic information by connecting roots with their neighbors in an asexual manner, before shedding off hundreds of thousands of seedlings from their roots. Size: Sheafs vary widely in size, though typically they are no longer than a few meters at any side, with the ability to grow to an incredible size. Their roots, though notably phase-matter, spread their filaments out in an extremely wide area, often reaching in the tens of times further out than their main body is large. The largest had a bud that measured near two kilometers wide. Weight: While their weight is hard to measure, their roots only account for a tiny fraction of their biomass, with the sturdy realspace counterpart of their bodies has a density roughly similar to that of granite. Lifespan: Like many forms of space fauna and flora both, their lifespans are immeasurably long. However, as a very new species, there are not any ancient specimens to be found. Abilities: Because of an organ known as the hyperphasmix, these plants are able to pass their roots through the veil between realspace and hyperspace, reaching into their dimension of origin in order gain materials they need to survive, as well as perform various vital functions not possible in realspace. When threatened, sheafs may withdraw their roots entirely and enter a form of torpor. This is what makes them incredibly hard to kill from hyperspace, either by sapient forces or other wildlife. Flaws: While they are near-impossible to kill from hyperspace, they have no real means of defending themselves in realspace, often easily being obliterated by other space creatures, unfortunate ship hulls, or weapons alike. This is despite their quite spiky appearance. At their youngest seedling stage, they are entirely made of phase-matter, and are vulnerable to hyperspace-intervention. It is only after some months that they develop a hyperphasmix, and shunt the majority of their bodies into realspace. If they are unable to find an ideal location for a long enough timespan, this juvenile will wither and die. Other: After surviving countless attempts of eradication by the Visitant Administration, a species of hyperlane-hugging plants have developed the means to not simply phase in order to hide themselves, but have completely become partial interlopers. This has allowed them to survive not only predation, but intentional eradication by the aforementioned Administration.
Hi! I'm grading for you today. Pending. A few questions: hyperlanes are at the edges of systems as a general rule, which puts them quite far from the gravity well (and glorious nuclear power) of the star. Are they getting most of their nutrients from the hyperspace side? Is there ever an issue where the leaves of some grow over the others, causing the young to starve without delicious sunlight? Is there any way to manipulate the phase-matter organs in realspace, or are they only stable in the heightened ECF of hyperspace? The hyperphasmix gives this species it's interloper status - is it possible to use that for moving between real and hyperspace away from the hyperlanes? Do they have any natural predators (in realspace or hyperspace) that might be drawn to where they are?
