Fefze

The Fefze were an insectoid species who came from the planet Fef. Individual Fefze were no more intelligent than any other non-sentient insect. However, each one was part of a swarm of ten to one hundred Fefze. A single Fefze's brain acted as merely one component of a larger intelligence. Though a Fefze's lifespan was approximately 10 years, swarms could live for centuries.

Fefze swarms began as small groups of hatchlings from the same egg globule. Swarms added members through a swarm dance. In this mating ritual, male Fefze from one swarm would fertilize the eggs of the females of another swarm (and vice versa). Each swarm would take a share of the eggs back to their own territory, so the hatchlings would join the existing swarm. Another egg globule would be abandoned in hopes that it would grow into a new swarm. Over the years, the Fefze swarm dance developed into an art form. In the greater galaxy, Fefze swarms were renowned as dancers, visual artists (specializing in organic and ephemeral media), and even musicians.

Fefze were meter-high insects with black carapaces. Their antennae provided them with a sense of smell and hearing. They also communicated by rubbing and clicking their antennae together. When threatened, Fefze could curl their heads and legs underneath their carapaces. Their carapaces could also split into two wings, allowing them to fly short distances. One of their most notable abilities was their adaptable digestive system, which could digest nearly any sort of carbon-based organic material. They did this by coating food with digestive acids which freed the carbohydrates in the food. Fefze ate the carbohydrates, leaving a protein-rich paste behind. Their digestive system also acted as a defense mechanism &mdash; they could spit their powerful digestive acids to harm a predator, or simply flee leaving some protein gruel as a distraction. Some Fefze swarms were recruited by companies such as the New Horizons Development Corporation as colonists and food producers, since they could convert nearly anything into nourishment for other species.