#bioengineer

Biology

Viispaas stand roughly anywhere between 6’7” to 10’3” at full height when standing (add about 6-9” if their legs are stretched to full) and are predominantly male (60% male, 40% female). They have 6 limbs and 2 sets of wings: one set of proper arms with hands tipped with two fingers and a thumb, a vestigial set of arms that are weaker but just as functional, and digitigrade legs tipped with two claw-like toes which are sensitive to vibration and chemical traces. Their wings are able to vibrate fast enough to displace air like a rotor and lift them off the ground, however their flight performance is affected by air density; on earth, most Viispaa can fly above most buildings, ranging from 2-4 stories off the ground, but above 6 stories they expend more energy than is deemed worth the result, as falling from that height from exhaustion can cause injuries.

Female Viispaa rarely pass 8’7”, are thinly built and deemed “speedsters”, equipped with long stingers for swift actions. Male Viispaa are rarely under 7’8”, are broadly built and deemed “tanks”, equipped with smaller stingers but are capable of moving forces up to 5x their mass and can deadlift things 3x heavier than what most humans can generally accomplish. Most Viispaa can live between 90 and 110 years old, close to that of humans.

Both sexes have genitalia reminiscent of humans respective to their biological sex and reproduce in a manner familiar to humans as far as positions are concerned, however Viispaa cannot readily reproduce with humans. Male Viispaa produce soft, fertilized egg-like pods about the size of a goose egg they can insert into a female Viispaa where her muscles carefully tuck the pods into a womb-like part of her abdomen; the pods attach and the second half of the genes are introduced, fertilizing the pods and turning them into proper eggs. The embryos develop in the safety pods for about a month before the female seeks out a safe area to lay her clutch, producing anywhere from 5-15 fist-sized eggs which are expelled through a cloaca near her stinger. Over the course of a month, the eggs hatch into larva and then metamorphose into young Viispaa with features like human preteens. They reach adult size within a year.

When not having sex for breeding, males can release a semen-like fluid at climax instead of insert fertile pods, and females experience pleasure much like human females do. Viispaa male genitals have unique muscles that allow them to adjust within their partner and some more experienced lovers can simulate friction through penile muscles alone, without thrusting or grinding, which works well when paired with a smaller partner.

Humans and Viispaa can have sex with each other, but those unions will be sterile without intervention from Kuana genome technology.

Viispaa bodies are insectoid in appearance with milky blood-like fluid that starts mostly clear in the body and becomes opaque when exposed to air; their muscle tissues are reminiscent of cables and the matte black “skin” on parts of their bodies is rough, not unlike a coarse fabric mesh. While generally very tough creatures, Viispaa skin can still tear and the Kuana developed this mesh-like growth to facilitate quick repairs that stitch together easily. The chitin parts of the Viispaa body appear like polished metal or plastic but are also formed from a kind of pseudo-solid fiber not unlike a non-newtonian liquid developed specifically by the Kuana which is flexible and pleasing to the touch but extremely resistant to impact damage, though generally fairs better against high velocity, small surface area projectiles and angled blades over broad-coverage blunt force. Naturally reinforced with carbon fibers for durability, Viispaa chitin doesn’t restrict their movements or range of motion and protects most of their vulnerable areas from everything short of a long fall or being hit by a semi truck.

This soft armor feature is why Viispaa can create facial expressions without excessive plates.

Viispaa eyes are large and compound and have a visible spectrum that touches both infrared and ultraviolet hues humans cannot see but which they use to communicate with each other at a distance. The Kuana have similar faculties, which is where they derived the trait from, as they communicate in light and color more than sound, thus by watching the colors of the Viispaa’s eyes, they were able to determine their status. Hiding their emotions is difficult, as the color change is prompted by hormones and other chemicals from the brain, thus any change in mood can alter the visible hue of the lens, even if it’s only slightly. The colors appear solid and sparkle as light reflects off of the facets, but when changing it happens rapidly; using slow motion, one can see how individual facets of the eye lens act like pixels, changing color individually and starting at the outside edge before moving inward in a rough spiral, making the transition appear as a swirl in a majority of specimens though bursts (inside to outside) and fades (inner to outer or outer to inner sweeps) have been found as well. Complex feelings can produce interesting chromatic palettes such as gradients, flowing color rotations, and other things but these are usually accompanied by outbursts from the Viispaa due to distress.

UV and IR light patterns are activated by specific modified color changers in the eye lens that add specific layers to their emotional hue; UV flashes can be detected at range and used to communicate messages in a way similar to morse code (Viispaa on earth actually learn morse code to be able to click and blink in a way that can be decoded by human companions) while IR readings only appear in response to high stress and physical damage; IR signatures are uncommon on Viispaa due to their naturally low body temperatures with most hot spots on the body being a result of sunlight and black patterns. The eye lenses showing fields of intense IR activity are a sign the Viispaa has been injured or is in need of immediate assistance, even if they can’t communicate directly otherwise.

