Amnions

image

This is an amnion, or suspension capsule. This is how yinrih missionaries survive interstellar voyages going slower than light. Womb ships are only able to reach about 0.1c. Since Focus and Sol are about 25 light-years apart, it took the Dewfall about 250 years to get to Earth.

These amnions are why missionary vessels are called womb ships. The interior is lined with these suspension capsules, making it look like a yinrih womb-nest.

The amnion itself is just a gimbaled chaimber attached to the interior wall of the ship. The yellow fluid inside is where the magic happens. It's called neurogel. Neurogel does a few things: It holds dissolved oxygen better than just about anything, so it can be used as a ventilation medium. It provides a cushion against high G-forces, it serves as an interface between the brain and the ship's electronics without any invasive implants, and it halts metabolism while keeping the brain oxygenated. Yinrih are incapable of fully losing consciousness, so they can't sleep away the journey. Instead, the neurogel speeds up their time perception so things seem to happen quicker.

While in suspension, the brain is active but the hormones produced by the body are not present. The mind is effectively floating in cyberspace, a being of pure intellect unhindered by animal instinct or emotion. Amnions have few legitimate uses outside of interstellar travel. For some the temptation is strong to simply remain eternally suspended in this solipsistic bubble, and recreational suspension is both widespread and a serious social problem.


This one looks way to humanoid. I'm back to forgetting the other two limbs, and the ones I did draw are way to thick. I think the head looks pretty good, though. Don't expect a lot of artistic improvement, or even consistency. I can't perceive depth in real life, so I doubt I can recreate it on paper.