Dorzeli: A Species Description
THE DORZELI
Subspecies: Dorzeli Prime (or Rex), Dorzeli-Mu, Dorzeli-Ki, Dorzeli-An.
Weights: 2 to 20000 (or more) metric tons (Dorzeli Prime Berserker form/mode)
Normal Adult Heights: Dorzeli-An - 10 (rare) to 15 feet; Ki - 22 to 28; Prime (Rex) - 32 to 38, 130 ("Battle" mode), 300+ ("Berserker" mode only), Mu - 45 to 55. All Dorzeli grow throughout their entire life span; the most rapid spurts occur between the ages of one to sixteen. After that they can grow as little as a millimeter a year no matter how much they eat.
Eyes: Medium blue (among Primes only), brown or golden brown.
Fur Patterns: An - various patterns, from solids to spotted (rare) to various degrees of stripping for camouflage through the use of earth colors; Ki - all various degrees of brown from golden (very rare) to dark brown with lighter fronts of the same shade; Primes - Light Blue on sky blue or maroon, almost purple for so-called first generation Primes with similar patterns to the Ki's; Mu's - similar to the An's but the same color of first generation Primes.
Hair (Head): If any will it will be somewhat darker than their fur: males down to their shoulders at a maximum; females down to their shoulder blades.
General Sexual Orientation/Habits: All Dorzeli are bisexual but will pair up for life with at least one member of the opposite sex for reproductive purposes. They are also very attracted to human beings which can make for some awkward situations considering the size differences.
Diet: carnivorous (they must eat meat at least once a week), but they can subsist on plant matter for short periods of time. They do like fruits.
Life Spans: Dorzeli-An, Mu's and Ki's - up to three hundred years; Dorzeli Primes - 1000 to 3000 years (projected).
Origin: the Dorzeli are a techno-organic hybrid species: a mix of several members of the "reptilian" (some species are true mammals or mammal like) Kroon Empire including the original Dorzel and organic cybernetics that are encoded into their DNA, thus they are produced by their bodies on the same level as blood cells.
They were created in the now destroyed ancient "Death Star" like facility that is referred to by many species as "The Origin Point" (it is rumored to have had super advanced technology that was left behind by an ancient race) to be the front line warriors in the fight against the Soriss which had invaded Kroon space with the intention of exterminating all of its member races.
Appearance: The Dorzeli-An (the most numerous of all four sub-species) are typical for the entire species except for a few differences.
At first appearance they appear to be of draconic origin but they are not true reptiles even though their heads resemble that of a python's combined with that of a Brachiosaur with a much larger, almost human sized (in proportion to the rest of the head) brain case. From just behind and above the eye line jut two forward swept horns that end in a sharp point either above or a bit forward of their eyes which are pushed forward for stereoscopic vision and are almost human like in appearance except that they can see as much detail and as far as a proportioned sized hawk. The horns are, for most members of all the species, a darker shade than the darkest color on their bodies.
Beneath these sometimes piercing orbs is a snout that can vary in length among individual Dorzeli and ends in two snake-like nostrils. Their mouths contain forty-two teeth that can vary from near razor sharp incisors up front (four upper and lower) to four sharp canines (through which they inject their neuro-toxic venom into their prey) to mammal like molars set in a pair of jaws that are among the strongest of any sentient species yet discovered and can open much wider than initial appearances might suggest.
On the sides and to the rear of their heads are two external ears that may vary from deer like in appearance to a curved shape with a serrated rear edge. On top of their heads a segmented ridge begins just above their eyebrows and continues back tto where it disappears into their hair line.
Their heads are supported by a somewhat thick neck that is longer than it would be on a human (it contains 10 vertebrae) and is flexible enough for them to turn their heads a full 180 degrees. Attached to each side of the necks of the Dorzeli Primes is a flap of skin that is equivalent to that of a Cobra's hood that can be held against the side of their necks or opened at will. A large red o-ring or eyespot is located on both the rear and front sides of each flap.
