Bentúsé:

Names:Bentúsé (Bentōōsē)
Capital:Bentawk
Home Planet:Bentawk 3D
Military Strength:Growing superpower
Military Purpose:To maintain and spread Bentuse Power
Unity:Despite their megalomeniacism, they hold a powerful loyalty to fellow Bentuse
Species Type:Shape-shifter, default takes reptilian form. Their true physiology more closely resembles an amoeba
Telepathy:Telepathically receptive. Can “speak thoughts” to strongly telepathically receptive, though most aren’t strong enough to send and they prefer to speak verbally
Sleep:Only needs to sleep after lots of shape-shifting exertion, though just holding a solid form is tiring and they generally need to sleep once every three to four days, reverting to a form described by outsiders as resembling amoeba
General Strengths:Physical resilience to crushing forces, skill in cloaking technology, practiced in stealth, the ability to see other species as second-rate and therefore use almost any cunning tactic but still maintaining a sense of honor and strategic viability, size of military (both numbers and the ships themselves)
General Weaknesses:Size of military (both numbers and the ships themselves), megalomania, common inflated ego, gross sense of self-importance and superiority complex

Home World / Origins:
Without scant physical traces to identify their past, folk legends say that the Bentuse simply ‘awakened’ on their hilly moon of Bentawk 3D in a strange system with six planets. The system’s strangest feature is a gas dwarf in the inner system, around which the massive moon Bentawk 3D orbits.

Both their home moon and their whole system is almost devoid in useful natural resources. Bentawk 3D held so few metals that virtually all iron ore in the crust had been exhausted before they reached their first Industrial Age, and wood to this day remains a common implement and building material. This mineral poverty forced their extremely creative (and lucky) scientists to “create” a unique crystal called “thirum” that, while highly explosive and toxic when set out of its equilibrium, grows quickly and contains a molecular structure that can be easily processed into an equivalent of many useful alloys.

Their luck in space was scarcely better, the only supply of endurium being a few metric tons on the sixth moon of the jovian dwarf. While their asteroid belt has the same relative amount of useful minerals, it is two thirds farther from the sun than Terra Sol’s Asteroid Belt. The discovery of the “beautiful-yet-deadly” endurium was what turned Bentuse history violent, and either fortunately or unfortunately there wasn’t enough for them to really work with, restricting them to the region near their home planet until the Amfa arrive.

Physical Description:
Nobody is sure how or why they universally take the appearance of a serpentine lizard, but it is their default form. They are capable of mimicking many other forms, though they rarely can get hair right and the eyes typically retain the horizontal slit pupil of their default shape. This ability to shape-shift is useful for entertainment value or espionage, but does not grant them much strength relative to their size. Their true physiology is reminiscent of a giant amoeba, carrying special strengths and weaknesses. Though virtually impossible to crush, they are vulnerable to cuts and can leak their vital fluids from even small lacerations. Their ‘brain’ also is not in the obvious spot on their ‘head’, and is not vulnerable to blunt force like most other creatures.

Having a (literally) fluid internal structure makes them very resistant to penetrating vital blows, since organs resist peripheral trauma and can be moved around at will, though like the larger body if they are cut open, they may spill into the internal cavity and disintegrate. Fortunately, doctors discovered “theratairin”, a chemical that is painful but causes their fluid to harden on contact with air, and as long as they don’t “bleed” to death they can recover from essentially any injury.

Communication:
Though they respirate with microlungs studding their skin, they can make a mouth and vocal chords like other species, and are able to shape-shift enough to mimic virtually any species’ language, with a slightly more limited vocalization range and volume. Bentuse are telepathically receptive, they might say empathic, but prefer to speak verbally to one another. Their writing system is derived from pictographics and bears a faint resemblance to Chinese, even having square-shaped characters, though the characters have gone through several linguistic upheavals and now have a relatively limited scope of meaning and pronunciation. There are several thousand characters, and most Bentuse graduate from “central line” schools knowing approximately three to four thousand, experts in certain fields knowing five thousand, with over nine thousand total. Due to the difficulty in being proficient in all symbols, audio assistance and dictionaries are incorporated in nearly all electronic terminals.

