Race Designation: Vantom
Universal Range: Andromeda Galaxy, and the edge of Dark Space
Original Habitat: Dezso
Lifespan: 150 years
Sex: Male/Female
Size: 6'4 – 7'1
Diet: Carnivorous
Communication: Vocal
Notes: Located several light years outside the Andromeda Galaxy, at the edge of Dark Space, the planet Dezso is about as remote as you can get. The world's unique atmosphere traps it in a near-perpetual night, with brief periods of twilight only occurring every couple of months. Because of this, most life on the planet has evolved without the capacity for sight, including the vantoms, the planet's dominant race. Lacking sight, the vantoms compensate with their amazing hearing, smell, touch, and, most notable, their capacity for echolocation. By emitting a sound too high for humans to hear, they're capable of painting a picture of their environment, down to even determining the texture of objects their screams bounce off of. While mainly using this for hunting and navigation, they also use it in their mating rituals, using their voices to feel their potential mates all over. Intercourse among two vantoms can get especially noisy. A highly carnivorous species, a large part of their diet is made up of blood. Without it, their skin starts to take a charcoal-like tint, and they'll eventually die. They normally hunt the various beasts of the world, some of which have been hunted to extinction. Despite their blindness, they are more than capable of putting together complex machinery through their other senses, including weapons, which have made hunting even the largest of beasts possible. However, cannibalism isn't unheard of during desperate times, such as after the arrival of the kett. Even beyond the Andromeda Galaxy, the vantoms were unable to escape the wrath of the kett. When the large, flying objects first plunged through their dark atmosphere, the resulting sounds causing mass distress amongst their young, they were unsure what to think. They were able to determine the objects were mechanical in nature, hence unable to be fed upon, so they attempted to flee, but even they couldn't escape the kett troops that were sent to capture them. For awhile, their superior senses and knowledge of their world allowed them to put up a good fight against the kett. That all changed when the aliens brought out their light rays, a new weapon produced after studying a captured vantom's biology. Having evolved in a dark environment, the powerful light was deadly to them, with many breaking out in terrible rashes and boils from prolonged exposure. Countless died at the hands of the kett, and those that survived were captured. Unlike many of the other races conquered by the kett, the vantoms were spared the exaltation. Despite their highly valued traits, their weakness to sunlight was deemed far too great a handicap for their biology to be useful to the kett. Instead, they became one of their vassal races, with the kett often employing them as spies and mercenaries in worlds they intend to invade.
Character Notes: Amongst the vantoms made mercenaries by the kett, Lee was by far the most skilled. He adapted to kett weaponry fairly quickly, and lead many successful raids against the angara. However, his luck ran out during a surprise attack by the Roekaar. Armed with a strange new bio-weapon, the vantom mercenaries were nearly completely wiped out, the extremists viewing the captive race as no different than the kett that enslaved them. Left to die on the battlefield, Lee barely managed to crawl into a cave as the planet's sun rose. Surviving on the cave's native insects and blind cave fish, he eventually came into contact with a surviving glyconian, who had managed to escape the same battle, mostly unscathed. At first, Lee was tempted to eat the reptilian, but the creature, named Abono, offered to help him escape the planet, pointing out that Lee, being blind, wouldn't be able to pilot a ship. Though embarrassed, Lee realized that the glyconian was right, and agreed to spare him in exchange for his help. Through their combined efforts, they were able to steal an angaran vessel in the cover of night and escape the planet. They eventually reached a planet inhabited by angarans. Unlike the Roekaar, they were a far more welcoming, if not strange, folk, allowing them refuge on their world. Lee was content to be away from the war, and was happy to settle down. However, trouble brewed when Abono, the shady creature that he is, began engaging in petty theft and, eventually, full on armed robbery. When the angarans found out, they hunted the glyconian back to Lee's house. Lee, who was unaware of the situation, simply sensed angarans with weapons coming their way, and believed that they'd been betrayed. It wasn't until after he'd already killed several when he realized what had actually happened. Enraged at Abono, yet unwilling to kill the only person who could possibly help him escape this mess, the two held an angaran leader hostage, and forced the others to hand over a ship and their goods. Against all odds, this plan worked, and they were able to escape the planet with much wealth in tow, though not without taking some serious damage. Though Lee was still angry at his glyconian companion, he couldn't help but be enthralled by all that they'd managed to steal. Seeing an opportunity, Abono managed to convince him of all they could accomplish as thieves working together. It took a few days of convincing and wearing down Lee's already faltering conscience, but the two eventually came to an agreement. Thus, the Ferenc Pirates were born. Over the years, the two pulled off many great heists, gained a vast crew, consisting of several large ships, and built up a vast fortune. A scourge to all who crossed their path, whether they be kett, angaran, or human, all across the Andromeda Galaxy came to know the name Captain Lee.