Metamorphosis

By Hugh Cole

The traveler sat motionless, where he had remained for the past 67 days. He had powered down his normal approach after completion of his last procurement mission. The craft's artificial intelligence network had been programmed to continue with its prime directive. Unmanned, it continuously traveled throughout the galaxies seeking, alw

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hugh Cole
• Release date: May 20, 2024
• ISBN: 9798990111950

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

METAMORPHOSIS

The traveller sat motionless, where he had remained for the past 67 days.  He had powered down his normal approach after completion of his last procurement mission.  The craft’s artificial intelligence network had been programmed to continue with its prime directive.  The craft’s artificial intelligence network had been programmed to continue with its prime directive.  Unmanned, it continuously travelled throughout the galaxies seeking, always searching in quest of new technology. The traveler came online, immediately following notification from the ship’s AI system. The craft had once again identified a world with unfamiliar, advanced technologies. The traveller analyzed this finding and noted it warrants further scrutiny. The craft’s programming directed it to engage its cloaking technology as it approached the planet, positioning itself into a high-altitude orbit awaiting further directives. The surface mass of this planet consists extensively of water which covered 85% of the planet. Sensors do not detect the presence of salt anywhere on this planet, interesting.  A scan of their data base indicated the inhabitants call this world Seren.  It appears that the sentient life here are essentially aquatic but have evolved and survive out of water as well.  Data shows they breath oxygen but their hemoglobin is blue, this might be due to the high natural occurrence of copper in the native rock formation of this planet. This species’ evolutionary path has varied from that of many worlds. Their gill structure is unique, capable of extracting oxygen from both, the planets water source and the atmosphere. The atmosphere contains an increased concentrate of oxygen, not surprising with all this fresh water. The oceans are prime with vegetative life. There is also no trace evidence of any concentration of pollutants, in the water or atmosphere. This is a very healthy environment for sure. I do not believe we have encountered a similar life form throughout our travels, accessing data base. We will remain cloaked and operate from this elevation. Activate force shields and execute stealth criteria. I want to surveille this society to determine optimum insertion tactics. Craft, determine the best option for successful infiltration, assimilation or integration.  Maintain this high-altitude orbit around the planet and prepare a logistics report on the recent technological advancements identified.  Include a full spectrum of personnel affiliated to this project, including scientists, support staff and all other pertinent bodies. We should be able to successfully monitor this society without detection regardless of their technological evolution.  Prepare the sequencer. I may need to morph into one of these life forms, just have to wait momentarily until a selection has been identified.

A small mechanical droid approached and acknowledged the craft’s AI system was able to successfully identify the planet’s primary research facility. The social and technical advancement of this world is dissimilar to most worlds. It is not divided between various factions of society, with each fighting for dominance over the other. Seren when translated from their native tongue means tranquility. This is a world governed under one society, one common language, one dominant physical life form. Violence and crime are nonexistent here.  Communal interests have been geared towards the betterment of the whole, not divided into smaller geopolitical atmospheres. The locality of the central research and development site was not guarded due its physical placement and the serene virtues of this race. Besides, two miles beneath the water’s surface generates immense atmospheric pressure sufficient to keep most intruders out, but should not present any access issues for the traveller. The traveller was preparing for an entry tactic for a research location situated on the ocean floor, below a depth of 10,000 feet.  It had been constructed inside a massive stone shelf rising upwards more than 4000 feet above the ocean floor. This natural stone formation had been extremely hardened during the evolution of this planet, millions of years prior.  Even if some assailant managed to survive the atmospheric pressure, the density and resistance of this native composition would generate an immense hurdle to gain entry. The small droid who maintained a vigilant watch over the sequencer approached and commented, this species appears to be well equipped for the extreme depths of this planet. The traveller responded, what an interesting life form these beings are. It would appear that the inhabitants of this world possess the ability to completely compress their lungs when engaged in a deep pressure dive and expel all the oxygen into their blood stream.  From here it can dissolve under pressure. The other critical factor is that a significant percentage of their chemical makeup is composed of water, which is not compressible at any depth. These two factors are critical in preventing this species from getting crushed at the extreme depths of their oceans.  Data also supports that they possess the ability to refrain from breathing for long periods of time, allowing the lungs to remain compressed. 

