The ancient race —
Rhylons
.
Long ago, they were an organic species, before discovering technology to digitize minds, then upload into a machine. They believed that eternal life was within their grasp, and pursued it to the exclusion of all else. Soon, their once natural world of TI-22 became a fully manufactured metal plated planet of madness. TI-22 and neighboring planets were slowly stripped of all resources that could be funneled into the Rhylon’s critical task of eternal life. They consider it their right to devour all forms of energy. Even the system’s star was surrounded with thermo-absorption panels to power their empire.