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WARNING: CLASSIFIED
This Information is only to be read by Level 2 Personnel or higher
Designation: RA-058 (Flare)
Psychological Human Likeness: 0.3
Affiliation:
(Symbol-Zastępczy Co. - Consortium)
The Flare, hailing from Ursa Major III, is a sulphur-dioxide insectoid-analog lifeform. The race of Flare consists of various subspecies due to their long history of cloning experimentation. With an innate aggressive and manic mindset, their tactical prowess has made them a fearsome threat across the Galaxy.
Biology
As a species, the Flare is sulphur-dioxide-based. This unique bio-chemical makeup allows the Flare to breathe in hydrogen sulfide and exhale water vapor. This air exchange is performed by a series of external biological air-locks within the Flare's mouth. In addition, the Flare consumes roughly 9 - 15 lbs or 4 - 6.8kg of raw sulfur hydroxide every 24 hours. Digested sulfur is excreted as chunks of ice and formaldehyde.
The internal pressure of a Flare is exorbitant, at 300 kPa, and a rudimentary exoskeleton maintains its form. Any breach of this exoskeleton risks releasing a stream of a high-pressure sulfuric flame. The Flare's physiology exploits this effect through a pressure-release valve on its wrists. This intentional discharge1 operates as a natural organic blowtorch.
Like many hive-based aliens, all Flare drones share a common origin of birth. However, the Flare species is unique, as all Flare instances are artificially grown in cloning labs. It is unknown how the Flare reproduced prior to this development, but estimates suppose a natural Flare birth did not occur in the last epoch. Post-mortem autopsies of deceased Flare drones reveal a 97.5% match in DNA across dozens of inspected specimens. This 2.5% differential was initially believed to be a byproduct of the sub-species development process. However, recent discoveries uncovered a 0.5% differential between members of the same sub-classification. This differential rarely presents itself but can manifest in tumors, an extra finger, or height difference.
Recent breakthroughs in Flare brain autopsies have revealed neurological quirks. The Flare mind lacks mirror neurons despite their brain density being higher than the galactic average. This biological discovery is currently hypothesized to be the driving factor around the Flare's comparative lack of noticeable culture or empathy for those outside their own species.
Alongside studies into the cranial structure of the Flare species was the study into their vision and, more importantly, how it differentiates from our own. The paper 'Vision: What Separates and Illuminates', published by Wizja Consolidated Inc2 goes into further detail, stating:
"One of our faithful employees, who so happens to be a Flare, most graciously signed away the ownership of their body upon their termination. Study of their body revealed that eyes of a standard Flare show a red, blue, green rod structure, similar to that of Humans. The Flare's vision remains remarkably sharp, with a flicker fusion threshold (FFR) currently calculated at 250Hz, higher than the galaxy's average. This, in turn, makes a galactic standard day to them seem far longer than to Zidophants such as myself, who only have an un-augmented FFR of 50Hz."
Technology
It's difficult to fully classify Flare technology, as new biologically engineered varieties are produced regularly to keep up with ever-changing threats. DNA testing on living salvage at XENO-COM's Station-67 showed that Flare biotech differs from them genetically by 1.3%. The biotechnological nature of Flare machinery is understood to give their industry key advantages. With DNA close enough to its users, the similarities allow for integration on a neurological level. This feature prevents foreign genetic profiles from utilizing or hacking Flare tools under most circumstances.
One of the few known mechanical weapons deployed by the Flare is the Assault Plasma Cannon 2023, or APC-23 for short. Produced by the Symbol-Zastępczy Corporation, the APC-23 is a light-gas plasmoid launcher (also referred to as a hypervelocity plasma accelerant). Unlike conventional firearms that use a chemical propellant (e.g., black powder or nitrocellulose), it accelerates a projectile utilizing a large-diameter piston in the rifle's rear. This large-diameter piston forces a gaseous, working fluid through a smaller-diameter barrel containing the projectile. The slug is then accelerated through the superheated gases within the barrel.
This sudden reduction in diameter acts as a lever, increasing the speed while decreasing the pressure. Rapidly increasing pressure to launch the projectile at an astonishing 5,450mph. The weapon is generally measured at 32.75" inches long and 9.3" inches tall, weighing 45.74" pounds.
