Zamp

"Zamps" was the name given to the native race of Zamper by the Secunda. Their brains were almost entirely geared to producing a telekinetic influence through their feelers. This one-mindedness meant they had no creative ability or imagination.

They hatched from eggs that were collected together in chambers. They were fundamentally reliant upon one another. If a Zamp was separated, it would die in a matter of hours. After they hatched, any runts would be left to die and the rest would form herds. Around its cortex, each Zamp had a transistor strand that linked it to its herd. The runts had a lesser or malformed strand. As Smith put it:

"I don't think the healthy Zamps regard the runts as part of the species."

- Smith

Zamps were potentially powerful, but lacked the intelligence to use this ability. Zamps showed signs that they had been altered to be a productive workforce. Their food was supplied directly and they had no need to do anything other than build. They were physically identical. The zoologist, Smith, numbered them with adhesive metal plates.

The Zamps were capable of extreme feats of construction. Thirty Zamps could build a battleship in four months. As a result of this, Zamps were assigned to various menial tasks such as construction. The Secunda knew little about them but was satisfied that they were simply "the shipbuilders". (PROSE: Zamper)