VUX

The VUX or simply Vux in Star Control 3, are a very bigoted race of beings encountered in Star Control, Star Control II and Star Control 3. This race is not encountered in Star control II project 6014 due to them having been slave shielded by the Chmmr. Their home world is on the star map and only Starbase commander YAX can be talked to. They are notable for their over dramatic way of speech.

Description[]

Canon Information From Star Control and Star Control II[]

In the first two Star Control games, the VUX had one large green eye with a large black pupil, lacked a neck, strange tentacles on their head, long snout (like an anteater), two tentacles for arms and green skin. It's unknown how they move around, as anything below their waist is never seen. It's likely they move on tentacles because of comments about Humans being "humanoid". Their large eye is more sensitive to electromagnetic radiation than humans, granting them better vision. The VUX are naturally sickened at the sight of Humans, and they comment that the sight of them causes them to vomit. Thus they have a deep hatred for Humanoids such as Humans, Syreen and Androsynth. However there are a few VUX, largely regarded as perverted such as ZEX, who enjoy them as well as other freaky things.

Non-canon Information From Star Control 3[]

In Star Control 3, which is deemed non-canon due to the fact that the VUX and several other races have been shown to have such extreme differences in appearance from the other star control games. For instance in Star Control 3, the VUX have the basic shape of the VUX of the other two Star Control games, but now have a dark purple skin, orange eyes with an hourglass shaped black pupil and small spikes near the snout. Later it's gleaned from the Lk that the VUX are split genes that formed sentience away from the rest of the other half of the genes, but made the them unstable and incredibly bigoted. It's learned that that their other half of the split genes is the Vyro-Ingo. The two can be combined and the two races will begin to slowly combine into a hybrid race, though the resulting organism is not physically seen as the process is stated as "taking time".

History[]

Much of VUX history is not known due to the VUX's staunch unwillingness to communicate with other races. However, the events in the recent two wars are common knowledge to many species. Prior to the Great War, the only other race with any knowledge of the VUX were the Yehat. At the beginning of hostilities between the Alliance and the Hierarchy, the VUX and their enormous starship fleet seemingly kept to themselves. The first official contact between the Alliance of Free Stars and the VUX occurred when a Human captain, Jeffry L. Rand, encountered an Intruder squadron in VUX space. Many historians regard the encounter, termed "The Insult", as the single biggest mistake the Humans committed during the war. Captain Rand opened communications with a VUX commander, and when the commander appeared on the view screen, Rand made a disparaging remark to one of his officers about the VUX commander's appearance, unaware that the advanced VUX translator devices were already operating and relayed these words to the VUX captain. The VUX were incredibly offended, and cut off communications there and then. It is possible that Rand's comment is also the reason why "VUX" is sometimes treated as an acronym for "Very Ugly Xenoform."

With the Alliance's diplomats scrambling to atone for The Insult and to convince the VUX to join the efforts against the Ur-Quan forces, the Ur-Quan themselves seized upon this confusion and delay and promptly subjugated the VUX. The VUX chose to become Battle Thralls, and their Intruder fleets under the command of Admiral ZEX played an important part in the Hierarchy's eventual victory over the Alliance. Shortly afterwards, the Ur-Quan were pulled into the renewed Doctrinal Conflict against the Kohr-Ah, and the VUX were left to their own designs. They seemingly did little other than patiently wait for the return of their masters.

Star_Control_2_-_The_VUX — Star Control 2 - The VUX

Speaking with the VUX about The Insult

During Star Control II, the VUX are steadfastly uncooperative, despite The Captain's attempts to remain polite and reasonable with them. The VUX are known to cite Rand's insult and their subordination to the Ur-Quan for their reasons why they refuse to listen to The Captain's requests for diplomacy; however, after The Captain persistently attempts to reason with the VUX, one of their commanders eventually snaps out of sheer frustration and admits that the VUX's real reason for hating humanity is that they find the appearance of a Human to be so horrible that they are simply unable to tolerate it and feel the need to regurgitate uncontrollably whenever they set their eye on one.

