Forbidden Love [AAC]

Flying through hyper-space, the ship’s klaxon went off, causing the whole ship to lurch slightly, and both it’s occupants to be retrieved from their sleep cycle.

They both went through a well-rehearsed routine without speaking, touching controls and reading displays.

“Class G, prominent oxygen based atmosphere. Scanning now for lifeforms.”

After a moment, there was an audible intake of air from the younger occupant.

“Crith, do you see those readings?”

“Very interesting, Odom.”

“I even ran the scan again to verify the results. Do you know what this means?”

“I’m aware of the Protocols,” Crith replied almost haughtily, “I am the Senior on this mission.”

Odom’s enthusiasm was not to be reduced by his sharp reply. They both knew they had found another seed planet, and it was growing with abundant life of all kinds. A miracle planet, very rare, as they had searched thousands of star systems in search of the ancestor’s seed, and he knew they would eventually make landfall for a survey.

Life, Odom mused, was one of the most unique qualities the multi-verse had, and his culture had discovered eons ago that random planets had been seeded with life. Most life was in the bacterial stages, but life it was, and with that discovery, they had built spaceships to find the origin of life, the ancestors.

Odom spent the next few days culling data from the sensors, and archiving the results for superluminal transit. He had checked coordinates, and realized they were over 3 million parsecs from their own home world.

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 53, ID 8875:
The planet has a magnetosphere, protecting it amazingly well from the solar radiation emanating from the primary star. Out of 8 planets and 3 remote planetoids in this solar system, this is the only planet that liquid dihydrogen monoxide, and not only that, it covers 70% of the surface area. The upper atmosphere has an ionizing layer of plasma, which traps 13% percent of carbon dioxide produced by the organic lifeforms, and also has an axial tilt of 3% which seems to produce interesting weather patterns. It is curious to note the planet shows remarkable resemblance to our own home world, or at least, what the primordial phase of our planet was.

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 334, ID 8875:
Crith and I have determined that there is no advanced technology on this planet. There are many settlements of advanced hominids, utilizing crude tools fabricated from a curious blend of organic material and inorganic, with planetary imaging show several settlements in various geographic locations that are near flowing deposits of dihydrogen monoxide.

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 535, ID 8875:
Crith has decided (much to my protests) to make landfall by a settlement in the centralized section of the largest continent. I would prefer to access the smaller continent, taking a smaller sampling of deoxyribonucleic acid for processing, but Crith insists that by his calculations, this location is origin site of all the hominids on this planet, and would therefore produce a wider variance of material to study. I will admit there is wisdom to his decision, so we will utilize stasis fields for all the subjects we intend to sample.
A group of hominids look to the sky, and upon seeing a fireball of flame coming towards them, scamper into the woods, save one, the largest, which paces nervously before the forest’s canopy. Hoots and wheets resound audibly throughout the nearby canopy, informing the clan of the impending danger. The alpha male roars loudly, pounding his chest, unafraid of the unknown, prepared to protect his clan.

“Touchdown in 5.”

“ Three.”

“One.”

Odom looked at Crith.

“Initiate protocol 37645.”

Odom rapidly typed the symbols on his viewpad, causing a slight hum throughout the cabin of their ship. He knew a force field was deployed around the shell of their ship, and they were now safe to observe. Viewscreens lit up throughout the cabin, and displayed a panoramic view of their outside surroundings.

“Crith look, that hominid must be the senior. He’s the only one that didn’t hide. Perhaps he’s waiting to greet us.”

“Not so, young Odom. Past experience in first contact situations have led me to conclude that caution is in order. We will only observe at this point, and catalog information.”

The alpha was angered. There was no battle. The shiny fruit seed had landed, and had done nothing. It only sat there. Thumping his chest in a challenge once more, the fruit seed remained motionless. He moved closer, thumping a challenge once again. He stood up and roared. Furious now, he saddled closer and closer, roaring and thumping in intervals, trying to invoke movement so he could attack it.