The city which housed this facility, was smaller in population than surrounding cities consisting chiefly of scientists and noted scholars. The traveller concluded that this must be the brain centre for this society. The ship’s AI system proposed that infiltration would be the most efficient method of harvesting the desired technology from this world. It has analyzed the genetic makeup of the local inhabitants and pre-programmed the sequencer with the corresponding data.  As the traveller lie down inside the sequencer, he thought to himself just how many times he had repeated this methodology. The traveller sat up from the sequencer’s platform after his genetic transformation was complete and slowly placed his weight on his hind legs. His previous physical appearance had changed considerably from one of a heavy external skeletal life form found in most insect species, to his new look.  He stared interestingly at the reflection looking back at him.  It has been many millennia since he replicated an amphibian and none with such a progressive tail.  The tail was as long as the overall height of the being. He extended his right hand and paid particular note of the webbing between the appendages. The chief researcher, responsible for the development of the persuaded technology has been identified. He is currently sleeping alone in his quarters. He was the team leader responsible for the development of this technology. 

The room was dimly lit when a figure quietly materialized out of the darkness and emerged inside the home. There was no bright flash, no noise emissions, no alarm detection, just the sudden appearance of a stranger. It had been identified earlier that the residence did not possess any form of alarm system to warn about intruders. He stood motionless for several minutes studying the room with his eyes, listening for any signs of detection of his protrusive entry. Like many times prior, his sudden presence went unnoticed. The site-to-site transport employed was extremely enhanced, technologically advanced over that of most civilizations he had encountered. Throughout his travels, whenever opportunity prevailed, he regularly integrated technology from his acquisition process. These assimilated materials accelerated the technological potential of both the craft and the android, constantly advancing the team's overall proficiency.  One beneficial example was the site-to-site transport system currently in use, harvested unsuspectingly from a distant world.

His intended target remained in a state of deep slumber in an adjoining room.  He opened one hand and a small orbital disc materialized and silently glided across the room, it continued through the main corridor and entered an adjoining room coming to a stop directly above the slumbering occupant.  From the discharge of air from the gill passage, it was apparent that the subject was completely unaware of any events unfolding. The disc hovered directly above the sleeping stranger and silently dispersed a colorless, odorless mist into the air. The trespasser remained stationary for several additional moments before moving. The intruder followed the disc into the adjoining room and stared at the life form, anaesthetized before him. The sleeping compartment was unique in construction, it was rectangular in dimensions, composed essentially of a hardened material with elevated, exterior walls encasing the sleeping subject.  It was equipped with what appeared to be an aquatic distribution system allowing for either water input or drain functionality.This would afford a selection of sleeping environments. If the subject preferred to sleep immersed in a water environment, this was possible and if the subject preferred to sleep in an atmospheric environment, the water could simply be drained from the sleeping quarters. 

The intruder waved his arm and a transparent monitor appeared, suspended immediately in front of him.  He carefully studied his image in the projection and looked back at the sleeping stranger. In an unrecognizable language spoken only on his home world, he uttered the following commands.

OPKALWJA LNAIOR HGFOWOOJN kKSNDQWEO0JAER XNVKSMC3RIOJCJ WNGFQ 3ROIEWH.

Craft perform a detailed physical comparison and note any discrepancies, regardless of significance. 

The AI responded, No noted anomalies detected, with a comparative value within a 99.9998 % range. 

DJASOPED QEPO[K KDJWJEF KROTKWNFC PASJWERFI KLPKJK JUNK KVZNOA. 

Craft perform a detailed acoustic comparison from the verbal recordings on this subject. 

The AI responded, No noted anomalies detected, with an acoustic comparative value within a 99.9995 % range. 

OSWKCFOPWEKJ JJMMWJ OSKWFOWJFWORKJF KKOKADOIUWQDJN LIHLJUSLO". 

Craft perform a comparison of all body mannerisms, attributes, body movements from recordings. 

The AI responded, No anomalies detected, with a comparative value within a 99.96% range.

ESETZXE SKOJKDF AJDNIUWEHF AKSKDWEJF MMLLMNC QLOAOQ  BLEOQKO PKSZXWE.

Craft perform a comparison on an atomic level, comparing DNA and all current micro-organisms present. 