Viispaa have eyelids, however not for blinking; the translucent lid is used for high speed flight, rain and closed for sleeping because they cut out light signatures coming in and out so they aren’t distracted but can still see somewhat if they’re awake. It’s the only method of hiding their light signatures but is suspicious on its own so not really effective for that purpose.

Viispaa stingers are mostly retracted into their abdomens with males only leaving the tip exposed while females tend to have several centimeters visible at all times; when needed, Viispaa can contract muscles to unsheathe their stingers fully, which are black, curved and occasionally have rear-facing barbs to make removal much harder if they’re left in the target. A male’s stinger is generally 1-1.5 inches per foot in height while females can be twice to three times as long and are coated in a fluid that numbs the flesh around the stinger so it doesn’t cause pain if it’s ripped out during attack, but also can numb the wound of the target, making the sting undetectable for a certain period and thus likely to cause blood loss or worse injury. Unlike common bees, Viispaa will not die from losing their stingers; they rarely lose them unless they are at full draw when used, allowing them to use their stingers rather indefinitely unless they break off. At this point, there is another stinger stored within the abdomen that slides into place within an hour; at any time, a Viispaa has three stingers, one at the ready and two on standby, and they naturally replenish used stingers within about a month. During that time, they tend to crave things rich in iron, carbon and calcium.

As for diets, Viispaa primarily ingest things rich in sugar and simple carbs, and can also consume roots, vegetables and fruits; they enjoy refined sugars in low amounts but avoid meat-based proteins and other things unless they have cravings, such as healing or recharging. Eggs, dairy and other animal byproducts are only as needed, but Viispaa generally will not eat meat of any kind; they also fair well with salt and sugar licks, as the Kuana often provided enriched mineral supplies to ensure they got what they needed while subsisting off of sugar water and nectar for energy. Breeding periods are often punctuated with increased cravings for minerals and vegetables to help the developing embryos while most of the fluid in the egg pods is sugar-based.

Viispaa have jaws and cheeks with tooth-like plates for consuming solid food, but many opt for juices or other liquids just for sheer ease of ingestion and quick intake into their bodies. The mandibles on their faces are for communication primarily, making clicks and hums they communicate in naturally and also helping in the event of eating solid foods. While they generally hum, buzz and click, they are capable of vocal speech dependent on their environment; high engagement and active teaching produce more eloquent Viispaa, as they’re easily distracted and unlikely to pick up on the nuances of language on their own save for key and common phrases. Females tend to develop speech faster than males but males are better at recognizing body language and expressions.

Uniquely, Viispaa have regenerative abilities as well; as long as they aren’t killed outright, have a steady supply of food, and rest, they can recover from most injuries. Cuts and piercing damage close within hours, broken plates and larger injuries can heal within a month, and while they cannot reattach lost limbs, a removed wing or body part will reform fully in about 6 months depending on resources.

Genome Inclusions

Vespula vulgaris, the common wasp; base genome derived from preserved specimens and eggs stored onboard the satellite

Apis mellifera scutellata, the East African Lowland Honey Bee; behavioral patterns were adapted from studying specimens cloned from preserved subjects, prompting the Kuana to change the lethal nature of bee toxin into a numbing agent in order to preserve the aspects of community and group behavior they found useful for their project; some varieties of Viispaa have recessive aggression and mobbing behavior from strong scutellata genes, however they are rare and typically not sent to make landfall unless the location is hostile

Camponotus consobrinus, the Banded Sugar Ant; a social insect to reinforce their sense of community, ability to work together with a purpose, preference for sweets and sugary substances for food, and the foundation of their strength

Anax strennus, the Giant Hawaian Darner; a member of the largest, fastest group of insects, these egg samples were used to derive the wing blueprint for the Viispaa and allows them to fly in all directions, hover, and reach speeds faster than most land vehicles

Homo sapiens, human beings; organ tissue from donated bodies including a liver, stomach and skin grafts, and blood, heart and brain samples from both a male and female cadaver (recently deceased) sent to study the effects of close exposure to the sun provided sequences for regenerating tissue, the extent of the human immune system, and initiated the fascination with human mental evolution; the human genome is the second blueprint used alongside vespula vulgaris to create the base of the Viispaa

Ambystoma mexicanum, the axolotl; preserved whole and partial specimens which were curiosities to the Kuana but ultimately provided the enhanced regeneration genes that allow the Viispaa to regrow limbs and heal from damage; axolotls are also popular pets for the Kuana because of their silly, simple natures

Externus adstrum sapiens lovecraft, the Latinized name for the Kuana; named for their Eldritch appearance and advanced, almost mystical technology evoking a sense of fascination and fear akin to Lovecraft’s tales, the Kuana are peaceful beings and masters of merging technology with biological components; they derived the light sensitivity, skin-respiration and color-changing eyes from their own genetic sequence, as well as a predisposition for friendly relations and curiosity to override the xenophobic and territorial behaviors found in both the insect and human specimens and orbital observations made over the course of human history