Psychological/Intellectual Disposition:
Some races are driven by fear, some by curiosity. While the Bentuse are curious, all of them desire power, they love to administrate. Strangely, despite this lust for power, they never beset each other like Terrans have. Some explain this with their telepathically receptive nature, others think it is a “born link” by being amoebic shape-shifters. Whatever the reason, Bentuse seem to instinctively cooperate, and hatred between Bentuse is virtually unknown. Though they had a history filled with conflict and competition like Terrans, it wasn’t until they discovered endurium that they truly used violence against their fellow man.

Unfortunately for the rest of the galaxy, their instinctive brotherhood is accompanied by an instinctive sense of superiority. Bentuse automatically believe themselves to be a superior race, deserving of power and thinking it their birthright to control, all other races being secondary, lower-class beings. The degree of racism varies from believing that other races are merely resources to manage and others thinking them as lower people, with the responsibility of the Bentuse to rule over them.

Territory:
Believing it their birthright to rule, Bentuse have expanded extremely rapidly, spreading through large portions of two arms of the Milky Way galaxy and conquering every race that they came across. Though the Bentuse are not disposed to show much respect, aside from the Amfoid the longer since they have been in conflict, the more respect they are afforded (though some say that there has never truly been a cessation of fighting with the Amfoid).

History:
In pre-space-flight Bentawk, no less than five hundred factions squabbled but never held violent hatred for each other. Though Bentuse desire power, they do not have the animosity for their own kind that is prevalent among humans. In the course of their aggressive competitiveness, several nations develop cloaked aircraft (year -472).

Despite the mystical promise of cloaking, the first crews show neural degradation and lose their ability to hold a solid shape. The technology is officially blacklisted (year -348), but work continues in secret. With mining having stripped most of the usable metals from the crust of Bentawk 3D, Honshah launches the first orbital ship, its mission to open mining of the other moons and eventually extract resources from a hoped treasure trove beyond (year -169). Not to be left behind, within a month, five countries follow with their own chemically-propelled orbital craft, and with this space race, a cold war begins.

A survey team lands on the mis-shapen sixth moon and discovers a liquid-state resource with the promise of unlimited energy: endurium (year -127). The promise of infinite power breaks even the born brotherhood between Bentuse and the cold war turns into a hot war with nearly every nation involved (year -126). During this war, one of the nations gets its hands on a large quantity (sixteen liters) of pure liquid endurium, and with it they build a bomb capable of blowing Bentawk 3D into gravel. Key officers lead a coup that prevents its use (year -101). News of this event brings the Bentuse together like never thought possible.

Now a unified people, the Bentuse pool their resources, technical know-how, and man-power to create a super-light engine called “hyperdrive”, based on the fuel endurium (year -92). To the delight of all Bentawk, the drive works, and scientists visit four neighboring systems. Unfortunately, there isn’t nearly enough endurium to sustain it; lacking the knowledge to build an engine not dependent on endurium, the project ends up a skeletal, incomplete failure in a warehouse after exhausting their only known supply.

Despite the failure of their attempt to leave the system, the Bentuse continue to explore Bentawk Sol and begin military and technology competitions, though with strict regulations inspired by The Bomb (year -86). During these competitions, some researchers discover a crystalline life form that transforms applicable matter into useful minerals. Though the Bentuse make significant strides in light of their lack of resources, the Bentuse remain restricted to Bentawk 3 until the arrival of the Amfoid (year -42?? Amfa). The alien race, advanced so far they almost seem deities, come and take the Bentuse under their wing, practically giving them clean hyperdrive, in addition to teaching them power, engine, synthesis technologies, and some rudiments of warfare which the Bentuse take quite closely. The presence of the alien race solidifies the unity of Bentawk.

