User:Jacius/Orz

Here is where I am collecting evidence (particularly conversations) to piece together some information about Orz. But watch out, there are major spoilers here!

I'm having some fun piecing this together as I play through the game again, so I'm not going to look at the code for dialogue. My interpretation will shift a bit as I explore more.

Evidence

Conversation with Orz Part 1

1. Who are you? You are not Orz! We are Orz! Orz are happy *people energy* from the outside.
2. Inside is good. So much good that Orz will always *germinate*.

Presumably, if Orz came from "Subspace" or whatnot and is now in Truespace, Subspace is "outside" and Truespace is "inside". So, Truespace is good. So good, in fact, that the Orz will *germinate* (transport/project to Truespace? reproduce in Truespace?).

Conversation with Orz Part 2

1. Here is *bright* and *smooth*. There other place is *hurt* Orz too much tired for keeping together.
2. Other place is **Frumple**. Orz are here now, but almost not yet.,,
3. Soon Orz are really here! You are help Orz with *parties*.
4. Orz are looking for you, and find you. So much joy!!
5. Now *smooth* place all the time, and after now never going back to outside.
6. Never!!

I think that pretty much seals it: Orz are never going back to outside, it is just going to stay in TrueSpace. "The other place" either means Orz's home dimension, or QuasiSpace. Orz are coming to stay in TrueSpace. See my theory below.

Conversation with Orz Part 3

(When stopped talking about Androsynth after Orz's first objections)

1. Ahaa! I am told other Orz *cousins* you are *connected* for *camping*.
2. I am so right!
3. It is happiest days to not care about Androsynth anything.
4. So now we can be *together* for friendly *dessert*.
5. I am so right. I will tell them again.

Clearly, each Orz individual has its own knowledge. Orz who said this told other Orz that Humans would be good (to ally with? to eat?), and this Orz's idea has been confirmed by the fact that I don't care about the Androsynth. This Orz is going to tell them that it was right about Humans being good.

Conversation with Orz Part 4

(When I left without allying with Orz)

1. Going. Yes. Orz is go with you same place for *party*.
2. Nobody is forget.
3. Next is *alliance* *party*. Always promise is good to keep.
4. So much pleasure is coming, Orz and the you is change together as soon as *camping* is started.
5. You are not even aware, and then everyone is so happy.
6. You are not forget. Alliance is promise.
7. Orz are wait.

Conversation with Orz Part 5

("You seem very... uh, trusting. Why is that?")

1. We are not trusting. We like to be *together*.
2. Do you want to be *together* with us?
3. Always the other *sad animals* go away but first we have lots of fun.
4. Too many fun is not enough! Do you agree?
5. I think you *smell* like you do.
6. This is the story about trusting.
7. It is sad and makes many Orz *dissolve* or burst into several.
8. Why is in that you are trusting? What a funny question.
9. I am tired.

Report from Eta Vulpeculae II

---- Report from surface ----

Xeno-historian Kilgore here, sir. We have configrmed that these ruins are the remnants of the Androsynth culture. From the mass destruction we have witnessed, we can only assume that there was some kind of huge land war here within the past five years; however, there is no, repeat, no sign of orbital bombardment or invasion from space. Just a whole mess of buildings shot to pieces.

Probably the weirdest thing we've seen, or not seen, are corpses. There aren't any! It's as though something appeared out of nowhere, blasted everything with nuclear bazookas, then grabbed all the Androsynth and disappeared.

An additional report, sir, from science officer Bukowski. We have located an Androsynth scientific research station and I have been trying to make some sense out of what is left of their central computer.

As far as I can tell, about seven years ago, the Androsynth began experimenting with something they called dimensional fatigue phenomena. I can't figure out what this dimentional fatigue (or DF as they call it) is, but maybe if we explored another city, I would be able to find more information on this subject.

---- End of report ---

---- Report from surface ----

Bukowski again, sir. We have found another research institute. Well, the remains of one, anyway. The computer here's in better shape, allowing me to learn a bit more about the Androsynth's investigation into DF, dimensional fatigue.

It would appear that their studies actually began over ten years ago, after one of their blazer vessels discovered some Precursor artifacts in Alpha Lalande. As far as their scientists here could tell, the devices generated DF waves which would allow the user to see into other. Well, other dimensions --- realms of existence which share position with our own universe, but have a different, um, what should I call it, reality phase.

Anyway, the ANdrosynth had hoped that the dimensional fatigue technology would permit them to create new, faster forms of hyperdrive and hyperwave. Instead, when they began their experiments, they made contact with somekind of lifeform on 'the other side', a creature from an alien dimension.

