Greasels, also colloquially known as gobs, are genetically-engineered pests found mainly in the sewers and undercities of many Imperial worlds.
Overview[]
Roughly the size of a large turkey, the greasel is resembles a hybrid of a bird and a reptile, retaining traits from both. Their origins are shrouded in mystery, theories being that they are either a failed genetic experiment to "back-breed" dinosaurs by altering birds into manifesting atavistic reptilian traits, or simply a transgenic creature designed from the genes of multiple different species for an uncertain purpose.
While most residents of the Imperium believe that the greasels were created by Sidh geneticists sometime in the past, their prevalence in the Federation seems to indicate they might just as well be the runaway creation of some Federation biotech company.
Whatever the truth, fact remains that greasels are a common sight (and hazard) in the subterranean levels of many Imperial cities on many different worlds. In many of them, they seem to have been deliberately introduced, apparently as a measure of pest control and also to deter intruders. While in most places they represent merely a nuisance, in some locale greasels have become a serious threat to any who enter the underground tunnels.
Greasels are highly-social animals, forming colonies of roughly 50 breeding pairs. They are quite intelligent, using pack tactics to hunt - an individual greasel might not be much of a threat, but large groups of them can easily bring down prey much larger than themselves.
A greasel is equipped with sharp talons on it's feet, and a sharp beak lined with teeth inside. It's hands have sharp claws too, but the fingers are too long, thin and frail to be used effectively in hunting, instead being used for climbing, digging and grasping. The rudimentary flight feathers are not nearly enough to allow the greasel to fly, instead assisting it in keeping balance and swimming. The greasel's main weapon is it's ability to spit highly-corrosive venom across a distance of several meters with good accuracy. After blinding the victim with a well-aimed spit to the face and incapacitating it with pain, the greasels simply swarm and tear it apart.
Greasels are egg-laying species and build their nests in concentrated clusters, each pack having their own den which they guard viciously. Chicks mature rapidly and join the pack as soon as they are able to walk on their own. The pack is led by an alpha couple, the alpha female serving to distract the prey while the alpha male moves in for a surprise attack, the subordinate greasels lying in wait. Once the alpha male has incapacitated the prey, his attack serves as the signal for the rest of the pack to rush in and finish it off. They will also readily devour carcasses and other detritus if no more suitable prey is available.
Greasels mark their territory with their bioluminiscent excrement, the greenish luminiscence being a side-effect produced by symbiotic gut bacteria. This also serves as an easily-visible warning to any potential intruder that a greasel den is nearby.
Greasels have good vision, including night vision, and an excellent sense of smell. They are also capable of seeing in the infrared spectrum, allowing them to hunt effectively even in complete darkness. Because their typical habitat is underground tunnels, greasels dislike bright light and hence are rarely seen outside of their tunnels, though a properly-acclimatized greasel can comfortably live in daylight as well.
While being considered an annoyance at best and dangerous pests at worse, greasels do have some practical uses as well. Residents of the Imperium's human ghettos and Federation's slums often capture them for cockfights or culinary uses - despite their unappetizing appearance and habits, greasels are reported to taste like chicken. Some also keep them as exotic pets, though given their aggressive temper and acid-spitting habits, greasels make for somewhat dangerous pets to have.