Seibertronians

Seibertronians are the main 'alien race' in the Space Vagabonds AU and every Transformer (obviously barring Galvatron) are Seibs in this AU.

Biology
Seibertronians are large bipedal creatures comparable to Earth Crustaceans.

They possess both exoskeletal plates/shells and a tough skeleton, periodically they shed their 'exoskeletal plates', these plates are shown to contain naturally produced metals. Each individual has a pair of proto-arms beneath their main pair, these arms are believed to be vestigial.

Diets
Seibertronians are Omnivorous and capable of eating most things including some types of metals, however, this is rare.

The two "sub-species" of this race seem to differ slightly in their dietary tastes. Autobots lean more towards a herbivorous diet while Decepticons lean more towards meats.

Blood
Seibertronian blood is varying shades of blue, however, rarer blood leans more towards a purple colouring.

Body Types
Seibertronians come in two body types.

Seeker-types; Seekers tend to be those built more for speed/distance. A prominent feature of Seekers are legs that appear digitigrade however they are not walking on their toes. Often Seekers tend to have quills on their backs and long tail frills. Seekers are still further divided into two subsets, those that are thinner and more lithe are built for sheer speed, those who are thicker are not so fast but built for power and endurance with short bursts of speed (EG Starscream is speedy Seeker, while Cyclonus is more built for power).

GroundPounder-types; Groundpounder is the name dubbed to the other body type. It varies little from the Seeker other than having more human appearing legs, their feet also tend to be wider possibly causing the name “groundpounder”. These types are built more for durability and have better endurance than even the ‘power Seekers’.

Seibertronians can come in "miniature" form too, while they usually measure 8ft and over there are many who are a more humanoid size of 5-7ft. They're referred to as "Mini-cons" and can have both of the aformented body types. Other than their size there is nothing else to distinguish them from the rest of their kind.

Bioluminescence
Seibertronians possess Bioluminescence, the ability to make parts of their bodies glow.

Often this bioluminescence follows the visual patterns you can already see along a Seibertonians external plates as the differences in colour can be caused by the presence of bioluminescent patches.

However, they can freckle the entire body, but no one seib is blanket-covered in bioluminescent patches.

A Seibertronian will flash and pulsate light in response to emotions and their situations. Decepticons have been known to use it to confused enemies in fights.

Life Cycle
Seibs hatch from eggs as a six-limbed larva or more commonly known “Nymphs”. They stay in this form for about 2 of their years before they “pupate” into their bipedal forms, as Nymphs they also spend a majority of their time in the water due to their legs being small.

From the age of 2-3 onwards a Seib will undergo many growth spurts as they reach their approximate final size, until this point they do not develop strong exo-skeletal plates and remain pale and ‘soft’. Upon their ‘teen’ years their growth stabilizes and their plates grow in.

The Spark
Seibs despite not being mechanical do possess an “organ” named a “Spark”. For Seibs a Spark is a glowing neural cluster near the back of their chests. This neural cluster emits a kind of EM field around the Seib and plays a major role in brain function too, making removal of the Spark fatal and diseases associated with it have a low-survival rate. Seibs can ‘sense’ another’s Spark and determine various things about them from it. It is a common Seibertronian saying when lovers meet their Sparks become joined or 'bonded'. As if the ‘aura’ from their sparks becomes the same.

Sex and Gender
They’re all hermaphrodites and as such pairs, we perceive as two males or two females can still produce offspring. Regardless of their parents, each couple will only ever produce one egg at a time. They do however use gendered terms often using the gender they feel they match the most depending on the species they are interacting with. For example, Cyclonus identifies himself as “Male” because to a human that’s what he seems.

However the one who lays the egg is often referred to as the “Carrier” while the other is the “Sire”.

Autobots and Decepticons a visual guide
Autobots and Decepticons are not just different by the “Sides” they are on, but it is of note that they possess physical differences as well.