Their necks lead down to humanoid shoulders from which two arms of human proportions hang. Each arm leads down to a hand with four fingers and a thumb. Each digit ends with an almost unbreakable claw that is sharp and strong enough to tear into laminated armor with ease (in particular Ki's, Primes and Mu's) yet every Dorzeli has enough fine control over these powerful weapons so that they can pick up a human in a casual mode and never inflict injury.
Their human like torsos have many of the same organs with a few significant additions which include an artifact that left over from their hermaphroditic ancestors: all males have a pseudo vagina that is as sensitive as a female's but is incapable of reproduction (they are not "male herms"). Their testes are internal and located where a female's ovaries would be.
One will notice that a female's or herm's torso is slightly longer than a male's. This is due to the fact that Dorzeli have large wombs which allow them to give live birth to one or two fully formed and ready to run young; the new born of a Dorzeli-Ki can be as tall as five feet. While able to eat meat soon after birth they will be fed for over two weeks on large amounts of milk from the two large breasts of their mothers which, at a minimum, are the human equivalent of a firm 46E for the least of them before they become pregnant; connective tissue and even some tendons keep them firm throughout their lives thus they never have a need for bras, even in oldest females. Although their milk has been found, on a chemical level, to be safe to consume it has not been recommended for humans to drink it "fresh from the tap" (see Powers and Abilities). Females will lactate from their first pregnancy to within the final three years of their lives; herms will start at puberty. Both will give off larger amounts from the second week of pregnancy to two months after birth.
The groins of both sexes have a genital slit behind which the sexual organs are located: males and herms will have a substantial bulge in this area which represents the possession of one of the largest penises for any mammal of any planet: at a minimum, twice the length of the human average if a human were to be of a similar size, somewhat larger for herms.
From their rear juts a tail that, on the Ki's and An's, splits into two prehensile appendages while the Primes and Mu's have only a single tail; Primes will have a pair of semi retractable medium blue scythe like blades near the tip which looks like a red crystal. All the tails of the four subspecies are, at a minimum, long enough so that, if flipped over their heads while upright, the tips would touch their noses when they are looking straight ahead. They can also, through the use of their triple jointed skeletons, stiffen their tails for high speed running like a velociraptor which may give some hint to the form of their primary ancestor, the Dorzel.
Their legs and feet are very muscular and designed for bipedal digitigrade locomotion which can vary from a slow walk to a high speed sprint. Each foot ends in four sharp clawed toes upon feet that are a bit wider than would be expected on beings capable of reaching speeds of 80 (Dorzeli-An) to 100 (Primes, Ki's and Mu's) kilometers per hour. The species high endurance, due to a heart than is estimated to be able to handle two and a half times the maximum stress their bodies could ever experience without the failure of other organ systems, can allow them to run for several hours before exhaustion overtakes them; the recovery period can be quick if they feed right away. Their feet are padded like an Elephant's so their movements tend to be very quiet despite their size and weight.
Powers and Abilities: The Dorzeli are considered the fourth most deadliest predators in the galaxy and many of their abilities help them maintain this status.
Besides their excellent vision is their sense of smell which has been claimed to be three times as sensitive as a bear's which is known to be five times that of a bloodhound; once they get the scent of their prey there is no escape unless the individual can get off world before they are caught; this does not apply to Primes as they can fly through deep space at high warp speeds for up to a week at a time or more and have other methods of tracking this type of prey; only a few ships in existence are faster than they. All Dorzeli are also excellent swimmers.
The obvious implication is that the Dorzeli prey upon sentient beings and this is true as they were developed at the now destroyed "Origin Point" where ancient races carried out experiments on "lesser" beings which they later abandoned to those same beings and where many sentient species are rumored to have been developed or uplifted; humans were not one of them, although evidence of their presence is a legend among some knowledgeable Kroon and Dorzeli; this facility was destroyed during the last major Kroon/Soriss war. Dorzeli have been also known to prey upon other species, but this is rare and occurs only when they are attacked. So far humans, for the most part, seem immune to this aspect of their nature (see Human Relations and Mating Habits).
