Wirrn
The Wirrn (pronounced Wir-rin) were a race of human-sized insects native to the Andromeda Galaxy.
Biology
The Wirrn were human-sized with an anatomy more like an Earth-based insect. Their heads were made of two large golden eyes, long floppy antennae and three small mandibles. They also had a larger pair of mandibles which they used to talk. The head was attached to a long thorax which had six long arms. The arms were as strong as a human’s and could be used for similar tasks. Underneath the thorax was a long abdomen and they could recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Wirrn lived in space for most of their life. They would occasionally land on planets to gather air or food or to breed.
They were a very tough species, abled to survive in a wide variety of environments. Their most important weakness was their vulnerability to electricity.
Life Cycle
The Wirrn starting breeding with a Queen who searched for a suitable planet. She would locate a host and lay an egg in it. The larva not only had all the racial memories of the Wirrn but also had all the host’s knowledge. Eventually the larva ate the host and escaped.
The larva was a large, green, slug-like creature with several small limbs. These weren’t as resilient as the adult but if damaged, they could shed their skin, revealing an undamaged skin underneath. The larva produce green slime which could infect other creatures, turning them into larvae as well.
The larva would eventually undergo metamorphosis, creating a large pupa. After a few hours, full grown Wirrn came out of the pupae and set out to do the bidding of the swarm. One of the adult Wirrn would become a Swarm Leader and control the actions of the other larvae. Some of them would also turn into Secondary Queens, allowing them to lay eggs in more hosts.
Appearances
The Ark in Space (TV)
The Stones of Blood (TV)
Placebo Effect (Prose)
Homeland (Audio)
Race Memory (Audio)
Wirrn Dawn (Audio)
Wirrn Isle (Audio)