Visually Autobots are much brighter in colour, their exo-shells coming in a great variety of shades. Their shells are also very smooth but still excessively tough. Blue eyes seem to be a dominant gene among Autobots as well. It is also easy to note that Autobots usually possess flat teeth or a set of teeth more comparable to humans even if their fangs can be more exaggerated. Autobots also do not possess protective plates on their abdomens leaving it open as a weak point.

Decepticon shells and colours tend to be very muted and subdued, the only known exceptions to this is if the individual possesses ancestors from the Autobots. A Decepticons Exo-plates are often rough, jagged and spiky, a Decepticon is usually much more angular than an Autobot. Red coloured eyes seem to be the dominant gene amongst Decepticons.

Culture
Seibs have a variety of cultural activities of note.

Language
Autobots and Decepticons do have different languages, but they are both very similar. Their native language sounds like marine animals mixed with birds and also merged with very metallic/mechanical sounds. Some parts of their language is too high and low-pitched for humans to hear.

Primal Vernacular sounds like unnerving haunting whale song.

Seibs are also capable of purring and other vocal indications of their feelings. Those with Quills can create rattling noises with them to further this.

Attitudes towards shedding
Both types of Seibs have a different attitude towards the shedding of their shells.

Autobots  do not view a soft-shelled recently moulted Seibertronian with much difference, however, they do tend to ease their workload regardless of the individual’s job.

Decepticons  naturally tend to avoid or generally not hang around those who have freshly moulted on account of their own rough, sharp exo-plates and causing accidental damage to the individual. To Decepticons, it is considered COWARDLY to kill/fight someone who has freshly moulted.

Both Autobots and Decepticons have problems after shedding. Their shed shells do come off in large pieces but behind their fresh skin tends to have thin membranes left over from the shell resulting in rather gross flaky skin and occasional small pieces of shell left behind causing great irritation. Autobots view helping another with this issue as general bonding between friends, they do not let just anyone help out with it however. Decepticons, on the other hand, are EXTREMELY picky about who they let help them with this post-shedding issue. If a Decepticon allows you to touch them or be near them during this time it is a sign of extreme trust and often affection.

Courtship, Breeding and Child rearing
Both Autobots and Decepticons pick mates depending on their emotional and personality match, but they do also engage in other activities to appeal to potential mates better.

Autobots  have a long running tradition of making their possible mates something. It can be anything even food as long as they MAKE it, it matters.

Decepticons  however engage in fights. A individual desiring to prove themself to a potential mate will challenge them to a duel, or those who have developed feelings for each other will challenge each other to a fight to ensure they are totally compatible for each other too and not just lusting for one another.

The two will fight until their feelings are cemented or they are exhausted. If nothing has been decided from the first fight pairs will leave each other alone to determine if they want to try again. It is a ancient law that if the same pair have fought four times to win each other as mates but have still not cemented a relationship, the victor of the fight can legally kill their pursuer.

While this is still legal for Decepticons, it is not often done, the waste of a good fighter is something they try to avoid, and while their determination can be seen as praise-worthy if they continually lose and are eventually killed then they are often seen as deluded fools.

Decepticons who are mated (for life) will mark each other with a small symbol or recognizable marking to affirm the relationship.

When a Seibertronian is in heat their somewhat-vestigial egg-pouch becomes a more vibrant shade and their pheromone levels increase.

When mating, due to their genital structure whoever is submissive (and therefore more likely to bear the egg) is often up to personal choice/preference. Though it is often random as most Seibs tend to flip about during intercourse and it’s just a matter of who is in heat/who just happens to bear an egg.

The pair only ever produce one egg at a time, with twins being incredibly rare. The egg is small enough to fit into the hand of the Carrier and until it has hatched, is kept in either specially constructed containers or within either of the parents pouch. Often the Sire will have the egg in their pouch for a period after it has been laid so as to give the carrier a break.

The egg will hatch into a nymph, their outer shells are somewhat soft upon hatching but harden quickly. The shell of a nymph often has coloured speckles on earning a nickname of “Sparklings” because it is like a natural sparkle.

