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Create a watercolor and ink plate showing a SIX-LEGGED sentient warrior species loosely based on the PRAYING MANTIS with "PRAYING POSITION" ARMS, done in inks and watercolors by a naturalist in a xenobiology journal: The Proportions: It would show a towering creature, easily eight feet tall. The main stance is vertical, but the lower body has a wide, heavy four-legged base. The Chitin Plating: The naturalist would have sketched detailed cross-sections of the exoskeleton, drawing it not like a smooth insect shell, but like heavy, dull-grey overlapping plates resembling biological slate armor or a tactical vest. The Upper Limbs: The top two limbs would be drawn with heavy muscle definition, terminating in a thick, calloused palm with two powerful thumbs anchoring a grip. The Mid-Limbs: The middle pair of limbs would be sketched out to the side, showing heavy joint structures built to lock into place like hydraulic stabilizers when the creature stands firm. The Head: The head would be drawn low and wide, tucked tightly between the armored shoulders to eliminate a weak neck joint, with small, slit-like compound eyes deeply shadowed by a heavy brow plate.
The Rah'Yai-Krah (lit., 'factory-grown') of Series 8 have a limited sentience, which allows them to give feedback to their C and C, yet their battlefield movement remains under the control of others from the time they first become self-aware (the 8-K configuration is designed to be a shock troop, relatively small but able to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers ; eminently expendable, with low long-term survivability but good medium-range mobility). Like Jumpers (qv), they leap around in machine-coordinated patterns meant to confuse the enemy and upset the enemies' targeting, rushing to the front lines while employing broad-spectrum EW, and they sometimes use the Jumpers' tactic of waiting to make their initial attack when they can engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike Jumpers, however, they are also able to use weapons on the initial approach. Due to their expendability, they do not put effort into avoiding traps, although they are usually supported by anti-grav sensor drones, which will alter Crawlers' travel vectors when they can. They are semi-sentient, able to communicate with and make suggestions to C and C, although they do not communicate with the enemy, although their C and C can communicate through them.
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Part of my unnumbered series "Manufactured Species."
"A 'Crawler' : Semi-Autonomous Shock Troop, Rah'Yai-Krah Manufactured Species 8-K" © 2026 A.J. Jones. All rights reserved.
Accompanying text is ©2026 A.J. Jones. All rights reserved.
All rights reserved under international and Pan-American copyright conventions.
A.J. Jones hereby asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work and all accompanying text.