The AI responded, No anomalies detected, with a comparative value within a 99.999 match. 

Good, looks like I would fool the entire family if invited for supper.  I however, only have to ensure that his co-workers believe that I am actually this subject.  The only exposable factors to this impostor would apply to any past cognitive memory functions.  He thought to himself, Physicist, they come in all shaped and sizes. 

The intruder was named KaHee.  At the time of his creation, he was one of the most advanced androids ever designed on his home world.  He was brought into existence for one sole objective, to explore the galaxies and procure new technologies through whatever means possible.  He was furnished with the most state-of-the-art craft assembled at that time.  His home world’s technological advancements surpassed that of most galaxies.  The artificial intelligence installed into this craft was beyond conviction.  The most advanced mechanism within his arsenal was the sequencer. This incredible technology that had been procured from an unsuspecting civilization thousands of years prior, without consent.  Most operational plans executed the same procedural standards, initiate covert actions, research the intended target, clone the subject, infiltrate, acquire essential technology and slip away prior to detection.  This was what he was created for.  This was what he excelled at.  Acquisition was either through insertion or replacement.  Experience had determined the most efficient method of intelligence acquirement was through temporary replacement of a subject directly involved with the creation of the targeted technology.  Both methods were made possibly through the utilization of the sequencer. This technology as able to metamorphose the insurgent into an exact duplicate specimen, down to a subatomic level.  Prior to implementation, the craft’s AI system would complete an invasive scan of the target down to a molecular level.  Once the complete genetic makeup was analyzed the AI system would download the specifications into the sequencer creating an indistinguishable duplicate, down to a microscopic level.

Throughout the many millennia of cultivating technology, KaHee had procured information often beneficial to his unique development.  Whenever possible, all newly acquired technology was uploaded into his mainframe. This resulted in a more proficient, functional product, with enhanced transformation following each succession. Self enhancement through utilization of this level of procurement empowered the android’s superiority allowing it to transcend its functionality.  The android’s mainframe was placed into a state of constant evolution over the centuries. The same technical advancements were applied to the craft’s AI system.  Over time, the proficiencies of both the craft and master far surpassed their creator’s design. However, his basic core programming remained unscathed and intact.  Violence must only be engaged as a last resort.  All life is precious, regardless.

He returned to the front of the display unit and took a closer look at the image before him.  There stood an undiscovered species, some form of cross between aquatic and reptilian.  The evolutionary path of some worlds could be linked back to aquatic species that evolved into new life, capable of surviving on land masses. This must be one such world. His target was just under 6 feet in height and possessed a long slender appearance with an extensive tapered tail. The exterior flesh was entirely enveloped with protruding nodes of flesh, overlaid with what appeared to be protective scales.  KaHee rotated his head back and forth studding the structural details. The upper section of the head encased two protruding eye sockets supporting large bulbous, greenish-yellow flecked eyes.  The eyes were situated along the side of the cranial ridge supportive of a peripheral field of view versus central. A black vertical iris expanded the height of the eye socket. This would afford a greater field of view in the dark depths of these oceans. A round circular membrane similar to a tympanum on a reptile was situated just behind the eye sockets.  This provided this species the capability of hearing.  Tympanum is essentially a thin sheet of connective tissue that vibrates when sound waves strike it. 

The facial region of the head displayed a protruding nose region extending forward several inches.  It was on average rounded in appearance with the central section of the mouth extending forward notably over the ends. It was supported by a large set of protruding teeth.  KaHee opened his mouth and visually inspected his teeth which ran to the back of the mouth cavity. Turning his head to one side he lifted one arm and slowly slid his hand over what appeared to be a set of gills. They were three symmetrical rows located along both sides of his neck. His hand moved back to the frontal teeth and he pushed slightly downward on the tip of one incisor. KaHee thought to himself I must not allow myself to be bitten by one of these species. These teeth were more than capable of inflicting massive damages. This extensive network of teeth must be required for consumption of their preferred food source. Food was most likely obtained from its oceanic environment and probably contained a notable skeletal system, especially that sourced at depth.  He raised his head and tried to grin exposing his teeth but the tightness of the facial skin restricted his movement. This makes me look as if I am trying to answer the call of nature or something like that. 