The record is fragmentary here.

I see requests to the central computer for information -- data on 'reality aberrations', the 'mozquito mange' and, er, ghosts, poltergeists, and other malevolent supernatural creatures.

The requests grow more urgent, almost frantic, and then... the record ends.

---- Report from surface ---

Captain, this is ensign Hawthorne standing in for Bukowski. Sir, Bukowski has found something but in the process he has gone kind, well... kind of nuts.

When we first got to this city, Bukowski went wild because the scienc center was pretty much intact.

He locked himself in their computer control cabin and spent about ten hours alone in there. We could here him mumbling to himself, then his speech got louder until he was shouting. He was scared, sir, damn scared. We finally decided that we'd better check up on him, but Bukowski wouldn't let us into the room. He said that no one could ever know what he had learned. That just knowing was enough to alert 'Them'

He kept talking about 'Them', crazy stuff, sir, about how 'They' could see him now, and 'They' were moving towards him. Then Bukowski started thrashing about the room, screaming that he had to destroy everything before 'They' saw us too.

He did a lot of damage to the Androsynth's computer before we stopped him, and I guess he must have hurt himself in the process. He's cut up pretty badly.

You know, it's strange, he must have hurt himself worse than I thought. Now, when I look at him, it seems like he has even more cuts that just a few minutes ago, and boy, is he screaming!

Based on the damage Bukowski wreaked on the central computer, I don't believe that we will find anything more down here. I think we have learned all that we can from exploring these ruins, and frankly, with all of Bukowski's ranting, I'm getting a bit nervous myself. Call us back to the ship soon. Please.

---- End of report ----

Theory

First, Orz are in fact "Them". Orz previously "invaded" QuasiSpace but were successfully driven off by the Arilou. The Arilou realized how dangerous Orz are and have been changing Humanity's "smell" to protect the Human race from being detected from the Orz. "Smell" refers to psychic ability, which the Orz can sense from another dimension. The Arilou have been supressing Humans' psychic ability so that the Orz cannot sense us.

The Androsynth experimented with their psychic abilities and/or dimensional fatigue (they are likely connected), and thus became "smelly". Orz sensed them and changed all the Androsynth into what we see as Orz ships and individuals. While the Androsynth had enough psychic ability to attract the attention of Orz, they did not have the psychic ability to resist it. Orz itself has not moved to TrueSpace yet, but rather psychically controlled and changed the Androsynth across dimensions. Thus, the Orz ships and individuals are the *fingers* of Orz -- they are individuals being controlled by Orz. This process of controlling new individuals is what the Orz means by *germinate*.

However, having learned about TrueSpace, Orz thinks it is better than where it comes from, so Orz itself is moving to TrueSpace, a process which apparently takes many years. It is easier for Orz to survive and thrive in TrueSpace than in other spaces, especially QuasiSpace (where the Arilou can resist them with their superior psychic abilities). For one thing, there are more life forms to sequestrate, like the Androsynth and Humans. So, Orz are going to establish itself in TrueSpace, and then consume all life forms. It is the intent of the Orz to to "ally" with the Humans and then slowly change the Humans and the Humans' allies like they did the Androsynth. While the Humans are being changed, the Orz will help fight the Hierarchy, with the intent of changing the Hierarchy races once they are defeated, or while they are being fought.

Additionally, Orz is the Ultimate Evil that the Spathi are afraid of: as of yet, Orz lies beyond all sensors, in another dimension or between that dimension and this one. Orz will arrive in several years and sequestrate all life forms.

The sequel to Star Control II was going to focus on the Orz as a threat. From the TFB chatlogs:

<_Stilgar> Fwiffo- was it your intention to make the Orz the "bad guys" in StarControl 3?

<Fwiffo> In our rambling thoughts about SC3 we did seriously consider having the Orz assume a much larger and more ominous role, opposed to the return of the Precursors.

In Star Control III, Orz probably would have arrived in TrueSpace, and been opposed by most, if not all, of the other life forms. Of course, that didn't happen because Accolade hijacked SC3 and got rid of or suckified all the interesting races like the Orz and Supox. I haven't checked, but this is my guess for the story being planned for the TimeWarp project.

There's a bit more to my theory, but I'll have to add it later.

Orz Terms

Here are what I think some of the *asterisked* Orz terms mean.

Term	Meaning	Example
*smell*	State of mind; psychic presence	Too many fun is not enough!! Do you agree? I think you *smell* like you do.