The Crystalline

**The Crystalline** is an antagonistic being in Shatterline.

## Chemical composition

### Elements

Sillicon - 77%Oxygen - 21%Nickel - 1,6%Aluminum - 0,2%Silver - 0,1%Vanadium - 0,01%Niobium - 0,01%

## Summary

The Crystalline is a quasi-sentient, interstellar, silicon-based life-form that aims to dominate the galaxy and subdue all other sentient species. This is a gigantic organism that consumes silicate (Earth-like) planets, and produces energy by digesting silicon dioxide.

## History

Crystal-like formations appeared in the Impact Zones shortly after the Strafe. In February 2028, Gerhard Shlöss, head of the Heidelberg Group, developed a hypothesis stating that these formations are an alien life form with alternative, silicone-and-oxygen biochemistry. Shlöss suggested the term ‘Crystalline’ as a new domain of scientific classification. Currently, the Crystalline is being studied by two independent groups. Shellguard apply the scientific approach of analysis and experiments, both in the field and in laboratory. Strafe Witnesses aim to perceive the Crystalline from both scientific and mystical perspectives.

## Life Cycle

The Crystalline spreads across the cosmos by means of Glasships (pronounced, 'glass ships') – gigantic, quasi-living spacecrafts grown from parts of terraformed planets. Object X, before its arrival to Earth, was one of such Glasships. When a Glasship finds an appropriate planet, it explodes in that planet’s orbit, bombarding its surface with shards. Each shard then acts as a terraforming device that spreads the Crystalline across the planet, changing its appearance and subduing its species.

## Strains

In its original form, the Crystalline resembles dark glowing crystals known as **Black Salt**. This is the form the Crystalline assumes when traveling across space inside Glasships. Upon settling on its next planet of destination, the Black Salt adapts to the local conditions and morphs into a strain that would most effectively interact with the new environment. On Earth, such an adaptive strain became known as Red Salt.

**Red Salt** forms glowing semi-transparent crystals of beet or dark red color. These crystals are able to interact with Earth’s species and imbue them with silicon dioxide, thus transforming them into silicon-based organics.

**The Carapace** is a by-product of Red Salt. This substance consists of heavy metals that the living Crystalline cannot ‘digest’. Appearance and properties of the Carapace may vary depending on the input material. In most cases, it is a matte grey ‘crust’ with a silver metallic sheen. The Carapace acts as a protective barrier, or armor, for Sprouts, Glassheads, and Glasships.

Thus, there are three known types of the Crystalline:

* Black Salt — the original strain. Cannot be found on Earth, but remains in abundance on the orbit, within the debris of Object X.
* Red Salt—adaptive Crystalline strain, unique to our planet. Widely spread within the Impact Zones. The term ‘Crystalline’ is commonly associated with Red Salt.
* Carapace - a stone or silvery-metallic armor that protects Sprouts, Glassheads, and Constructs.

There is another type of Crystalline, which will be revealed further in the story. It is the so-called ‘Moon strain’, the strain that adapted to the conditions of the Moon, the same way the Red Salt adapted to the conditions of the Earth. Appearance and properties of this ‘Moon strain’ are yet to be revealed.

## Forms

There are four known forms of the Crystalline: Glasships, Sprouts, Glassheads, and Constructs. The Voice is a collective intelligence, which controls all of these forms.