Iskalloni

The Iskalloni, or Iskallons, were cyborgs indigenous to Iskadrell. They were short hairless humanoids with pale blue skin, dark deep-set eyes, high cheekbones, protuding foreheads, and sharp triangular teeth. Iskalloni were calm, calculating, and unemotional. They often appeared detached or distracted, since they were continually controlling their implants to adapt to changes in their environment.

All Iskalloni had numerous cybernetic implants, which ranged from neural and mental enhancements to built-in blasters and melee weapons. They sometimes replaced entire limbs with prosthetic replacements. Ordinarily, their implants were covered by their skin for protection, but they would let some of their implants jut through their skin, surrounded by prominent scars, in order to make their appearance more intimidating to Humans. They usually wore tight, leathery clothing, bright burgundy in color, with holes exposing their implants.

One unusual ability the Iskalloni had, which was either a result of their implants or their adaptable physiology, was a resistance to blaster fire. A blaster set on full was as effective on an Iskalloni as a blaster set on stun would be on a Human.

Iskallon technology was based on a fusion of machinery and bio-technology. Many of their devices, from computers to starships, were "grown" in vats of organic ooze. These organic devices, like the Iskalloni themselves, could incorporate foreign objects into their physiology. Iskallon technology had serious drawbacks, however: nearly all of their devices produced highly toxic waste products. This drove them to enslave members of "lesser" species, such as Humans, to process waste for them. Upon capture, these slaves would be exposed to mutagens and given implants &mdash; in effect, becoming Iskalloni themselves. Slaves rarely lasted more than a few months processing waste. In later centuries, as their scientific progress stagnated, technology stolen during slave raids became their main source of technological improvements.

Little is known of their early history, since they remained almost completely isolated from Human civilization from at least 1,000 BBY up to the rise of the Galactic Empire. They did, however, make occasional slave-raiding expeditions into the "civilized" Galaxy. When the Empire first encountered the Iskalloni, they attempted to form an alliance. The Empire hoped that they could pay the Iskalloni to capture slaves for them, but the cyborgs converted and enslaved the Imperial emissaries instead. A force of three Victory-class Star Destroyers attacked Iskadrell in retaliation, devastating much of the planet before the deadly Iskallon counterattack. The Imperial forces were forced to retreat, but were not pursued.

After the raid, the Empire no longer considered the Iskalloni a threat. Soon after the Battle of Endor, however, the Iskalloni began their slave raids anew. For one such raid, they allied themselves with a Human outlaw named Wertran Farege. Farege tricked a group of spacers on the planet Brevost, hiring them to transport him and a cargo of droid parts. After Farege sabotaged their ship's hyperdrive, however, he delivered the ship and its crew to the Iskalloni frigate Stelaciter. The Iskalloni immediately reneged on their deal with Farege, however, intending to convert and enslave him as well. The spacers barely escaped with their ship and their lives.

Behind the scenes
The Iskalloni were almost certainly based on the Borg of Star Trek, as evident from their appearance and behavior. Their reduced vulnerability to blasters is similar to the Borg ability to adapt to phaser fire. Even the dialogue spoken by the Iskalloni antagonists in the adventure Twin Stars of Kira is similar to that of the Borg (compare "We are Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated." with "Do not attempt any form at all of resistance, or you will pay for your disobedience with pain. We are Iskalloni. Your ship is now our personal property.")

Appearances

 * Twin Stars of Kira