Bentusi
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In the Homeworld series, the Bentusi are a race of space-faring technology traders, who help the Kushan fleet in their quest to find Hiigara.
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[edit] Overview
Calling themselves The Unbound, the Bentusi are a very ancient, wise race who do not claim any planet for themselves, instead opting to live exclusively among the stars. It would probably be impossible for the Bentusi to even survive outside of their ships, given that they are physically connected to them, as shown in "Homeworld: Cataclysm" (Refer to the picture on the right). The Bentusi are one of the three races to possess hyperspace cores, along with the Vaygr and Hiigarans.
Although the Bentusi are one of the most technologically advanced races in the Homeworld universe, they choose to remain peaceful unless their Motherships are attacked. This does not stop them from selling and trading powerful combat technology with other races, though. In the second game, the Bentusi, with their harbor-ship, Bentus, helped the Hiigarans repair the powerful Dreadnought Phase Cannon Array, but were attacked by the mysterious Progenitor Keepers. The Keepers proved to be extremely resilient, as they were virtually indestructible. The Bentus self-destructed to save the Hiigarans from their mysterious enemies, relinquishing the first Hyperspace Core, and imploring the Hiigarans to unite the trinity of the three cores.
It is revealed in Homeworld 2 that 3000 years before the events of Homeworld, the Hiigarans and the Taiidani became embroiled in a heated border dispute. When appeals to the great council didn't work, the Hiigarans were desperate for any means possible to fight back against their enemy, and when they found the second hyperspace core, they used it to destroy the Taiidani homeworld. The great council, however, demanded that the Hiigarans give up the core, and bestowed the Bentusi the responsibility of acquiring the core. The Hiigarans were at first willing to comply, but when they saw that the Bentusi had sent only one ship, Bentus, which was their harbor-ship, to receive the core, they decided to try to fight their way out. The Bentusi, however, had highly superior technology, and even Bentus, with a small force docked inside it, were more than a match for the Hiigaran fleet. Although the Hiigarans fought stubbornly, the Bentusi were forced to destroy the Hiigaran fleet. The Bentusi themselves grieved just as much as anybody else, and vowed to never make war on another race again, not even to help the Hiigarans from the vengeful Taiidan.
[edit] "The Unbound"
This is the title the Bentusi give to themselves, indicating a sense of pride in the race's lack of a home planet or perhaps some other aspect. In Homeworld: Cataclysm it is hinted that Unbound may actually refer to freedom from organic restraints, perhaps contributing to a higher sense of being. They refer quite obviously (though out of context) to Karan S'jet who they call Unbound. Because of this, many fans believe that the term Unbound may possess more than one meaning and may mean more than the 'mere' ability to travel through space at faster-than-light speeds. It may also refer to how she was physically integrated into the Mothership, much like the Bentusi are with their ships, thus making the physical body one with the ship. When The Beast entity attempts to consume a Bentusi vessel in Homeworld: Cataclysm, the Bentusi self-destruct. They are completely disgusted and repulsed even to the point of fear by the Beast infection, refusing to be "bound".
It should be noted that the behaviour of the Bentusi in Homeworld: Cataclysm, was a drastic change compared to Homeworld. Many Homeworld fans consider Homeworld: Cataclysm to be non-canon, as it has no real effect on the future of the Homeworld universe as depicted in Homeworld 2 other than the 'mysterious' disappearance of the Bentusi tradeships. None of the technologies in Homeworld: Cataclysm are carried into Homeworld 2, and the Beast incident is not mentioned.
[edit] Bentusi capabilities
Prior to the Hiigaran exile, the Bentusi were a prominent military force in the Homeworld universe. They had emerged early on the galactic stage, and were the first race to discover far-jumper technology, using a powerful hyperspace core capable of hurling ships over incredible distances. Using the power of the far-jumper, the Bentusi quickly established the Old Trade Routes, and spread their influence across the galaxy. Soon after the establishment of the Trade Routes, the Bentusi took upon themselves the mantle of "Galactic Peacekeepers". Using the far-jumper housed in their harbourship, Bentus, the Bentusi could send their entire fleet to quell interplanetary wars with their superior technology. However, many systems did not like being little more than protectorates of the Bentusi, and began conspiring with other planets to bring an end to the Bentusi's "tyranny". Almost overnight, dozens of wars broke out across the galaxy. The Bentusi fleet, though indisputably powerful, could only be in one place at one time. As the dust settled, several new Empires had been created, and the Galactic Council was formed. The Bentusi's reign had ended.
Perhaps the most drastic example of Bentusi military doctrine can be seen in the depiction of the historical standoff between Hiigaran and Bentusi forces. Bentus, after having taken minor fire from Hiigaran ships, activated its far-jumper, wrenching the Bentusi fleet from nearby staging grounds. As the fight went on, the Bentus made use of its far-jumper to make tactical jumps to support forces around the battlefield. The Hiigarans also utilized a far-jumper, but their inexperience and the sheer technological superiority of the Bentusi one-to-one, led to their defeat.
After the Hiigaran exile, the Bentusi "demilitarized" their fleets, however their remaining tradeships still retained formidable firepower. Homeworld: Cataclysm introduced the 'super-acolyte' fighter, a swift assault craft sporting smaller ion cannons. If one assumes continuity between Homeworld: Cataclysm and Homeworld 2 (an assumption debated over by fans of the series), then the power of the original Bentusi fleet must have been unparalleled. Bentusi ships have only been seen armed with beam weaponry.
The Bentusi also have an unparalleled array of information at their disposal, and in the original Homeworld sold a wide variety of technologies, such as the Ion Cannon to the Kushan exiles. They require resources (RU) in return for this technology. What the Bentusi do with the resources is unknown, but it can be assumed that repairs to their vessels (which are their bodies in a sense, due to their physical integration) are important to their survival.
The information that the Bentusi have could also extend to that of a Progenitor level, repairing the Dreadnaught's Phase Cannon Array after it was used successfully against a Vaygr attack fleet, but becoming irrepairably damaged after overloading the array and becoming unrepairable using normal Hiigaran technology. In Homeworld Cataclysm, the Bentusi helped repair the Kuun-Lan's Siege Cannon by providing plans for reinforced superconducting heat sinks, which enabled the cannon to fire repeatedly. In addition to that, the Bentusi traded with the Hiigarans, supplying them with Ion Beam weaponry.
[edit] Bentusi ships
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