Imperial Loyalist
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To flush out the ecology of Mahporeem in a way that is thematically appropriate.
- Image Credit: Artstation Link, image created by Owen Melisek.
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Scrap Rat.
- Name: Rust Rat.
- Designation: Non-sentient.
- Origins: Native to the planet Mahporeem.
- Average Lifespan: 5 years.
- Estimated Population: Planetary.
- Description: Rust Rats are, as their name suggests, small, brown colored rodents who live on the planet Mahporeem. Unlike most other vermin, Rust Rats consume metal instead of organic substances, and have proved to be a major nuisance to the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant.
- Breathes: Type I/Type II/Type III.
- Average Height of Adults: 6-9 centimeters.
- Average Length of Adults: 15-28 centimeters (without tail).
- Skin color: Purple.
- Hair color: Brown.
- Distinctions: The Rust Rat is a small rodent that is native to the planet Mahporeem, though it is also possible that the creature is related to the Scrap Rats of the planet Bracca. Rust Rats are covered in small, metallic flakes that make up their "fur", a side effect of the rat's diet of metal and metallic substances. Unlike most other creatures, Rust Rats are iron based lifeforms, and cannot consume any sort of organic material. This propensity to consume metal, along with their rampant breeding and large numbers, make them some of the most hated vermin on all of Mahporeem.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: Non-Sensitive.
- Small: Rust Rats are quite small and nimble, making it difficult to catch them.
- Large numbers: Billions of Rust Rats inhabit Mahporeem, making it a difficult task to truly exterminate all of them.
- Metallic diet: Rust Rats consume metal as their food source, allowing them to eat a variety of different materials.
- Prolific: Rust Rats breed quite frequently, ensuring that Mahporeem has an ever present population of the creatures.
- Intelligent: Rust Rats are rather intelligent creatures (for a rat, at least).
- Small: Individually, Rust Rats are quite weak and easily killed.
- Hated: Rust Rats are considered to be vermin on Mahporeem, and are aggressively hunted at every available opportunity.
- Fast metabolism: To keep themselves properly fed, Rust Rats must constantly eat metal and other metallic substances.
- Metallic diet: Rust Rats are incapable of eating organic food, forcing them to scavenge the various junkyards of Mahporeem.
- Diet: Rust Rats consume metal and metallic substances as part of their diet. They are incapable of consuming anything that isn't inorganic. It is unknown if Rust Rats actively seek out certain metals to eat or are just opportunistic scavengers. What it known, however, is that even a single rust rat is capable of consuming huge quantities of metal on a daily basis.
- Communication: Rust Rats communicate primarily by squeaking, though they also secrete pheromones that only other Rust Rats can identify.
- Technology level: N/A
- Religion/Beliefs: N/A
- General behavior: Rust Rats are rather cowardly be nature, preferring to hide in the shadows rather than being out in the open. Most Rust Rats live in packs of about 10 to 20 rats, though this number can go as high as 150 individual Rust Rats. Though Rust Rats have a rather short life span of about 5 years, they can produce hundreds of offspring a year, making them incredibly prolific and common creatures on Mahporeem. Rust Rats can be tamed as pets, and are quite docile and friendly when properly cared for, though this practice is strongly discouraged by the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant. Unauthorized ownership of even a single Rust Rat can result in heavy fines and destruction of the creature.
- No one knows for certain how Rust Rats came to exist on Mahporeem, though many theories abound about their origins. The most commonly accepted theory is that the first Rust Rats were stowaway Scrap Rats from the planet Bracca, accidentally transported to Mahporeem aboard traveling freighters and trade vessels.
- Over time, these Scrap Rats were exposed to toxic chemicals and large amounts of metallic substances. This caused the Scrap Rats to mutate into Rust Rats, transforming them from carbon based lifeforms to iron based lifeforms.
- Rust Rats first came to the attention of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant shortly after the fall of the Galactic Empire, when a number of the creatures were found chewing apart an AT-ST.
- Soon, Mahporeem attempted an extermination campaign against the creatures, as it was found that Rust Rats ate large amounts of Mahporeem's vehicles and starships year after year.
- Predictably, the extermination attempt failed to completely eradicate the creatures, and Mahporeem has been locked in battle with the creatures for control of the planet ever since.
- Some enterprising Mahporeem scientists have identified other uses for the creatures, however, and have made efforts to weaponize the rats against their enemies. Research continues on the most effective ways to spread the rats across the galaxy, so that they might consume the weapons and vehicles of Mahporeem's enemies!