Good evening, explorers and omni-planetary travellers. I welcome you back to our adventure traversing the worlds that make up this universe, with the next planet on our list coming up now.
This planet is the homeworld of Flash Sentry's strongest alien: Riot-Horn.
For those of you who forgot to pack any, sunglasses and protection cream are provided for you. I would suggest wearing them, since sunburn and lost of retina may be impossible to prevent otherwise.
The scene opens up on a planet that looks almost entirely dead, for the surface has no visible signs of water or flora.
Barrenora. An interesting planet situated in an area of space that is rather strange when visiting it. This solar system has not one, but three suns at the centre of it. Each of the sun's are the exact same size and have the same gravitational pull. Most scientists would state that they would all pull themselves into each other, resulting in either a neutron star or a black hole.
However, for some unknown reason, these three suns all seem to be in a perfect gravitational alignment with one another. Because of this, they have remained the same distance from one another and created a rather interesting environment for the rest of the planets in the system.
This particular system is a lot hotter than many others and the life forms that live here have had to adapt to that heat in order to survive.
This includes Barrenora, which is a very hot and dry planet on its surface.
The scene zooms in on the planet, which is revealed to be similar to an African savanna but for the entire planet. Large mountains can be seen in multiple different areas and many open fields can be found with dried knee high grass and an occasional thin tree spread out around the place.
With three suns in the sky, the amount of heat the planet receives can be quite high. Depending on the time of year, all three suns will be in the sky and give off heat. But luckily, most of the time one sun is blocked out by another and the amount of heat radiating the planet isn't as high.
Due to Barronora's distance from the suns being the same as the Planet Jupiter's distance from your sun, most days on this planet are between ninety and a hundred degrees when all three suns are in the sky. Much like the deserts of earth, this results in incredibly hot days and incredibly cold nights.
Throughout the day, any water that was on the day side's surface would evaporate into vapour that would be lifted into the air. However, as soon as the sun sets, that water would cool and form heavy rain clouds that would likely flood most areas of the planet until the suns rose the next morning to evaporate it.
The species that have managed to survive on this planet have done so by developing interesting survival tactics and using the planet's extreme weathers to their advantage. This includes the first alien species we will be looking at today. The Solarhinos.
Name: Solarhinos
Alien Type: Intelligent Mammal
Intelligence: 3/20
Abilities: Super strength. Durability, Solar absorption. Strength increase using solar energy
Form: Ten foot tall brown humanoid rhino, with a large horn coming out its nose and to large spikes sticking out of its arms. Elf-like ears, small eyes and hair of multiple colours and styles sticking out the top of its head. Bands wrapped around their wrist that grow to cover the fists in white orbs and clothing of multiple different styles and designs covering their body.
The scene changes to show a village of Solarhinos, which consist of a bunch of large stone slabs laid out on the ground with small stone stairs built into a ditch.
Moving through the village were the aliens in question, all wearing caveman-style loincloths and dresses. Two Solarhinos were carrying a large stone slab through the village, towards a large hole that had been dug into the ground. The Solarhinos in the hole continued to dig more and more of the hard soil out of it, making it large and deep enough for a family to live in it without much issue.
Solarhinos. These rhino-like aliens are the planet's most physically strong inhabitants. Their hard skin is able to protect them against the heat of the planet and their great strength has made them capable of building structures capable of helping them survive come rain or shine.
On their own, fully grown Solarhinos can lift between thirty to forty tons before being overwhelmed by the weight. But this is not the limit on their strength. The spikes and horns covering their bodies have properties similar to solar panels, allowing them to absorb and store solar radiation.
As they worked, the Solarhinos' horns and spikes began to glow. The longer they worked out in the hot sun, the brighter their spikes became.
The Solarhinos digging the pit then found a rock stuck in the ground. It tried to pull the rock out, but found that it was so big even it couldn't budge it. But it just smiled at this and stood tall, as the light within its spikes suddenly started flying into its body and causing its veins to glow.
Whenever they want to, a Solarhinos can transfer that solar energy throughout their body. This can result in up to a four times strength increase, allowing them to lift so much more. But this power is just as good for demolition and construction.
The bands around the Solarhinos wrists started glow grow until they formed boxing glove like coverings that all the solar energy flew into. As it did so, the Solarhinos raised its fist before thrusting it down into the rock. The impacted caused the ground itself to shake, as millions of cracks to appeared on the rocks surface. It then disintegrated, turning to powder and causing a massive hole to form.
The Solarhinos rushed over to the pile of dirt it had previous dug out and quickly started shovelling it into the hole, filling it in as the slab carrying Solarhinos arrived and placed the rock down. This created another house that would protect the family that would soon move into it.
Solarhinos always build their houses into the ground, allowing them to stay cool during the day and warm during the rainy nights.
The scene fast forwards to the night time, when it starts raining and the downpour hits the Solarhinos village. The water hits the rock and begins to pour down it and into the hole home. Inside, the Solarhinos are all sleeping as the water flows into the home. But instead of drenching the sleeping aliens, it runs through gutters that have been dug into the sides of the house. Slowly, it fills up a stone bowl in one corner.
