Is'kan-dar

The Is'kan-dar are a cybernetic molluscoid species from the planet Kan'dria.

Appearance
Externally, the is'kan-dar could easily be mistaken for robots. The entire body is encased within a metal cybernetic shell. The upper body is a bulbous cephalothorax with two large photoreceptors and a pair of small arms ending in a pair of tridactyl hands. The front of this cephalothorax is covered with a grid of LED lights that light up in response to the is'kan-dar's emotions. The cephalothorax is mounted on a gimbal waist, beneath which are three segmented legs.

Before the species was converted into cyborgs, the is'kan-dar were leathery-skinned molluscs with three tentacles for legs and a pair of squidlike arms. They had two bulbous eyes which gave them good eyesight, a sharp chitinous beak, and the ability to camouflage themselves and change colour much like earthly cephalopods.

"Anatomy"
At the heart of an is'kan-dar's shell is a shrivelled organic nucleus that bears little resemblance to the species' original form. The shell protects them from radiation and the toxic atmosphere, feeds them intravenously, and recycles their waste products. The shell itself has an internal battery that must be recharged on a daily basis, with charging ports on the backside.

Some is'kan-dar, known as the Second Generation, have no organic nucleus. These beings are purely synthetic, being artificial intelligences created from scanning the brains of organic is'kan-dar with high-intensity x-rays. They do not need to eat, though they must still recharge themselves.