Since beginning the Alien Sundays back in 2016, I have been focused on aliens that live in universes that are essentially like our own, with planets and stars and space and what have you. But today’s are not like that. These guys are from some alternate dimension, called Threk’lsho, where physics are different altogether. Human eyes would not even be able to process the images it received from this universe, but that would be the least of our problems since our physical forms would be unable to survive the experience. There is life adapted to this dimension, though:

Hk’Lennsrs

Hk’Lennsrs are a species of beings native to Threk’lsho, having evolved in a cluster of rocks that float around the life-giving warmth of a flaming nebula. We can kind of fathom their living space by comparing it to our own experiences. The fiery nebula is the center of their “star system” and it is surrounded by floating rocks that look like an asteroid field in a movie (not like a real asteroid field). These rocks range from tiny to the size of a mountain, but never the size of planets that orbit our stars. This is a simplified explanation, but will work for now.

These beings, if they could exist alongside a human, would seem to be several stories tall, but in their native dimension they move with the ease that a squirrel might in our dimension. They move around on four tendril legs and their large body/heads are covered in sense organs that we do not understand. They primarily feed by sucking heat out of floating rocks, which have gathered heat by floating around the fiery nebula.

Hebbel is a landscaper of sorts, which means that it gathers together the larger floating rocks that exist in the space of this dimension and tethers them together so that Hk’Lennsrs can build things on them. They do not use buildings for shelter or anything of that sort, but there are reasons why they occasionally need big space for technology. Hebbel actually just likes big rocks. Thinks they’re neat.

Ecking is a courier who travels long distances, and since the field of rocks surrounding the nebula is comparable to the orbit of planets, those are some truly long distances. Because of this, Ecking’s mind has adapted an impressive memory for directions and spatial coordinates.

Fns is a musician, which is actually an occupation more closely related to a scientist in this dimension. Because there is some manner of atmosphere suffusing the space around the flaming nebula, sound can travel all around. Musicians do still create songs for pleasure, but also to study the effects of the music on the universe, or to communicate across the cosmic distances.

A Fact About Hk’Lennsrs: This dimension, if not the system around the flaming nebula, has been visited by the multiverse-protecting wizards called the Wallfixers. They have waged a war in this realm against higher dimensional beings that we would describe as demons. Though the Hk’Lennsrs are not involved in this conflict, they have seen the effects of it in the distance (to make it understandable to the human mind, think of it as if they are seeing smoke and explosions on the horizon, but on a galactic scale), and spent much time debating what it could possibly be.

Universe: N/A

It has been a long while since I have reviewed a Canadian Heritage Minute, but since this is the sesquicentennial year of Canada, seems like maybe I ought to do a few this year. Let’s get on it.

I have little faith that this one comes from an actual historical event. They wanted to make a piece about Frontenac’s refusal to surrender, sure, I can get that. I may not be big into tying a country’s military victories so close to its worth, but I can see the appeal. That makes sense for this thing. But to fill out the minute, we are given this nameless guy who steps out of the crowd to show off. I mean, look at his twirl accompanying the “Ah Oui, Lieftenant!” This guy is the class clown of 1690 Quebec. He just wants eyes on him instead of this silly war thing. He comes up with such winning jokes as getting names and ranks wrong, then calling someone an idiot. Grade-A material there, guy. And then he does the fakey, Errol Flynn-style sword fight. Again, all for show. This guy and his little comedy stylings probably did not actually exist in the real history of these events. And that’s a damn shame. Also of note, I love the anger in the American’s “General Phipps!!!!” line.

And then Frontenac gets to be in the last couple seconds of his Heritage Minute.

I like this one! Five out of Six Pieces of PDR’s Reviewing System Cake.

Exoles

The origin of the Exoles is a closely guarded secret among the Exoles, their home being located in a dense nebula that has little seeming value to other races. The Exoles are able to keep the location of their home a secret easily, since they have evolved the ability to not only survive in out space, but to thrive there. Exoles now ride through space, soaring on solar winds among other methods of travel (they can easily hitch a ride on an unknowing spacecraft), and only stop into planetary atmospheres on rare occasions. There is not a lot of “society” among Exoles, as they largely roam the cosmos solitarily, but they do come together for matters concerning that secret home of theirs.

A group of Exoles first made a cameo appearance in a Hover Head story, then one was insulted by Little Choy.

Always Soar is a traveller who is interested in seeing as much of the universe as it can during its lifetime. Having left home early in its life, Always Soar has never returned. Instead, it has encountered more different places and things than any of its peers, and these life experiences are what it cares about most.

Star Watcher is content to stay in a relatively small part of space. Having found a trinary star system in Sector Bokka that has dozens of worlds going around it, providing resources and comfort and that is all that Star Watcher could want.

Fast Drift is one of the Exoles most involved in keeping what little Exole society there is, alive. Taking messages between the home and the far-flung Exoles, Fast Drift makes sure that everyone is as up on the latest news as it is possible to be in a species spread across veritable light-centuries.

A Fact About Exoles: Communication between Exoles comes in several forms. They can create pulses of radio waves that create patterns of “words” which is ideal for communicating at a distance in space (and is also the language with which they communicate with other species), but it is very draining of the body’s resources. For more intimate and detailed communication, Exoles will entwine with one another and slowly writhe and wiggle in ways that get their meanings across clearly and with much less use of energy.

Universe: Bronze