Kharaa Scientific Documents: How Oc's Work
the_x5
the Xzianthian Join Date: 2004-03-02 Member: 27041Members, Constellation
the Xzianthian Join Date: 2004-03-02 Member: 27041Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">part of a continuing series</div> <img src='http://www.natural-selection-zone.de/images/off.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
<span style='color:yellow'>What is an "OC"?</span>
The offense chamber is a de-evolved sporocarp. A former reproductive structure of the Kharaa which has since adapted for using it's projectile shooting mechanisms to kill and destroy rather than to spread.
<span style='color:yellow'>What was it originally?</span>
Remembering that the Kharaa have traits of both fungi and animals, it was originally the means of bacterial endospore dispersal. (Genetically speaking though, remember that the Kharaa are technically an archaea descendant) In response to the human stimuli, the Kharaa collective has since de-evolved the reproductive function and has made the spores. Reproduction using spores has since been traded to a function of the lerk. Lerk spores have enhanced the Kharaa's evolution rate dramatically by introducing the advent of aerial sexual reproduction. Formerly only two haploid mycelium of different strains could combine to produce a diploid structure know as a hive. Lerks produce male and female haploid spores which can undergo and additional sexual cycle when combined with the spores from another collective. The so called offense chamber was no longer needed and a sentry-like chamber was so the spores changed from microscopic endospores into large woody spikes which are dead at maturity. The spikes are comprised mostly of cellulose and contain a multitude of strong bases (inorganic and organic alike, composition depends on what is available) which leak out when the spike impacts.
<span style='color:yellow'>How does it work?</span>
It is very similar earth's <i>Pilobolus</i> zygomycete's sporocarp except this is on a visible macroscopic scale. The offense chamber draws a large amount of water up many hollow tubes using cilia and negative pressure into many small heart-like-chambers with two one-way valves on either side. The many very small muscular "hearts" increase the pressure to way above what a normal cell could contain and push all of the water into a large spherical reservoir which has a semi-translucent red skin. This main reservoir is then used to fill the muscular tubes which run from the middle of the stalk up to the narrow tube which is capped off by large woody spike which contains toxic wastes and strong bases. Contrary to popular belief, the OC itself cannot sense or decide where to fire, rather it's the hivemind that controls it. The hivemind sense an electrical stimulus that makes the strong contracting tubes squeeze the fluid such that the hydrostatic pressure becomes so great that the spike becomes torn free from it's base and blast though the air with great speed.
<span style='color:yellow'>So we know everything about the offense chamber's structures and their functions?</span>
We have no clue what the two lateral spike "arms" are for. They could be a de-evolved anatomical feature from when the chamber was used to disperse spores, or it could be some new adaptation on "standby" until the Kharaa need it. We also understand nothing about what exactly the hivemind is or how it works.
<span style='color:yellow'>What should one do when encountering an offense chamber?</span>
Either take cover or attack it. When attacking you should not try to slash or shoot the base where there is a thick protective covering but rather go for the red-jelly main reservoir and stab it with a knife repeatedly. It is likely you will be squirted with water while the chamber is trying to seal up the hole you make in it. But if you can make the holes faster than it can repair, the OC will not have the ability to re-pressurize the next spikes. Don't worry if the water sprays on you, it is clean and harmless, the spikes are not. Do not take off your helmet. The hivemind isn't stupid, it will shoot you in the eye and try to blast you head off.
<span style='color:yellow'>Is there anyway to overcome the offense chamber? Any weaknesses?</span>
Offense chambers take a lot of water. To sustain firing they need to be in a place with a nearby water source. In theory, if you can shut off the water supply the OC will only be able to shoot off it's stored pressure and then will be unable to fire. Dry salts and fire work well to destroy the OC. Aiming a microwave at it has been known to make the whole OC explode and is being considered as an effective weapon. Be warned that the Kharaa are phenomenal at adapting to any threat and will likely develop a resistance if you use the same method over and over.
