Mobius pattern

As explained elsewhere, the mobius patterns, or 'songs' as they are sometimes called, are living waveforms. Often propagating themselves as radio signals, they maintain their wave pattern by somehow absorbing entropy. They exist only in localized form, however, rarely spreading more than a few meters in radius, though the signal they put off can reach much further if not contained. Some variants even give off a light show - the 'sapient' songs most certainly do.

Although they usually exist as weak radio sources, they may come in the form of any wave pattern, and the most popular among these are the songs - or translating their radio signals into songs. Their melody, though repetitive, does vary slightly over time, and many find certain tunes touching in some alien manner.

Some are more touched than others.

Replications have happened, though the reasons are only partly known. They can be killed, trapped, starved, and stressed, however, and this has developed some specialized patterns for certain tasks.

Before the Purge, these beings were drawn into our Universe through various anomalous devices, collectively called "pattern sources" or "brane spikes". They are all just shy of priceless, and most of them were unique in their construction, as only four designs have worked more than once, and three of those only twice. The last one, developed by the Solar Consortium, was far more successful, but made only poor patterns, unable to affect much, or even sustain themselves for long in our Universe - and not at all outside the Solar System.

Currently, those patterns that are currently available are those of Class B, A, and S that have survived the Purge and have since bred. Class B patterns are incapable of surviving outside of the Milky Way's halo. Class A and S patterns are known as infusions and wraiths, respectively.

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While the vast majority of patterns tend to be only slightly mobile and rather small, a few (no more than several dozen incidents reported) can move about at nearly, if not at, the speed of light, and have effect radii measured in kilometers. These are considered to be the true songs amongst the mobius patterns. These patterns are also far, far more complex, though none have been successfully trapped for any sort of intensive study.

There is no rhyme or reason for them to choose who they do. While none of the rich and powerful have been chosen, it is not at all known if this is by intent. Not enough of these 'super patterns' escaped in order to have meaningful odds.

No known instance exists of such a pattern abandoning its host. Even in death, it seems the superpattern, too, died. Those resurrected by the miracles of science bring their pattern back with them.

Those touched by this symbiosis call themselves Striatvari.

No two people so far touched claim to hear the same song, though there are several groups of thought arising as to the origin, and purpose, of the songs. All agree, however, that it is an entirely alien experience, a strange melding of feelings unlike anything humans have previously known.

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Where some patterns are clearly beneficial, others are not so pleasant.

Dubbed shades, these 'Bad Patterns' have large effect radii, and can merge with hosts. Unlike the Striatvari, these mergers do not result in anything pleasant, especially not for the host. Most humans and other beings with a soul are all resistant to possession, leaving droids and non-sapient creations susceptible. They tend to prefer willing, homo panacea hosts, however, as this allows them to mimic more powerful infusions.

Thinking themselves immortal, [shades were a terror across the Solar System, for a few days. As it turns out, even a pen laser can hurt one, and a more powerful laser is easily capable of actually slaying one. Most of them chose to hide and integrate into human society, rather than face destruction.

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From the weakest of them, to the symbionts that create the striatvari, it is pretty clear that they do not operate on the Universe in a normal manner. Entirely new physics has been written to take them into account, and though the vast majority of them cannot last outside the Milky Way, their implication for the Universe as a whole is staggering.

Humanity has long since built a strong symbiosis with its discovery. Even after the Purge, many ships inside the Galaxy are patterned in one form or another, along with much of its industry.