One planned ability was for the Dorzeli-Ki to be able to swallow a human/Soriss sized being whole and, through use of their venom, which can induce a death like coma, keep that individual alive in their very stretchable stomachs for up to twenty hours before it wears off so that they could be later regurgitated an interrogated. This did not work out as well as their creators planned. Unlike one of the snake like Kroon races from which this ability and their venom was gained and who can turn off their stomach acids, the Ki's and An's (those rare ones that get large enough to "take" small individuals) cannot do this without an acid blocker; anyone they swallow will be digested by stomach acids second only to that of a vultures or hyenas (even bones will be dissolved).
Due to their "programmed" animosity toward the Soriss very few survive this process even with a blocker as the vast majority of that race will have a fatal reaction to Dorzeli venom within seconds; this has been also be found to occur with most carbon based life forms, but, so far, all humans that have been subjected to it have survived and will do so if a larger Dorzeli swallows them after taking a strong acid blocker. The small percentage of Soriss that survive the twenty hour period will, in most cases, be allowed to live. Other strange, dream like effects have also been noted by those that have been bitten by a Dorzeli (see Human Relations).
Another power that is shared by all Dorzeli is the ability to breathe fire: either as a stream of napalm like fluid or similar to a gas burner. Primes can up this to the level of a particle beam that can have devastating result upon most forms of matter and can penetrate weaker force fields (similar to the fictional Godzilla's breath weapon circa 2000). An's, Ki's and Mu's can use this ability for five to fifteen minutes a day while Primes seem to have no such limits.
All Dorzeli have the limited ability to project energy that is connected to their advanced cybernetics. It can be in a concentrated form either from their hands or horns; Primes can also do this from their tail tips and hood spots. While the results from an An or Ki's blast can have the local effects equal to the destructive power of a low yield nuclear weapon such an attack from a Prime can result in anything from wide area damage up to that of a planet wide disaster. This "Kraljaka Attack" can have lethal results for the individual with most An's and Ki's as a significant amount of their life force will be used. Those few that survive its launch are often disabled for several days afterward. Because of this it is used only as a last resort. The exceptions to this are the Primes who can recover within a few minutes or those individuals that are the result of crossbreeding with Primes or Mu's; they can recover as fast as Primes but cannot repeat the act for 24-26 hours while Primes can do so within an hour (if not already exhausted): Mu's within a day. It may take up to two minutes before the energy can be released once a Dorzeli starts the process.
One of their most amazing powers is their venom's ability to transform any human or certain Soriss survivors into an equivalent member of the Dorzeli race. This will not include a sex change; the individual's original sex will be the same unless the original Dorzeli is a herm (a herm Dorzeli will turn a human into a herm). There may be a small percentage of exceptions that will result in a human becoming a herm
This metamorphosis is not an instant process. It will take four to six terrestrial months for a human or Soriss to change (Dorzeli-An versus all others except Primes) and it will start three to four weeks after the individual comes out of their coma like state. Once it starts the individual will lose all sentient consciousness until their transformation is complete either in the loving care of the Dorzeli that injected them and their family or in the controlled environment of special maturation tubes that are like artificial wombs in which they are submersed in a liquid environment that can take care of all an individuals every nutritional need, including the increased ones associated with their growth spurts into their new form. The one danger in this process is that, like the first six weeks of a young Dorzeli's life, the individual will be a feral predator for the first few hours after their change is complete and thus be a danger to all life forms including their birth species, therefore, they are kept away from all non-Dorzeli contacts until they return to sentience.
One other negative aspect of this change is that the individual will no longer be able to speak in their native tongue, but they will still be able to understand that language or languages for the rest of their lives and speak in Dorzel and Kroon as if born to it. Dorzeli Primes, at some temporary significant cost to their own abilities, can use their powers to change a human or Soriss (almost unknown) into any subspecies including a Prime and that individual will retain the ability to speak their original language. They may also inherit some Prime abilities including being able to resume their original form for short periods of time or change their size if they ingest enough matter.
