MeSh-1 Melumsi Shell / EP-8 Exoform Prototype Creator and Developer: Araiah Jal

Commissioned by an anonymous contractor – rumored to be one of the Elders, but the rumor was quietly quelled – the Melumsi Shell Mark 1 exoform was one of a series of experiments to find a host body that was stable enough for permanent Melumsi inhabitation that could also be mass-produced. While these conditions were met in the Exoform Prototype 7 (EP-7) – it matched the Werashi in all ways as a host – work continued as the team set about creating an EP-8, which featured abilities beyond what the Werashi could provide.

While the development of the EP-8 was underway, Dr. Jal created a variant for his personal use that included his KINESI System. The EP-8m is a military-grade model with greatly enhanced abilities (see KINESI System for details), of which there was only one, and that was taken with Araiah when he was exiled.

Unfortunately, before the EP-8 was approved for mass production, the experiment data and prototypes for the EP-series were destroyed in a mysterious accident. This happened around the time that lead developer Araiah Jal disappeared. Suspicions of foul play were voiced, but an unusual lack of evidence left investigators cold and soon the case was set aside indefinitely.

The Mark 1 Melumsi Shell exoforms (MeSh-1, the production title of the EP-8) were enhanced organic bodies, readily manufactured and very close to Yamataian bodies in terms of strength and disease/poison/damage resistance. A MeSh-1's appearance is fully customizable according to the user's preferences, but only during the final preparations. Once a form is finalized, it cannot be changed except by a special sort of plastic surgery due to its accelerated regeneration.

Powered by normal biological functions, a MeSh-1 body requires normal rations of food and drink to survive, but its operational duration without these staples of life is triple that of a normal human when operating with minimum energy usage.

Note: The EP-8m has completely different power system with its own intake requirements. see “KINESI System” for details.

Usable only by Melumsi or similar energy-based life-forms, MeSh-1's have a basic brain only sufficient to sustain autonomous functions, not the implantation of a full personality. A MeSh body is basically a brain-dead one, dependent on a Melumsi inhabitant for complete functionality. In practice, a Melumsi would inhabit the shell and operate it like a normal host body.

The following is a list of attributes that were considered undesirable in the development of the Melumsi Shell.

When the host rejects a Melumsi, the Melumsi is severely injured or killed from the rejection. Those that survive inhabitation don't live longer than a few days before their energy disperses.

Super-being class hosts or psions. When the Melumsi takes over, they are merged and the Melumsi personality dies.

The exoform dies without inhabitation or external life-support.

The Melumsi cannot vacate the shell safely and may leave a part of themselves imprinted on the host mind. They also may go insane when they try to reintegrate the lost part. This is what happened to Araiah when he attempted to inhabit the first EP-1 exoform, creating Tayar in the process.

The first artificial lifeform created by Melumsi technology. This version was created to perfect the method of creating artificial life-forms outside of biological cloning techniques. Tayar is the first EP-1. It was also the first EP-3, -4, and -6.

This version was developed as a Werashi-sized bioform with inhabitation potential.

This version was developed to optimize the autonomous and neural functions.

This version was developed for decreased intelligence without loss of autonomous function.

This version was developed with increased psionics and inhabitation potential.

This version was developed for optimum inhabitation compatability.

This version was developed to form templates for aesthetic variants.

This version was developed for increased strength, speed, stamina, senses, and regeneration. This version was intended for special persons, but never reached production.

A testbed for the KINESI System. About the base form for the EP-8m Nej-gih Mark 1.0 combat shell (Ariah's original exoform):

• Standard Combat Trait: Steel-core calcium-based skeletal system with increased muscular efficiency.
• Standard Combat Trait: Enhanced self-preservation reflexes for the KINESIS (defensive maneuvers only).
• Standard Combat Trait: Enhanced base senses.

About the base form for the EP-8m Nej-gih Mark 1.1 combat shell (Ariah's second exoform; Nel's original):

• Standard Combat Trait: Nanotube-core calcium-ceramic skeletal structure with increased muscular efficiency.
• Standard Combat Trait: Enhanced self-preservation reflexes using KINESI (defensive maneuvers only).
• Standard Combat Trait: Enhanced base senses.
• Field Modification: Use of the Primary Sense (broadband energy detection).
• Field Modification: Carbon fullerine web bonded to the skeletal structure as reinforcement.
• Field Modification: Full NANO microneural system with user consciousness support.
• Field Modification: Decenteralized nodal nervous system.
• Field Modification: Specialized nanite replication.