Origin

The Chalyr originate from the distant planet of Aekaryr. The Jaeta military conquered their planet, and then reached out to conquer the stars. In this pursuit, the military had to be self-sufficient, and thus eventually became so insulated from the rest of the Jaeta that they are now considered two seperate groups, the military being called the Chalyr Kalat.

Before that distinction had fully solidified, they made an enemy of the ancient line of Xenobots.

Shapeshifters

One particular race of Chalyr are gifted with the ability to shapeshift. Most of them are also able to turn invisible.

The major caveats to their shapeshifting are:

1. They cannot maintain a 'foreign' shape or invisibility while asleep.
2. They cannot gain major abilities, such as breathing underwater or a new sense, via shapeshifting. Minor abilities such as a form being better at swimming will naturally be copied, though they won't gain the skill without practice.
3. While they can mimic smells, they cannot entirely mask their own pheromones, so species with sharper smell sometimes find them uncanny. Or assume they are unhygenic.
4. The form can not be too drastically different from their base form, especially in regards to total mass. Nothing way larger, nothing way smaller, nothing outrageously slim or wide.
5. They can only change their body. While they can mimic clothing, they cannot shapeshift or make invisible anything they are actually physically wearing or carrying.
6. In order to mimic fur, or loose clothing, a shapeshifter must already have fur. Furry shapeshifters can still 'lay it down' to mimic smooth skin.
7. They cannot accurately mimic mechanical elements, such as prosthetic limbs.

And finally, something which isn't usually a problem but is of note, other Chalyr will always recognize a Chalyr by their pheromones, regardless of current form or visibility, as long as they are close enough to smell them.

The Xenobots have learned a method to always detect Chalyr, too. It differs from the Chalyr method in that it is optical, and thus works over much greater distances. While it is possible for them to detect an invisible Chalyr, it is much harder.

Biology

While Chalyr resemble wasps, they are not entirely similar.

Communication

Like humans, Chalyr prefer verbal communication. The sounds that are easiest for them to make are clicky consonants and airy vowels, so their language heavily features those.

They also have distinctive pheromones they can recognize each other by. This scent tends to rub off on those they spend a lot of time with, and other Chalyr will often pick up on this instinctively.

Socialization

Chalyr are naturally social creatures who tend to prefer having a small tight-knit "flock" to socialize with.

They do not form mating bonds.

Reproduction

Chalyr are hermaphroditic, and can also reproduce agematically/without a partner. After their final molt, they are physically capable of reproduction. Though they might not be mentally equipped for it yet, depending on the age it happens.

In a long distant age, Chalyr evolved a slender "wasp-like" waist to more easily lay their eggs in narrow crevices, where predators couldn't reach them. This is now vestigial, as they later evolved a more social approach to protecting young. It became more beneficial for the carrier to "delay" laying the eggs for as long as possible, eventually evolving into giving live birth.

Modern Chalyr have mostly gone back to laying eggs early in the safety of special-built "crevices" in their own homes, but some still prefer to keep their eggs as close as possible.

Mate selection is usually based on the carrying individual's decision of who will produce good offspring (and their own definition of "good offspring") rather than who they get along with. The carrier will raise the offspring with their flock, so the mate is only involved if they were already part of the carrier's flock.

Because the final molt is only necessary for reproduction, and molting in general is energy intensive, it might be delayed if the Chalyr is underfed. Their body assumes materials are low, and energy should be spent on improving prospects when the odds of offspring even surviving are so slim.