On the positive note there are two advantages: no matter what the human's age was before their change they will be the equivalent of a Dorzeli of 14 to 16 years old when they are finished and not become fertile for another four months. They will, like all other Dorzeli, also can use their cybernetics to gain access to vulnerable computer systems and communicate over short distances with other Dorzeli and those humans with special enhancements; most standard precautions can keep them out of high security networks but some can still "hack" their way in if they spend enough time.
Only a Dorzeli Prime can reverse a human's change into a Dorzeli and then only if they can gain access to the individuals original DNA scans.
Dorzeli young are quite friendly after their sixth week of life if they are fed milk from any lactating member of their race soon after birth through to the second week. If this does not happen they will become a dangerous predator until they hit puberty at ten years. While they will be sexually mature at this age (equivalent to sixteen in a human) they will not become fertile until their twelfth year of life.
Dorzeli Primes: are among the most powerful beings in the galaxy. They can do whatever their less powerful brethren can do plus use their energy powers to manipulate and change objects and living beings into whatever they choose. This power is based on their previous knowledge of objects and life forms; they can use their advanced cybernetic systems to scan and permanently store an organism's genetics for future use. So far there seems to be no limit to how many species can be retained. They are also the only ones to possess wings. They emit an energy that allows them to fly in all environments, can be morphed into various forms for different modes of flight and can be dematerialized to allow a Prime to enter a tight space (this can only be done for short periods if they maintain a Dorzeli base form).
Their horns are the principal avenue through which this power is expressed. They also are their main long distance weapons (three hundred thousand kilometer range) through which destructive forces can be released along with the red crystalline tip of their tails and the red "eyespots" on their hoods; they are often seen as red "o-rings", but will become solid circles with any use of their powers, glow if they are excited or in "weapon mode" and can emit short range beams that cause a rapid deterioration or decay in any form of matter even through most force fields; this happens only in battle when their anger is at its peak. The use of all of these powers at once, directed at a single target, is their Kraljaka attack, but, unlike other Dorzeli, they can vary its intensity.
They can also change themselves into whatever form they wish including their original one for indefinite periods of time including matching their genetics to that of the species whose form they have assumed. If they mate with members of that species any offspring that result will attain similar abilities and the form of a Dorzeli Prime at puberty and have a loyalty second only to their birth species. This loyalty is also seen in most Dorzeli as a deference and sometimes almost blind obedience to any Prime up to and including offering themselves for the Prime's sexual pleasure, but this may not always be the case.
One other power they have is that of rapid growth to sizes much larger than their standard one along with a corresponding increase in mass. For example both Drakeil and Freerah Braega can attain sizes of 125-130 feet and three hundred. The middle size is used to battle starships in space or large groups of enemy on the ground. The largest one is their "berserker" mode where they will look their most feral with saber like upper canines. In this form they can be as much a danger to their allies as the enemy and their powers will be at greatest. The mass they have at these sizes as well of that of other members of the Dorzeli who may possess this ability can come from the direct absorption of matter in their local vicinity as well as ingesting an equivalent amount of food for moderate size growth; all Dorzeli can consume up to 40% of their mass at one sitting; Primes may have no upper limit. They also have the ability to keep this extra mass from affecting their local environment when they are at their normal sizes; a Prime may still retain the mass of their largest form but will appear to weight the same or have their normal level of strength. How they do this is still unknown at this time.
Dorzeli Primes can use their energy powers to transport large groups of individuals from one location to another. This is accomplished by their using their horn beams to turn beings into energy and absorbing it. Those they do this to can be held in suspended animation or allowed to see and feel what the Prime experiences while they are being transported. There is a time limit of twenty six hours after which the individuals either will have to be rematerialized or used to replenish the Primes energy reserves which will result in their deaths. This is an involuntary action; it cannot be stopped or reversed once the time limit is reached.
