Skrxxn

Intro
When two alien races meet, misunderstandings are almost inevitable. And misunderstanding breeds conflict. Within the Guild of Planets, the race with the greatest reputation for both preventing and resolving such conflicts are the Skrixxn. This is not because the Skrixxn are exceptional diplomats, but because they have developed a process that allows them to understand even the most bizarre of alien minds. "As empathetic as a Skrxxn" is a common phrase with some Guild planets, however, so is "as annoying as a Skrxxn" due to the tendency of Skrxxn diplomats to always try to understand the other person's viewpoint even when both sides want conflict.

Typical Skrixxn
Because all Skrxxn are telepathic shapeshifters, describing a "typical" Skrxxn is nearly impossible. They prefer temperatures and atmospheres similar to humans but can eat anything (including rocks) and can easily survive the vacuum of space.

Instead of developing technology to modify their surroundings and advance themselves, they learned to manipulate their own biology. A Skrxxn's "natural" form has already evolved over thousands of generations to thrive in most any environment.

All Skrxxn can rapidly mutate their bodies for whatever additional requirements are needed for survival. Natural weaponry and armor for combat, additional and strengthened limbs for faster or alternate movement, and even metabolic alterations are all possible. Although they understand the concept of tools, Skrxxn have no need for them and they tend to dismiss tool use as less important to other aspects to understanding strangers.

Their minds also evolved into a communal organization of interlinked minds. This hive mind link is a very efficient form of communication, and evolution favors efficiency. While developed specifically for intraspecies communication, they can use it to make very limited telepathic scans on other species. In addition, the Skrixxn have developed a process for expanding this ability to slowly create an in-depth understanding of any species.

The Hive Mind, one of their communal strengths, has its drawbacks. With the knowledge of the entire species at an individual's fingertips, that individual has little need to learn anything and will often appear primitive and unlearned if that connection is broken. Skrxxn are generally uncomfortable without the contact of others, and is compelled to re-establish the link. Lone individuals, with no others of their species around, have tried linking with indigenous creatures to prevent insanity. This dependency and comfort with the Hive Mind also leaves his mind more open to commands, even if they're not from a proper link, or even his own kind.

Like most species, Skrxxn are generally expansionist in mindset, driven to migrate and spread. While capable and willing to defend themselves, a Skrxxn planet under siege will generally devote a significant amount of resources toward understanding the minds of any captured prisoners, however such a "rush job" is rarely beneficial to the prisoner's health.

Description
When not shapeshifted (a very rare occurrence) this creature is approximately the size of the average human, but mass is the extent of most similarities. It is quadrupedal and digitigrade, with the elongated feet and short thigh making it appear to have reversed knee joints. A thick, comparatively short tail extends out past its flank, swaying and twitching as it provides balance. Two additional limbs extend from the vicinity of either shoulder. Both are slender and simple: three segments and three joints, with the final joint a pointed claw or spine.

The hide of the creature is rust-brown with areas of lighter tan or darker russet. Its texture is rough with numerous small spines and ridges. Joints and large areas are divided into segmented plates, most visibly along the spine.

The head of the creature sits at the front of a thick neck and bears a large number of sizable teeth. Its lack of lips make the maw and teeth appear even larger. Two reddish-orange eyes sit above, both with deep black pupils.

Inter-species Relations
A typical Skryxxn race survey involves taking any suspected sentient races (in Earth's case, humans, dolphins and cuttlefish) and finding sample members to act as translator between Skrixxn minds and native minds. If the difference between the two sets of minds are too great (or the hybrid encounters prejudice from the native species), the hybridized native has the ability to create additional hybrids between itself and the native species. These telepathic "second level hybrids" translate any telepathic information about the native species for the first level hybrid, allowing the first level hybrid to become more Skrixxn in its thinking. A complete Skrixxn race survey takes several years to complete and is rarely concluded once started. For example, Earth history has shows that a revered sun symbol in one generation can become a hated symbol of inter-species bigotry in a few short years.

See also Hive Inc.