Peace does not last long. Jealous of the Amfoid superiority in seemingly everything, the Bentuse manufacture a conspiracy against them and begin a secret campaign to “overthrow their oppressors” (estimated around -8). Bentawk begins a massive covert build-up, building thousands of ships and arming them with their secret weapon: cloaking devices, technology they never revealed to the Amfa.

Showing their mastery of coordination, the Bentuse launch hundreds of simultaneous attacks on the Amfoid, catching them by complete surprise and seizing all combat initiative (year -2?? Amfa). The Amfa deploy their “unbreakable shields”, and Bentawk responds with their secret super weapons: hidden agents. They shut down shields and disable Amfan ships all across the sector, shaking Amfa command to its core. The result is catastrophic, destroying at least a third of Amfoid ships before they retreat in chaos. Mines, cloaked ships, and ambushes reduce the Amfan fleets to half before they retreat through the wormhole to their territory (year -1?? Amfa).

With the Amfa gone, Bentawk celebrates and declares a new age. The Oligarchy begins (year 0). The new government launches cloaked scouts “to every corner of the galaxy”, discovering the ???1 (year 3). The Bentuse invite them to join the Oligarchy, and though a few do, the majority ignores the awakening power. Despite not being as advanced as the Amfa-taught Bentuse???1 have better mastery of their technology. Fearful of the possibility of their power, Bentawk uses an “arms violation”, claiming the ???1 government was smuggling weapons into Oligarchy space as an excuse to declare war (year 17).

Despite their technically lesser technology, their mastery should only give them a small edge against Bentawk, but they seem to be everywhere, exploiting every weakness in Bentuse fleets. For a few weeks it looks like the ???1 may defeat Bentawk. The Oligarchy again deploys their feared secret weapon: shape-shifter agents in a well-orchestrated assassination of four major political leaders, including their supreme chancellor, and eight generals (year 9.19). Reeling from the shock to its leadership structure, the ???1 surrender (year 20).

Cloaked scouts on the other side of Bentuse space discover a new race???2 (year 46). Instead of making overt contact like last time, they begin testing ???2’s military. Developments release a new version of the cloaking device which appears impenetrable. Bentawk diverts more and more cloaking ships to harass and attack ???2 until they deploy small fleets (year 49). Unfortunately, it is too little, too late. Bentawk springs the jaws of their trap shut (year 2.50), and though the large battle groups suffer higher-than-expected losses???2 never quite counters cloaking before they surrender to the “shadow demons” (year 51).

A few years after the surrender of ???2, cloaked scouts discover yet another new race, these ones able to penetrate Bentuse cloaking devices (62). Before the Oligarchy can organize an invasion, the recently conquered and highly embittered ???2 launch revolts all across Bentuse space (year 1.63), receiving logistics and intelligence from an unknown source. Bentawk puts down the riots with minimum public violence (year 3.63), but makes many of its leaders “disappear” in an attempt to hide how close they came to toppling the Oligarchy. After this event, more and more leaders begin installing remote-controlled self-destruct devices in slave equipment.

Still peripherally active in scouting the ???3, a group of cloaked ships is destroyed by a ???3 battle fleet (year 66). Bentawk quickly gathers and dispatches large fleets of ships, making use of small fighter craft for the first time in centuries, though this time crewing them with expendable slaves. Despite their superior numbers and new ships, the ???3 again always seem to be one step ahead, playing a strategic game of cat and mouse until the battle of Arlas Field, when Bentawk finally successfully springs an ambush opening the Battle of Arlas Fields.

The Battle for Arlas Field drags on for a full month and a half, concluding with Oligarchy forces breaking the back of ???3 (5.68). Two months later, after a round of orbital bombardment???3 surrenders to Bentawk.

Intelligence collected from ???3 indicates a new race. Scouts are deployed, and discover an alliance of the ???4 and ???5 (8.94). The alliance guards a large stockpile of endurium (because before a wormhole collapsed, a cyborg race was stealing their endurium). Interested in these living machines, secret agents are sent. Unfortunately, due to the long time since the wormhole collapsed, little information can be found.

