Bio-metallic Alloys are found in numerous situations. Combining the functional and physical properties of a high grade metallic alloy with the capacity for growth and force interaction of a biological system, many novel applications are apparent.

Perhaps due to the remarkable short-term gains available to unethical darksider researchers, it would seem that the sith have a greater knowledge of the properties and applications of BMA's, but it may be that the Sith have simply pursued more graphic and destructive lines of research.

It is known that a Pre-republic civiliation, the Disc Triarchy, had the capacity to work with these substances, but their use was never common and is now even further out of fashion. They are most known for their Pseudo-Organic Capital Ships via self-grown starship hulls which were (and presumably still are) capable of self-repair. It is not known what technology and/or force powers were used in their construction.

Most, if not all, Sith applications of BMVs make use of the Sith Alchemy force power. Examples include:

• At'!'chk's self-repairing droids may have made use of this technology.

• The Resurrection Parasite appears to encorporate BMAs in its design.

• The Techno-biological Cyberpsychosis Virus and Lobodomizing Neural Fibers? are examples of adaptive research into BMAs by the Prophet Enati.

• Bellisarius's body/suit/statue was comprised of BMAs, as was his Tree of Pain.

In some respects, the dual organic/crystalline nature of lightsaber Crystals has many similarities with BMAs, but obviously Jedi do not make use of the Sith Alchemy power.

Properties of BMAs

The first generation of BMAs are typically no better than typical structural materials for a given application (hull armor is of equal or lesser strength regardless of organic constituents, buildings made from it are no better, body armor is no more protective for a given weight of material). In fact, there are a number of challenges to overcome before products made from this class of material are even 'as' strong as tried and true material systems. Most research and theory suggests that, in the long term, these alloys can be even stronger than the originals.

In addition to their theoretical structural properties, BMAs show signs of resistance to Force-based interactions. While a 'generic' sample is liable to show isotropy with regards to resistance against aspected (light/dark) interactions, anisotropic properties have clearly been reached by the Sith in their own force-based constructs. This suggests that there are no theoretical impediments to light-side aspected materials.

Given the needed variations to accomodate force-functionality and structural properties, there seem to be a series of practical and theoretical tradeoffs. IE, the strongest BMA composition will certainly not also have the best force-related properties.