A Hideuaze Flower Shield
Originally thought to be an inscrutable alien race, the Hideauze or the Evolvers are a species of genetically enhanced space-faring composite life forms, distantly descended from human beings before the fifth ice age. They are currently engaged in a perpetual war of extermination with The Galactic Alliance of Humankind.
Appearance[]
The Hideauze are mollusk-like lifeforms that have been at war with humanity since the beginning of recorded history; they possess the ability to evolve their bodies at a staggering rate and develop devastating bio-weapon systems that rival, and in some cases exceed, the capabilities of the Galactic Alliance of Humankind. However, according to Chamber, the unique characteristics of the lifeforms found on Earth have the exact genetic makeup as the ones in space, with the exception of their outer exoskeletons, which have been adapted for underwater life. Spaceborne Hideauze commonly resemble extinct Ammonites with purple spiral shells with a rainbow-colored lateral line, and their mouths resemble a four-part beak with concentric rows of sharp fangs inside. One individual, seemingly a leader, resembled an orthocone with a humanoid head at the middle of its tentacles. Spacefaring Hideauze are able to live near a star without ill effects.
Earth's Hideauze (or Whale-Squids, as they're called) take on the form of large squid-like creatures with semi-translucent white skin and several blue eyes of different sizes along their body. Their mouths at the center of the tentacles more closely resemble the humans they descended from, albeit with longer, ape-like canines and two vestigial eyes or nostrils. Their behavior is rather docile, but very dangerous when provoked. As babies, they resemble pale human embryos inside a translucent anemone-like outer shell. As adolescents, the human qualities are still noticeable, albeit with flattened, paddle-like hands and feet, long tentacles around the neck, and three sets of blue eyes including two where regular human eyes would be and a largest pair at the hips.
In truth the Hideauze are a composite lifeform, with the squid-like outer shell being formed of nanomachines that can replicate and mutate much like organic cells. This exoskeleton hides a more humanoid form within, the two forming a perfect symbiosis that acts as one creature. The nanomachine exoskeleton was said to provide nutritional support to the human host by means of a more efficient form of artificial photosynthesis that allows them to survive in a vacuum without breathing, although both breathing and eating were indeed still possible if necessary. Normally, only the face of the true Hideauze is visible, sitting at the apex of the exoskeleton's tentacles, though even this seemingly can be concealed by the exoskeleton, as the Earth Hideauze had a more monstrous face at the apex of their tentacles. Young Hideauze appear to lack this exoskeleton, and all of them can leave the exoskeleton at will with the symbiote itself able to live independently.
History[]
The Hideauze are first seen during GAH Closer pass operation. Their nest is protected by a power weapon known as the "Blossom Sail" and the intense stellar radiation of the nearby star. The GAH is initially successful in destroying the weapon but it is able to regenerate before the GAH has time to destroy it again.
The Whale-squid (Earth Hideauze) was said to be a sacred creature that was not to be disturbed, as suggested by the crew alongside Ridget. According to the rumors in Gargantia, the citizens became worried that if the Whale-Squid were to be attacked, a bad omen will fall upon them. According to Chamber, over time, the "survival" was suggested to differ greatly than the Alliance's interpretations. The humans on Earth living alongside the Whale-Squid was noted to be "co-existence."
On the other hand, the space Hideauze are very virulent and dangerous. The Alliance has been fighting the Hideauze for centuries in their war, only to subjugate them to ensure human survival. Thus, suggesting that the humans in space have been fighting the Hideauze continuously, advancing their technology to combat the Hideauze.
Due to the fact that the Whale-Squids are far more powerful than the Diver Yunboros, any areas that they inhabit are generally avoided. This brings conflict within the connected ships of the Gargantia Fleet as the Whale-Squid nests are located on top of very lucrative areas of salvage and Lost Technology. As a result, several ships have opted to separate from the main fleet in order to procure these underwater treasures, with the intention of enlisting Ledo and Chamber to fight off any Whale-Squids that interfere. Unfortunately, these separations would greatly reduce the Gargantia's defensive capabilities against pirates or other dangers.
When Ledo finds lost human data files, he discovers that the Hideauze were created by a genetic-manipulation program put into effect by a group of humans trying to escape the new Ice Age. Known as the Evolvers, these scientists genetically changed humans into higher lifeforms, able to adapt to zero-pressure and atmospheric conditions. The Continental Union, the government of Earth, opposed these human experiments and attempted to destroy the Evolvers, leading to a war between the Evolvers and the C.U. It is thought that the Continental Union became the Galactic Human Alliance and that the Evolvers became the Hideauze. As Chamber said, they "devolved" due to playing with their genetics. Specifically, due to their genetically engineered rapid adaptability factor, the Earth Hideauze rapidly devolved to a simpler form, in the absence of threats from natural selection.
From videos seen in the lost human data files, as well as observations made on Earth, it appears that normal humans and the Whale-Squids are capable of coexisting without violence, when certain conditions are in place.
Trivia[]
- Discrimination against the Hideauze is comparable to that of against Coordinators from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Both Coordinators and Hideauze were a genetically advanced type of people who have been seen as inhuman by the normal human beings, who would even go as far as exterminating the secondary genetic race.