The upper body region supported two long slender arms extending to slightly below the mid region of the body.  The bone structure consisted of two smaller connective bones of different lengths, provided flexibility for the arm to rotate freely. Hands were present at the end of the arms equipped with three digits. Interesting, that  this species lacked a prominent digit found in most advanced species, a thumb. A folded membrane was present between each digit.  This flap of skin when not in use tucked between the three digits.  This membrane extended considerable when opened.  This would provide greater speed and maneuvering efficiency when in the water.

The lower segment of the body was supported by two powerful legs, with an attached appendage similar to the human foot only significantly longer in length.  The powerful legs allowed for an upright bipedal movement.  Like the hands, there were three protruding digits which also displayed the membrane webbing.  The ends of these digits supported a long-curved claw. The entire torso, included the upper and lower appendages along with the tail were covered in these protective scales.  KaHee leaned back and discovered that the long tail allowed the host to place his entire body weight on the tail, freeing up the usage of the lower legs. Probably a form of basic protection affording lower leg mobility and access to those menacing claws.  The body was covered in some form of textile which began at shoulder height and stopped just above the knees.  The material, although foreign in nature afforded protection and heat for the wearer.  Interesting that this species has evolved into wearing outer garments.  This is absent in most reptilian life forms. 

KaHee left the room and walked over to a circular device situated along one section of the wall. There was a small panel just off to one side. This must be the main control module for their site-to-site transport used to select the required destination.  He studied it for a moment then thought what a primitive transport system it was. This must be how these individual travels to his research facility. It appears to be DNA activated. This should allow for a simple infiltration directly to his work station.  Looks like all that is required for activation is a genetic scan from this monitor. I wonder how many destinations are programmed into this.  According to our monitoring, he should be leaving for his research location soon. The craft’s AI has identified the access code for this location.   

He returned to the adjoining room and stopped beside the subject. Craft, requesting one droid to this location.  Instantly, a small mechanical form materialized.  Maintain a constant watch over this subject. The sedative utilized should render it unconscious for over 72 units of time but I do not want to be surprised by an unexpected personal visit. I also want you to actively monitor the transporter site as a safety precaution. Temporarily disable the site until I establish contact, hopefully upon completion of this acquisition.  We don’t want any unexpected friends now suddenly dropping in unannounced, do we? If the operation concludes ahead of schedule, administer the antidote and return to the craft.  The subject will awake fully rested with no knowledge of what transpired here. I prefer that scenario; it eliminates any unexpected repercussions. KaHee found it preferable during these covert operations to substitute himself with his target rather than integrate as a general member of society.

KaHee turned to the droid and stated I have detected a very sophisticated filtration system encompassing the entire planet.  Every time that moisture falls to the surface it is filtered for impurities and other contaminants. Regardless of what geographical location the precipitation originates from, it goes through this planetary purification process.  It seems to be one of the components contained within this planet’s electronic shielding.  That will make a welcome technical addition, but we are here for the force field technology. Cities on this planet possess the capability to submerge to the ocean floor. In many locations these distances exceed 10,000 feet in depth. The atmospheric pressure at that depth increases about one atmosphere for every 10 meters of water depth.  At a depth of 10,000 meters the pressure will be approximately 1000 atmospheres or 1000 times greater than the pressure at sea level.  That's a massive amount of pressure capably of crushing most solids. The most unique function of this shield is that even when activated, the city’s occupants can freely pass through the outer membrane.  There has been many protective force fields developed in various worlds, but they all prohibit such movement. While the shields are engaged, they afford complete protection by virtually placing a rigid, impenetrable barrier around the circumference. This flexibility of movement explains the necessity for dual breathing or their ability to stop breathing for long periods of time.

The constructive material used extensively throughout this world consists basically of a unique iron Ferris compound located virtually everywhere on this planet. I have examined this material and found it to be harder than any mineral on most planets. It is also present in many asteroids currently travelling through space. The specific density of this material is capable of sustaining incredible pressure without structural compromise even at unique depths on the ocean floor. 

Ok I must be leaving for work, don’t want to be late on my first day.  KaHee walked over to the transporter monitor and extended his hand allowing it to scan his DNA.  A translucent screen appeared and covered the orifice.  Establish immediate contact if any incident arises, engage protocol Alpha II.  He turned and stepped forward disappearing into the membrane.  He had been trying to incorporate some degree of humour into his speech pattern for the past millennia.  He maintained that humour would yield a less artificial presence. 

