The Helghast are a race of mutated pale-skinned hairless humans with increased strength, stamina, and intelligence. They are the descendants of Helghan Corporation colonists who resettled on the barren planet Helghan following in the aftermath of the First Extrasolar War. They largely made up the Helghan Empire and New Helghan.
Etymology
Scolar Visari first coined the term "Helghast" during a public speech in 2347. Visari purported the term's origin from the Old English word, "gast", meaning "spirit", or "ghost", connoting great fear.
Description
The Helghast are distinguished by their pale skins and often lack of hair. Their bodies are evolved to resist and adapt to planet Helghan's hostile conditions, these include: being more suited to the heavy gravity; lungs are more efficient and resistant to the planet's pollutants; and their cells are more resistant to higher radiation levels.
History
The Helghan Corporation colonists were originally the inhabitants of Vekta until the events of the First Extrasolar War forced the colonists to fall under ISA rule. The colonists resented the occupation and supported a terrorist campaign against the ISA and Earth-loyal colonists. This in turn forced the ISA to harshly punished the corporate-loyal colonists. In 2204, the Helghan population negotiated with the ISA Governor to seek permission for the Helghan to resettle on planet Helghan. The ISA and UCN agreed, but refused to financially aid in the resettlement, preferring to leave the colonists to either survive or die on their own merits.
Millions of disaffected colonists were shipped to Helghan, where they suffered decades of deaths and hardships from the planet's hostile environment, illnesses, and starvation. Most of the first generation colonists died only shortly after their arrival. It was not until in 2305 that the third generation of indigenous Helghan were genetically adapted to the environment, becoming biologically stronger than regular humans. Scolar Visari deemed the mutated Helghan population a new race different from and superior over humanity, coining the new race as the "Helghast".
By 2347, the Helghast were galvanized to support Scolar Visari as the new leader of the Helghast and Helghan Empire. Under Visari, the Helghast adopted a culture of xenophobia, nationalism, and militancy. The Empire became the instigator of the Second Extrasolar War, seeking to reconquer Vekta and expanding its might across the stars and replacing the UCN as the sole dominant power in the galaxy. However, the Helghast were repelled from Vekta and the ISA launched a retaliatory invasion of Helghan in an attempt to capture Visari and ending the war. This led to the deaths of Visari and ultimately the devastation of Helghan in the Terracide.
The ISA granted refuge to the Helghast survivors on Vekta, where they colonized half of the planet and the established their new nation New Helghan. Because of the Terracide, the Helghast became more resentful toward the Vektans, blaming them for the death of their world and Empire, and thus making a permanent peace impossible between the two different civilizations on Vekta during an ongoing cold war.