Drone, Turpis rex
Drone, Turpis rex
Height: 1.9 meters | Weight: 127 kilos
HOMEWORLD: PALAMOK
STAR, POSITION: Napret, III
SATELLITE(S): Naxook, Oquiu, Ka’amoti, Kami
GRAVITY: 2 G [approx]
ATMOSPHERE: .09 atm [CO2, O2, Ar]
SURFACE TEMPERATURE: 29°C to 42°C
POPULATION: [unknown[?]]
SOCIETAL APPROXIMATION: [Hive[?]]
GOVERNMENT: Monarchy/Religious hegemony client
TECHNOLOGY TIER: Native Tier 4/Adopted Tier 2
CURRENT THREAT TO ARRAY: Negligible
Correctly and accurately compared to several other forms of arthropod, the Yanme’e are unusual only in physical scale and intelligence. While intelligent hive arthropod cultures are relatively common throughout the galaxy, it is rare that individuals attain tool-making and technological skills. The other notable feature is their sheer size. Averaging a height of just less than 2 meters, they are among the largest mobile arthropods yet discovered. Largely carnivorous, the Yanme’e developed and bred a form of feral, hunted livestock as they became more sophisticated.
On their home planet, the Yanme’e are capable of short bursts of limited flight. In gravities less than 2 G, they become much more agile and competent fliers, should there be even minimal atmosphere against which to beat their diaphanous-looking yet sturdy wings. Palamok itself is quite Earthlike, although significantly larger and tending to tropical extremes. It is a flat and geologically featureless world, with little tectonic or volcanic activity. One of the reasons Yanme’e became adept tool users is a chitinous, flexible appendage, more properly a vestigial secondary leg, which behaves like an opposable thumb, allowing—in conjunction with other limbs—tremendous manipulative dexterity. A Yanme’e’s ability to aim and fire a weapon in flight, or while clambering over a structure, makes it one of the most dangerous infantry units available to the Covenant. Compound eyes give it excellent visual acuity, too. The high gravity of Palamok means that they are denser and heavier than most arthropods and capable of absorbing significant damage.
Culturally speaking, they are simply a conquered and dominated client of the Covenant (see Unggoy). They adhere to Covenant religious principles and obey unquestioningly but have no particular passion for Covenant societal norms. They follow what they see as a normal and linear power structure, with the Prophet “queens” ruling from on high. Their initial contact with the Covenant was devastating for both sides, and the eventual resulting [détente] was unexpected given the scale of the mutual carnage. Communication difficulties with other Covenant species mean that they largely stick to their own, except in combat.