A significant vulnerability Primes have is that every two weeks after puberty or a human is changed into a Prime they shed their horns and lose most of their powers; a human may revert into their native form and be just as vulnerable as any other human being unless they are struck by an energy weapon. If hit they will change back into their Dorzeli form and strike out at the source of the attack, whether it was friend or foe, in a feral manner until they regain their senses after a few seconds or their perceived attackers have been destroyed (or devoured). If they stay in their Dorzeli form they will maintain their adopted species near invulnerability to light weapons, acute radiation exposures and short periods of hard vacuum. The length of time between periods of power loss lengthens as they get older: at about a week a year until it becomes a full Dorzeli year (1.2 solar years).
The only weapons that can affect or kill a Dorzeli prime with ease is those based on antimatter and even then a Prime's shield may protect them enough to escape death. It has been reported that if a Prime is killed all of their stored energy will be released within minutes. This can be disastrous for the local area of space as their energy capabilities are based on direct conversion of mass to energy. It is believe the control of this level of energy is an autonomic process similar to breathing.
Primes may have been the last to be developed in "The Origin Point" before it was destroyed.
Dorzeli-Mu's: are very dangerous as they do not seem to have the same love for humans the other subspecies have. They are also known to be cannibalistic and very jealous of the Primes. They do have some of the powers except that they cannot fly or change people or objects at will. They may be the result of a botched attempt to recreate Primes when the majority of them left the Kroon Empire after the purges. Only two humans are known to have survived in their presence without the protection of a Prime.
Human Relations: with the Dorzeli can vary from regular friendliness to outright love. Both sexes are very forward with their feelings and will do whatever is necessary in order to not harm a human even by accident; they can move among large groups of humans with ease.. Humans are also their main choice of mates outside of their species through use of their venom's power.
As far as the carnal aspects of their relationships with humans: it is known that all
Dorzeli can be aroused by just the taste of any human body fluid (blood causes the most intense reactions). This might cause them to commit certain explicit acts with willing humans but there is no such thing as rape in Dorzeli culture as one can always find a willing partner who does no wish to become a parent; outside of their biological mating season females and herms can control their fertility. Forced changes are almost unknown as they always leave it up to the human to make the final choice. Injuries to unchanged humans that have become sexually active with them are very rare and never fatal; many long term relationships have occurred without the human being changed although the Dorzeli may want it.
There are several significant facts about the effects of a Dorzeli's venom on a human or surviving Soriss. When a human or Soriss succumbs the Dorzeli will also slip into a state of unconsciousness either right away or within a few hours. When this occurs both the Dorzeli and their "victim" with enter into a mutual state of awareness where they can interact as equals in any way they wish. This state may last from 30 minutes to three hours at the end of which the Dorzeli will make a full recovery. Once a human recovers they become semi-immune to the venom; they can be sedated by subsequent infusions of any volume without any harmful effects. This joint dream state that has been described as a shared virtual reality can be restored at this time. A human will also have an increase in stamina, strength and become more "durable" (less likely to become injured by an affectionate mate).
Once the transformation is complete total immunity becomes established and the new Dorzeli will exhibit a fierce loyalty to their new mate and soon act like any natural Dorzeli within a month or less. With the exception of close family members a Soriss will turn on his former people. There have been legends of one transforming blood relatives when they have come into contact with them. Former humans will treat members of their birth race in the same affectionate manner as any other Dorzeli, but it is rare for them to transform their relatives even if they want it (transformed Primes are an exception); they may leave that to their mates.
It has been speculated that their venom as well as their milk contain advanced nanites that are the true force behind their ability to change humans and those few lucky Soriss they may spare and all of their powers. This cannot be confirmed as they will not allow their blood or fresh milk to be sampled and have warned that any such attempt will be met with lethal force. This is one of the two instances where they would kill a human that does not attack them first and it is well known that they eat whatever they kill. It is rumored that humans that have been bitten know the truth, but, so far, none have revealed this to be true.
