Crystal Waveivore

Full Description
The Crystal Wavivore was the last discovery of the Prometheus, a manned deep space probe, before it disappeared into the dark side of the universe. It is important to understand that the Crystal Wavivore is a misnomer devised by the Prometheus' communications officer (who, since he sent all the others reports back toward the Omegabase, got the last word on the naming of all discoveries, a power he often abused). The Crystal Wavivore is not actually a crystalline organism, but was so named because the creature's feeding adaptations evoked nostalgia towards one of the communications officer's favorite childhood playthings, his crystal radio set.

According to the report sent home, the Prometheus first became aware of the Wavivore when it noticed that Stheno-1, the large dense, inert remains of a dead son that the Prometheus had proudly reported as the first celestial body as they entered into previously unexplored space, appeared to be 'fuzzy'. Closer examination revealed that the entire rock wa covered in long thin spines sticking out into the frozen void of space at nearly uniform perpendicular angles.

Once samples were taken and analyzed from the surface of Stheno-1, the crews astrogeologist and xenobiologist agreed that the spines were portions of a gigantic alien organism. The xenobiologist went on to name the creature the Wavivore and theorize that it either grew or contracted each spine as an antenna, which it used to collect the energy of passing electromagnetic waves and that each spine had a complimentary 'body section' buried just below the surface of the dead sun followed by a deep root, which acts as an electrical ground. Essentially, she said, the Wavivore fed off waves with frequencies between 3km and 30cm, storing up the energy in organs at the base of each spine. Stored energy is used by the Wavivore to grow longer, collecting the necessary minerals from the sun's remains and, after the spine has reached an optimal length, to send runners laterally across the surface to start a new spine. Like all deep space life discovered so far, the desolate nature of the environment dictates that the Wavivore must grow very slowly. There is some question as to whether the Crystal Wavivore is actually one giant organism covering the entire surface of Stheno-1 or an enormous colony of individual spines, similar to Coral on Earth or the Daedalus Rats of Theseus-12.

It is noted that while the Prometheus was alongside Stheno-1, waiting for the samples to be brought back from the surface, they started receiving strange radio signals from beyond Stheno-1. Clips of these signals sent back with the report to the Omegabase have been analyzed and declared to be the first sign of intelligent extraterrestrial life. Apparently Stheno-1 is located directly between the only two systems known to harbor intelligent life. While one Wavivore antenna will not hinder the progress of a radio wave, the billions of spines that cover the surface of Stheno-1 absorb all the energy of passing radio waves, creating a barrier that forced the two intelligent species to develop without knowledge of each other's existence. The crew of the Prometheus realized all this and knew that by passing Stheno-1 they would be passing out of contact with the rest of the human race. They decided to hold to their course and bravely be the first humans to contact the alien intelligence. As expected, nothing has been heard of them since the passed into the 'dark side of the universe' fifty years ago. Another human vessel is en route to Stheno-1 is establish a radio bridge around the Wavivore.


Additional Information
Although it is only known to occur on Stheno-1, a cold, barren lump of rock int he middle of deep space, it is thought that the Crystal Wavivore could live anywhere with sufficient radio saturation. This could be in the midst of an urban society with radio communication (although a large enough Wavivore colony would be detrimental) or on a rock orbiting a pulsar. It is possible that a sample containing the 'body section' of a Wavivore could set roots and grow in any acceptable location.