Sentient Metal

Sentient Metal is a very rare metal-like colony micro-organism that is sapient.

Sentient Metal is an engineered lifeform seeded by the Xadia Ancients in the Crystal galaxy. This organism obtains energy from any nearby heat sources and is capable of destroying entropy using a similar method as the highly advanced Quantum Entropy Neutralizer QEN machines of the Hyperion Federation. This allows Sentient metal to select any temperature to survive at. It can survive in a very large range of temperatures, but it often uses much higher temperatures for reproduction as that allows them to harvest more energy more easily. It requires a massive amount of energy to reproduce as it is dependent on mass-energy equivalence.

Although this organism would be revolutionary for any faction that discovers it, it is yet to be discovered despite being present in several planets and asteroid systems within the Crystal galaxy. The HF is likely to discover it in a few years when they launch deeper scans on this galaxy in attempts to find precursor activity.

It would make for an exceptional starship hull. It's self-preservation instinct causes it to adapt to incoming rounds before they hit the armour, giving it an incredible utility over both TGX Composite and HEX Mainframe nanobot armour. Furthermore, it is very strong even without the adaptation - and it also automatically takes into account any and all structural changes that may occur on anything it is built into. It can percieve nearby threats as one caste - the perception caste - is purposed specifically to 'see' in most frequencies of the EM spectrum and detect sound waves allowing it to sense any nearby conditions.

Its incredible heat absorption ability allows it to sustain a starship that doesn't require any form of radiator at all - as excess heat is turned into Sentient Metal reproduction processes, allowing a starship to grow slightly more armour.

Sentient Metal has one key disadvantage compared to traditional materials. It is ultimately a sapient colony organism and can be effected by morale. Sentient Metal is emotional and can totally refuse to become a part of a starship when treated poorly. It is also expensive to use due to its rarity.

When viewed under a microscope, some castes appear different from others and can even vary in size significantly. They all form a hivemind all connected to each other via a nervous system that all castes share. This hivemind is the sapient mind.

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Castes

Sentient Metal has a number of different castes. There is the perception caste which can emit light in most frequencies of the EM spectrum - and recieve them, similar to radar technology. It can detect sound waves and impacts as well, and various other variables, allowing Sentient Metal colonies to take a lot of information from its environment.
The reproduction caste can harvest heat and construct new Sentient Metal cells using matter generated from mass-energy equivalence. They can also thermoregulate the entire colony.

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Faction and History

 
Upon discovery, sentient metal begins to explore space by morphing themselves into starships. Though the starships formed by pure sentient metal resembled mechanical ships, they would be technically classified as bioships. The sentient metal, being sentient, does not desire to be conquered by other factions and as such they have formed their own military using their bioships. This all happens within the span of a few years and their bioships are already very competitive in the intergalactic scene, despite having no intergalactic travel method, and can give even HF ships a strong challenge. The value of sentient metal thus became evident. The HF has tried to form alliances with the sentient metal faction despite a lack of method to comunicate. They now rarely visit the Crystal galaxy, now observing it from outside the galaxy itself. Other factions noticed this and became suspicious, even scared of, the Crystal galaxy. Many of them sent small scouting forces which were mostly destroyed by the sentient metal. 
The HF remains the leading power in establishing communications with the sentient metal, now with a number of these huge galactic observation pocket megastructures. Although it is unethical for them to spy on the sentient metal like this, they see themselves as perfomring a good act as they wish to eliminate the apparent xenophobia of the sentient metal cultures. According to the HF, xenophobia can risk species being destroyed. It would not be for many years until the HF manages to contact them, attempting to reassure the sentient metal societies that the HF was not dangerous but they did not believe them. Perhaps it would be a good thing that the sentient metal cultures did not obtain intergalctic travel. The HF had to earn their trust over a long time period.