Type 17 Societies

Type-17 "civilizations" rarely include more than a handful of individuals; these beings are capable of spanning multiple unrelated universal clusters.

Members of the Q Continuum can warp reality freely, without the need for technology or even a corporeal homeworld, and one individual may have been sighted in multiple unconnected universes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1987)

These beings will spend most of their time outside any particular universe; in some cases (Unicron, Hytherion), they feed on universes themselves --the only source of enough energy to sustain them.

Unicron's mechanoid avatar travels between universes (entering them at the point of their creation), and devours them planet-by-planet, using them to power his war against his "brother," Primus (who maintains avatars in multiple universal streams). (Transformers: The Movie, 1986)

Footprint: Multiple multiversal clusters.

Sustainable Population: Hundred quintillions; possibly infinite; though most of these will be unseen. In fact, the entire "species" may comprise a single individual.

Government: Anarchic democracy.

Bureaucracy: Self-referential; processes continue even with no one in charge.

After influencing the evolution of multiple worlds, Haydon placed himself in stasis inside the planet Haydon IV, leaving behind a copy of his consciousness known as the Awareness, which in turn created the Haydonites as its eyes and ears. (Robotech: The Sentinels, 1988)

 Language: Universal translation.

Literacy: Universal.

Network: Fully-accessible at all points in spacetime.

Religion: Bureaucracy. No external deities, but there are universal rules that are maintained for self-preservation.

Science: Full interdimensional and temporal travel, as well as complex reality-alteration. Citizens are "evolved" to integrate all tech as natural abilities --no external technology is necessary. All citizens are fully immortal.

Medicine: Citizens have no experience with sickness or injury, though loss of energy (or connection to the network) may involve similar symptoms.

Education: Implanted as needed --may be entirely unfamiliar with the concept of a learning process.

After eschewing reproduction for millennia, the Q Continuum were unprepared for the duties of parenthood, and required the aid of a lower-tier civilization. (Star Trek: Voyager, 1995)

Energy: Infinite.

Industry: None.

Military: None. Lower-tier life-forms may be deputized as needed.

The synthoid Elita Seven is one of many "Protectors" employed and empowered by the Alternity to monitor their native universes for threats to cosmic integrity. Her personal concern with more mundane collateral damage is considered mildly unusual. (Transformers: Alternity, 2009)

Economy: None.

Food: Unnecessary.

Travel: All citizens are capable of instantaneous teleportation to any point in spacetime.

Spaceflight: None. No starships are necessary.

The beings known as Travelers can traverse space and time without the use of starships, or can physically "carry" them along with them, as vessels for non-Traveler companions. (Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1987)

Alien contact: Rare. These individuals are essentially gods, and will likely interact with lower races only for their own amusement or experimentation.

Examples (reality):
Examples (fiction): Q Continuum, Travelers, the Brothers, Alternity, Primus & Unicron, Hytherion, Tabuu, Haydon, Alpha Nanite.