The Von'kai'na (World Guide, Alien Machine) (Patreon)

The Von'kai'na is the only existing intact and operational example of von'kir spacefaring craft in the Fey'li Empire. Thought to be over five thousand years old, the unmanned 'probe' vessel still attempts to carry out its mission to capture and transform people into emaciated 'shriv' type 'pets'. The Von'kai'na itself was apparently instructed to deliver its produce to the ashiri homeworld of Ahsir, a former von'kir possession in millennia past. As a result, it has survived the various catastrophes which resulted in the destruction of its many sister vessels.

Vessels of this type are built around a linear drive coil structure that allows it to travel up to fifteen hundred times the speed of light. Its power, control, and defensive shield systems are located along its upper 'spine'. At the front of the vessel is a large psychoactive 'enticer' array designed to draw sapient beings toward the vessel and into the range of the 'denuder/binder' dome just aft. This device denudes and applies collars to enticed individuals. The collars are attached to a force chain that will slowly pull the individuals toward the 'portal' type shriveling field located at the tip of the lower 'spine'. Individuals shriveled by passing through the portal are inserted into stasis pods and stored in the aft 'storage sphere' to be taken back to the von'kir homeworld for sale as pets.

No one controls the Von'kai'na, and thus no one can predict what world it will visit during any given trip. This makes arranging a deliberate encounter quite difficult, and most who find themselves being drawn to the ship are simply in the right place at the right time.