“He's been doing that for over an hour, Crith," Odom finally said, “I am recording it's behavior for further analysis."

“Excellent work, Odom. It is a fine specimen to study. Very primitive, but healthy. It’s anatomy is similar to our ancestors, so I truly believe now that we have found another seed planet.”

“Would you like me to prepare a stasis field?”

“No. Not yet. If this is a seed planet, then there is a wealth of information to record, and Protocol 44855 dictates that observational recordings must endure until hostilities have ceased.”

“So noted in the Catalog.”

Crith looked at him with something of a sneer.

They watched and recorded for several more hours, and eventually, the alpha grew disinterested and meandered slowly back to the forest edge, and began calling out in various tones. Nightfall was approaching, and the clan began slowly falling out of the canopy, with one beginning to make a fire, while the others bustled around with fruits, nuts, and fresh meat gleaned from the forest during the alpha's encounter. All of them were now oblivious to the spacecraft, as it were nothing more than another tree in the forest.

“Observe, Junior, and note in your Catalog that patience pays off. We are no threat to them, and their primitive minds no longer see us as a threat."

Odom privately blushed. He was eager to get deoxyribonucleic acid samples to analyze.

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 6588, ID 8875:
Crith refuses to leave the ship, and get actual samples to study. Senior is content with observing and recording, and he has been endlessly studying the videos we have of their lifestyle. It's actually the same routine over and over. The males copulate with the females in plain view in the evening before they enter a sleep cycle, and in the morning they communicate by a gutturally intoned language and then go about a seemingly random foraging ritual. There are a few males that leave the camp each day, with crude stone tools, and come home in the evening with a bloody quadruped tied upside down, carried on a plank between two of their husky shoulders. A fire is started, and they sear the flesh of the quadruped, and consume it. Afterwards, more copulation, then sleep. This observation is growing redundant, especially since they have shown no variance in their daily rituals. However, today we were able to record a representation of their reproductive system, which was rather fascinating. One of the females which had an extended abdomen began to spasm with pain, and was immediately attended by several of the other female hominids. I was especially interested in this, and was able to get several angular feeds from our remote viewing probes.

A new lifeform was produced from the lower trunk section, between the bipedal appendages, and was immediately swaddled in animal skin, and brought to the mammary of the once spasming female. Checking the archives, I discovered that our ancestors once reproduced in such a manner as well, eons ago. I remain fascinated by this method of reproduction. I wished to study it further, but needed physical samples to study. I will approach Crith again about the feasibility of obtaining actual samples.

“Absolutely not.”

“But Crith, we have been observing these hominids for over 60 solar oscillations.”

“No.”

“You are not being reasonable. Protocol 33443 dictates that the Junior member of an expedition is responsible for cataloging and studying biological material. I have not been able to obtain any samples.”

“You would invoke Protocol. Very well, note in your Catalog that this is against my esteemed wishes, and that you alone will be leaving the ship to obtain samples. If you fail, I will enact Protocol 99878, and leave this planet, with you on it.”

Odom cringed, and almost reconsidered his request.

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 10568, ID 8875:
I have been leaving the ship on a daily basis now, and with my cloaking shield, have not been detected by the indigenous life forms. At least, they don’t visibly show agitation at my presence, but I do believe they have a sense that I am there, even though they can’t see me. I have collected a plethora of samples, more than enough to stay busy, but since Crith has become accustomed to my forays, not objecting, I still can’t resist going out amongst the indigenous forms to observe them in person. One, in particular, is, I’m pretty sure, aware of me. It’s a young female that hoots out “eaf, eaf, eaf” every time I enter their camp. I have a theory that they have a sensory perception that goes beyond our ability to detect, but without evidence of this, I am left to solely my observations.

“Odom?”

“Query recieved.”

“I will be joining you today during your samplings. To observe your techniques.”

