All races who were subject to this extensive Orion scientific project over time developed religious or mythological stories that similarly described their descent to their present form: “ancient and powerful god-like beings… from the sky in chariots or ships of fire” as written in the manual (Page 23). These tales would endure as the Orions' legacy. As we now turn our attention to profiling the races of Orion themselves, the following passage placed in the first chapter of the game manual provides a fitting conclusion to this introduction.

Over the course of eons, [numerous] civilizations explored vast ranges of interstellar space, expanded, and fought bitter wars of conquest. Many have fallen, and to those who remain the tales of [those] such as the Orions are mere myths, distant echoes of what might have been. [..] Artifacts of great power, and secrets powerful enough to transform entire civilizations, await those who explore this storied part of the galaxy. [..] Are you prepared to become the Master of Orion, and to discover the truth behind the Orion Sector and its inhabitants?     -- [ MoO3 Manual (Page 18) ]

THE 'CYBERNETIK' SPECIES
The Cynoid have not completely turned their back on their biological origins, and are cyborcs, unlike the completely artificial Meklar. In this construct, the Cynoid are like the Borg of Star Trek – but contrast in most other respects.

The [so-called] Purification… was a lengthy process, and not all Meklars survived the transformation. Those who did not wish to undergo the Purification were granted colony ships and politely but firmly invited to leave Meklon forever. Those exiles settled on a distant world and called themselves the Cynoids.     -- [ MoO3 Manual (Page 76) ]

The Cynoid are ruthless and brilliant when it comes to economic calculations and financial matters. They understand the value of money, how to work it, how to use it, and how to exploit it in every way possible. Outstanding barterers, they are often interested improving the lot of their citizens to make them more productive and, hence, more taxable.

Calling themselves the "Pure Ones" to signify their complete separation from the corruption of biological matter, the Meklar are masters of mathematical and computer sciences, and their mechanical efficiency makes them both supreme industrialists and formidable foes in combat.

The Meklars… provided the Orion Sector with a powerful industrial base… [T]echnology appeared that made it possible for the Meklars to abandon all remnants of their organic selves… [..] The Meklar society was bitterly divided on [whether to go ahead with this] and… the ruling council narrowly voted in favor of the transformation.     -- [ MoO3 Manual (Page 76) ]

The Meklar are contemptuous of organic life forms or, as they prefer to refer to them, the "flesh beasts" of the Orion Sector. They also shun certain kinds of technologies that they possess, most notably including those pertaining to economics and ecological science. They despise the Cynoid, their Cybernetic brothers who have not yet rejected their biological origins.