Planktonyx

While billions of creatures died in an instant following the Helio-Apollan Binary Supernovae and the god planet Karoj-Menos fracturing into pieces. The creatures in the massive oceans of the god planet had a better chance of surviving the initial blast.

While the ocean and all its creatures were shot into the vacuum of space, a new species was born.

Planktonyx or "space wander" are a broad category of previous ocean creatures who adapted to the vacuum of space and wander the Pontic Thumb in search for nutrients like sunlight and biomass.

While mostly non-sentient, Planktonyx tend to form colonies inside of local biomass (mostly in space including large creatures providing a symbiotic relationship (see Turtonyx).

Most creatures in this phylum typically have an exoskeleton or a hard shell and consume the nutrients excreted from other microbes or Planktonyx as food.

As a result, most colonies of Planktonyx are deposits of valuable resources pushed through several digestive tracts of various creatures. However, one has to be careful taking resources from these colonies. Taking more than necessary can cause a ripple effect that will essentially wipe out an entire colony.

To protect against outside invaders, the Planktonyx colony creates an enzyme that will dissolve intruders like white blood cells.

While capable of accepting newcomers into the colony, survival is the key to living peacefully inside these egalitarian/"no frills" living arrangements.

The communal/thrifty nature of Plantonyx colonial life inspired the wandering Ionites to form the Flotilla and dictate most of the doctrines that guide their conduct cultivating planets.

The invention of the Blood Mint or minting of Ichor into physical Ichma coins was developed by the Lypneans who took inspiration from the digestive process of a Planktonyx.

In fact, Mycestian marine biologist Dr. Gordinyx is responsible for documenting the discovery of this new species whose research notes gave the Patrokonoi-Hellecia a better understanding of these creatures.   Which is why Planktonyx are considered a protected species under the Ionite Flotilla of Space-Faring Colonists for their valuable resources and in some cases temporary homes for poor Ionite colonists.

Discovery:

Seeing the Invasion of the Progenitors coming, Dr. Gordinyx and his team retreated to a research base on a nearby asteroid in what is now the Pontic Thumb.

Not expecting the blast, Dr. Gordinyx and his team were left stranded on their space station with no additional resources to keep the team alive.

Over time, his team's resources dwindled until they ran out of food. It was in the midst of this resource scarce environment, Dr. Gordinyx found biological life from the ocean floor surviving out in the vacuum of space.

Starting a research project to keep their minds off their hopeless situation, Dr. Gordinyx and his team studied this miracle of science and fantasy.

Discovering that the supernovae supercharged the cells of Karoj-Menos' marine life with radiation that allowed some marine life to perform photosynthesis not found in previous specimens. Mostly in microscopic organisms and simple creatures adjusted to the pressures of the deep sea.

That is until the team discovered the first Turtonyx floating through space like a school of massive sea turtles.

Taking a ship, Dr. Gordinyx flew into the beast and found a complex ecosystem operating the biological functions of the Turtonyx like an organic factory.

Looking to return his finding with his struggling team, he witnesses as all his research station along with his crew are smashed into oblivion by space debris.

Truly alone inside a massive turtle, Dr. Gordinyx studies the ecosystem and becomes one of the organisms working together to survive out in space

Perxis-Sadem Invasion:

After decades of studying the Turtonyx, the doctor comes across an Ionite colonist lost out in deep space. He rescues his former enemy as they work together to stay alive.

Eventually the Ionite tells him about the Invasion of the Perxis-Sadem. Resigned to stay in his home and study his Planktonyx, Dr. Gordinyx stays out of the conflict until he makes an astounding discovery.

Dr. Gordinyx is dying of a viral infection in his Ichor: the Gordinyx Knot a viral that'll influence the Cosmic Aurora to slowly crush his internal organs like a vice tightening around a board.

Contracted by over exposure to the secretions of the Planktonyx inside his organic home, Dr. Gordinyx uses the last of his strength and his connection to the organisms inside the colony to steer the Turtonyx towards the Bosporous Spout.

With the aid of his Ionite friend, they steer two Turtonyx (armed to the teeth with weaponry from the Patrokonoi-Hellecia) towards the Spout and drove the fleeing Perxis-Sadem out.

In the end, Dr. Gordinyx died of his illness and a colony planet along the Pontic Thumb was named in his honor. Where Planktonyx research continues to this day to find a cure for the Gordinyx Knot.