Spectra (SPEK-trah)
Metal not even Deres could tame...
Found exclusively on Planet Thunthen, this volatile metal has remained a mystery to the dragon men for millennia with all attempts at plumbing its secrets ending in failure. Viewed as the chaotic counterpart to Thanged's dererium, this substance-dubbed "spectra" due to its unknown properties-has seen limited use in closed fusion drives and portable reactors, but the Thunthen suspect if fully unlocked, it could yield a metal more powerful than Thangiens' prized dererium.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Outside the rocky Spectra Pits themselves, spectra can only be housed in special containment fields with multiple redundant safeguards. It appears bright orange like fresh magma, but remains in a perpetual soupy state. It never seems to cool, remaining in a liquid form similar to mercury, but can cause other nearby metals to rapidly deteriorate similar to gallium. Despite being bombarded with solar particles in the same manner as dererium, spectra cannot be cast, molded, tempered, or alloyed with any metal thus far.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Using more refined remote methods of study, Thunthen researchers have determined that spectra aggressively steals electrons, protons, and neutrons from other metals in a gluttonous effort to achieve a solid state, and yet no matter what combination presented, the attempted fusion loses cohesion, disgorging all of the pilfered matter, and the cycle repeats.
Spoiler Warning: Unpublished Content!
Ronin WarriorSpectra3000 B.C./5000 years Earth-time
An elderly human stood at the precipice of a volcanic pit that seethed and bubbled endlessly. Even with the heat shield covering his face and protective garb shrouding his frail body, he could sense immense heat from the caldera. Gouts of steam and spurts of molten metal shot into the air periodically. He stepped away from the edge and hobbled over to the two towering Nobeyls that waited patiently for him. He shook his head and raised gnarled fingers in a clutching gesture.
"It is more than finding a suitable metal!" Deres, the Father of Metal, shouted above the roaring furnace behind him. " It is constantly at war with itself, consuming all manner of metals in a never-ending quest to stabilize itself, but it requires a specific form of energy to complete the process, a resonance!"
"So...you are saying...the metal...is...trying to 'speak'?" one Noble asked and cocked his blocky head to one side.
"In a manner of speaking, yes!" Deres replied and shrugged, pinching his thumb and index fingers together. "It pillages the very substance of other metals, but without the proper type of energy, it can never retain cohesion! I fear the energy it craves is of a form known to neither of our peoples. It would almost have to be considered magic! I am sorry, my friends...I know this is not the answer you sought..." Deres lamented. The two Nobles exchanged glances, the oldest stroking his beard thoughtfully before straightening himself and nodding.
"It is more than we could have hoped for. You have our gratitude, Rgduagdaraaz. We will send for the shuttle to transport you home right away," the Nobeyl replied and executed a slight shell bow.
"Hope for you is dashed for I," Deres sighed as he turned to face the furnace once more, walking towards the edge slowly. Smoke and heat billowed up from the surface of the pits. Deres blinked slowly, wondering why he felt so tired all of a sudden. "Oh, how I would have liked to make another discovery..." he whispered hoarsely, his breathing labored and his limbs leaden. "Just...one...last...time..." Deres sighed and closed his eyes. The two Nobeyls gave an almighty shout and reached out with their hands too late to respond as Deres toppled forward and straight into the pits. They stared at the spot where Deres had stood just a moment prior, mouths agape in shock as the pits bubbled and belched.
"...Ohhhhhh...Thangiens....not...going to be happy..." the younger Noble croaked. They dared not approach the edge, knowing full well even if they had reacted in time, the molten embrace of spectra would have eaten through Deres' hazard suit in seconds. They stood quietly in numb shock at witnessing the end of the Father of Metal.
MoltenSpectra.jpg
Malicious Metal
by
Mardrena
Made with Fantasy Background Generator
Compounds
The Thunthen have managed to utilize the malicious metal as an integral source of fuel in their closed fusion reactors. A single drop, when paired with raw phergon and other materials to sate its appetite, can provide nigh-limitless power, enabling the Daggur Clan Shipyards to produce fleets of ships in a short amount of time. Clusters of such drives form the heart of the twin supercarriers Ramahatesguad and Huzonthunorthplier.
More recently Sky Platform Argonauth has been fitted with a cluster of closed fusion drives.
Spoiler Warning: Unpublished Content!
Ronin WarriorSpectra"By the...inescapable pull of the Traghdoashin Nexxus Hole...it's....it's spectronium!!" Bak gasped, eyes wide in shock.
"Spectronium!??! Impossible!" Trakar hissed and glanced at Bak sharply, similarly stunned.
"Nay, my Reptilloid friend...it is very much possible, as our friends have now demonstrated..." Bak replied.