The weapon utilizes depleted uranium cartridges filled with solidified sodium, typically seven grams in weight. The cartridge's contents are super-heated and broken down into base components using the built-in plasma gasifier. These cartridges are launched and 'catch' the plasma within the barrel. Due to the sodium igniting, the plasmoid projectile materializes as a bright-orange 'fireball' upon ejection.
Though the initial arc's temperature is exceptionally high (∼13,000°C), the temperature downstream within the plasma gasifier, where energy waste is produced brought about by contact, is much cooler, at (2700–4500°C). The downstream temperature remains sufficiently high to pyrolyze complex hydrocarbons into simple gases such as CO and H2. The weapon is semi-automatic but can be switched to automatic, firing every 1.8 seconds.
Another notable non-organic technology the Flare utilizes is its 'flash-training' devices. No opportunity has presented itself at this time. The Flare keeps these devices a top military and strategic secret, creating issues for GRPC Rangers regarding their procurement. Brief examinations have confirmed that Flash Training can fully educate juvenile Flares in combat scenarios, including military strategy, close-quarters, and naval combat.
This training process provides a juvenile Flare decades, if not centuries, of training knowledge within a week. While training can be accomplished in more or less time, attempting to provide the training in less time typically inflicts the Flare with various mental illnesses. Training programs are supplied to their specific sub-species, as each sub-species is expected to know and focus on specific knowledge compared to their peers.
FTL Technology
An essential element of the Flare technological sphere is the utilization of 'Superposition Drives'. This unique form of FTL travel allows the Flare to effectively 'teleport' within a confined 'bubble'. The radius is generated and constantly maintained by the Superposition Drive itself. This instantaneous regional transmission enables the Flare to create system sweeps, superluminal communication networks, and ship-to-ship teleportation bombers.
The make and model of a Superposition Drive can vary, but it typically consists of a large, spherical containment device. A power generator supplies this apparatus. When energized, the device creates pairs of anomalous 'phantom particles.' When a duo is assembled, one of the two will be emitted. This particle will exist in a superposition state around the origin point.
The longer the Superposition Drive has to emit particles, the greater the potential travel radius will become and the more potent its connection to local space will become. However, these particles can not exceed the speed of light; thus, the radius will only grow at light speed. Due to the "Whispers Beyond Light" effects, attempts to transport phantom particles outside of their effective radius or an active Superposition Drive via other FTL means have resulted in catastrophic incidents
If an emitted phantom particle is observed, it will stay stationary and can be caught. When in the possession of a person or ship, the holder will take on the superposition properties of the phantom particle. An observation device must be employed to keep the particle and holder locked. While deactivating the observation device permits teleportation within the radius, the location is always random. Desired teleports require the particle spin to be tampered with until it matches another pair's spin within the radius, causing the two phantom particles and the holder to swap places.
Three major design elements can affect the size and power requirement of the Superposition Drive Core.
Despite the overwhelming benefit of instantaneous travel, there are some risks that the Superposition Drive suffers from.
While the phantom particle observation device must be deactivated to initiate a teleport, an outsider's observation will interrupt the process. This teleport stall can only be performed if the outsider has locked onto the holder's phantom particles. Visualizing the superposition ship or its occupants with the naked eye is insufficient to stop a teleport. In addition, a lack of phantom particles at the destination, an unstable connection, or failure to align particle spins can cause a teleport sequence to fail. Observed fail states have ranged from missing hair, fingers, teeth, organs, screws, scales, tails, feathers, bolts, or fuel to the total atomization of the phantom particle holder.
Ships/Vehicles
As stated previously, most Flare tech is biological. Nowhere is this more clear than the living ships of the Flare Navy. Cybernetically augmented, Flare ships can vary in size, typically due to the spaceship's age, though their size is more often than not concerning their utilization and deployment.
Due to the organic nature of their spaceships and their plentiful production, each Flare commanding officer is typically assigned a personal spaceship, with said officers usually maintaining the same respect and devotion to their spaceship that they would share with their soldiers, both due to a personal attachment to said ships over years of combat, as well as the pilots of said ships syncing their minds neurologically to said ships.
Observed Flare ships can be categorized by three distinct sub-species.
