Boldly Go Aliens

The Boldly Go Aliens (BGA) are an enigmatic species encountered by the Venerian-led expedition on their assumed homeworld, Tiamat. This alien civilisation is very advanced, operating interstellar ships of up to 1km in length.

Following a 2000 year old transmission detected as a result of the ESS Odyssey mission to the Galactic Centre, the Boldly Go Operation, the greatest joint expedition in human history, set off at the beginning of 3203 in search of the previously unknown alien civilisation.

The exploration fleet confirmed the civilisation existed some 750 parsecs from human space. Without making contact, the fleet gathered a wealth of scientific observations then returned home.

Lacking Faster-than-Light (FTL) travel, BGA vessels are instead propelled by unique gravitic drives, which perform optimally in deep gravitational fields, like those near stars or planets. This technology, however, becomes weaker in open space, restricting BGA expansion to nearby, high-gravity star systems.

Culturally, the BGA prioritize bioengineering, reshaping themselves to suit various environments with extraordinary adaptability, with one variation even resembling beetle-like space creatures. Their slow-paced interstellar journeys indicate a patient, long-lived society that appears non-militaristic and peaceable, with only minimal apparent defense capabilities.

Communication with the BGA has been challenging. Initial interactions involved rudimentary pictorial exchanges, but further breakthroughs are limited, stalling diplomatic progress. Despite their curiosity about humanity and its FTL technology, the BGA's understanding of human concepts like nationhood and diplomacy remains undeveloped. Efforts continue to improve communication and explore potential technology exchanges, particularly for their gravitic drives. Meanwhile, BGA vessels have been observed transporting supplies and personnel across their colonized worlds, establishing a slow but steady interstellar economy.