Zzenddi

The Zzenddi were a race of powerful invaders from outside the quadrant

Disclaimer

This article is based on all published and publicly available material as of 2545. There are sections within that could be considered speculation rather than fact.

Origin

According to Terran Imperial sources, the Zzenddi originate from outside the quadrant, possibly within quadrant Epsilon 71, located 290 light years from the local quadrant.
According to Chohan sources, the Zzenddi conquered the entire quadrant and were the hegemonic power within the quadrant, brooking no resistance to their rule.

Physiology

More than twenty-five distinct sub-species were encountered during the Zzenddi war of 2475. Due to Zzenddi DNA engineering, it is impossible to state with any sort of fact which forms were naturally occuring and which were fully generated by the Zzenddi themselves.
The Chohan do not have any accurate records of the form of the Zzenddi in their era, which was more than 10,000 years in the past (around 7,700 BC by Terran reckoning)
Never the less, most Zzenddi share the following characteristics:

• Insectoid - the Zzenddi appear to be an insectoid form, generally with two or four legs for walking and moving and then two or more arms for manipulating tools or holding food.
• Psionic Potential - many higher level zzenddi are psionically capable and almost all Zzenddi are to a greater or less extent psionically sensitive.
• Physically strong - even smaller Zzenddi are far stronger than expected and worker Zzenddi can lift four to five times their own weight
• Redundant Organs - most Zzenddi, especially all warriors, have multiple redundant organs and many of them are hidden inside a tough muscular structure, making them hard to kill
• Tough Exoskelton - all Zzenddi have an exoskeleton and this is hardened, with some warrior species able to survive in vacuum and extremes of heat and cold.

Organization The Zzenddi "Empire" appears to be a powerful hive-mind structure, with "Queens" able to conduct the lower forms and even take direct control of them. The Zzenddi, during the war, needed "synapse" creatures to provide command and control to avoid the smaller, less advanced forms reverting to a mindless rabble.
The Zzenddi military is capable of complex, subtle tactics and is far from a shambling horde of giant insects.

Bio-Constructs

The peak of Zzenddi engineering appears to be the bio-constructed ships, which are grown in zero gravity and capable of travelling through space.
These range from ships no larger than two metres long to massive transport arks that are more than five kilometers long

Zzenddi Invasion of 2475

In 2457 four Zzenddi ships appeared near New Carthage and engaged with local militia ships, easily defeating them. They were then able to turn back a hastily put together Imperial Navy contingent. They attacked the planet and then were driven off, losing one ship and vanishing beyond the rim of the quadrant.
The Empire was unable to identify the attackers but began plans in case they returned, setting up Red Watch to prepare if there was another Zzenddi attack
The full attack came in 2475 as a massive Zzenddi fleet of over 600 ships attacked the Terran Empire, conquering Fort Verekker, New Carthage and New Berlin (then known as Technopolis).
The Zzenddi did not appear willing or able to communicate and so the war continued, with the Zzenddi conquering St Lawrence, Gaia and Nova Terra.
Through an Atan, psionically capable of talking to the Zzenddi, they gave their demands that the Chohan be handed over as they were regarded as criminals. The Zzenddi also stated that they would leave a garrison in place on the occupied worlds in case the Chohan came back. This demand was rejected.
After the conquest of Whitworth and Eden, the Zzenddi moved on the Sol system and were narrowly defeated in the bloody battle of Mars.
The Zzenddi were forced back, defeated again in the Battle of Eden. The surviving Zzenddi ships withdrew to location Z-10, outside the edge of the quadrant but within jump reach. The Zzenddi had used a "star gate" to allow near instant movement between quadrants. The Imperial Navy engaged in the Battle of Z-10 and won a costly but decisive victory.
This was followed by a long, bloody three year campaign to fully liberate all occupied worlds. More than seven million Terrans died during the war.

Relationship with the Chohan

The Zzenddi made vague claims that the Chohan were criminals in their quadrant. The Chohan denied this, calling the Zzenddi a hegemonic conqueror race who had driven the Chohan to near extinction and forced the few survivors to make desperate jumps to unknown star-systems and quadrants.
The Chohan within the Empire and then the later The Antares Federation spoke often of the danger of the Zzenddi return.

Exploitation of Zzenddi Technology

Lots of Zzenddi technology including DNA was left behind after their defeat, including the shattered pieces of the stargate which were largely lost to the Karkouri after the Karkouri invasion in 2497.
Many corporations have attempted, with greater or less success, to exploit Zzenddi technology and DNA.

The G51 Scandal

In 2545, major corporation AKI issued a full product recall of its G51 genome, which was sold to livestock producers to speed up their growth and give them increased resistance to illness. It was later revealed that G51 included strands of Zzenddi DNA and posed a potential health risk.
AKI issued a full product recall, costing the corporation more than eleven billion adjusted dollars. Secretary of the Interior Morse Cutbill also ordered a full inquiry, setting up the so-called "Cutbill Committee".

The 2nd Zzenddi Invasion

2nd Zzenddi War