Bombardier - Transport Class
The Bombardier is an aerial combat and transport craft measuring, on average, 42m wide and 27m tall. Primarily used for infrastructure bombardment, distinctly FTL satellite detection arrays. These ships are designed for planetary assault/troop transportation. The Bombardier is visually distinct, sharing similar design characteristics with the Brachinus Crepitans6. Augmented with five torpedo bay cybernetic implants by Symbol-Zastępczy Co., the Bombardier can deploy a salvo of rockets. Noted rocket variants include chaff, thermal, kinetic, and plasma.
For sub-light propulsion, the Bombardier utilizes a rear-end prehensile cannon. A natural adaption that can both contract and expand to let loose a torrent of super-heated plasma7. This plasma canon provides a second means of combat in addition to a form of mobility.
Alvarium - Frigate Class
This massive, 1km to 1.5km wide stellar fighter is used for in-system FTL dog fighting. Each vaguely matches the silhouette of the Earthborn Dinoponera Tocandiras8 but without wings. Outfitted with a superposition targeting link to a stockpile of high-yield Neutronium bombs. Each bomb can be teleported into or near a target. Once detonated, the hulls of most targeted ships will not survive. Survival is possible with proper prep time, but dodging the blast is impossible without FTL.
In the event that their superposition drive is negated, the Alvarium vessels typically are seen being accompanied by a fleet of Bombardiers and Alates fighter craft. However, if need be, the Alvarium also house dozens of their own torpedo bays, with each Alvarium holding a stockpile of hundreds of torpedos of each previously mentioned variety.
Sunspot- Interstellar Transport Class
Photograph of two Jupiter-3's (blue plasma) attacking a Sunspot Transport Ship during the Bonfire War.
A Sunspot craft signifies a system's occupation by Flare. Aptly named, it is a colossal 3,000km in diameter vessel responsible for accommodating all troops, arms, ships, and FTL drives for a military campaign.
A Mobile command center in its own right, these 'Sunspot' vessels vary from their counterparts by utilizing technology on their surface far more than their occupants. The exterior is a gunmetal gray with silver accents. Samples obtained from the only encountered 'Sunspot' vessel have shown the exterior to be an aluminum-alloy plating, with a material similar to a graphite-epoxy present underneath the aluminum-alloy plating. Under this plating, an organic, keratin-like wall composes the vessel's main body, similar to other organic ships produced by The Flare.
These 'Sunspot' vessels are often loaded with thousands of cryogenic stasis pods, which help to induce the Flare within into a cryosleep, providing them with an environment that allows their bodies to be self-sustained. During interstellar travel, the Sunspot ship is fully automated via semi-organic artificial intelligence. This pseudo-autopilot is turned off shortly before combat or rendezvousing with a heavenly body.
It is currently unknown how The Flare can produce the 'Sunspot' structures, as other vessels appear to be living creatures bred to serve as vessels, whereas the 'Sunspot' structures, while made of an inner organic material, have shown no signs of life at this time. Further research is pending.
History
The story of the Flare people has been obfuscated, sometimes intentionally. Tales and religious accounts of the Flare-burning worlds date back an epoch. How truthful these stories may be is to be determined. An overwhelming amount of rumors and conflicting information muddles their history. Added by malicious acts of record destruction, a definitive origin of The Flare cannot be determined at this time. What can be agreed on is a collection of corroborating claims sourced from across the Galaxy. Unfortunately, most of the actual information on the Flare has been kept secret by the Consortium. Acquiring the full data set is possible but has been tied up in a lengthy subscription plan with an initial and substantial down payment.
Ancient History
The Flare were designed to be the perfect soldier; compliant, cold and calculating. Due to their focus on combat, the Flare have neglected most of their own ancient historical preservation, only maintaining works deemed vital for future research. This would include material such as genetics research or the study of various flora and fauna they've documented during their conquests, etc. As such, what can parsed from the Flare themselves is just as cold and devoid of personal detail as the Flare themselves.
In contrast, records of the Flare's ancient history is described in far more detail by other species, who had encountered their kind long ago, before they had become disconnected from the main galaxy. The information provided from various cultures includes, but is not limited to; Isokin, Alfrakian, Laknoctua, etc. The following are examples procured from said cultures, whether through trade, negotiation, or discovery.