"What the heck's 'spectronium'?" Ryo demanded, confused by the reactions from their allies. Bak and Trakar exchanged dumb glances before turning back to face the newly-returned Ronin.
"I-I-It's-it's a theoretical metal!" Bak stammered. "Never before has molten spectra successfully bonded with another metal! Every attempt to engineer a stable alloy failed completely! I... strongly suspect the unique energies inherent in your Armors-"
"Magic," Ryo interjected and crossed his arms over his chest, drumming his fingertips against his upper arms.
"THE UNIQUE ENERGY INHERENT IN YOUR ARMORS!" Bak snapped back. Ryo threw his arms up and rest his knuckles against his hips. Even after all these years, Bak still refused to use the "M" word....
Geology & Geography
Found exclusively at Planet Thunthen's north pole, spectra exists in its natural state in numerous simmering pools known simply as the Spectra Pits. Stone seems to be the only solid capable of housing it, as ceramic crucibles and metal instruments designed to measure hazardous substances end up being quickly consumed.
Origin & Source
The metal has existed for as long as the planet itself, being discovered only fairly recently by the Thunthen in their quest for technological advancement. Due to the mutual exclusivity of spectra and dererium, it is suspected a precise ratio of solar bombardment is required for its creation. Thunthen have attempted to harvest solar particles with special probes, but remain unable to achieve that perfect balance or "mystical resonance" Deres alluded to.
Life & Expiration
The phergon portion of a closed fusion drive can eventually exhaust itself, spectra remains eternally hungry for new matter.
History & Usage
History
When Thunthen learned of the existence of naturally-occurring dererium at Thanged's Basek de Rhakka supervolcano, they wondered if the molten metal on their homeworld could be coaxed to surrender its secrets. The name of the curious Nobeyl who attempted to combine phergon and spectra remains unknown, but his entrails raining upon the ground for miles around would herald a new field of study for the knowledge-hungry dragon-men.
Unable to crack the puzzle, they attempted to solicit aid from the Father of Metal only for him to wind up just as stumped as they. He would meet his end at the Spectra Pits, with Thangiens accusing the dragons of murdering the elderly Deres while Thunthen professing their innocence, that he had simply died then and there, his life of discovery utterly spent. This enmity would last for millennia.
Spectra Pits.jpg
Untameable Spectra
by
Mardrena
Made with Fantasy Background Generator
Spoiler Warning: Unpublished Content!
Ronin WarriorSpectra"Hnn Hnn Hnn..." Trakar closed his eyes and convulsed slightly, drawing glances from those nearby.
"What's he doing?" Ryo asked, perplexed.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say he's laughing," Sage replied.
"That's because he is...," Bak grumbled. Trakar tilted his head up at Bak, his mouth spread in an unmistakable giddy smile.
"I am surprised after all this time you have never divulged the fate of Rdguagdaraaz," Trakar teased. Bak's lips wrinkled in a pout and he exhaled through his nostrils.
"Long ago, we sought aid from Thanged's Father of Metal to solve the mystery behind spectra, but Deres remained just as stumped as we. Thangiens accused of us murdering him in retaliation, but in truth, Deres had become so addle-minded in his old age that he simply tottered straight in! Thangiens never let us live down that blunder..." Bak recounted ruefully.
"Your people weren't exactly forthcoming with the truth," Azuro muttered. Bak turned to the side and threw him a look.
"Your people weren't exactly in a listening mood," he said matter-of-factly.
Everyday use
A single pinprick of spectra can power a D-Class fighter or a terrestrial motor vehicle. Since containment chambers must be utterly failsafe, a vehicle has less risk of exploding than a Pinto.
Spoiler Warning: Unpublished Content!
Spacequake Ch. 15Ryo stared down at the fiery lake and glanced to the side at the cocky young Nobeyl. "You're going to dunk us in lava...seriously?"
"Oh, but this isn't lava!" Myr Chedryn beamed and placed both hands on Ryo's shoulders from behind, rapping his claws against his shoulder plates giddily before moving to the side of Ryo, drawing an awkward glance from the Ronin Leader. "This is molten spectra! The metal not even Deres could tame! It steals atomic matter from any metal it comes into contact with. Not even dererium escapes its wrath!" Ryo flicked a glance at the boiling caldera, a knot of unease forming in his gut. "Not even your 'legendary' Armors will protect you...for long!" Myr Chedryn reached up and placed a hand atop Ryo's helmet, pulling it off briefly.