<span style='color:yellow'>What is an "OC"?</span>
The offense chamber is a de-evolved sporocarp. A former reproductive structure of the Kharaa which has since adapted for using it's projectile shooting mechanisms to kill and destroy rather than to spread.
<span style='color:yellow'>What was it originally?</span>
Remembering that the Kharaa have traits of both fungi and animals, it was originally the means of bacterial endospore dispersal. (Genetically speaking though, remember that the Kharaa are technically an archaea descendant) In response to the human stimuli, the Kharaa collective has since de-evolved the reproductive function and has made the spores. Reproduction using spores has since been traded to a function of the lerk. Lerk spores have enhanced the Kharaa's evolution rate dramatically by introducing the advent of aerial sexual reproduction. Formerly only two haploid mycelium of different strains could combine to produce a diploid structure know as a hive. Lerks produce male and female haploid spores which can undergo and additional sexual cycle when combined with the spores from another collective. The so called offense chamber was no longer needed and a sentry-like chamber was so the spores changed from microscopic endospores into large woody spikes which are dead at maturity. The spikes are comprised mostly of cellulose and contain a multitude of strong bases (inorganic and organic alike, composition depends on what is available) which leak out when the spike impacts.
<span style='color:yellow'>How does it work?</span>
It is very similar earth's <i>Pilobolus</i> zygomycete's sporocarp except this is on a visible macroscopic scale. The offense chamber draws a large amount of water up many hollow tubes using cilia and negative pressure into many small heart-like-chambers with two one-way valves on either side. The many very small muscular "hearts" increase the pressure to way above what a normal cell could contain and push all of the water into a large spherical reservoir which has a semi-translucent red skin. This main reservoir is then used to fill the muscular tubes which run from the middle of the stalk up to the narrow tube which is capped off by large woody spike which contains toxic wastes and strong bases. Contrary to popular belief, the OC itself cannot sense or decide where to fire, rather it's the hivemind that controls it. The hivemind sense an electrical stimulus that makes the strong contracting tubes squeeze the fluid such that the hydrostatic pressure becomes so great that the spike becomes torn free from it's base and blast though the air with great speed.
<span style='color:yellow'>So we know everything about the offense chamber's structures and their functions?</span>
We have no clue what the two lateral spike "arms" are for. They could be a de-evolved anatomical feature from when the chamber was used to disperse spores, or it could be some new adaptation on "standby" until the Kharaa need it. We also understand nothing about what exactly the hivemind is or how it works.
<span style='color:yellow'>What should one do when encountering an offense chamber?</span>
Either take cover or attack it. When attacking you should not try to slash or shoot the base where there is a thick protective covering but rather go for the red-jelly main reservoir and stab it with a knife repeatedly. It is likely you will be squirted with water while the chamber is trying to seal up the hole you make in it. But if you can make the holes faster than it can repair, the OC will not have the ability to re-pressurize the next spikes. Don't worry if the water sprays on you, it is clean and harmless, the spikes are not. Do not take off your helmet. The hivemind isn't stupid, it will shoot you in the eye and try to blast you head off.
<span style='color:yellow'>Is there anyway to overcome the offense chamber? Any weaknesses?</span>
Offense chambers take a lot of water. To sustain firing they need to be in a place with a nearby water source. In theory, if you can shut off the water supply the OC will only be able to shoot off it's stored pressure and then will be unable to fire. Dry salts and fire work well to destroy the OC. Aiming a microwave at it has been known to make the whole OC explode and is being considered as an effective weapon. Be warned that the Kharaa are phenomenal at adapting to any threat and will likely develop a resistance if you use the same method over and over.
Comments
Good work, I'm waiting for your explanations of metabolize and scent of fear.