Despite the VUX as a whole refusing to listen to reason, they do on occasion direct The Captain to speak with Admiral ZEX, who had been exiled from VUX society after the Great War was over, for the reason that ZEX, in his own words, "enjoys" humans. Unlike the other VUX, ZEX is very cooperative with The Captain, if in a somewhat overbearing and uncomfortable manner. ZEX has been keeping a menagerie of various monstrous beasts from around the galaxy that he considers to be beautiful — yet one beast has eluded him and his men, much to his frustration. The Captain strikes a deal with ZEX; if he could recover the VUX Beast, then ZEX would give his cryogenically frozen Shofixti Maidens to The Captain in exchange. The deal is done; however, ZEX attempts to betray The Captain, as it was really The Captain himself that ZEX wants to put in his menagerie of beasts. The VUX Beast manages to break free from its holding cell however and goes on a rampage that eventually results in ZEX's death, allowing The Captain to retrieve the Shofixti Maidens from the menagerie on the planet surface.

Star Control 3[]

Note, Information is not considered canon with the rest of Star Control series.*

With the end of Ur-Quan Hierarchy, the VUX are no longer slaves. They have joined the New Alliance of Free Stars. However the reasons for doing this is likely only because they wish to restore hyperspace. Thus the VUX send ships to aid the Captain. The VUX are still bigots and hate everyone's guts, including Humans. However the VUX pretend to be nice, including being The Captain's "friends", (For example when the captain greets the VUX, they often say "PLEASE inform the VUX on the manner in which we can best assist our GOOD FRIEND, the Human Captain.")

Culture and Society[]

In VUX culture, concepts of appearance and fashion are of paramount importance. To their eyes a lifeform as bizarre looking as a Human is a new dimension in horrifying ugliness, a monster. Despite all of their clearly bigoted views towards other races, the VUX claim that they are an open-minded, rational species, which shows the narcissistic, high image they have of themselves. Any deviants from this norm are punished; Admiral ZEX, in spite of his importance, was exiled to Alpha Cerenkov due to a secret, taboo fetish for monstrous beasts and Humans (though this exile was euphemistically referred to as "luxurious retirement").

Naming[]

All VUX first names seem to consist of three capital letters, such as ZEX. However they also have last names too. Here is list of common VUX names:

DAK
DAX (name of a starship captain and a colony sub-commander)
DOX
FIZ
FUP
NRF
ORZ (which is also the name of another species in the galaxy)
PIF
PUZ
VIP
YAX (name of a starship captain and the fleet comander)
YUK
ZEK
ZEX (name of a starship captain and a colony comander)
ZIK
ZIT
ZOG
ZRN
ZUK
ZUP

Technology[]

Relations with other races[]

Humans[]

The VUX hate the humans with a passion, due to both the VUX's inability to withstand the Humans' staggering ugliness, and Captain Rand's Insult. The Captain actually found out that it is the former reason which takes precedence, and the latter was merely a cover story to take away some of the embarrassment from the former, which even the VUX themselves realize is unreasonable and immature.

Orz[]

The VUX encountered the Orz early after they had entered this dimension, coinciding with the disappearance of the Androsynth. The VUX managed to anger the Orz by asking too much about what had happened to the Androsynth, prompting the Orz to attack. In The Captain's conversations with the Orz, they refer to the VUX as *silly cows*, which is known as a term for someone they will attempt to kill on sight.

Syreen[]

Perhaps also due to visible similarities to Humans, the VUX have also known to be hostile towards the Syreen. The Syreen fleet, composed mainly of habitat star ships, was attacked several times by VUX raiders as they traversed space looking for a new home. In an attempt to save themselves, the Syreen maneuvered their fleet into Human space and had little choice but to join the Alliance.

Yehat[]

The Yehat were the first Alliance member with any knowledge of the VUX. They consider the VUX to be "grotesque monsters", "an effete and bigoted race", "unworthy prey", with the exception of Admiral ZEX, whom they praise for his military genius.

Known individuals[]

DAX sub commander of ZEX at Alpha Cer. star system in the 2150s and pirate fleet commander in the 2160s decade.
DOX sub commander of DAX's pirate fleet in the 2160s CE decade.
YAX fleet commander of the VUX in the 2150s decade and Alliance of Free stars Colony commander in the 2160s decade.
ZEX colony commander at Alpha Cer. in the 2150s decade and died in the late 2150s decade.

Notes and references[]

¹The VUX state, "Now if you don't mind, stop nodding your head like that. We VUX do not share this range of motion and it appears as though your neck is broken and you are a jabbering corpse. Ugh."

VUX

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