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The Tyec - - - (Tyek')
"Deep Thoughts of the Machine" Mechanical A.I. self-replicating weapons systems with an 'Aztec' cultural style. Their 'race' is actually a derivative of weapons factories that outlived their original purpose.
Given eons of time to repeatedly compute the logistics of the conflict, the Tyec have - despite their original single-mindedness - achieved some very advanced philosophical positions. Like the other races, the Tyec do not have enough information left from ancient times to determine the cause or origin of the conflict. Their earliest incarnations were not designed to hold information of that nature - so they remain as much in the dark about the origin of the war as every colonial who looked to the stars since then. They have, however, come to respect and accept new perspective on the conflict as very valuable information and recognize the benefits of having 'organic' life to communicate with. The Tyec still carry out mission objectives set millions of years ago, fighting for territory and securing objectives long after their 'makers' disappeared or moved on. Tyec factions struggle for dominance but do not posses the same insecurity or lust for dominance that their organic peers do.
Assuming the Tyec are not trying to kill you or force you to follow a directive, they seek intelligent conversation with a significant zeal. An old joke says that a Tyec and a Jesuit enter a bar. They talk for some time, neither making progress to overcome the others arguments but listening intently. Eventually the Jesuit dies of old age, but the Tyec remembers every word of the conversation and regrets that it could not continue. The Tyec also values the perspective which the Jesuit's death and aging process grant his viewpoint, and remembers every word and intonation of the conversation. This memory he will keep for all time and share with his peers in digital precision. The Tyec think nothing of this ability, except that it is 'Handy' to quote their manuals. Due to the extremely dangerous nature of the knowledge the Tyec carry, their advanced memory core will self-destruct and purge upon risk of capture or compromise. As a result, fallen Tyec are not exceedingly valuable for tactical information when salvaged in conflict. Their willingness to be destroyed to achieve their goal makes the Tyec an extremely dangerous enemy.
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The Tyec are the product of automated weapons production systems that produce Artificial Intelligence robots and vessels. The largest manufacturer label found among the weapons factories is 'Azalea', leading to a common reference to the products as 'Az-Tyec'. Many planets have experienced logistical support from Tyec systems even during very primitive phases of their development. These cultures have spawned civilizations that refer to the ancient visitors as 'Gods' with an inhuman regard for life and a strange sense of warfare built on attrition without total war.
Tyec accept attrition as a factor in conflict, but do not view the loss of an organic in the same way as the loss of a Tyec unit. They recognize the ability to backup and restore Tyec A.I. units, restoring them to new bodies. The Tyec value individualism in their soldiers. Each A.I. will be given only one body except in extreme emergencies. They have strong directives which clearly distinguish the unique irreplaceable nature of organic intelligence. Some elements of 'organic personality' have even been copied into new A.I. units without clear application. Therefore it is not unusual to meet a Tyec unit with an accent or anachronistic quirks that would not seem at all 'robotic'.