Physical Description

Ballute are seven limbed (one prehensile) invertebrate gasous floaters that live in the hydrogen clouds of numerous gas giants throughout Galactic Federation space.  The Ballute resemble ancient ancient airships as they drift blindly on the winds of massive gas giants “singing” to each other in mathematical code.  Six of their lower tentacles are used to collect nutrients from the air, primarily tiny microorganisms and airborne minerals.  The single prehensile tentacle is used to grab onto other Ballute or gas giant living creatures.

Ballute have no eyes, relying instead on sound, touch, smell, sonar, and energy sensing organs to observe the world around them.  The majority of their body are thin skinned gas bags under which the rest of their organs reside in a thicker skinned “spine.”

The three Ballute sexes are nearly impossible to determine without genetic dissection, however the Ballute are able to recognize the genetic makeup of those around them through an uncertain sensor means.  Reproduction is a singular act during which three Ballute will come together, wrapping themselves together during which time they merge together and form a new skin around themselves that slowly raised into the upper atmosphere.  Atmospheric pressure eventually drops to the point that the bag explodes and expels nine new young Ballute that are carried away on the winds to start their new lives with other herds.

History 

Virtually nothing is known about Ballute history, however it is theorized that they were used as some form of navigators by an ancient race.  Ballute appear numerous gas giants throughout the Consign Spur.  Ballute communicate strictly telepathically or by “singing” their mathematical formula that focus on planetary motion and routes between worlds and even star systems.  The advent of more advanced navigational computers has made the usage of Ballute as navigators all but obsolete, though Xeno-biologists and Xeno-Archeologists continue to study them.  Even Mathematicians contact them to work out complicated mathematical theorems.  Ballute do not appear to live outside of the Consign Spur limiting their usefulness of that region of space.

Culture

 Ballute travel together in large herds where they “sing” to each other and work out the complex math they seem to be bred for.  Full size Ballute are rarely found alone, however they can be transported away by spacecraft where they maintain their connection to their herd.  However if separated from other Ballute for too long they grow depressed and will cease communicating with anyone.  Young Ballute that have yet to bond to a herd will not communicate with any other Ballute, but will imprint on nearby telepaths, which is dangerous as they can easily overpower a single telepath.

Major Religions/Philosophies

 No known religions.

Population

There has been no proper accounting of the Ballute

Notables

Ballute appear to be only semi-sentient, though others argue that they are fully sentient, however given that they only communicate about math and navigational data it is hard to argue that they are not more than just biological computers.

Psionicism- All Ballute are telepathic and appear to have formed a complex telepathic hyperweave across the Consign Spur.  Whether or not anything more than mathematical formula and navigational plots are communicated is unknown as attempting to tap into that telepathic weave overwhelms every telepath who has tried.

Sub-Species