Aliens

Aliens, in the sense of sentient, non-human species do not exist on any world or system yet explored by humanity in the region known as Human Space (that's about 200,000 systems, of which about 1,200 are capable of supporting life). There are the usual rumours, of course - hidden aliens, invisible aliens, shape-changing aliens, grey aliens from Zeta Reticuli (humans colonised the Zeta2 Reticuli system centuries ago - definitely no aliens there). No hard evidence. For most people aliens remain largely in the realm of the fantasist and paranoid.

However, aliens do, most definately exist in the Milky Way Galaxy, and over the last 20 years the following have been identified:


Boldly Go Aliens - a species of sentient beings discovered by the international exploratory mission 'Operation Boldly Go'. Though humanity has observed these beings' technology there is little in the public domain on the beings themselves, and there have been no government-sponsored contact mission to them as yet. Since their worlds are around 2.5 hyperyears distant, contact is likely to be slight.

Exterminators - not an alien species as such, but alien robotic killing machines, certainly. Though not sentient (it has been assessed that the Exterminators were merely fairly sophisticated 'Bright Slave' intelligences) they were bright enough to wage war

Hostile Exterminator Builders - these are the putative builders fo the Exterminator killing machines above. Evidence has been gathered of them, and that they have a civilisation located some 5 hyperyears from human space. Humanity considers itself at war with their aliens, though how war can be prosecuted over such vast distances is moot.

Roaches - The recent (3210-12) operations in Sector EJ and Quadrant 6 against the alien species known 'Roaches' revealed some significant similarities between their technology and that of the Exterminators. Their cooperation with twelve Exterminator Viking Units at the second battle of Disney World (last octant of 3212 and first octant of 3213) is considered to confirm the link: whether the Roaches are the HEBs is a matter of considerable discussion, with the balance of opinion tending to 'Yes'.

Universe B Aliens - a species from another universe, discovered as a result of some transdimensional accidents. There is no longer any contact as transdimensional travel cannot be reliably replicated. Of interest is the fact that these small grey aliens were physically very similar in form to the Forerunners.

The Visitors - human space has been visited at least twice by transdimensional aliens from another universe, tentatively known as 'Universe C'. They have turned up in orbit around the Quadrant Zero world of Gorilla twice, with a huge 1 km-diameter ship/orbital full of trade goods, and has attempted to trade with humanity. These trade goods have now been mostly purchased and destroyed by the Mald Democratic Foundation. The Visitors have made no reported appearances for several years now.

Beings of Beldon
A millions of alien refugees arrived in Quadrant 3 in 3220 in a number of vast slower-than-light refugee ships. They were welcomed by the small colony of Beldon, and since arriving have set up their own colony on the planet, and so far are co-existing peacefully with humanity.

The 'Mermaids' of Y26
For a short time in 3215, scientists were excited by the alleged discovery by the colonists on Y26 (Quadrant 7) of what they claimed to be a sentient aquatic tool-using species inhabiting the shallow oceans of the planet. The locals had long had legends of ‘mermaids’ as they call them, and it initally appeared that there was a species of amphibians who built undersea habitats and used tools and showed signs of having a language and higher cognitive processes.
The species was thoroughly investigated by the prestigious and renowned scientist Doctor Shigetaki, formerly, Head of Exotic Fauna at the Shi’ar Institute of Agriculture. After close study Dr Shigetaki pronounced them non-sentient, inhabiting an unusual form of coral found in the shallow sea that was mistaken by the inexpert colonists as 'structures'. Dr Shigetaki declared the mineral-rich undersea region safe for mineral exploitation, mining surveys and development work in the red mercury rich undersea region.