History Webcomic / Drive

The comic also routinely brings in guest artists to write and draw collections focused on a mini-story of dubious canonicity. Some are clearly acanonical (such as the weird time/space thing by [[SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal Zach Weiner]]) while others ''could'' be canonical (such as the story of how the Veetan's beat the Tesskans ''forever'').

* UnfortunateName: Skitter wanted to call himself Steve, but...
-->'''Taneel''': "Well, lessee now... "Skitter" '''is''' a ridiculous name that sounds like an 18th century case of the trots... but "Steve" is the name of my jerk of an ex-husband."
-->[{{beat}}]
-->'''Skitter''': "...Skitter it is?"
-->'''Taneel''': "Skitter it is."

* TheVirus: The Vinn aren't actually a single species; they're at least 14 species all infected with the Vinn parasite. The parasite bonds to the nervous system and restructures the brain, resulting in an entirely new, unique mind. Most, possibly all Vinn are trying to spread across the galaxy in an attempt to find their [[{{Precursors}} "gods"]], who [[GoneHorriblyWrong developed]] the parasite as a misguided cure for an unknown affliction, although it's described as a "[[TheTopicOfCancer Cancerous malady]]".
** It's implied this is an empty quest since their creators' homeworld was nuked into oblivion in a desperate attempt to wipe out the parasite - possibly by the few surviving creators themselves. Unfortunately, the parasite was already able to spread on its own.

** When Ahmis [[spoiler: finds out that humans reverse engineered the ring drive from his people. ''He is not pleased.'']]

* WhenItAllBegan: "He has never piloted before. But then, he has only been alive for fourteen hours..."

* BeneficialDisease: The Vinn parasite causes all sorts of neato superpowers to develop within it's host: [[MakeThemRot cytotoxic venom]], a sixth sense, [[InvisibilityCloak chromatophores]], "Bioelectrogenesis" [[spoiler: read: [[ShockAndAwe the ability to throw thunderbolts from the palm of one's hands]],]] etc. The only drawbacks? The infested lose all memory, becoming an entirely different person. They also lose the ability to reproduce.

* BeneficialDisease: The Vinn parasite causes all sorts of neato superpowers to develop within it's host: [[MakeThemRot cytotoxic venom]], a sixth sense, [[InvisibilityCloak chromatophores]], [[spoiler: the ability to throw thunderbolts from the palm of one's hands,]] etc. The only drawbacks? The infested lose all memory, becoming an entirely different person. They also lose the ability to reproduce.

* EmpireWithADarkSecret: Due to their desperation to maintain their monopoly on the Drive human civilization runs on, only the highest ranking La Familia members know the real reason the Continuum is at war with them; Their founder did not invent the Drive himself, but reverse-engineered it from a crash landed Continuum ship, offending an alien civilization with a religious opposition to intellectual theft.

* NecessaryDrawback: The Famillia-owned ship buildng firm [=IndustriaGlobo=] has to hire non-Familia employees, since 1) once a Member is out of the Drive Corps, [[{{Nepotism}} they get to be a government official]], and 2) there's only +/- 1200 Familia members. This leaves them vulnerable to industrial espionage. The Empire gently chastises over shennanigans that would see anyone else expelled from the Empire. Note that in this context "gently chastize" means "only bomb your shipyard and headquarters to atoms instead of shut you down completely."

** When Ahmis [[spoiler: finds out that humans have the ring drive. ''He is not pleased.'']]

* AbusivePrecursors: The Sill were the most advanced civilization the galaxy has ever known and were extremely warlike before they discovered {{Telepathy}} and enlightenment. The enlightened ones are on their way to extinction, at least within the material universe, and as far as most of the galaxy is aware, they are almost gone. But according to one of the remaining Sill, a few Sill did ''not'' modify themselves for telepathy continue to exist somewhere. These ones remain as warlike as they were before.

* EnemyMine: The Grasskans stole several spirits (the Makers' term for original technology) from the Continuum and fought bitter wars with them over it. But when the Grasskans get {{Curb Stomp}}ed by the Vinn, they beg the Continuum for forgiveness and to work with them against the greater threat to the both of them. But the Continuum refuses, due to being insular and still carrying a grudge.

* TakingYouWithMe: With the Grasskans on the verge of extinction at the hands of the Vinn, and the Continuum unwilling to help, they resolve to [[StarKilling kill their stars]].

* EnemyMine: The Grasskans stole several spirits (The Maker's terminology for new technology) from the Continuum and fought bitter wars with them over it. But when the Grasskans get {{Curb Stomp}}ed by the Vinn, they beg the Continuum for forgiveness and to work with them against the greater threat to the both of them. But the Continuum refuses, due to being insular and still carrying a grudge.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Rogue Maker [[spoiler: His real name is Ahmis]].

* GadgeteerGenius: The Fillipod race in general are very good with technology.
-->'''Cuddow''': We went from zero manufacturing to space travel in two generations!

* EnemyMine: The Grasskans stole several spirits (The Maker's terminology for new technology) from the Continuum and fought bitter wars with them over it. But when the Grasskans get {{Curb Stomp}}ed by the Vinn, they beg the Continuum for forgiveness and to work with them against the greater threat.

* {{Precursors}}: The Sill were the most advanced race the galaxy has ever known and the only one to ever reach a type 2 Kardashev civilization. When they discovered {{Telepathy}} and modified themselves to be able to use it, one of them discovered that it can be used as a FantasticDrug and their entire civilization got addicted. Now all that's left of them now are some impressive ruins and some slowly dying monks.

* {{Precursors}}: The Sill were the most advanced race the galaxy has ever known and the only one to ever reach a type 2 Kardashev civilization. All that's left of them now are some impressive ruins and some slowly dying monks.

* {{Telepathy}}: The Sill are able to hear and speak to the minds of others.

* PerfectPacifistPeople: Vieetans are taught that fighting wastes the life they could spend searching for knowledge.

* {{Precursors}}: The Yanta were the most advanced race the galaxy has ever known and the only one to ever reach a type 2 Kardashev civilization. All that's left of them now are some impressive ruins and some slowly dying monks.