There has been much reported reluctance on the part of the human to become a Dorzeli when these relationships have been between members of the same sex (most between a male human and a male Dorzeli) when the human has been hetero all their life; few have changed their orientation except in the case of herms who are the most aggressive when it comes to sex with humans; they have a very high success rate.
Caution: it has been reported from their interactions with those Soriss that they have chosen that a Dorzeli will attack and devour anyone that has attacked them with intent to kill or have betrayed them even after their change has started. It has been assumed that they may treat humans in a similar manner even though they have explained that if a human already has a mate they will try and entice them to also join their family but will not attack, although they may become angry even if an unmated human rejects them for another human who they were never told about. Rejection in favor of another Dorzeli will cause them to become angry but they will not act on their instincts. Also, jealousy is rare among them; as long as the primary mate agrees to the liaison a Dorzeli can have sex with another with which they do not have a long term relationship; humans are an exception. This is one method they use to expand the numbers of a clan.
Mating Habits: Dorzeli can have one or two primary mates and up to three secondary ones. The primaries are mates for life (98%) and others may last from a few months to life and can have primaries of their own.
A male can mate a minimum of five times a day when not involved in military situations and will do so with their primary mate at least twice a day. These sessions can last anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes each. Only under conditions of high stress, such as those on Dessla when the Soriss occupied it, will a Dorzeli mated group or couple not have sex at least once a day.
The known record for the number of matings in a day was fifteen but became 17 with the second human to be changed. This number can increase during Halen, their traditional and biologically driven two week mating season (Earth's northern fall season). Sex at this time can all but guarantee a pregnancy, although a female or herm can become pregnant six other times a year. By reputation this impregnation mating can so vigorous and intense that any life form that happens upon the pair or group could be in grave danger, but recent events have not proven this not to be so with humans and some of their allies. It has also been reported that changed humans tend to perform somewhat better than natural born Dorzeli and that even an unchanged human can sometimes bring a Dorzeli to orgasm with ease.
There is only one pheromone for all three sexes and it has been reported to smell like musky nutmeg. It can cause arousal in other mammals and attract them to the mating couple or group. This has been rumored to be a method of attracting prey of both the nutritional and carnal variety. Halen is also the only time a Dorzeli may attempt to force themselves upon a human; their pheromones tend to break down ones resistance so calling it rape may be a bit harsh. This time is also when they tend to be the most emotional and thus can be a potential danger to humans who are not interested in them, so, it is recommended that uninvolved humans and their allied races be evacuated from any Dorzeli occupied area, or planet, until Halen's two weeks have passed. As mentioned before male/male or female/female couples will find a reproductive mate at this time; even transformed humans that were gay will give in to this basic urge.
All Dorzeli sexually mature at ten years but are not fertile until twelve. During those two years they will have sex many times and with many partners and they may chose their first life mate in that period. It is not recommended for humans to try and entice those younger than 12 into sex even though they may have indicated their willingness and affections before they matured; those younger than that age cannot deliver a small enough amount of venom needed to start the change in humans and may deliver a fatal dose by accident: three or more times an adult's.
Dorzeli family groups: are called clans and can contain multiple mates and family members and can number between six and several hundred members with more spread across Dorzeli/human/Kroon controlled space.
The largest and/or strongest (and sometimes oldest) member of the family group is always its leader. They may be challenged by those who believe that can take over the group through a non-lethal combat ritual; blood may be drawn but no biting is allowed (it is considered to be equal to assault with a deadly weapon even though they are immune to their own venom) and serious injury is very rare. If the challenger comes from outside the family group and wins they are required to mount, in a non reproductive manner, the loser to show their dominance and soon do so to every member of the immediate family that is of age. If they fail to do this within three months the entire family will turn on that individual and drive them away.
Males and females of similar size and mass will have, more or less, the same strength (there is no weaker sex among the Dorzeli) so mates of equal status will control a clan together. One mate may challenge the other for control but such incidents are rare and, except for one notable case, seem to only strengthen their bond.