Iris Industrial Genetics Chimera
History
Unable to use the Felyxa code legally to make new biospecimens, they instead took sections of it as "inspiration" and used it to make a number of species derived from them. By making their primary mode of locomotion as upright bipedal, they distinguished their constructs from the Felyxa despite them still being hexapods. In addition, unique additions were made to each of the four species that further set them apart as unique.
Because of the Felyxa coding being incomplete, some very unusual side effects have occurred including units that appear to have psionic skills, others that have minor weave reading skills, and even a few rare units that appear to have control over nature and the elements.
Four species were created. The Dasher and Blitz, both of which are related, form the combat core with quick reflexes and superior combat skills at both close and long range. Gremlin and Wrangler class units instead fulfill service roles ranging from science and medical officers to heavy construction and rescue units.
Iris eventually lost control of the product line to a rather elite freedom fighter group known as the Galactic Liberation Front. The loss of the units, the source data, and the facility meant that only way to make more of them was the natural way. Iris would later be destroyed in a larger war before they could recover from the losses.
Sexual Dimorphism
Muscle Mass
Females of all Iris hexapod species have more muscle mass than their male equivalent. This may be slight as is the case of the Strafe and Wrangler species where it may only be a factor of 1.1x to 1.2x to easily noticeable in the Dasher and Blitz species where it can range from 1.2x to 1.4x Female:Male mass. Gremnlins are the sole exception where both male and female have no significant difference in their muscle mass.
Dasher and Blitz Behavior
- Females
- Females being heavier and stronger in general than a male of the same age are often more deliberate in their actions. They have little to prove, but if they are angered, they are far more destructive, and they will use their superior strength to devastate targets. Female mass and behavior were selected to ensure they could raise offspring alone.
- Males
- Males has less muscle mass but they are also generally lighter. This makes them more agile than a female and far more prone to extreme acrobatics especially in combat. On their own, they tend to be less reserved and more jovial. When they are pit against a female on a task, they can get extremely competitive in an effort to prove they are just as good as their opposite gender. Because they are competitive and energetic, they can be much more difficult to control and predict, and they are more prone to reflex action.
- Dasher vs Blitz
- Blitz were made to be a smaller version of the Dasher with a more crowd-tactic approach to their design. Dashers are by far the most energetic and aggressive species of hex, and so the differences in the sexes is more noticeable. Blitz have the same pattern but exhibit it to a lesser extend. ALong this spectrum at the end would be the Strafe where this attribute has been diluted down to more subtle behaviors.
Gremlin and Wrangler
While the mass and agility differences in these species are close to nothing, they do possess behavioral differences. In both species, females are more prone to defensive action and will shield nearby people and assets in a very maternal manner. Males will also show this behavior, but they are more prone to engaging the danger actively to provide females and those they are guarding a better chance to escape. It is easy to attribute this to the male being less necessary to propagate the species, but this would be false in this case. It is simply an instinct embedded in the design that relies on most people finding the female of the species to be more trustworthy and they feel safer near them. Both species, but especially Wranglers, will not leave their own behind if they have any chance to rescuing those that take the front line. In combat scenarios, both species will rescue their wounded reliably and in some cases will even make off with the dead. In the event of a environmental hazard that can be managed, it is rare for them to leave behind their dead. Most see this behavior as a positive attribute because it implies that they will not leave behind anyone else either.
Felyxan Weavers and Relatives
The older Star Wars D6 version of these documents can be found at CWK-HX Series. This article refers to the versions used on Spindizzy