After several hours, the craft’s AI system contacted the small droid and instructed him to reactivate the transport system. KaHee immediately returned to the residence of the physicist. I have successfully obtained the technological data without detection. It has been uploaded to the craft. Our AI is in a state of assessment and will advise on the efficiency of integrating new modifications based on this data.  All positive revisions to the main shields will be upgraded immediately. This new technology, once integrated will significantly advance the supremacy of our craft. Our protective shielding will also be enhanced with this technology. That will afford supplementary protection for myself and the droids. If weapons are ever required, we will possess the technology to engage weapon fire without lowering our shields. Also, with upgraded shielding we will be able to enter and exit the craft unimpeded without having to lower shields.  The craft will no longer be accessible to weapons fire if engaged in any transporting activities. Most importantly, the craft will be able to deploy full weapons with 100% shield engagement.  I am unaware of this capability in any galaxies to date. Once fully integrated into our shield harmonics, a full diagnostic will be implemented and tested for full compliance.

Kahee raised his head slightly to one side and stated craft transport immediately.  The two intruders vanished from the residence.  It has been some time since we ventured into the Pleiades System, set coordinates but engage in misdirection tactics. As part of security, a misdirected number of jumps were always deployed to mislead any attempts at following the intruders.  Certain technology provided the ability to track crafts, even in the event of being cloaked. Craft keep the cloak engaged while we quietly leave this quadrant. We do not want to be discovered at this stage of the operation.  Once outside of detection range, open a worm hole and transport away from our primary destination.    Engage in two additional jumps then set coordinates for the Pleiades System.  Ensure that the craft’s cloaking system and our newly integrated shields are operating at maximum efficiency. It is convenient that the time interval required to retrofitting our shields has been minimal. Better to error on the side of caution, in the event of any unknown advancements of Pleiades detection abilities. They definitely possess a small dislike for this vessel. They cannot still be upset; it has been over 100,000 years now since our last visit.

CHAPTER 2

OFF THIS EARTH

Glen Stark stepped outside onto his deck enjoying a cup of coffee.  He stopped under the overhang and stared out looking up at the heavy downpour.  He reassured himself about the need for all this rain, especially with such dry conditions following this recent drought.  As he stood there under the cover of the overhead roof, he took in a deep breath and thought just how fresh the air was after a heavy rain. Nature has such a simple way at removing mankind’s grime from the surrounding atmosphere, thank God.  He was blessed to be so immersed with nature and felt connected to his surroundings.

Glen’s home was a log style rancher with a covered wooden porch extending outwards along two sides. He often enjoyed his morning coffee sitting outside on his deck, which amplified his love of the outdoors. Two large, well-worn wooden chairs separated by a small table provided a panoramic view of the complexity of the landscape. Several large cedar pots have been placed around the decking to compliment the home. He appreciates the vivid colours and fragrance which Mother Nature had endowed upon the flora. The cabin was somewhat sheltered from the outside world encased within a growth of deciduous trees extending outward into an unpopulated woodland area.  One of the main reasons he built on this location was the isolation. Glen didn’t mind neighbours as long as they were miles away from his property.

As Glen lifted his cup to take a sip, a streak of light hurdling downwards from the heavens caught his eye.  A small but noticeable plume was visible trailing behind the object as it hurled towards the surface. The turbulent weather conditions made it difficult to see as the unknown object appeared and disappeared in and out of the darkened skyline.  Glen stared upward, reassuring himself that there was definitely something in there. He strained his eyes looking in the direction of the sighting and again noticed the falling object. He thought to himself, it seemed to be coming down in my direction.

Glen stood motionless and concentrated on the object’s descent. It looks as if it is going to impact nearby, hard to tell through all this cloud cover.  I hope this is not some small plane in trouble.  Might just be some space junk falling from orbit but it seems to be giving off some form of plume. Getting pretty crowded up there these days. Perhaps just a meteorite. It looks like it is going to impact somewhere in the vicinity of …. nearby.

