Few things have divided the Star Confederation’s member sapients more than Chameloids, about whom more speculation than objective fact exist.

The one thing that is clear about them is that Chameloids are natural shapeshifters, able to assume the form of any sapient within about one standard deviation of a certain size. They can be “locked” into a certain form, and prevented from shifting, through the use of Holtzmann restrictors built into standard restraints, although the mechanism of action is currently unknown. It’s speculated–perhaps wildly–that Chameloids are energy beings manifesting themselves as different forms of matter, and a Holtzmann restrictor interrupts this process somehow.

It is also unclear how Chameloids come into being. While there are rumors and hearsay of Chameloid children, all individuals confirmed to have been encountered are young adults or older. This has led to speculation that sapients may spontaneously develop Chameloid characteristics upon adulthood, or even that the Chameloids themselves forcibly “convert” other sapients to their cause.

The response of the Star Confederation to this has, thus far, been legislative. A known Chameloid is required to choose a form and then be Holtzmann-locked into it on a more or less permanent basis and kept under surveillance. This serves both to assuage espionage fears among the various constituent governments of the Star Confederation and is also thought, by some, to prevent the Chameloids from “infecting” others.

Notably absent in the discussion have been the Chameloids themselves.

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