The Baol Organism was once a sprawling interstellar Hive Mind comprised of trillions of psychically-linked plantoids.
With their ability to slowly terraform a planet's ecosystem and atmospheric gases via centuries of sustained photosynthetic processes, the Baol civilization produced a plethora of rich flora and fauna on otherwise unremarkable worlds. The Baol Organism curated lush planetary gardens and arboretums across many systems, forming mutualistic symbiotic relationships with local alien wildlife.
History[]
The Baol was discovered quite by accident. A research team was documenting an ancient race known as the Grunur. The Grunur existed approximately seven million years ago and appeared to be a militaristic empire focused on expansion through conflict. It is from data crystals discovered at a Grunur dig site that the archaeologists first learned of the Baol and their conflict with the Grunur.
A Baol
According to the Grunur data and the archaeological discoveries, the Baol were a plantoid hive mind at least 10 million years old. They appear to have originated from a single planet and evolved from plant life native to that world. It seems the prehistoric Baol were all clones and gradually developed the capacity for hive consciousness over millions of years in a slow peaceful growth on their home world. The Baol was sentient and very capable. We know they developed the ability to traverse the stars and settle on other worlds. They did this through a remarkable integration of organic technology building organic structures. They were very long lived surviving for hundreds of earth years. They occupied multiple worlds and had an empathic ability to communicate across vast distances. It's unclear precisely how the messages were sent between the individual Baol units, but there does not appear to be any distance that prevented communication. Furthermore there is evidence of Baol biotechnology in the form of biocomputers dating back at least 10 million years. These biocomputers appear to be used as a teaching device for immature members of the Baol species, i.e. those not yet ready for full integration into the hive. The biocomputer contains data for techniques for growth, horticulture and nutrition. This suggests that the Baol prized terraforming techniques above all else, which makes sense as they would have been highly dependent on their environment for their own survival.
Sadly for the Baol, the Grunur did not appreciate the majesty of their race. Although in many ways the Baol were advanced, it seems they did not have much in the way of defending themselves from a technologically advanced space-faring civilization. Multiple examples of grenade cruelty and aggression have been identified.
Upon first encountering the Baol, the Grunur designated them worthy of their attention. The Baol's plentiful resources are referenced, but given the Grunur methods of war, it seems acquiring the resource was not the primary objective. The first encounter between the two races was a morbid affair. The world we identified as Haribas IIa is a dry barren world totally devoid of all atmosphere and life. It also has a near endless trove of fossilized remains. Many of these as it turns out are the Baol. It seems the Grunur did not want the resources of Haribas IIa, as instead of invading, they firebombed the entire planet from orbit causing a planet-wide inferno destined to decimate the world. Widespread deforestation caused a catastrophic disruption in the planet's ecosystem and a lack of oxygen fixing vegetation caused the planet's atmosphere to deplete over the next 60 000 years resulting in a dry dead world.
The second documented encounter was no less violent than the first. Upon arrival of the coordinates in the Grunur records, the scientists did not find a planet rather the remains of one. It seems the Grunur did not wish to wait for firebombs this time and opted instead to crack the planet entirely. The Grunur speak very poorly of the Baol organism describing it as feeble and slow to react. It seems any defense the Baol had was easily swept aside.
The third discovery concerning this conflict was an intact planet. This surprised the scientists considering the destruction at the previous two sites. It seems the Grunur had grown tired of extermination and instead switched to slavery. It is unclear how long this world was occupied by the Grunur, but fossil records suggest they have lived side by side with the Baol for many centuries. Interestingly, the Baol fossil records begins to shift after a few hundred years of occupation. The Baol neurological structure underwent a dramatic change and the Baol began to lose the ability to communicate and connect as a hive mind. It is unclear if this made them unable to function as slaves or if these units were developing individuality. Considering the circumstance, perhaps the former is correct.
The last of the Baol
On this same planet a distress signal was identified for what seemed to be a Grunur research facility and it was here that the greatest and yet most chilling discovery was made. Deep in the dilapidated ruins of the time-worn Grunur research facility, among the long-defunct computer panels and deteriorated research equipment, a specimen was found. Pincushioned by nutrient tubes and critically failing life support systems, lay one single organism what we believed to be the last of the Baol. Miraculously it was still alive, surrounded by the sludgy remains of other specimens in a row of cracked and leaking vats. More wondrous than the discovery itself, the specimen had the ability to communicate and began to engage with the scientists. It seemed to undertake a great effort to communicate, taking minutes to form sentences. The last of the Baol spoke with great sadness. It spoke poetically of what it referred to as the burners, describing the destruction they caused and speaking with great regret regarding its inability to react quickly enough as their planets were burnt to ash. Unfortunately millennia of living alone in a vat surrounded by the death and decay of his kin had left this Baol wanting peace. It is frankly remarkable that a being could withstand such an abhorrent existence and remain sentient to the end. The machine that keeps the Baol alive has been switched off at the wish of the last of the Baol, and the last member of a long-forgotten race has passed away.
However this is not the end of the story. Within this research facility, the Grunur had been working on a technology to clone the Baol. The scientists believe in order to use them as livestock and perhaps to exploit their wondrous terraforming abilities. The lead scientists have taken this research and hoped to finish what the Grunur started thus reviving the Baol from extinction.