Glen continued to follow the objects descent but again lost sight of it as it disappeared into the low-level cloud bank.  As Glen stood, they're searching for any sign of the object, he is struck with a sudden surge of wind. The force knocks him backward against the wall causing him to lose his balance and fall forward onto the deck. His coffee splattered across the floor disappearing between the cracks in the planking. He slowly regained his footing and stood back up. What the hell. That wave of air must have been from the crash.  That thing must have impacted close by.

Glen entered the cabin and emerged with his old compass. He placed it on the wooden railing pointing it in the last direction he witnessed the object.  The compass needle rocked back and forth for a brief moment before coming to rest displaying a set of coordinates.  He took a reading and recorded the bearing.  Realizing that the storm was turning for the worst, he decided to find out what just happened.  I better go and see if I can find out just what the hell that was, in case it was a small plane. Someone might be hurt and needing help.  I think whatever it was, it crashed not too far away and I should head out. Somehow, though I cannot see such a strong wind gust coming for a downed plane, unless it was a jumbo jet or something that size. This storm is growing in intensity. Judging by the increasing amount of wind and rain, I think this storm is evolving into a multi-cell thunderstorm. Just my luck, to go wandering around in this giant piss up. Sometimes I think I need to get my head checked out. 

Knowing that this area is somewhat remote and scarcely populated, Glen realized it was unlikely anyone else noticed this crash, especially in this weather.  I bet almost everyone in the area is probably inside, sitting beside some warm fire enjoying the extra heat, that is anyone with half a brain. I am probably however, the only help available if anyone is injured.

Dressed in a full-length slicker, he grabbed his rifle, threw a pack over his shoulder and headed off on foot into the bush. The terrain consisted mainly of rolling hills which was heavily treed with an assortment of hardwood with mixed deciduous. Walking through the bush was not an issue but the heavy rain was making visibility extremely difficult. The compass bearing placed Glen’s path head first into the descent of the pounding rain, striking him relentlessly in the face. Just my luck, the rain is falling straight into my eyes.  Why could it not at least be falling on my back or coming in from the side. He pulled his hood further over his head to protect his eyes from the punishing rain. He thought to himself damn why didn’t I put on a hat.  After travelling a short distance, he stopped and took another compass reading. Difficult to walk in a straight path with this downpour. I think what crashed might have impacted just over this next ridge, remembering the strong wave of air that interrupted his morning coffee.  As Glen walked along, he noted the visible presence of larger trees bent over and a number of damaged tree limbs, broken off here and there. The damages were all supportive of a force emanating from his direction of travel. That gust of wind must have caused all this. Looks like I am headed in the right direction.

Glen was soon standing on top of the local ridge trying to look around but Mother Nature was relentless. He started his descent travelling downward at a diagonal angle along the ridge changing his angle of descent. Glen spent a lot of time in the outdoor and was an experienced woodsman. By traversing in this manner, it was physically safer to walk without threat of losing your footing, especially on the wet ground.  A small clearing began to open up amidst the heavy canopy of vegetation. Something caught his eye and he strained to see but could not make out anything clearly. The unrelenting rain continued to pound into Glen’s face obstructing his visibility. Slowly he continued his zig zag pattern down the ridge making his way in the direction of the clearing. Glen stopped and stared directly ahead raising his hand to protect his eyes from the punishing downpour, but still could not make out anything.  He thought to himself this is the correct direction from the coordinates I took earlier. I am supposed to be heading this way. He had learned at a young age to trust this compass and not to second guess himself. A life of dependence upon this instrument allowed him to place his faith in the bearing he took from his railing.  By staying true to the reading, you do not get turned around and lose your direction. Compasses were made for days like today, no visibility beyond ten feet and out in the middle of nowhere without any reference markers. 

The rain was unrelenting and continued to pound into Glen’s face as he continued walking directly into the path of the storm. Glen raised his hand over his face and once again attempting to look through the heavy rain but still was unable to make out a clear image.  One thing was for certain though, there was definitely something reflective on the ground not very far ahead.

Glen finally pushed his way through the bush and stepped out into a small clearing.  Directly in front of him was a metallic chassis, the downed object he had been searching for.  The rain continued to pound into Glen’s eyes, but at the closer distance he was now able to see much clearer what had fallen. As the metallic form came into