Gigagush/Gigagush (Archived)

## General

A few lightyears from Gravitas and on the border of Thirnova's nebula lies the “planet” Gigagush, a swirling vortex that bears a passing resemblance to a purple galaxy. One of the most dangerous and hostile worlds ever seen in the local sector, it is strongly advised that any business be carried out as far from this planet as possible. The “planet” itself is a conglomeration of space junk and pieces of worlds destroyed long before the Meteo Attack took place, and is only growing in size, currently measuring about 160,000 kilometers around its diameter. Possessing a strangely powerful gravitational pull (second only to Gravitas,) Gigagush perpetually pulls various kinds of matter into itself, with little escaping. With this in hand, how the Gigagushers managed to survive the Meteo Attack, let alone fend for themselves in the Meteo Wars, forever remains a mystery, though it is rumored that some lost Mekkian probes and their crew defended the planet out of sheer necessity, as any chance of escaping the death world that is this planet is far greater than being stuck.

By this, Gigagush is a deeply varied and hostile location that is not to be traveled by the faint of heart. On the outermost orbit of the planet, a few space stations and research facilities do exist, owned mostly by the Mekkians and Golytes, along with one by the Globinites. A detainment facility, Neuron Orbit High Security Prison, exists as well, though it heavily guarded, with only the worst criminals in the sector being sent there for permanent residence. Deeper in, Gigagush mostly consists of asteroids, destroyed ships, and chunks of various planets, lacking any proper atmospheres at all, and typically being totally inhospitable.

It should go without saying that you have no business landing on Gigagush. The area is incredibly hostile, and conditions are nearly impossible to predict. If you find yourself in a situation where you must enter the vicinity of Gigagush, make sure all weapons systems are armed, find the fastest way out you can, and pray Starrii saves you.

## Natives

The Gigagushers are a race of tripodal, insect-like creatures. In an adult, the "head" is a large oval, covered in an incredibly durable exoskeleton. Their single eye, is contained within this exoskeleton, with the casing inside, whatever it may be, extending and contracting to allow the Gigagusher to see outside of this case. The creatures stand on needle-like legs, each one, again, encased in an incredibly strong exoskeleton, with the muscular buildup allowing for incredible jumping capabilities while expending little effort. On the bottom of the head is a "mouth", filled with incredibly sharp fangs, each one secreting venom formed by various glands in and around the mouth. They also possess some control over gravity, being able to pull prey in from long distances. As an adult, Gigagushers possess merely a semblance of intelligence, barely able to communicate with even members of the species in any way, shape or form, and showcasing no kinds of empathy or even complex thought.

Gigagushers hatch from eggs, with this recently hatched form lacking the lavender color that the race is known for. In this form they resemble sluglike creatures, being slow and incredibly ravenous. They do not seem to have any sort of mental capability besides eating and avoiding predators, barely able to tell the difference between darkness and light. However, not only are they very resistant to injury, but they also are even more poisonous than the Gigagushers' venom, with said venom actually being slightly corrosive, while remaining toxic.

Typically, Gigagushers live around the core planet of Gigagush, only venturing down to the center to lay eggs. With no natural predators, and scare food, they tend to be cannibalistic, and will eat anything in sight, or is provided to them. They are highly resistant to a wide variety of threats across the universe, being able to survive most kinetic weaponry besides explosives, which even then will only inflict minimal harm. They can also consume most poisons with impunity, not appearing to experience any adverse effects, rendering them almost invincible anywhere except their homeworld.

## Relationships

The only directly forged relationship between Gigagush and the outside universe is the fear of the planet and its inhabitants. Few ships dare enter the hostile world, and even fewer ever return.

The only regularly appearing ships are a few Dejehrian freighters, who visit the core planet to abduct larval Gigagushers or eggs. These creatures are then taken back to Dejeh to be matured and used in various illegal fighting tournaments. While the practice is frowned upon by more ecologically active races in the sector, it is unlikely very much will ever be done about it; many galactic officials either simply don't care enough, or are too afraid for their own lives to attempt to intercept these transits.

As mentioned earlier, various space stations do orbit Gigagush from a distance. Many of these stations are merely rest stops, as Gigagush is frequently stopped by on the way to other, less hostile planets such as Dawndus, Yooj or Starrii. These stations value Gigagush as a tourist trap, with the breathtaking view to the core from orbit attracting many sightseers and travelers, being the only remotely safe place to be while around Gigagush. The present research facilities are currently owned by both a Geolyte entrepreneur and the government of Mekks, both closely managed and monitored, with entrance to these facilities being heavily restricted.