(highlight to read)
<span style='color:#031D1F'><ul><li>the velocity (in wcu (world craft units) per second) of the spikes; then I can deduce the pressures.</li><li>the clipping box dimensions for the OC, so I can say:
Offense chambers grow to between 1 and 1.5 meters tall.</li></ul></span>
for more information on the "fungal shotgun" <i>Pilobolus</i> go here:
<a href='http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/pilobfct.htm' target='_blank'>http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/pilobfct.htm</a>
Also I want to make you all aware of what is halpoid and what is diploid in the Kharaa:
<span style='color:yellow'>Haploid (N):</span>
"bacterial" myceliums
aerial energy network cells
all chambers
gametic spores (from lerk)
OC spikes
other "ground" tissues
<span style='color:yellow'>Diploid (2N):</span>
hives
skulks
gorges
lerks
fades
onii
All of the diploid organisms in a Kharaa collecive are known as "units" and are either motile or sessile. (the hive is sessile) All units have four primary appendages and bilateral symmetry. The hive produces new skulks using mitosis, the hive is grown by the gorge at a site where dikaryotic cells from two different mycelium strains have undergone fertilization to produce a receptor site. Hives can <i>only</i> be built on receptor sites, and is a well known weakness. A gorge builds a hive by fusing the dikaryotic nuclei, then the hive can grow on it's own. Lerks produce spores via mieosis to make a male and female mothercell which then undergoes rapid mitosis to make the spores. Offense chambers make spikes via mieosis to make a male and female mothercell which then undergoes rapid mitosis to make new spikes.
Actually what will happen is they will fire until they can't repressurize the tubes. In other words, just keep that reb ballon thing dry and empty and if the spike misses you, well it won't be able to fire at you again. No reload. Sure a new spike will grow back in, but without the presssure to fire it you can be amused at the wiggling offense chamber which can't hurt you. Funny no?
Fire
Salt (dry)
Microwaves
are most effective wepons to tackle the sucker, as much as the humans won't admit it, dry salts and very hot or cold temperatures are actually the best ways to tackle the Kharaa. But the stupid military leaders are too stubborn and old fashioned to think of allowing the marine stop carry arround salt as a weapon. They can't see that some non-gun alternatives like dry salt, flamethrowers, and microwave guns would be much more effective at destroying a collective with has vital dependancy on water. As a matter of fact, Kharaa thrive in an underwater environment. (of course the motile units have evolved lungs which make them unable breath underwater)
~~~
As always thank you for reading though this stuff. Next up I think will be the hive. SC's are not going to be explaine duntil I actually start "the Hivemind" story. (because SC's have much more to do with the hivemind itself, SoF and the other "glow" indicators are and abstraction for the subconcious non-verbal information the hivemind is sharig with its motile units)
<!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif' /><!--endemo--> Hey Sexy! i want you to have my baby!
<!--emo&::lerk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/lerk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lerk.gif' /><!--endemo--> Sure why not? WE can have chubby lerks!
Hey Sexy! i want you to have my baby!
Sure why not? WE can have chubby lerks! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
LoL! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ><
No. I said something to the effect that lerks make the male & female endospores. So it would be more to the effect of two lerk from different collectives spraying thier spore clouds together. The lerk has replace the OC as a spore dispersion unit. In other works the lerk is like a mushroom where it sprays spores arround and these spores if they are from different collective can either reproduce and then undergo meiosis to make a new cross breed collective or can simply be a form of axesual reproduction: lerk goes to nutrient rich place with warmth and lots of water and sprays spores arround to grow a new mycelium.
Kharaa units are genderless.
If you want to have sex you spray your spores together. *rolls eyes*
Gorges are responsible for carrying arround nutrients to help new structures to build quickly. Gorges have the highest ammount of octanitrocubane out of all of the Kharaa collective structures. So if a gorgy went xenocide (they don't have the necessary physiological or anatomical strucuters and systems) he would make the biggest explosion you ever did see. However, everything in gorge anatomy is designed to avoid detonation. The gorge fat is a well sealed anaerobic environment. In theory tho you could take gorge fat, squish it up real good into a liquidy paste and then zap it with enough electricity in while exposed to oxygen to make some nice explosives, much better quality than C-4 (which uses RDX in a plasticine).
I just got to do a little research first to make sure I am following real scientific parameters.