???3 slaves, hoping to bolster their low position, push for an invasion of the alliance. Still hesitant to take on such a strong coalition, Bentawk decides not to attack yet. ???3 go themselves, beginning war between the oligarchy and alliance (2.95). Bentawk quietly executes the slaves involved for taking the decision out of their hands.

In the Battle of Airas Stars, actually a small star cluster, three Bentuse fleets are destroyed by two ???4 and ???5 fleets in an embarrassing loss where, again, the enemy somehow knew exactly where to hit (4.95). A new Tawsho (general) is deployed to the front, and he starts making major use of the combination of cloaked scouts and artillery (5.95). While moving, a slave ship accidentally hyperspaces into an enemy station, destroying both but giving the ??? corporation the idea for what later is dubbed the “Galaxy Gun” (7.95).

Having little luck in conventional warfare, Bentawk again turns back to using agents in the attempt to split ???4 and ???5. Unfortunately, the two races are too close to be easily fooled, and the operation is halted before too many valuable agents are lost.

???2 revolt again, but this time the strangely well-coordinated rebellion is too big to quietly put down (1.96). Large fleets are summoned in case of disaster, but negotiators are sent instead of bullets. The insurrection causes the war to grind to a halt, and riots begin springing up throughout the Oligarchy. Efforts to save both face and power fail, and a slave bill of rights is signed.

???4 carrier group catches Bentawk by surprise, destroying a major forward Bentuse base (3.96). To help counter the loss in momentum caused by the insurrection, a new artillery unit is deployed, its new anchoring system allows virtually any ammunition to be used, its rate of fire is rapid and easily adjusted, though its sensors are extremely poor (4.96). ???5 and Bentawk fleets meet, a number of Bentuse frigates are destroyed by special penetrating rounds, again with the strange coordination of somehow knowing exactly when and where to hit the Oligarchy forces (5.96).

Fortunately for the worsening war effort, an entirely new type of battleship is deployed, so large that they can act as command ships in addition to front-line heavy-hitters (6.96). Battle fleets are re-deployed and finally matched against one of ???4’s famous carrier groups, resulting in a resounding victory (8.96). ???5 deploys a virus that causes cloaked ships to shut down. Half of Sahn Fleet’s recon and cloaked vessels are destroyed before it can withdraw and warn the Oligarchy (9.96).

Facing a new and deadly threat in the virus, Bentawk turns its focus on ???5. While probing ???4 territory, cloaked scouts catch a small Amfa detachment helping the ???4 (2.97), the first time the Bentuse have seen them since the Freedom War. Many suspect the Amfoid have been helping the Oligarchy’s enemies for a long time. Cloaked scouts are sent to try to find the wormhole the Amfa are using, in order to block them. ???4 attacks another Bentuse base, causing tremendous damage with a new, strangely advanced torpedo boat (4.97).

Growing better at intercepting Amfa communications, Bentawk chases off an Amfa recon team and win another battle against ???5, destroying a major base (5.97). While surveying, a cloaked scout flies into an Amfa ‘hologram’ ship disguised as an asteroid, the Oligarchy scout is destroyed as the Amfa retreat. ???5 attacks to aid the Amfoid, but are too late and the Bentuse destroy them (6.97).

An Amfa raiding group, this time comprised of non-camouflaged ships raids a forward Bentuse processing center (8.97). The Oligarchy wins a major battle against ???5, giving them control of two wormholes in what is considered the beginning of the end (9.97). A Bentuse recon fleet is destroyed by ???5 and their virus, using only two assault ships.

A battleship-led fleet attacks ???5, most of the cloaked ships are too busy playing cat-and-mouse with the Amfa to aid with the central battle, the ???5 withdraws in an unclear defeat (10.97). Another battleship-led fleet attacks a major ???5 system, destroying the main space station before the Amfa arrive, and by that point, it’s too late. The Amfoid still stay to feed intel, though doing so only hurts the Bentuse (1.98).