Fast forward again to the next day and the Solarhinos use the water in this bowl to keep themselves hydrated.
Heading outside, we find several Solarhinos working on a small farm. There they were taking care of alien fruits and vegetables, which would feed the village and keep them alive for years to come.
Solarhinos, despite their hulking form and tremendous power, are a particularly friendly species. With that amazing strength and almost impenetrable skin, nothing on Barranora can hurt them. As such, they have no reason to fear anything and are not easily scared or angered. But not everything on this planet is so friendly.
In another part of the planet, on another plain with lots of tall grass, a creature is walking through the grass and eating it. This something is similar to an earth zebra, only it was a mix of red and blue and on its head were a pair of ampala horns.
The alien stepped through the grass and nibbled at it here and there, all the while listening at for anything that might show up and attack it. Sure enough, several meters away, something was hiding within the tall grass and staring out at the creature. Every second it managed to get closer and closer to it, a low purr escaping its throat as it moved in on its target.
Whilst the Solarhinos' tactic of strength, defence and agriculture has proven an effective method of survival on Barronora, some of the planet's inhabitants chose to take a much more...aggressive manner of finding something to eat. This includes the highly dangerous Acinobatusons.
Name: Acinobatuson
Alien Type: Intelligent Feline
Intelligence: 3/20
Abilities: Short range high speed. Claws. Acute sense of smell. Climbing
Form: Humanoid cat alien of between five and six feet, with yellow and gray fur. A gray face with large red eyes and yellow on the rest of its head, except its ears, with a gray neck above a yellow furred chest covered in black sports. A gray stomach, shoulders and thighs with the rest being yellow and spotted. Large black claws on the hands and feet, black blades sticking out of elbows and a long yellow tail.
Despite being predatory in nature, the Acinobatusons have the same intelligence level as an average human. This allows it to device impressive hunting tactics that allow it to capture its prey.
The Acinobatuson drew closer to its prey and when it did, it made a sound that caused the creature to look up. The cheetah alien then shot forward, the zebra running in the opposite direction. Moving on all fours, the Acinobatuson managed to pick up speed and close the gap between it and its prey.
The zebra, however, suddenly turned and moved in the opposite direction. The Acinobatuson attempted to turn, but at the incredible speed it ended up losing control and rolling off in the direction it was heading.
The zebra kept running and looked back to see its pursuer was down, but this had all been part of the plan. For moments later, another Acinobatuson leapt out of the grass in front of it. Before the zebra even knew what was happening, it was tackled to the ground and let out a scream of horror.
Several more Acinobatusons appeared out of the grass, all walking on their hind legs as they moved to surround their food. The one that had chased the prey down moved in, being allowed first dibs on it along with the one that actually caught it.
The scene moves to an area of the savannah, full of multiple trees that had thick leaves. Many Acinobatusons were sitting in and below these trees, keeping out of the sun and attempting to sleep when they can. After all, they wouldn't be getting much sleep when the sun went down.
Acinobatusons are a very prideful race, not willing to accept help from any creatures outside of their kind. Because of this, they are forced to live a hard life because they are unable to build homes like the Solarhinos and unwilling to ask for help doing so.
Fast forward to the night time when it's raining and the Acinobatusons are all huddled up in and under the trees, attempting to stay as warm and as dry as possible. The younger Acinobatusons are being protected by the adults, but even still they were still drenched by the water.
Despite the difficulties this species faces, their pride and stubbornness has allowed them to power through the harsh times and remain strong. Many on the planet often joke that the Acinobatusons would likely be the only species to survive some form of apocalyptic disaster merely because they would be too stubborn to let it kill them.
The main contributors of this joke are the alien we will be looking at next.
In a rare area of the planet, one with multiple tall trees that are grouped together, we find a bunch of aliens that are swinging from the treetops.
Name: Elastrimate
Alien Type: Intelligent Primate
Intelligence: 5/20
Abilities: Elastic body capable of stretching and limited shape shifting
Form: Gorilla-like alien of between seven and eight feet, with brown and grey fur with puffy white cloud-like hair on its head that runs down its back. Face, chest, feet and hands are gray whilst the rest is light brown, with white cloud-like hair wrapped around its wrists and waist.
Elastrimates. Considered the wisest species on this planet, these ape-like aliens live atop tall trees that have grown in some of the rare areas of the planet that are mostly shielded from the harsh extremes of the day or night cycle. Living in such high environments, the Elastrimates have developed an interesting biological ability to allow for movement and protection from falling.
One of the Elastrimates is hanging from a branch, wearing clothing much like the Solarhinos and looking over at another that seemed too far away for it to reach. But then, its arms began to extend and its body slowly lowered itself to the ground like they were made out of rubber. Once its arms were a good twelve feet long, it started swinging back and forth until its body reached the branch.