Isokin
An ancient brass chestpiece, from the Brass Age roughly 50,000BCE, the intricate carvings weave a tale of curiosity, confusion and horror as a large entity, possibly a now extinct sub-species of Flare Ship, landed on the planet. The carvings describe how this 'Dark God of Two Legs' destroyed all that approached its wounded ship, by the time the primitive Isokin had slain the Flare, it alone had been capable of causing a near collapse of Brass Age civilization upon the continent in landed upon. The carvings end with a warning to never trust those who do not walk and talk as the Isokin do.9
Alfrakian
A now faded etching of a telescopic observation, dating to roughly 6000BCE. Impossible to read without technological assistance. The etching depicts a solar flare entering an adjacent solar system, multiple planets being destroyed moments after. The etching was found within the ruins of a forgotten education center on Alfrik, implying it had been the debate of several researchers during the early years of this species industrial era, as mathematical calculations discovered alongside the etching had been used to calculate the statistical improbability of multiple planets being targeted simultaneously. This etching is possibly one of many reasons as to why the Alfrakians invested into space travel so early into civilizational development, The Alfrakians of the time seeing this event as a statistical curiosity, despite the destructive nature of The Flare.
Laknoctua
An old scouting report millennia old, kept for preservation aboard The Vimana. The report dates to 5500BCE, detailing how a scouting team had been sent towards Ursa Major 3. The report details how a ship similar yet smaller in size to The Vimana, had been sent to Ursa Major 3 and had lost contact with The Vimana. Last known communication from this ship detailed 'Living Moons', likely in reference to Sunspots, attacking them. The report concludes with The Laknoctua deciding to not approach this territory any further and to continue exploration of the Milky Way galaxy.
The exact origin of the Flare has been lost to time. What little of their own origin retained by the Flare is in reference to a 'Scorched One', a Flare given deific status by The Flare due to their vital importance in the Flare's continued existence. According to research by the Consortium on the genetics of The Flare, it can be safely determined that the 'Scorched One' is the genetic template which all Flare are originally based upon, before initial mutations either occur naturally due to degradation of the original sample over an epoch, or are added intentionally in the case of creating a Grease Bug, Incinerator, or other organic vehicles, sub-species, etc.
Due to the lack of any traditional 'stories', the origin of the name 'Scorched One' has been lost to time, yet due to the engineered nature of the Flares existence, some Flare maintain faint 'genetic memories', events that occurred yet did not occur to themselves nor during their flash training.
Most interviewed Flare depict the 'Scorched One' as a valiant warrior, flashes of battles they never fought in appearing in their mind during rare moments of reprieve. Some Flare, more notably the Grease Bugs, depict memories of construction, ingenuity, and moments of contemplation. The Incinerators interviewed had little to say on the matter, the topic seemingly angering them, to the point of lashing out at the Interviewee.
Modern History
First contact with the Flare occurred roughly around 2000 BCE when a Flare Sunspot ship teleported into a minor Consortium allied system. Contact would be quickly lost, with the entire system falling within only eight hours. The Zidophant's Consortium of Corporate Worlds had gone rogue from the GT approximately a thousand years prior. Believing this to be a retaliatory strike, the Consortium began offering bounties and generous grants to any paramilitary group that could take out the aggressor.
After a series of skirmishes within Consortium space, it was quickly determined that this aggressor was neither GT nor beatable. A covert psychic resonance campaign was launched to better understand the enemy. It was uncovered that the Flare still believed that the Humanoids controlled the Galaxy. A million years of cloning malfunctions, genetic tampering, and propaganda had morphed the Flare into a vengeful swarm. A hoard that had waited an epoch to see the Galaxy burn.
With a combat victory off the table, the Consortium turned to alternative victory conditions. An audit was performed across all Consortium corporations to determine if they possessed something of value to the Flare aggressor. One such company, a biotech firm, had acquired an ancient orbital habitat. Aside from the historical significance of the installation, a lab and cryo-chamber were uncovered in one of its sublevels. Of the still-living DNA samples, one stood out to the Consortium. An original Flare, untouched by gene editing or cloning.
