Humans

Classification: Sapient biological species
Origin: Earth
Native Galaxy: Milky Way
Distribution: Widespread throughout the Omicron Galaxy
Average Lifespan: Varies significantly due to medical technology and augmentation
Status: Extant

Humans are a sapient species originating from Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy and are among the most widespread intelligent species within the Omicron Galaxy.

Following centuries of technological development, interstellar expansion, and eventual migration beyond their native galaxy, humanity established colonies across large areas of Omicron. Over time, these settlements developed into independent worlds, governments, cultures, military powers, corporations, and other organisations.

Humans currently inhabit thousands of settlements throughout the galaxy and can be found within nearly every major region considered suitable for habitation.

Despite sharing a common ancestry, humanity within the Omicron Galaxy is far from politically or culturally unified.

Biology

Humans are bipedal humanoids possessing two arms, two legs, forward-facing eyes, and highly developed cognitive abilities.

Human physiology remains broadly comparable to that of their ancient ancestors from Earth, although thousands of years of medical advancement, genetic treatment, environmental adaptation, cybernetic augmentation, and exposure to different planetary conditions have resulted in considerable variation between populations.

Individuals raised on worlds with significantly different gravity, atmospheric conditions, climates, or day-night cycles may develop physical characteristics associated with their environment.

These differences generally remain within normal human biological variation unless deliberate genetic modification or augmentation has occurred.

Lifespan

Human lifespan has increased considerably since humanity’s early interstellar history.

Advanced medicine can treat or prevent many conditions once considered fatal, while artificial organs, genetic therapies, regenerative treatments, cybernetics, and other technologies can significantly extend an individual’s healthy life.

Life expectancy varies heavily between worlds.

Citizens of wealthy and technologically advanced systems may have access to medical treatments unavailable to populations living in isolated colonies, conflict zones, or unstable regions such as the Outer Rim.

Extreme life extension exists but is not considered representative of the average human lifespan.

History

Humanity originated on Earth and remained confined to its native solar system for the majority of its early history.

The development of increasingly advanced spaceflight eventually allowed permanent settlement beyond Earth and later expansion into other star systems.

As faster-than-light travel and other interstellar technologies developed, human civilisation expanded dramatically.

Eventually, human explorers and settlers reached the Omicron Galaxy.

The centuries that followed saw enormous waves of colonisation, political fragmentation, warfare, technological advancement, and cultural development.

By the modern era, humans no longer represent a single civilisation.

Instead, thousands of human populations exist across the galaxy under vastly different political, cultural, economic, and ideological systems.

Distribution

Humans can be encountered throughout much of the known Omicron Galaxy.

Large populations exist within the Core Systems, Outer Rim, and numerous independent territories.

Human settlements range from enormous planetary cities containing billions of inhabitants to isolated research stations, mining colonies, agricultural communities, military installations, orbital habitats, and frontier settlements.

Smaller human populations can also be found within territories predominantly associated with other species.

Migration between species and territories has become increasingly common throughout galactic history.

Society

There is no single human culture.

Thousands of years of settlement across different worlds have produced an enormous variety of languages, traditions, religions, political systems, social structures, cuisines, architecture, clothing, and local identities.

Many humans identify strongly with their homeworld, region, faction, or community rather than humanity as a whole.

A citizen of Voridinus II, for example, may share relatively little culturally with a human raised within an isolated Outer Rim colony despite belonging to the same species.

Ancient traditions originating from Earth nevertheless continue to influence human civilisation.

Languages, religions, philosophies, art, music, food, literature, holidays, and historical identities originating thousands of years earlier have survived in altered forms throughout many human societies.

Relations with Other Species

Humanity has maintained relationships with numerous intelligent species throughout the Omicron Galaxy.

These relationships have included cooperation, migration, trade, cultural exchange, political alliances, discrimination, territorial disputes, and warfare.

Humans commonly live alongside species such as Androids, Ashens, Glacians, Elysarians, Pelagians, and Sylvans in multicultural settlements.

Attitudes toward other species vary significantly between human societies and individuals.

No universal human policy toward non-human life exists.

Technology

Human technological development varies dramatically between societies.

The most advanced human powers possess faster-than-light spacecraft, artificial intelligence, advanced weapons, cybernetics, genetic medicine, planetary infrastructure, sophisticated robotics, and technologies capable of supporting enormous interstellar civilisations.

Smaller or isolated settlements may possess significantly less advanced infrastructure.

Humanity has also incorporated technologies originating from other species, recovered ancient technology, and discoveries made throughout the Omicron Galaxy.

Augmentation

Physical and neurological augmentation is common within some human societies.

Cybernetic limbs, artificial organs, sensory enhancements, neural interfaces, genetic treatments, and military augmentations are available in varying forms throughout the galaxy.

The extent of augmentation differs considerably between individuals.

Some humans remain entirely biological, while others possess extensive artificial components.

Despite this, heavily augmented humans are generally still considered human unless their consciousness or biological nature has undergone more fundamental transformation.

Artificial Intelligence

Human civilisation has produced numerous forms of artificial intelligence ranging from simple automated systems to highly sophisticated synthetic minds.

The emergence of sapient Androids and advanced artificial intelligences has significantly influenced human society.

Relationships between humans and artificial beings vary enormously.

Androids may serve alongside humans, work within civilian professions, command military personnel, maintain friendships and families, or live independently.

Debates concerning artificial consciousness, personhood, rights, and identity have played an important role throughout human history.

Humans Within Major Factions

Humans form significant populations within many major factions and organisations of the Omicron Galaxy.

The Hell Hosts, Angel Swords, Free World Order, Protection and Crime Enforcement, Terrorism Control Agency, and numerous independent organisations contain substantial human populations.

However, many of these factions are not exclusively human.

Species and political allegiance are considered separate concepts throughout much of modern galactic civilisation.

Earth

Earth remains the ancestral homeworld of humanity.

Despite humanity’s enormous expansion beyond the Milky Way, Earth continues to possess immense historical and cultural significance.

To most humans living within the Omicron Galaxy, however, Earth is unimaginably distant.

Many have never visited the Milky Way and never will.

For populations whose families have lived within Omicron for generations, Earth exists primarily as an ancestral homeland remembered through history, culture, records, and tradition rather than as somewhere they personally consider home.

Diversity

Perhaps the defining characteristic of humanity within the Omicron Galaxy is its diversity.

Humans have founded empires and rebellions, built cities and destroyed them, explored unknown regions, created artificial life, uncovered ancient civilisations, fought alongside other species, and repeatedly divided themselves through political and ideological conflict.

Humanity possesses no single government, belief system, culture, or collective objective.

The humans of the Omicron Galaxy are united primarily by their distant common origin.

Everything that followed has been considerably more complicated.