Odom sank, knowing he had been collecting far fewer samples than his time spent amongst the indigenous. He had been doing a focus study on the hominid named “Eaf”, and spending far too much time observing her behavior. Lately, when he entered their camp, Eaf would saunter over to his location, sit down beside him, and stare almost directly into his eyes. He was almost sure at this point that she knew he was there, her eyes imploring his invisible ones, and he was fascinated by the depth of her eyes, and her relevant ignorance. Intelligence, sentience, shown through to him, and he had to study her more. His attachment to her, Odom knew, Crith had detected.

“I protest.”

“Why is that, Odom? Protocol 65007 dictates that any Senior can accompany a Junior to assess any particular situation.”

“Because you may disturb the observations. You’ve stayed inside now for 250 solar oscillations, while I have been interacting with the indigenous. You have read my Catalog?”

“Yes, Junior, I have. I believe you are becoming affected by your observations.”

“Very well,” Odom sighed, “Enact the protocol.”

Planet 592261, Catalog Entry 344989, ID 8875:
I’ve been very lax in updating the Catalog, but after that fateful day three years ago when Crith decided to accompany me on a visit to the indigenous camp, I’ve been busy raising my children. It turns out that they could see us, and when Crith entered the camp, his cloaking unit didn’t protect him, just like it never protected me. Eaf shouted the intruder warning, and the alpha literally ripped him to shreds.

I stayed with the group to study them. Why they accepted me over Crith I cannot fathom, but I have become a part of their group. Eaf, in particular, after learning their language, expressed the desire to be my mate.

My studies show that we are from the same seed stock, and even though I had no genitalia, I was able to rework my DNA into a viable injection for artificial insemination.

She had triplets.

After her birthing, while swaddling our newborns, she looked at me, and clearly articulated:

“Odom, and Eaf.”

It was the beginning of something wonderful.

Druid, I didn't know you could do that. Great story, well done. I enjoyed it!

Thank you

P

reply to post by Druid42
Very nice-
Gave me an old drive-in movie flashback!

A late entry, not VERY romantic, but as a Writer I get 3 entries. I spent that one on getting tight with the theme, ancient aliens, and didn't even try to make an alien/hominid romance.

I did work in an "Adam and Eve" reference. Subtle.

I do appreciate the flags.

Stay tuned for something wickedly hot.

reply to post by Druid42
Awaiting wickedly hot version!

A very nice read!

reply to post by littled16


I am with you Littled! At 65 I could use a little wicked so bring it on Druid.

I am not able to give purist assistance. My knowledge of the English language is shallow at best so I might have missed the more subtle parts you undoubtedly used to bring the story full circle.

I can only crudely and probably rudely convey how I conceived your story. I am sorry for that. Your story managed to take me by surprise and I enjoyed that very much.

However, the thing that bothers me is the 250 days gap inside the story where an alien studying a beast on a far away world, injecting it with some genes to conceive the first modern humans is more than just what it sounds like. A cold scientific experiment that could have been done with any of the locale females.

The part why Eaf is special feels rushed, and I think that's the part where your story can gain strength so much that it can become an epic story (Or maybe even a sequence of epic stories...) rather than the smart somewhat rushed Sunday surprise I believe it to be now.

True, the danger the reader will connect the dot's before the end becomes greater, but if you manage to outsmart me this long, you'll manage a while longer. This story deserves a few more 250-day-highlights to bring out it's full potential.

Hope I could convey what I mean without making me look like a complete ass.

Star and flag.

reply to post by D.Wolf


While you may think your grasp of the English language is somewhat lacking, (I don't) your analytical skills are superb.

As the author, I was interjecting random dates sequentially, as I had no idea if the length of their day would be equivalent to our own, but used the "diary" mechanism as a means to allow the reader extrapolate their own conclusions. Being a short story, the plot tends to wrap up quickly, and I honestly have no intention to further this theme.

250 seems to be a reasonable amount of time for an alien scientist to re-engineer DNA, as well as developing an emotional attachment to his subjects. Thanks for your comments, very interesting indeed!

You flag is greatly appreciated.