On a journey to buy the Flare's loyalty, the translation company Symbol-Zastępczy deciphered the Flare language years prior. When the genetics of a Precusor Flare was discovered, simply known as the Pure Strain, Symbol-Zastępczy Co. was the first to purchase exclusive rights to the DNA sample and its digitized copy. Taking a massive risk, Symbol-Zastępczy Co. contacted the Flare. The message consisted of a simple co-partnership request attached to a file containing a fragment of the digitized DNA sequence. Many were surprised when the Flare landed on the lawn of Symbol-Zastępczy Co's offices with open arms. The two parties agreed that the Flare would operate as paid contractors under Symbol-Zastępczy Co.
The Flare would agree to their contractual terms, which stated that a percentage of all Flare earnings would go to the future purchasing of the cryogenically frozen Flare. Unfortunately for the Flare; complex legal jargon, inflation, alien policies, and price gouging have put them indebted to Symbol-Zastępczy Co. for the foreseeable future.
Since then, The Flare, represented by the Symbol-Zastępczy Corporation, has acted as the enforcers for the Consortium, dealing with rebels and space pirates alike. Debt worlds that strike or refuse to pay their dues can always expect the Flare to force cooperation. In the last 100 years, as tensions between the Sodality and Consortium grow, it has been documented that the Flare and Symbol-Zastępczy Co. have been mobilizing for what seems like total war.
Culture and Psychology
A civilization comprised of entities sourced from a single clone, the Flare are collectively slotted into a singular culture. The mannerisms of this invariant civilization have been documented by the many aliens who've encountered it. It's debatable whether the idiosyncrasies of the Flare could genuinely be considered culture or are merely habits inherited from the prime clone. Nonetheless, there are specific peculiarities the Flare upholds that have been quantified as having some cultural merit.
Burntongue
A form of spoken language consisting of the slow release of sulfur dioxide flame and pheromones. The language is primarily used for matters of importance and is spoken in brief. Before a new conversation is had, specialized teams will remove all sulfuric pheromones from the environment..
Forgesign
As a body and hand sign language that does not involve the release of sulfur, it is commonly used by those who work in a vacuum of space or in contaminated environments. Despite its abundant euphemisms, Forgesign is most widely used for interspecies communication.
Scorchmark
Widely written form of communicating information. Some theorize that Scorchmark doubles as an art form. However, this theory has not been confirmed.
Despite not fitting into the classification of a hivemind, Flare clones operate off a similar line of thinking to one another. While differing opinions can arise, their short life expectancy prevents meaningful deviations. The war-prone nature of Flare only exacerbates this matter.
Being a hive species that naturally prefers quantity over quality, the Flare has a shorter lifespan on average than it should. While believed to be capable of longer lifespans, Flare, due to their aggressive and militaristic view on life, have shown an average lifespan smaller than humans; worker drones show a 5-15 year average lifespan, Grease Bugs show a 10-20 year average lifespan, and Incinerators display a 5-10 year average lifespan.
Being a clone race, all Flare lack any reproductive organs. Notions such as sex are utterly foreign concepts. Efforts to explain the idea of a family were wholly lost on Flare. The closest form of any reproduction within the Flare is a form of genetic memory transference. This 'Archive' does not contain the memories of every Flare. Memories stored within the Archive are typically used for specific purposes, such as continuing projects, inheriting specialized skill sets, or beneficial mutations not generalized enough for flash training implementation.
Truly notable Flare have their memories preserved, instead of in the archive, to the flash training that all Flare undergo. Memories kept for flash training implementation are Flare experiences deemed vital to the continual improvement of the species. These memories help to educate new Flare on their combat skills and intellectual capabilities. These implementations carry on the legacy of the Flare who forged these memories, in a way, ensuring a part of them lives on in future generations.
As of date, All Flare have shown an astounding amount of unanimous logistical synchronicity. Flare units will doubtlessly obey the commands of their superiors, not out of loyalty but shared rational insight. This shared perspective does not translate to orders given by non-Flare lifeforms. Their propensity towards violence and self-sacrificial actions also cause predicaments in cross-species operations. This cognitive disconnect has caused the chain of command to break down in a myriad of documented encounters.