"As fun as it would be to throw you in head-first, that would be too quick a death. No, no, you all deserve to suffer for the grief you've caused us!" Just as quickly, Myr Chedryn placed the helmet back on Ryo's head and gave it a gentle pat. Ryo glared at him, unable to move or even teleport with his arms securely bound. He glanced out the corner of his eyes at the others, sharing their growing fear. "I want you to remain conscious for every single second, to be fully awake at the final moment as spectra eats through your Armor, and to know the full realization that there is. Absolutely. Nothing. You. Can. Do," Myr Chedryn taunted.
Manufacturing & Products
So far Thunthen have only had success with propulsion. For weaponry they rely on their tried and true phergon-powered energy weapons. Weaponry based off of spectra has yet to produce viable results, either being too unstable or impractical to design for small arms or ship turrets. The mighty phergon cannons of the supercarriers do operate off of an isolated cluster of closed-fusion drives, enable them to remain powered without draining the main engine cluster.
Hazards
Careless handling of spectra can result in any number of hazards from personal injury to loss of structural integrity. In the early days of experimentation, spilt spectra drops ate more than a few holes in the shipyards.
Reusability & Recycling
Due to spectra's relentless hunger, Thunthen have taken a kitchen sink approach to it, disposing of most of their unusable solids such as slag in the Spectra Pits.
Distribution
Storage
Spectra can be handled using crucibles of stone and volcanic glass, but outside of its native environment requires a system of anti-gravity and magnetic fields to keep it suspended in the housing chamber of a closed fusion drive.
“It wasn’t enough for Dhr to seize control of the ship, he wanted to maroon us wherever we happened to arrive.” Two of the Apprentices, Vud Wyherer and Tuv Anarach sat infront of a mobile console with the guests from Earth along with Lord Mabu gathered around. Outside the colonnade, water cascaded from the edge of the roof as heavy rain pelted the city. “He used a modified power siphon to redirect energy from the closed fusion drives to the artillery turrets, but the siphon continued drawing power even after we landed. Only recently did we discover the sabotage, and the drives are currently offline. The focusing rods for the turrets burnt out completely without an outlet for all that energy. They will need to be replaced eventually, but the engines are effectively dead. It’s a miracle we were able to land safely when we did.”
“A closed fusion drive never actually ‘dies’, it simply goes dormant. With a large enough influx of power, they could be coaxed back online.” “Don’t look at me! Blue Isis can’t possibly put out that kind of power. It’d take thirty Hoover Dams to even come close,” Captain Wendell argued. “Well...we wouldn’t exactly need that much power…just enough to kick-start the drives.” “So you need a giant car battery and a pair of jumper cables: sounds easy enough…” Caroline muttered. Tuv and Vud straightened up in their seats suddenly and glanced at each other before glancing in Caroline’s direction. “Hmm?” she blinked in confusion before she realized they stared past her. She turned to the side and looked over her shoulder outside at a distant building roof where Vaughisdrough currently lounged. He shifted his great forearms beneath his chin, knocking loose some tiles. He tilted his head back slightly and yawned mightily before settling once more for a nap.
Type
Metal
Odor
unknown
Taste
unknown
Color
unknown
Boiling / Condensation Point
unknown
Melting / Freezing Point
constant
Density
unknown
Common State
Molten
Related Locations
Related Species
Vaugh shifted in place before planting his legs and squaring his shoulders. He worked his jaw and shook his head slightly then shuddered as if letting out a mighty hiccough. A deafening *POP!* echoed through the area as electricity flashed around his jaws. A ripple of excitement coursed through crowds of spectators as Vaugh tilted his head up then stretched his neck out towards the harbor. Any barges had the sense to clear the area earlier. Vaugh opened his jaws once more then let out a terrific rumbling bellow. Electricity surged out from the tusks, streaking out above the water like a river. The guests from Earth observed with awe as the Thunder Wyrm channeled a tremendous amount of energy into the clamps and along the cables. Vaughisdrough roared lightning and breathed thunder. “Would you have ever imagined seeing such a thing?…If only Dhr were still alive to see this….Dhr, you poor, stupid fool…” Vud whispered. Inside the engine room, Naz watched bewildered as power levels of the engine cluster rose dramatically. “We’re at capacity! We’re at capacity!” He shouted into his com. Tuv raised both arms and began waving at Vaugh to stop. The Thunder Wyrm tilted his head up sharply and closed his mouth, cutting off the flow of electricity.
“Closed fusion drives coming back online...power levels holding steady…” Rgn stated as he went through several safety procedures. Naz carefully activated the auxiliary helm controls. Outside, the water on either side of the Argonauth churned and boiled as thrusters fired. The air platform rose slightly, shedding water from the hull. Steam billowed as the thrusters cleared the waterline. “Aaaand…..we have sustained lift!” Naz crowed over the open channel broadcast over Bak’s personal com. The guests from Earth cheered ecstatically.
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