Charrl

The Charrl are a race of eusocial insectoids hailing from the planet Alya (also known simply as Hive World). After the destruction of their homeworld, they have traveled through the galaxy and attempted to establish a new home on a planet they called Antýkhon: actually a distant future version of Earth.

Charrl society is ruled over by a queen, who gives birth to over two thousand princesses. They are carnivorous, capable of great telepathic abilities, and need humanoid hosts to lay their eggs in, since their larvae are endoparasitoids. In spite of this, the Charrls are not a naturally hostile species, and have indeed been described as one of the noblest races of the galaxy. Their former homeworld of Alya was a paradisiacal land covered with flower forests and honey-pools. In their times of prosperity they produced several of the most brilliant artists and philosophers, and created over 300 of the 700 Wonders of the Universe.

After the destruction of their world and mass migration to Antýkhon, however, their civilization quickly degenerated, and they started feeding on the Human natives. As Antýkhon turned out to be a dying world, unable to sustain their civilization for long, the Charrls attempted to use a time rift generated by the Tunguska Event to invade Earth in the early 20th century. They couldn't survive the time journey for long, so their only hope was to infect Human beings with their eggs. At least some members of this species, referred to as chronomancers, possess time-related psychic abilities which allow them some control over the rift.

Appearances

 * Doctor Who - Virgin New Adventures - Birthright, by Nigel Robinson (1993)
 * Bernice Summerfield audio stories - Birthright (1999)