All Flare share the same propensity towards violence and self-sacrificial actions, yet a notable difference is that younger, more juvenile Flare, despite reaching physical maturity rapidly, maintain a more over-confident, almost psychotic urge to violence. Their flash training makes them ready for battle, yet without actual combat experience, leaving them with a sense of impatience and eagerness only seen with soldiers who have not yet faced open combat. Older Flare typically has a seasoned veteran's lived experience and tactical mindset, though, without the morality commonly seen with contemporary species to hold them back.
Roles and Ranks
Workers
Sketch of Worker under employ of Symbol-Zastępczy Co, their Combat Suit removed.
The Worker Drone is the most common variant and is the most humanoid in appearance. Bi-pedal and standing at 5'10, Workers possess three fingers on each hand. Their exoskeleton is covered in a rubber-like composite. This 2nd skin excretes an oily lubricant analogous to sweating and their hands are almost entirely comprised of this second skin, allowing great flexibility with their digits.
Possessing a longer, thinner, yet masculine body plan, the Workers have no issues moving around enclosed, tight spaces. They also possess two semi-large glands on their shoulders, which, over time, naturally produce an oily, bioluminescent, flammable substance called The Burn, which acts as a natural napalm.
Typically on par with human intelligence, the Flare possesses the intellectual capabilities to adapt and counterattack in battle at an astonishing speed, a speed customarily associated solely with humans. It is essential to consider this when engaging with the Flare in a naval or Infantry engagement; if you devised a method to counterattack, assume they have already considered it.
Grease Bugs
Sketch of Twisted Sparks of the Praxium Conflict, sketched in the middle of repairing the main barrel of an APC-23.
While more uncommon, especially in active combat areas, the 'Grease Bug' is a sub-species of Flare grown for a dedicated role as the species' mechanic. Their physiology is similar on a genetic level but drastically different from an outward appearance, most notably their arachnid build, with four legs serving as transportation and two arms serving for motor skills.
They are typically shorter, roughly 5'2" on average, and possess more minor, less developed 'burn glands' on their shoulders. They also have five fingers instead of the expected three; their similar jaw structure would suggest they are also omnivorous.
They possess an above-average intelligence on par with humans and construct most of the species' machinery while maintaining the majority of scientific endeavors in their society. While Worker drones have been observed aiding in these construction endeavors, they are typically assigned menial, less complicated tasks due to their, on average, lower intelligence.
What few attempts at peaceful communication have been made with the species as a whole, said Grease Bugs are typically assigned to negotiations as their niche within their species grew alongside their society. The Grease Bug gains its name because its duller, less pronounced mandibles allow it to work as a rudimentary wrench, twisting its mandibles to tighten metal together or other such construction endeavors.
Incinerators
Sketch of Savage Pyre, Incinerator under the strict employ of Symbol-Zastępczy Co.
Incinerators are the least common variant of the species; only an estimated 1/6th of the population will develop into this sub-species on average, but this ratio may change as the needs of their society change. All Incinerators have displayed highly aggressive behavior and have only been observed being deployed in active infantry combat situations. Incinerators have shown an average size of 15ft but can molt into even larger sizes. Boasting the thickest exoskeleton of its species, as well as absurd physical strength, displaying the capability to lift several dozen tons with minimal difficulty, these Flare can be compared to walking tanks.
Like the workers, they also possess glands on their shoulders and wrist-mounted stingers, though, unlike the workers, these stingers are much thicker and have been reported to have been used as makeshift blades10.
Unlike the Grease Bugs, who primarily use their Burn as a utility, nor like the Workers, who primarily utilize their Burn as a defensive mechanism, the Incinerator, aptly named, has displayed the capability to ignite their Burn as it exits their stingers, in-turn acting as an organic flamethrower. The Incinerator is the only type of its species to have a purely carnivorous diet, often seen devouring the charred remains of previous combatants or even its own kind if other alternatives are not available.
Alpha-Incinerators
In most cases, Incinerators possess less intelligence than their brethren but have enough not to be simple wild beasts. There are, however, rare cases where Incinerators show intelligence above even the grease bugs. However, only a single instance of a highly intelligent incinerator has been reported, as research is ongoing regarding the species and whether this is a singular outlier or more indicative of a slow change of the species.
