Chigs
Encyclopedia
Chigs are a fictional alien species in the science fiction
television series Space: Above and Beyond
. Chig is not the species' name for itself, but rather a human-coined nickname
(referencing the chigoe flea
).
Distinguishing characteristics of the un-armored Chig are small black eyes set deeply in the head, pink skin, a lack of a prominent nose, a protruding upper jaw, and structures resembling gills to either side of the mandible.
.jpg)
The series provides little concrete evidence about the Chigs until the last two episodes, choosing to initially present the Chigs as a traditional science-fiction alien enemy out to destroy humanity. Throughout the series, the writers provide several small clues regarding the nature of the Chigs, their motivations, and their biology before devoting the last two episodes of the series to revealing the possibility that Chigs and humans are related species.
orbiting the Chig homeworld. This moon is sacred to the Chigs because it is where life originated via panspermia and where Chigs still go to be born. The Chigs actually evolved from bacteria that originated on Earth billions of years ago: an asteroid collision threw these bacteria into space, carried by meteorites, where they eventually landed on the Chig sacred moon. Life on Earth had already advanced to the eukaryote
stage of development, and the rate of evolution proceeded slightly faster for the bacteria on their new world, allowing life there to evolve to the point that it could produce the sentient Chigs at roughly the same time that modern humans evolved.
The Aerotech probe manages to obtain a limited amount of data before the Chigs send a warning signal through it before destroying the probe. Aerotech, for unknown reasons, apparently chooses to keep this "first contact" a secret from the governments of Earth.
In early 2063, Chigs declare war on humanity, launching what appears to be an unprovoked first-strike against humanity's budding interstellar colonies. These colonists, sponsored by Aerotech and designated the Vespa and Tellus colonies, are attacked and destroyed and the few survivors are taken prisoner. The Chig space forces begin a push straight towards Earth, devastating the unprepared Earth forces. Only the actions of the US Marines Aviator 58th Squadron at the Battle of the Belt prevent Earth itself from falling (the battle was actually fought in the Trojan asteroid field at Jupiter's Lagrangian point
, not the main asteroid belt).
Through the element of surprise, superior numbers, and their advanced technology, the Chigs gain the advantage in early battles. Humanity's adaptability and ferocity catches them off guard. The Chigs, who favor large direct military strategies, are unprepared for the guerrilla tactics used by the human forces. Special operations
missions, infiltrations, assassinations, sabotage
, and small unit engagements all prove effective against the Chig attackers.
The Chigs then enter into an alliance with the remnants of the Silicates
, a human-built race of androids, that fled to space after losing the AI wars on Earth. The exact nature of this alliance is vague and not expanded upon in the series. Just as humans are ready to conquer the Chig homeworld, though, an emissary comes to negotiate for peaceful relations. The emissary reveals that humans and Chigs seem to have a common origin, based on their chemical makeup.
spacefaring technology and advanced weapon systems. In the show, they use a combination of plasma-based energy weapons and ballistic missiles for their aerospace fighters and capital ships. Chig ground forces use anti-gravity hover tanks, designated T-77s for heavy armor and anti-personnel plasma weapons and flamethrowers.
Study of downed Chig fightercraft in early episodes revealed that they are faster and have a better rate of climb than their human counterparts. However, human Hammerhead fighters have a heavier weapons loadout, and are more manueverable.
The Chigs also possess large battleships and a destroyer class vessel capable of causing energy spikes within human starships reactors using a specialized microwave energy weapon generator. They also developed a stealth fighter with a hull impervious to standard aerial cannon fire. They also have a red colored fighter that can travel across the gravity field of a black hole.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond was a short-lived mid-90s American science fiction television show on the FOX Network, created and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. Originally planned for five seasons, it ran only for the single 1995–1996 season. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards and one Saturn...
. Chig is not the species' name for itself, but rather a human-coined nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
(referencing the chigoe flea
Chigoe flea
The chigoe flea or jigger is a parasitic arthropod found in most tropical and sub-tropical climates, not to be confused with the larval form of Trombiculidae found in more temperate climates. In Brazil, the parasite is referred to as bicho-de-pé . At 1 mm long, the chigoe flea is the smallest...
).
Background
Chigs are humanoid, bipedal aliens that serve as the primary antagonists in the series. They appear to be unable to survive in atmospheres that support human life; they are often seen wearing armored life-support systems that provide them with the methane they need to breathe. In addition to providing methane, Chig armor suits also have a built-in suicide mechanism that is triggered when the helmet is forcibly removed, quickly dissolving the Chig inside.Distinguishing characteristics of the un-armored Chig are small black eyes set deeply in the head, pink skin, a lack of a prominent nose, a protruding upper jaw, and structures resembling gills to either side of the mandible.
