The Volm are an alien species that arrived shortly on Earth after the 2nd Mass destroyed an unidentified Overlord Cannon.
Biology
The Volm are a humanoid species that bear a large resemblance to Earth mammals, especially bats, but with reptilian skin. Compared to the Espheni and the Skitters, the Volm bear a strong resemblance to humans, but still differ from them in many ways.
The Volm are slightly taller than the average human; Cochise -- one of the Volm -- appears to be around six-and-a-half feet tall. While the Volm have mammalian-like eyes, they are set wider apart than in humans and have eyelids that blink slightly diagonally.
The Volm have two nostril-like holes on their faces, which in turn have two nostrils in them, much like many species of bats. The Volm also have multiple slit-like holes in between their noses and eyes which serve an unknown function, if any. The ears of the Volm are little more than holes in the sides of their heads. The Volm have noticeably bald, bulbous skulls which taper to a rounded point. (This is the source of John Pope's nickname for the Volm, "Bubble-head".)
The hands of the Volm possess three fingers and a thumb, and appear to be just as dexterous as a human hand. Despite the obvious differences, the Volm possess a human-like mouth, a physical trait not seen in the Espheni and Skitters. Further unlike the Espheni and the Skitters, the Volm can speak fluent English without any kind of assistance, suggesting the structure of their vocal folds is similar if not identical to that of humans. Their voices have a noticeable flanging effect. As the Volm age, their skin becomes more haggard looking; similar to how human skin begins to wrinkle with age.
Volm bodies can withstand greater physical stress than a human, as Cochise was able to shield President Benjamin Hathaway when their plane crashed and was able to remain relatively unharmed. In addition to their durability, the Volm have a regenerative ability that allows them to recover from grievous injuries in a matter of hours, provided they are not disturbed. The Volm have purple blood.
Homeworld
While the Volm planet of origin is still unnamed, Cochise stated that their planet has defined seasons, with the weather alternating between cold and warm.
The planet was also home to a flower-like species called Catarius by the native Volm. Like many similar organisms on Earth, the Catarius has no value to anyone except as decorations.
The planets current status following the Overlord invasion is unknown but it can be assumed that their homeworld is still under enemy occupation and is much different now than it was prior to the Espheni's invasion. However the planet clearly still exists and is either still habitable or the ecological damage can at least be reversed, as the Volm one day hope to liberate it and return home.
Society
Little is known about Volm society and beliefs. Currently their civilization is fractured and scattered through the galaxy following the Overlords invasion. Whether or not the various populations maintain active contact with each other or form cells that are essentially on their own (like the Skitter Rebellion) has not been stated.
According to Cochise, the Volm still maintain extensive data files on their own history and culture prior to the Volm diaspora. The Volm also write poems, many dating back prior to the war still exist.
Currently the population is confined to vast Generation Ships and their society is committed to total Guerrilla warfare against the Overlords. Whether or not the entire species is devoted to the resistance or if some simply remain in hiding in the depths of space is unknown.
The Espheni Wars
After the Espheni invaded the Volm homeworld, the Volm who managed to escape swore revenge against the Espheni. The Volm have spent centuries fighting the Espheni and liberating worlds enslaved by them. The Volm prefer to liberate Espheni occupied planets by helping any native resistance destroy the Espheni planetary grid, then relocating the native species to a safer part of the planet while they finish off the rest of the Espheni.
Relationship with Humanity
From the moment the Volm landed on Earth, their presence received mixed opinions. While some of the Second Mass welcomed the Volm with open arms, others did not trust them at all. Despite this, almost everyone was thankful for the Volm's assistance in one way or another. According to Cochise and his father, humanity is unlike any other species the Volm have encountered. All of the other species liberated by the Volm have lacked the courage, stubbornness, and tenacity found in humanity. The Volm did not expect to find these traits in humanity, and were surprised to learn that the Second Mass wanted to keep fighting instead of being relocated to Brazil. While humanity and the Volm have largely gone their separate ways, both sides remain allies.
In the Series
Hundreds of years ago the Volm were attacked by the Espheni. While the details of the conflict have not been stated, the Volm apparently lost the war and the species fled into space in generation ships (whether or not the entire population managed to escape has not been stated, although those who failed to evacuate were presumably captured & forced into harness enslavement).
It is assumed that their homeworld has since been occupied, because Cochise reveals that he has never visited his homeplanet. They have since been battling the Espheni for hundreds of years and wish to liberate the galaxy from the Overlords.
They first arrived on Earth in the middle of a massive storm (possibly generated by their ship in orbit), dropping through the atmosphere in dozens of pod-like craft, though their numbers are open to question as the initial shot of their landing showed only 17 different pods, so it's possible there aren't that many of them. They were possibly scouts. It is later stated that Cochise's group of Volm only consists of about twenty members. They wear form-fitting armored suits with wing-like protrusions and a visor that retracts to show their face.
From the fact that the Overlords were constructing some form of weapon, and Ben Mason's comments about the weapon not being intended for humans; it can be inferred that this weapon might have been used against them, and that they are a clear enemy to the Overlords.
The presence of a "smile" of sorts suggests that they have knowledge of humanity,[1] as the Skitters or the Overlords have never shown such a human expression. They are shown to possess weapons that rival even the Espheni such as some kind of energy rifle that can obliterate even Mega Mechs easily.
Seven months after their arrival the Volm numbered around 20-25 and spend most of their time in a tower constructed by them. They have upgraded some of the weaponry in the 1st Continental Army's arsenal. They have secretly been constructing a Volm cannon capable of destroying the Espheni Motherships. They also provided the resistance with a machine capable of safely removing harnesses without harming the host child. However some of the resistance is skeptical of the Volm's intentions.
Notable Members
- Cochise
- Waschak-cha'ab