The Silicon Creatures (珪素生物, Keiso Seibutsu) are an artificially constructed cyber-organic species who thrive on the chaos in the Netsphere.
History[]
Killy, in his quest to obtain the Net Terminal Gene, encounters many of these beings along the way, each time met with hostility. He became one of their most wanted targets, and as such many made it their personal quest to bring him to his end. Eventually, due to the mass damage he caused to both the City and it's people, he became known as "the Calamity", with his name bringing fear among the race.
An invasion force of Silicon Creatures led by Ivy and Maeve staged an assault on Toha Heavy Industries for years, intent on wiping out the humans dwelling within, succeeding in taking most of the mega-building and wiping out all but one of the Planters. The combined efforts of Seu, Mensab, Killy, Cibo, and the Electrofishers stopped most of the invaders, and the destruction of the Toha building killed the remainder.
Another group of Silicon Creatures, led by Davinelulinvega, invaded the Unofficial Megastructure Level in an attempt to reach the Netsphere, wiping out most of the defenders and seizing control of most of the level. With Safeguard technology in their hands, mainly the Structural Conversion Towers, this group was able to use Safeguard weapons and abilities, and even create Exterminator units of their own. Their assault was a near success, with Davine actually succeeding in momentarily gaining access to the Netsphere, only to be stopped by Killy, Cibo, and Safeguards Dhomochevsky and Iko - though not before setting off a series of events that led to the entire level being wiped out.
Appearance[]
Most Silicon Creatures are humanoid in appearance, having (at least) two arms, two legs and a head and stand upright. They appear to be built of a combination of organic and cybernetic components, with one part being nearly indistinguishable from the other. Their faces usually appear to be dry and cracked, with cold mechanical eyes sunk back into their skulls, and most have bald heads, with very few (usually females) having any hair at all. Many variants from the more humanoid-looking ones exist, with some looking much more robotic, or even animistic.
Many have weapons built into their bodies; usually an energy cannon in place of a hand, though other may have strange weapons hidden somewhere within the body, which is useful for a surprise attack. Few others will even use melee weapons.
For clothing, they generally wear long robes that reach past their feet, though the more aggressive forms will generally don a full set of battle armor.
Interestingly, the brief glimpses given of infant Silicon Lifeforms reveal that they have little to no mechanical parts and, for the most part, appear completely human - complete with fully human eyes (most of the adults seem to have mechanical eyes). This may suggest that they are traditionally born fully organic, and are mechanically altered later on.
Culture[]
As stated by the Silicon Life hacked by Cibo in Volume 4, all (barring few exceptions) Silicon Life share the goal of destroying the Net Terminal Gene and all its carriers. This is because once a human connects to the Netsphere using the Gene, they can order the Administration to stop the City's chaotic expansion. Doing so would subjugate the entirety of the City to the Administration once again, allowing them to regain control of the Safeguards. Since the Silicon Life are still considered "illegal" citizens, they would be immediately be hunted and killed to extinction.
Therefore, the Silicon Life have adopted a warrior culture, wandering in nomadic bands throughout their respective Strata, killing humans whenever possible.
Some Silicon Life, such as Davine Lu Linvega and The Observer, however, do not exhibit interest in killing humans. Rather, they each pursue personal goals. This suggests that the Silicon Life's goal of killing all humans is voluntary. Further supporting this is the presumption that Davine's followers were under no obligation to stay with her or help her in her endeavors to access the Netspehere (unless they thought Davine's doing so would make it easier to kill humans).
Technology[]
To be Added
Cibo discovered that the Lifeforms have a secondary brain, one very close to both Safeguard and Human brain systems, that is compatible with that technology. This may or may not be a modification.
Known Silicon Creatures[]
Main[]
Other[]
Note: the following names are fan-given and not considered to be canon
- "Child Hunting" Silicon Creatures
A trio of Silicon Lifeforms that follow Killy and the child he is escorting in an attempt to capture the young boy. The first one attempts a more friendly approach, greeting Killy and asking if he was alone; as he searches the area, Killy sees through his farce and blasts him in half with his GBE before he is able to retaliate.
The other two find their companion and extract his recordings before mercilessly dropping him to his death, despite his pleas. These two actually succeed in obtaining both the child and Killy's weapon, though they are not used to handling the powerful weapon and Killy is able to escape.
Killy is able to catch up to them, though not before they kill and mutilate the child. With a hacked vehicle he is able to gun down the second Lifeform, but it is shot down by the third one. He and the last Lifeform duel, with Killy slicing through it's head before reclaiming his gun and blowing it's head away.
- "Nursery Bot"
A stationary Silicon Lifeform that guards the nursery Killy infiltrates in his search for food. It attempts to shoot Killy with it's numerous machine guns and missile launchers before being blasted with his GBE.
- "Gonk" Silicon Creature
A heavy-built Silicon Lifeform that Killy meets passing by a settlement of humans under attack. The Gonk wipes the attacking Exterminators out with a strange looking grenade, and, upon spotting Killy, claims he recognizes him. His companion shows up, dragging one of the deceased humans for "another DNA record". Killy reveals that he destroyed their nursery; the two Silicon Creatures are clearly distraught by the news and attack him. The Gonk shoots him down a pit where he escapes to a lower level of the structure, though he is able to track Killy down, dispatching Kumoi before resuming their fight. He savagely beats the man but ends up getting blasted through the stomach with Killy's GBE, then crushed beneath the rubble that rains down due to the blast.
- "Giggling" Silicon Creature
Traveling companion of "Gonk", this young, female-looking Silicon Lifeform is first encountered by Killy as she drags the corpse of a human behind her, for "DNA records". After hearing the news that Killy destroyed the nursery, she savagely attacks the man under Gonk's orders, giving a creepy giggle before kicking his head straight through a wall. Killy catches her by surprise when he suddenly bursts through the wall and pins her down, shooting her in the head point-blank with his GBE.
- Ivy's Forces
A large group of Silicon creatures that launches the attack on Toha Heavy Industries, led by Ivy and Maeve. Killy and Cibo encounter them during their quest to the mega-factory and assist it's defenders, Mensab and Seu, in fighting them off. Though initially successful in holding them off, the arrival of the Safeguard causes the protagonists to go on the defensive, along with the Electro-fishers taking shelter inside. While the majority of the forces die during the chaotic battle, they are successful in killing the central AI of Toha Heavy Industries. The few that remained either retreated or were killed when the factory teleported to a new location in the City.
- "Latest Model" Silicon Creature
A large Silicon Lifeform Killy encounters in Mensab's pocket dimension. It is able to generate massive explosions from devices attached to it without causing any visible damage to itself, and even regenerate from a direct blast from the GBE. It consistently impedes the progress of Killy and alternate Cibo, and actually succeeds in killing the alternate as Killy escapes back to the main dimension, though it dies in the process.
Ivy's troops later find it's body fused to the walls of Toha Heavy Industries in the main dimension, and has Maeve's upper half grafted to it. Along with Maeve herself, it is destroyed by Killy's GBE shortly before THI is teleported elsewhere.