Government
Flare civilization can be organized into two camps. In the Ursa sector, Flare HQ plays an essential role in the infrastructure of their society. Clones produced for combat are shipped off to the Milky Way front. Once in the Milky Way, Flare are put under the management of the Symbol-Zastępczy Corporate Board of Directors.
Ursa Major Sector
Due to the near-identical shared interests and experience of the Flare, especially those in the Ursa Major sector, the Flare as a whole have a comparative barebones government in comparison to other species, as arguments are seldom amongst a species with a like-minded perspective on the universe.
What can be deciphered from the Flare is that each sub-species has a central leader, a sole individual chosen amongst their ranks to represent them based on unique merits and qualifications. One of these three central leaders is then selected to lead their people into the future during their tenure, which typically lasts until the Flare in question dies of natural causes or is killed in combat.
The remainder of their sub-species is expected to obey them without question, or the superiors assigned by said central leader. Previous testaments from the Flare confirm that their main leader had typically changed every few decades; this has not been the case for almost two centuries, as their most recent leader, The Scorched King, has remained undefeated in both combat and intellectual debate.
Listed below are the current central leaders and a brief summary of how they were chosen for their leadership role.
The Scorched King, an Alpha-Incinerator. The product of centuries of combat, this Incinerator is a starling outlier compared to the rest of his sub-species. Cunning, brutal, and strategically gifted. Due to the importance of war to the Flare, the Scorched King holds the most power. Due to being the example all Flare currently strives towards, his tactics, rules of engagement, and war policy are disseminated and taught to all Flare shipped off to fight. He also has the final say if the other two representatives cannot agree when discussing various subjects regarding their people.
The Representative of Di'Son is the central leader of the Grease Bugs. Considered the best of the trade for correcting eye blindness in 1.2% of clones. This clone oversees all aspects of infrastructure and production. Each Representative of Di'Son has continued the work of their senior in constructing Dyson Spheres across the Ursa Cloud. The current Representative is on track to finishing the 2nd Dyson Sphere, possibly within his lifetime.
The Voice of the Scorched is the central leader for the Workers. A public speaker of sorts, the Voice, tempers the passion and drive of the Flare. This role has been most difficult to decipher, as due to the lack of a central culture, The Voice of the Scorched is a role given to a Flare worker who, according to various tests, is closest physically and mentally to the original Scorched One. Their current role seems to serve as a reminder of sorts to future Flare, to never forget their origins as survivors, a face that other Flare can look to as a reminder that, while they may carry the memories of The Scorched One, they are but inheritors of the original Flare.
The current Voice is the most vocal advocate for obtaining DNA samples from Symbol-Zastępczy Co. and even holds a position on the company board. Of all the central leaders, The Voice of the Stars is the only known of The Triad that has been willing to venture outside of Ursa Major III, though only for matters of high importance.
Milky Way Front
Considered an eternal military front for the Flare, the chain of command in the home systems breaks down past the interchange. While a Flare can not be charged for breaking any crimes while on the war front, they can be held accountable by Symbol-Zastępczy Co once their tour of duty ends.
Flare on deployment are expected to follow the Symbol-Zastępczy Co. employee handbook. In the event of a major joint military operation, a member of the board or a paid contractor can be issued command over a Flare armada. However, a Flare with seniority who's survived multiple tours will be loaned several Alvarium and its troops for the duration of a campaign.
Flare within the Milky Way is typically assigned as bodyguards to high-ranking Symbol-Zastępczy Co members or as hired muscle, sent to various worlds by Symbol-Zastępczy Co if peaceful negotiations fall through.
Diplomatic Procedures
Rangers are advised to avoid the Flare when applicable. Due to the recent Bonfire War, Flare / Galactic Treaty relations are at an all-time low. While The Flare tends to avoid the path of GRPC ships, they have been known to fire on any GRPC or GT boat that approaches too close to Consortium space. Despite her near-death experience with The Flare during the Bonfire War, GD-FRONT has been active in several diplomatic missions regarding the Flare, attempting to, with little success thus far, persuade the Flare to be allies.
The Traveler Corps has advised Humans who land on a Consortium spaceport to avoid interacting with Flare. While they will not attack employees of the Consortium or neutral parties, they strongly dislike the Humanoid form for reasons currently unexplained.