the real story has been told in great detail, and you'll love it!

their difference from us are a result of some pretty bold choices in their past.

basically, they're from a timeline which resulted in the transhumanist dystopia that some people in our culture fear we will reach.

they were very technologically advanced, and used their genetic tech to enhance the power of their own minds.

they were successful in this, but they grew arrogant in their abilities. conflicts arose, and it was determined that emotions were to blame... they concluded that emotionality should be suppressed, and so they did this genetically.

So through their technological hubris, they'd managed to tweak themselves and their environment beyond repair. the atmosphere degrades, and they are forced to modify themselves even further. Eventually the environment is too harsh for them to adapt to, and they retreat beneath the surface of their world, forcing even further modifications.

so at this point they've really begun to come to terms with the fact that they screwed up... and there's a wild twist here, but its so weird it almost detracts from the rest of the story. stranger than fiction stuff.

suffice to say they've had a long and humbling journey... they are in a perfect position to speak on the importance of empathy, emotionality, and humanity, and to help us avoid a path similar to their own.