Zankon

**Zankons** were an ancient quantum drive-capable species who once ruled part of the Milky Way galaxy as part of the **Zankon Empire**. Systems within their empire's territory included, or were implied to include, Cruxis, Moclus, Retepsia, and Xelaya.

The Zankon died out roughly 3.4 million years ago.

## History

*See also:* Evidence of the Zankon.
Little is known of the Zankon people, owing in large part to their extremely old roots. Roughly 3.4 million years ago, they ruled a territory within the galaxy known as the Zankon Empire. According to Isaac, "circumstantial" evidence suggested they had enslaved 37 other species. Eventually, those species rose up in revolt. When the Zankon realized they would lose the war against their former slaves, they hid part of their fleet in the Cruxis system in anticipation of one day restoring their empire.

Much information is surrounded in myth, and even the existence of the Zankon was doubted by members of the Planetary Union in the 25th century. However, the Moclans took the Zankon's existence to be fact.

Several ancient sources discuss the Zankon:

* Researchers on Xelaya were the first to discover texts stating the Zankon hid part of their fleet somewhere in space.
* The Bormanis stone was the first to reference the missing Zankon fleet, stating the fleet was protected by "the four brothers."
* Shortly before 2421, archaeologists on Retepsia discovered "The Four Brothers," an epic poem written around the same time as the Bormanis stone, which named a constellation in the ancient night sky of Retepsia as the Four Brothers.
	+ The constellation was later determined by Professor LaMarche to be the Cruxis system.

## Culture

Previously a highly militant culture, the Zankon enslaved other species. They did not trust any species other than their own, their technology adapted only to their brain waves for usage. Their descendants though have lost their history, becoming a non-spacefaring culture and much more benign.

## Technology

The Zankons were the most advanced species in the known galaxy, retaining their supremacy millions of years after their supposed extinction, with not even the most advanced contemporary species, the Kaylon, matching them. This was all the more impressive considering the Kaylons ' advanced intellect and information storage and transmission capabilities. Like the more advanced contemporary species the Calvon and Kaylon, they had holographic generation and matter teleportation capabilities, but at a more advanced level. They had some technologies unique to themselves as well, such as non-invasive neural interface devices that responded to both conscious and unconscious thought commands and an unidentified manner of directed energy weapon used on their fleet.

## Production

Writer David A. Goodman created Chalmi, Chalmi's species, and the Zankon as an homage to both the telepathic Krell species and the unnamed ancient species of the old science-fiction film *Forbidden Planet*. Goodman instructed illustrator David Cabeza to design her species as a "sweet version" of the id monster.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Artifacts, Pt. 1
2. ↑ David A. Goodman, Executive Producer and Writer. Quantum Drive. May 10, 2022.