Nymphs are well looked after in both cultures however while Autobots are more pacifistic, if a Decepticon feels ANY nymph is in danger they will protect the young regardless of who it’s parents are with extreme violence, with full legal rights to slaughter any threat to Nymphs.

The importance of family to Decepticons affects their relationships too, as often to help win a potential mate over an individual must impress the individuals’ parents as well to earn their approval.

While Autobots tend not to bring Nymphs on voyages into space most large Decepticon ships have pool-rooms made specifically for Nymphs as Decepticon parents easily become agitated when away from their young. Decepticons - despite how they appear to the rest of the galaxy - are surprisingly family orientated and children are cared for by everyone but predominantly the parents.

Gods and other 'legendary' figures.
Primus Primus is considered the god of life, any depictions of this deity appear as a glowing sphere due to the legend of it dwelling deep within a pool at the centre of the planet. A pool known as the “Well of Allsparks” this has lead to the phrase of “By the Allspark”. It is also believed Primus is a giant Spark (Yes, a giant organ) that binds them all together, and when one dies their spark returns to the Allspark and to him. The title of “Prime” is seen as both a status and a religious symbol.

“The Great Devourer” Not a lot is known about this god, but it is said it is the one who birthed the Spark Eaters, and its cavernous maw consumes all like a living black hole. To be consumed by this creature is to be forever stuck in limbo having been denied a true death and cursed to live in purgatory. As such it is thought the Devourer is the cause of many bad things on Seibertron leading those to “find despair in its jaws”. Some depictions of this beast have been made, showing the Devourer to have a long lobster-like body lined with hundreds of arms but it ends in a crested torso with a pair of main skeletal arms. This is as far as the one and only remaining depiction of the Devourer goes, the part showing it’s head long-since removed.

Metroplex, Metroplex is not seen fully as a “God” but is a figure that is in some ways prayed to for a good harvest and strength.

Trypticon; While also not seen as a “God”, Trypticon is also worshipped in his own way. He is ‘prayed’ to for strength and vitality. Having a tattoo of Trypticon is often seen as boasting about one's strength.

Festivals
The Festival of Metroplex (The Day of Metroplex); Primarily celebrated by Autobots (but not exclusive) this festival revolves around harvests and building. During this festival Seibs come together to celebrate their creations, be they buildings or artistic, often listening to music and dancing into the night sharing food.

The Festival of Trypticon (The Day of Trypticon); Primarily celebrated by Decepticons (but not exclusive) this festival revolves around strength, both individual and unified strength. This often takes the form of celebrated wrestling matches to show they’re “as strong as Trypticon himself”. This festival ends a short while after the wrestling with a huge feast.

The Sparklight Festival; This festival comes every 5 Seibertronian years. A species of insect on Seibertron only moult into their adult forms for a day every five years to mate and lay eggs. In ancient times many believed their glowing bodies to be the Sparks of those who had died dancing upon the waters surface. Celebrated by all, Seibertronians come out to watch and pay respect to those who have died, many will go into the water and swim with the ‘rising sparks’ thus being amongst their ‘ancestors’. In recent times Spark-flies are not believed to be the Sparks of the dead but the festival still continues regardless. Once the festival is over the dead Spark-flies are traditionally eaten essentially continuing the ‘circle of life’.

Technology
Seibs are very technologically advanced, they are well-known around the galaxy for creating the “Space Bridges” large rings that can teleport ships over long distances.

Seibs have nanobots/nanites within their bodies. These microscopic robots flow around the body keeping it in check and notifying the individual of severe health issues/problems.

Through the use of a “Data Injector” Seibs can give their nanobots instructions to focus medical care on certain parts of their body to help accelerate healing among other things.

One of the many uses of these nanites is to allow the individual to speak other languages on a very basic level to allow communication between species.

Trivia

 * They became crustacean in nature in this AU as I wanted them to be visibly 'robotic' in a way, while also not being mechanical. I also wanted to avoid using insects too.