Kongōsho

Kongōsho are a mysterious non-Human race of genetically-engineered space-capable artificial life-form. It has been confirmed that the Kongōsho are in fact something similar to unmanned war machines of the Akumahebi, making them some kind of artificial living drone. Very little is known about the Kongōsho, and they were initially believed to be either feral aliens. It was only after interrogation of Kuan defectors that their true nature was revealed. They were also the first non-Humans to be encountered by the Empire, in the Fukurokuju-67 Incident of 2174.

Bio-mechanical in nature, the Kongōsho act as the main spaceborne armed forces of the Akumahebi OverPack, as far as is known. It is not known if the OverPack has land-based bio-drones of a similar nature. While they are living organisms, the Kongōsho are genetically designed to display numerous traits similar to war machines, including their ability to operate in space, nearly impervious energy converting armour, an unexplained "bio engine" that allows them to move through space and carry out FTL, and bizarre weaponry consisting of internally-generated energy beams, guided missile-like parasitic organisms and even a rapid-firing "autocannon" that uses regenerative tooth-like projectiles.

Individual Kongōsho operate with very little brain matter, and the species as a whole is connected through a hive mind. It is known that the Akumahebi control the Kongōsho by using certain genetically modified individuals that "hack" into the Kongōsho hive mind, taking mental control of certain segments of the Kongōsho swarm. It is not known if the Kongōsho have the ability to act on their own if there are no Akumahebi in control. It has also been found that Kongōsho may be artificially-grown clones, as several captured specimens have exhibited identical genetic structures.

At least five types of Kongōsho have been encountered in the field, typically appearing randomly in uninhabited systems typical of the highly non-directed nature of the Akumahebi's actions. Named after Shogi pieces, these are the fighter-like Fuhyō, the heavier fighter-like Kyōsha, the carrier-like Keima and what can only be described as a cruiser, the Kakugyō. A new variant of the Kyōsha, dubbed the Narikyō, has also emerged since 2546, first spotted in the Battle of Ebisu-44.

Ongoing research into the Kongōsho is being carried out all the time.