Once it did, it grabbed the branch with its feet and let the other one go. Its arms flopped down and hung there limply, only to then slowly return to their normal length a few moments later and allow it to pull itself right side up.
Another Elastrimate is also swinging through the trees, only to slip and begin to fall. But it didn't seem at all worried, even when it struck the ground and went splat against it. But seconds later, it pulled itself up and its body began to return to its normal shape.
Known as the silly putty alien, the Elastrimate's cell structure is in a state of polymerization and are bonded at the atomic level. Because of this, Elastrimate's bodies can be stretched, flattened and twisted without causing any serious harm to them. This makes Elastrimates completely immune to any form of harm aside from acid, which is a very rare thing on Barronora, so much like the Solarhinos they have almost nothing to be afraid of on the planet.
Due to this, the Elastrimates are an incredibly friendly and sociable species. They are known for trading with the Solarhinos, swapping the food the Solarhinos grow for the fruit only an Elastrimate can reach.
Up on one of the tall trees, a strange fruit is growing that looks like a banana but is around at the bottom. An Elastrimate climbs up and reaches it, plucking it from the tree and dropping it down. Another Elastrimate thrusts their arm out and it stretches, allowing it to grab the fruit before the arm retracted and it dropped it into the basket.
Down on the ground, a Solarhinos is waiting with a basket of its food. The Elastrimate stretches down a good ten meters, placing its basket on the ground before grabbing the one the Solarhinos was carrying as it returned to normal. The Solarhinos picked up the other basket and thanked them as it walked off, the Elastrimate returning to their home.
Said homes were a bunch of sturdy looking tree houses, being built with the help of other Solarhinos. The rhino aliens were carrying the materials needed around, using a pulley system to lift them up into place so the Elastrimate needled a thin but strong thread through a hole and tied the walls together.
Meanwhile, some more Elastrimate were busy in the trees. They had a bunch of cotton-like substances, which grew quite well on the hot planet with the trees protecting it from the heavy downpours. With this cotton, they were making a bunch of clothing for themselves and the Solarhinos.
As the treehouse was finished, some Elastrimate stretched down and handed on of them a piece of clothing that the Solarhinos happily accepted.
With both species able to fill a need the other has, the Solarhinos and Elastrimates have developed a symbiotic relationship. This relationship has gone on for many generations and will likely remain for many more. In such a harsh environment, cooperation is key for survival.
As the Elastrimates stepped into their new treehouse home, something was crawling up the trunk of the tree. Something the size of a mouse.
But there are some creatures on this planet that choose less honourable methods of survival.
The creature reached the tree house and headed inside, spotting a basket of fruit that it rushed over to. Moments later, that something was pulling the entire basket towards the door.
Name: Rodormidant
Alien Type: Intelligent Rodent
Intelligence: 4/20
Abilities: Shrinking ability
Form: A humanoid rat alien of between three and four feet in height, being a combination of black and brown. Its lower mouth, paws and stomach are brown whilst the rest is black. Large ears on its head, long black curved tail and large front teeth
Rodormidants. This alien sneak is Barronora's master of stealth. Capable of altering its size in a similar manner to a Vaxasaurian, it can shrink its body down to minimum height of around five inches. This allows it to sneak into almost anywhere without being spotted, as it attempts to steal enough food to keep itself alive.
The Rodormidant was almost too the door. But before it could a large hand reached down and grabbed it, lifting it up as an annoyed Elastrimate glared at it. The alien rat looked sheepish before it suddenly grew to two feet in height, forcing the ape's hand open and allowing it to shrink back down.
Free, the rat rushed out the door but was leaving empty handed.
Though it failed this time, the Rodormaidant almost never learns its lesson. It will return and attempt again, though it'll likely wait until the target's guard is lowered.
Once out of the tree house, it scurried down the ground and returned to normal size as it ran towards its home. Said home was a small cave, which it had to shrink down in order to enter through the foot-wide hole. Once inside, it returned to normal size and looked around at all the food it had managed to steal from the other species on the planet.
Unlike the other three intelligent forms of life, Rodormidants live by a code of looking out for number one. The only time they'll pair up is too reproduce, which will only last until the birth of the younglings. Once born, the parents will leave them to their own devices. Rodormidants usually birth between ten and eighteen offspring, but due to their nature roughly seventy percent of the brood will survive to adulthood.
In another part of the planet, a Rodormidant is running through the grasslands carrying a basket of stolen food.
But before it can think of tasting the yummy food, an Acinobatuson stands up out of the tall grass. The rodent stops in its tracks and looks up at the taller and much more ferocious alien, who licks its lips at the sight of it. The Rodormidant drops the basket and runs in the opposite directions, whilst the Acinobatuson gets limbered up before dashing forward to play a little game of cat and mouse.
Barely a minute later, a loud squeal fills the air as the Acinobatuson begins to chow down.
Barronora. A harsh and vicious environment to call home. But luckily, we were just visiting. It's time to head to the next planet on our list, which will be a place all you vegetarians will find tricky to stomach. Onwards, to our next big adventure