Xeelee Technology

Xeelee Technology

The Xeelee are a species featured in the Xeelee Sequence series of books by British science fiction author Stephen Baxter. In this setting, the Xeelee represent the unattainable pinnacle of technological development. As a result, they are feared and envied by other star-faring Xeelee Sequence species, most of which the Xeelee themselves ignore. The only known exception is Humanity, whom the Xeelee eventually attacked and imprisoned after two long wars were fought between the two species.

The Xeelee's primary adversary was the Photino Birds, whose reshaping of the stars was opposed (ultimately futilely) by the Xeelee. When the war was lost the Xeelee retreated through the ring and made provisions to save the younger races, including a lifeboat for Humanity to reach the ring and escape the dying universe. In spite of their previous wars against the humans, the Xeelee did not molest the Great Northern when it escaped through the ring carrying the last of humanity to safety in a new universe.

Xeelee technology is highly-coveted, notably by humans, who make extensive use of it to wage three futile wars against the god-like aliens. The first from 12,000-25,000 AD resulted in victory for humanity and control of the Milky Way. The second from 100,000 - 200,000 AD resulted in stalemate with man eventually giving up and returning to the Milky Way, while the third and longest began in 700,000 AD and resulted in a massive prolonged Xeelee attack named the Scourge as man was pushed back from the stars to Earth and finally into a dimensional prison around 1,000,000 AD.