Orz

The Orz are — or perhaps "is" — an alien species first encountered by The Captain in the space near where the Androsynth had been known to reside. Despite a notable distaste for the human-derived Androsynth and for the mysterious Arilou, Orz happily joined with the New Alliance of Free Stars and provided its powerfull Nemesis starship design to aid in the Second War.

Description

Orz appear as gill-breathers who resemble yellow parrotfishes with eyestalks, though it is not known if this is their actual true form. It is likely that Orz come from another dimension, and when asked about their origins, Orz explain that the Arilou are from *above* and that Orz is from *below*. The precise meaning of this explanation is still up to debate, although the Arilou make it clear that Orz is not from QuasiSpace.

There has been some discussion that Orz as it is seen in normal space is actually a projection of some higher-dimensional being studying our reality. Orz refers to what is seen of itself in the known dimensions as its *fingers* and explains that it is not like other races who are *many bubbles*. Additionally, Orz always refers to itself in the singular third person, although whether this is another quirk of Orz's odd speach pattern or a reference to its possible true form is unclear.

Origin

Orz is a newcomer to TrueSpace, that appeared suddenly in the vicinity of the Vulpeculae constellation, the adopted homeworlds of the Androsynth. As the Androsynth vanished about the same time Orz arrived, it is reasonable to think that Orz did something to them, but asking Orz about the subject infuriates it. It is possible that the Dimensional Fatigue Experiments that were being performed by the Androsynth (and apparently the Taalo before them) may have been what brought the constellation to Orz's attention.

Where Orz resided before arriving in the area of Vulpeculae is unknown.

Theories

The following is unproven in game and not completely accepted by the community.

Orz is a single being that exists in another dimension. The trueSpace entities perceived by the other races are projections of this being that give the appearance of individual life forms. They live, they die, they might even breed, but they are only *fingers* of the one entity called Orz.

Orz is in some kind of long term and (mostly) non-violent conflict with the Arilou. The nature and exact purpose of this conflict are unknown. The Arilou are known to be long-term and loyal allies (or at least protectors or mentors) to the Syreen and Humans, and to a lesser extent the Androsynth. They seem to believe that these races have a destiny that makes them very important to the Arilou race. This is not part of the Arilou/Orz conflict however. Even though Orz destroyed the Androsynth, he will readily assist The Captain in battling the Ur-Quan. The destruction of the Androsynth seems to be motivated entirely by their Dimensional Fatigue Experiments. This may have been seen by Orz as a threat, possibly a gateway to whatever dimension Orz inhabits.

It may also be possible that *above* and *below* refer not to where the Arilou and Orz originate, but to when they originate.

Translating Orz Communications

Translating Orz speech is problematic at best. Even the most sophisticated and powerful translators can't fully process its bizarre alien language, having to use many lingual best-fits in conversation. These are marked in text by surrounding the word with asterisks (*).

• *camper* — starfaring or sentient races? an individual or species who is liked by Orz? — "Happy *campers* are the best."
• *frumple* — get angry or violent — "Do not ask about them. You make me *frumple*."
• *dance* — combat — "I am *frumple*. It is *dancing*."
• *party* — alliance? conversation? opportunities for *dancing*? — "Better *parties* in *the middle* for sure!"
• *playground* — Orz gives the coordinates of Delta Vulpeculae as the location of *playground*. The significance of this star system to Orz is unknown.
• *sad animal* — one who is disliked by the Orz — "The Kohr-Ah are *sad animals*."
• *above* — where the Arilou come from
• *below* — where Orz comes from
• *the middle* — not *above* or *below*, between *above* and *below*?, this dimension?
• *fingers* — an "individual" Orz; see *many bubbles*
• *many bubbles* — the numerous distinct individuals of a species — "Orz is not *many bubles*, Orz is *fingers*."