Paragon Project

The **Paragon Project** was a massive, long-lasting research initiative pursued by the Kaeolian Empire during the First Cluster War, started with the intention of creating various new species through genetic engineering that the Kaeolians could use as weapons in their war. It lasted several millennia and gave rise to many new species of intelligent life that populated the Milky Way Galaxy after the war was concluded.

## Background and Progression

The Paragon Project was originally nothing more than a simple suggestion made by the head of genetic engineering research in the Kaeolian Empire's Ministry of Imperial Research: Salahn Gval Motivmi. Though her division hadn't had much to do with wartime research as of late (due to the strict nature of Kaeolian regulation concerning genetic engineering), Salahn knew that, sooner or later, the Kaeolian military would need something more than cybernetic enhancements and robotic warmachines in order to beat the Zetylians and their ferocious cyborganic vehicles. She planned out the creation of a huge, multi-faceted research initiative that would allow the Kaeolians to use their advanced genetic engineering technology for warfare, but, for fear of losing government funding or worse, her job, she first went to the Kaeolian emperor in order to ask for approval on the project she had planned. The emperor was hesitant, as the Kaeolian Empire had already experienced extreme repercussions from unchecked genetic engineering research. However, he was also desperate, and agreed to give Salahn and her division the resources it needed in order to execute the project. He even offered the entire genetic engineering research division a chance to do their work in newly-created science colonies far out in the Milky Way Galaxy, a proposition that Salahn was thrilled by. She thought that the emperor was being extra generous by allowing her team to work in state-of-the-art facilities a safe distance away from the focal point of the war, but the real reason the emperor made this decision was to ensure that, in the event of another catastrophe involving genetic engineering, the whole of the Kaeolian Empire would not be at risk due to the distant, isolated nature of the science colonies. Salahn and her research staff headed off to the science colonies the moment they got the notice of approval, eager to begin genetic experimentation.

No clear goals had been made prior to the start of the Paragon Project, so the research had no clear direction at first. The scientists knew they had to design new creatures that could help Kaeolian forces in combat, but even advanced Kaeolian genetic engineering seemed no match for Zetylian cyborganic engineering. The first products of the Paragon Project were various unremarkable species of fauna and flora that possessed physical abilities beneficial to the Kaeolians in combat. The goal was not so much to create a new race of super-soldiers for the Kaeolian army, but rather new ecosystems that worked with Kaeolian ground forces to amplify existing Kaeolian defenses. This was especially necessary considering the defensive state the Kaeolian Empire was in during this stage of the war, and many of these engineered ecosystems did accomplish what they were designed to do, helping Kaeolian ground forces repel Zetylian attacks. However, it quickly became evident that the Kaeolian army alone would not be able to resist Zetylian assault forever. This was the paradigm shift that prompted the creation of numerous new humanoid species that the Kaeolians planned on using for various purposes in the war. The Kaeolians modeled most of these creatures after their own biology (albeit with a few major biological upgrades), leading to the creation of an entirely new classification of lifeforms: the Kaeolish Humanoids. As the research progressed, the Kaeolians became more and more inventive, turning the focus of the Paragon Project towards unconventional lifeforms, such as bioweapons and the widely-feared Astral Maulers, ferocious spaceborne beings that functioned like living battlecruisers. The destructive potential of these creations increased exponentially as the project continued, which, though it did aid Kaeolian forces, would prove very troublesome to civilizations that came after the destruction of the Kaeolian Empire. Kaeolian bioweapons were the major culprits, as they were engineered to spread quickly through interstellar civilizations, and were one the largest reasons for the decline and eventual destruction of the Slin Combine.

## Notable Creations

- The Nyuuvians, Heumvak, Jyrians, Duur and Humans.

- Astral Maulers

- The Zetylian super-soldier clone, Alek Leagr.

- Likvru, Carbide Necrosis and Western Spur Flu.

- Rogue Kaeolish DNA that gave rise to the Zoxians and Tychoprians.

- The Tremor Plague