The Xero

The Xero are an ancient drifting alien race that has lond disposed of their bodies in the pursuit of chasing metaphysical existence. They're practitioners of advanced science, and niether menvolent nor benevolent. In a way, one could look at them as hardly caring for the nonabstract world. And their disposing of their physical bodies and otherwordly use of computers and "Biological Neurological Computational Pathways" renders them more-or-less independent of long-term dependence on planets.

Physical Apperance
To put it simply, the Xero are simply brain encased in metal and suspended in a nutrient and oxygen (or any life-supporting element) tanks. Metallic tentical like appendenges allow for interaction with specialized equipment to manipulate the operations of their ships and tools. Their casings act as a vehicle in which they utilize to interact with the physical world in their pursuit of "The Know".

Visual interfacing - if the need arises - is performed through the use of holographic projections that replicate mouths. This being deployed in situations where subtle social gestures are required. But their ability to communicate is independent of the hologram and may be activated at will.

More an Idea
The Xero consider themselves to be beyond the identification of genetics. Due to being stripped down to the brain and installed in common robotic bodies the Xero consider their species more, "A preservation of an idea". Although some may trace their genetics in their neurology to the last physical Xero many are still brains that have been picked or willfully joined the Xero.

Their mission is less one of genetic continuity, and more the pursuit of an ultimate "know". The knowledge, ideas, and identities of past Xeros are preserved in their systems.

The Know
Who knows what the Know is. Only that the Know is sought to be Known. The Xero seek to know the Know and pursue its existence as it is considered the height of existence and the control of everything through understanding.

History
Having disposed of their homeworld the Xero have ventured out across space and have been wandering for many many millenia. One could access their computer banks to see how long, if the number wasn't vastly boring.

And now untethored to a central location the Xero are spanned across the galaxy "living" in nomadic bands going from star to star or just empty void to empty void in the search of The Know. Communication relies on their ancient "Galactic Mesh" communications systems to relay information between each nomadic band, with delays depending on their range. "The Mesh" serves as a kind of "cloud" for information accesible to the rightly built and coded computer system.

"Now imagine a great goey mess of information just drifting on an internal blanket of stuff just waiting for being recieved by our great succulant jaws of information hungry hungriness! And then being vomited back up in towelette as soon as we get a taste of its sour brew and thrown back into great bubbly vat of bubbly bubbliness that is The Mesh.

"It tastes like aprocots, and rightly slow or the computer won't find it. Funny, I think it likes citris."

-Xero explaining the Galactic Mesh

Technology
Xero technology includes:

Mesh Reception
Mesh Recepters are a uniformally installed component in Xero support systems and allows the "upload" or "download" of information into and from a brain and its related photonic-digital neural support systems. Data is encrpyted not only on the basis of requiring highly specialized and constructed equipment but in quantum reception and reading, often demanding the ability to utilize stable sub-atomic particles for data transmission and saving.

Mesh Reception also allows for "galactic" wide "conversation" between Xeros in a ever present public environment where ideas are freely exchanged to better conduct their pursuit of The Know. This additionally makes any envent something of a faction-relevant occurence.

"Being in the Mesh is like being naked at the Vatican on Christmas. But the topic is always about the color of your socks."

- Xero description of being in The Mesh

Entropy Generator
The Entropy Generator is both a weapon and tool taking the form of a beam-like weapon or bomb. The generator operates much like a massive sub-atomic partical accelerator that forces upon an object a chain-reaction that increases and encourages entropy withing a large mass and anything associated. The rapid release of heat and particals smaller than the basic sub-atomic particals (protons, neutrons, electrons) encourages the rapid degredation of matter that can ultimate render an object into a "soup of matter and energy".

Reverse Entropy Generator
Much like the name suggests the REG reverses the effects of entropy on an area and encourages the reformation of particals. Often times control can be practiced to encourage the rapid formation of usefull elements and molecules that canbe utilized by the Xero as fuel, food, or construction/repair supplies.

The Generator however is only capable of encouraging the reformation of once-existent matter and has no effect on matter which has not gone passed a certain point in entropic destabilization. That is: it needs to be gone already.

The two forces at work in the molecular structure - Weak and Strong - are too present and too powerfull at the pre-entropic stages to allow for the generator to work.

Neutrino Drive
The Neutrino Drive is a FTL engine that serves as the primary propulsion for the Xero's nomadic craft. However, due to the Neutrino's properties they don't physically "push" the craft, but merely serve as a method of cutting through space-time to move from one location to another. The drive required an immense amount of power though and as such is only used in an emergency.

The resulting bending of space-time can cause "considerable" disruption.

It also results in the odd situation that the ship may appear elsewhere in the galaxy a few moments before it departed.

Androids/Remote Robotics
Lacking physical bodies the Xero are largely incapable or directly performing repair work so rely on highly advanced robotic systems to defend themselves and conduct ship maintenance. These robots/androids are largely self controlled due to the use of computer systems. But for special occasions a Xero can take remote control of a robot/android from a special computer aboard their ships.

Androids
Androids are the most advanced systems and often possess some kind of personality. Androids are built from the waste bodies left behind from the surgeries required to obtain the brains Xero's require. These androids are also equiped with simaler preservation systems as Xero bodies and can remain active for immense periods of time.

Androids however can still be puppeted when a Xero takes control of the central android terminal.

Androids also possess a set of protocals that dictate when they can or can't do. This list is absolute and definitive, perfected over the centuries and millienia to prevent rebellion.

Robots
Xero robots are generally more specialized and contain strict root codes that dictate their actions. They are very often automatic carrying out their photonic scripts to the letter or can be controlled by a Xero should the need arise. Robotic systems are inplace for mundane maintenance and defense systems.