History
As the series presents it, known human contact with the Chigs begins when an unmanned probe, launched by the military-industrial corporation Aerotech, lands on a celestial body designated "celestial body 2064K" (later given military designation 'Anvil'), the single moonNatural satellite
A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called its primary. The two terms are used synonymously for non-artificial satellites of planets, of dwarf planets, and of minor planets....
orbiting the Chig homeworld. This moon is sacred to the Chigs because it is where life originated via panspermia and where Chigs still go to be born. The Chigs actually evolved from bacteria that originated on Earth billions of years ago: an asteroid collision threw these bacteria into space, carried by meteorites, where they eventually landed on the Chig sacred moon. Life on Earth had already advanced to the eukaryote
Eukaryote
A eukaryote is an organism whose cells contain complex structures enclosed within membranes. Eukaryotes may more formally be referred to as the taxon Eukarya or Eukaryota. The defining membrane-bound structure that sets eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells is the nucleus, or nuclear...
stage of development, and the rate of evolution proceeded slightly faster for the bacteria on their new world, allowing life there to evolve to the point that it could produce the sentient Chigs at roughly the same time that modern humans evolved.
The Aerotech probe manages to obtain a limited amount of data before the Chigs send a warning signal through it before destroying the probe. Aerotech, for unknown reasons, apparently chooses to keep this "first contact" a secret from the governments of Earth.
In early 2063, Chigs declare war on humanity, launching what appears to be an unprovoked first-strike against humanity's budding interstellar colonies. These colonists, sponsored by Aerotech and designated the Vespa and Tellus colonies, are attacked and destroyed and the few survivors are taken prisoner. The Chig space forces begin a push straight towards Earth, devastating the unprepared Earth forces. Only the actions of the US Marines Aviator 58th Squadron at the Battle of the Belt prevent Earth itself from falling (the battle was actually fought in the Trojan asteroid field at Jupiter's Lagrangian point
Lagrangian point
The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
, not the main asteroid belt).
Through the element of surprise, superior numbers, and their advanced technology, the Chigs gain the advantage in early battles. Humanity's adaptability and ferocity catches them off guard. The Chigs, who favor large direct military strategies, are unprepared for the guerrilla tactics used by the human forces. Special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
missions, infiltrations, assassinations, sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
, and small unit engagements all prove effective against the Chig attackers.
The Chigs then enter into an alliance with the remnants of the Silicates
Silicate (AI)
Silicates were a fictional race of androids created by humanity to be servants in the 1995-1996 television series Space: Above and Beyond.-History:...
, a human-built race of androids, that fled to space after losing the AI wars on Earth. The exact nature of this alliance is vague and not expanded upon in the series. Just as humans are ready to conquer the Chig homeworld, though, an emissary comes to negotiate for peaceful relations. The emissary reveals that humans and Chigs seem to have a common origin, based on their chemical makeup.
Technology
Chigs have faster-than-lightFaster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
spacefaring technology and advanced weapon systems. In the show, they use a combination of plasma-based energy weapons and ballistic missiles for their aerospace fighters and capital ships. Chig ground forces use anti-gravity hover tanks, designated T-77s for heavy armor and anti-personnel plasma weapons and flamethrowers.
Study of downed Chig fightercraft in early episodes revealed that they are faster and have a better rate of climb than their human counterparts. However, human Hammerhead fighters have a heavier weapons loadout, and are more manueverable.
The Chigs also possess large battleships and a destroyer class vessel capable of causing energy spikes within human starships reactors using a specialized microwave energy weapon generator. They also developed a stealth fighter with a hull impervious to standard aerial cannon fire. They also have a red colored fighter that can travel across the gravity field of a black hole.
Chigs of Note
- "Chiggy von Richthofen" – named after Manfred von RichthofenManfred von RichthofenManfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
, "Chiggy von Richthofen" flew an advanced Chig stealth fighter, with the words "Abandon All Hope"Inferno (Dante)Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. It is an allegory telling of the journey of Dante through what is largely the medieval concept of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as...
written in English on its hull. Its armor was impervious to standard cannon fire and was a superior vessel to Earth fighters and destroyed dozens of them. "Chiggy von Richthofen" was killed in a dogfight against Lt. Col. T.C. McQueen. McQueen used missiles to breach the armor of the fighter.
- Chig Ambassador – A Chig envoy sent alone and putatively unarmed to the USS Saratoga to negotiate an end to hostilities between humans and Chigs. It was equipped with a translation device capable of producing English. The Chig attempted to explain the circumstances of the Vesta and Tellus colony massacres, blaming Aerotech CEO E. Allen Wayne for desecrating the sacred moon of their homeworld with an unmanned probe. When Wayne refused to admit to the act, the Chig attacked him, resulting apparently in an explosion that killed him, Wayne, and several top Earth military officers. Whether it was a hidden bomb - an emergency resort or an assassination device - or the mixing of methane and oxygen exploding after a gun fires, is never clarified.