[Ebonstorm]

The dust form is one of its low metabolism methods of movement and interaction with more delicate species, since it takes less energy to create and maintain the cloud form than any of its others. It can easily subsist from thermal molecular energy taken from the atmosphere, or from the radiant energy of the local star. Other forms of energy, even the heat of a living creature would be enough to sustain one for a time.

In this form, it is not radioactive, so it is the form most likely to be used around creatures vulnerable to its more radioactive solid forms. When it is using the crust of a planet as a transport mechanism, it is binding its consciousness to the motion of atoms and electrons so it is in a more dreamlike state during this transition, more like a bit torrent, growing more aware as more of its consciousness streams to the new location.

For the record, there is magic in the Galaxy, this just does not happen to be one of those places. The Mariovel believe in things beyond their comprehension, but feel that what they comprehend is already enough for them to handle so they leave magic to other races with an interest in such ephemeral phenomena.