???4 attacks an advancing battleship-led fleet???5 helps, and the Amfoid deploy a jammer to prevent the Bentuse from retreating into hyperspace, resulting in the fleet’s total obliteration (2.98). Bentuse scouts find a wormhole, minelayers are deployed to effectively seal it (4.98). Amfa ships destroy the first wave, making the Oligarchy certain this is the wormhole. A battleship-led fleet is deployed to the area to secure it so a minefield can be deployed around the wormhole (5.98).

???4 and ???5 clashes with a far superior Bentuse battle fleet, but Amfa intelligence again brings the battle to a draw (6.98). Furious at Amfoid intervention, the Oligarchy sends a delegation for peace to the alliance so they can focus on cutting off the Amfa (7.98). The alliance takes Amfa advice and kills the delegation.

A Bentuse battle fleet meets a ???4 carrier fleet, Amfa intelligence is not enough this time and the carrier fleet retreats (8.98). Scouts discover a new wormhole and mine it, though it still isn’t the Amfan Corridor (9.98). A new Bentuse Tawsho, Ahedo, is deployed to the front. He installs the cloaking device on many of his ships and uses it for direct combat advantage. ???4 fleet flees from his first wave, but their station and many ships are still destroyed before his first battle as Tawsho (10.98).

New plasma warheads are combat-tested against ???5 ships, proving devastatingly effective (2.99). In the Battle of ???, a missed plasma round hits an Amfa holograph ship, which flees before it can be destroyed. A cloaked scout follows it to the Amfan wormhole (3.99). A battle fleet swoops down and mines the wormhole. With the Amfoid out of the picture (so Bentawk believes), they focus on ???5, still using their effective virus, and finally defeat their orbital guard, officially ending the war against that part of the alliance (8.99). To follow up, a massive fleet filled with battleships drops out of hyperspace at ???4’s capitol system. After a paltry battle, they surrender (10.99). Though Bentawk special forces are quick, they manage to destroy their Amfa-aided torpedo technology before the Bentuse get their hands on it.

Long-range recon, exploring through a frontier wormhole, discovers the Kle’tak (2.131). At first, the new race seems extremely weak, until scouts discover it was a small training fleet of the Imperium. The Oligarchy begins translating and establishes a limited peace. Contact is made with the rest of the coalition (4.131), and skilled Trintan linguists translate Bentage (9.131), allowing them to explain the Local Group situation and ask for their help in the aftermath of the first Galactic War.

Fascinated by word of living machines, Bentawk pledges their support to the coalition after a coalition base is wiped out by the Tos-Loven (2.132). After contact is made with the Amfa, tensions skyrocket (3.132). The hatred runs so strong that the Bentuse divert fleets from the Tos-Loven front to guard against possible Amfoid incursions (7.132). The Trintans notice the distraction and make a pre-emptive move, negotiating a peace treaty against the Tos-Loven, resetting focus to everybody’s common enemy (8.133).

Refocused, ruthless use of their powerful battle fleets draw Tos-Loven ire, and cloaking their fear. Unfortunately, the Trintans are devastated in a massive loss at ???, and they withdraw from the second Galactic War (7.135?? Trinta). With their withdraw, suspicion of the Amfa steadily rises. Citing deep-range sensor sweeps, Bentawk deploys recon to investigate Amfa assets (3.136?? Amfa). The Amfoid use force to drive off Bentuse recon, resulting in the deployment of battle fleets days later (6.136?? Amfa). Amfoid draw reinforcements from their home, continuing to deploy the same number of fleets against the Tos-Loven while sending more forces to block the Bentuse (7.136?? Amfa).

Tension continues to simmer until fighting breaks out at ??? (9.136?? Amfa). Both sides claim the other shot first. Except for Tawsho Kenuma, Bentuse forces start fighting the Amfa as much as the Tos-Loven.