Asterilians: The Age of Awakening

    With the revelation of the BG Drive and the ability to travel between the stars faster than any could imagine, there was also a concerted effort to be the first out there. As the governments of the world built fleets of probes to explore system after system. Others found the funds to build ships.

    From cults to greedy ceo’s, many lined up to build their own ships and find worlds for themselves. But unfortunately for a few cheap materials and bad quality control would lead to disaster. One such disaster occurred to the Church of Scientology who’s rocket exploded one minute after launch killing all of the leadership on it.

    But many were successful in their efforts. After launch and once in orbit their drives charged never to be seen again. It was one of these groups that exposed a carnivorous plant on an unknown planet to human DNA. And in doing so, they would create not just one, but two new species.

    The events that created the Asterilian race are better described by the people that created them. The following logs were found on the Asterilian home world in a place they hold sacred.

Oct. 14 2183: It has been a year since we launched. We have visited a hundred systems with little to show until now. The second planet of the system is a garden world rich in plant life and animals. It is a little smaller than Earth is, but not by enough to effect it gravity. We are set to enter orbit in a few days...it will be nice to get out of this can.

Oct. 29 2183: We made orbit of the second planet three days ago. Once it was done we threw a party with some of the last of our supplies. Edwards even had a bottle of Whiskey stashed some where in the ship. Greg thinks he has found a good place to land on one of the southern continents. With luck we will be landing in the next couple of days.

Nov. 03 2183: Planet Fall, we have landed...finally. There is a lot to do so that is all there is today.

Nov. 11 2183: We have been unpacking and setting up. The landing was perfect and this area is so beautiful. The valley we landed in has a sizable clearing that we are building in and forests to the north and east. We have not had time to explore any but we are making plans to send out some parties to see if there are any edible plants or animals we can hunt. Well my break is over, back to work.

Nov. 16 2183: Shit...they are missing. We are readying a search team to go out, but we aren’t sure where to look. (sigh) The beginning...we sent out five teams to collect plant specimens yesterday. All teams maintained radio contact throughout the day. But as the sun started to set, the team in the eastern forest missed their check in.

It was after Sundown when the fourth and last team got back. Though it was not long until the teams wanted to go out again to search for the missing people. But the captain stopped them before they could go running into the woods.

But now that the sun has risen again, he teams are getting ready to head out and search...I am joining them. Oh...time to head out.

Nov. 17 2183: Shit….shit shit shit...Jennifer, something got her...not sure what but she was struck by... something in the arm. We barely got her back to camp, she was screaming all the way. (sigh) We are not even sure what is going on with her...we are running tests right now…

Nov. 19 2183: Jennifer is dead...it was...I can not describe it...horrible. Her arm...it literally melted off of her. What ever she was infected with dissolved her flesh into a soup. Even the bone was starting the break down some how.

The next day we had to keep her under...the toxin had invaded all of her body as we returned. It was all we could do...her organs...her body...by the end of the day she was dead. Her heart...it burst...literally. Soon after the rest...I mean...she just...liquified.

God...what did this...did the others...what is on this planet?

Nov. 20 2183: We buried what was left of Jennifer today...we have lost six people to this planet. We started with one hundred and sixty five, now there are one hundred and fifty nine left. I hope that we don’t loose many more.

Dec. 8 2183: Another group have gone missing in the east forest. The captain has ordered that the east forest is off limits and that all teams should be back before dusk. Since the attacks have happened at dusk, the captain believes that what ever it is may be nocturnal. So as long as we stay out, no more should be lost. We hope…

Feb. 16 2184: Something odd happened today, several people reported that they saw a human wandering around the edge of the east forest. It was not long after that the entire colony heard a shot ring out in the quiet. The entire colony showed up to fine Mr. Jackson standing over a...well...something.

All we could see was a tangle of vines with thorns on the ends of some. Mr. Jackson said that he was patrolling the perimeter of the colony when he saw a humanoid figure awkwardly moving...almost shambling towards the colony. He called out to it to stop multiple times, but it did no respond. Once it got closer, Mr. Jackson started to see something was wrong...the shape was wrong and green like a plant. Shortly after he took action and shot the...thing.

We are moving it to the lab and placing it in the containment cell...just in case.

Feb. 19 2184: The Science team has been working on the...well body I guess. What they have found is remarkable and disturbing. The organism is a plant based life form but appears to have evolved a basic circulatory system for distributing nutrients more efficiently. The organisms vines also appear to have a form of muscle fiber that allow the vines to rapidly move and for a rudimentary heart to pump.

The plant appears to have a collection of bulbs with a major one containing a number of distinct organs including the heart. The organs are currently being looked into. What is creepier is a series of bulbs on specific vines that appear to be eyes, a mouth attached to a structure that looks like lungs and a voice box.

This thing appears to be mimicking humans. No one is sure why it would evolve to try and mimic a humanoid form...but that is being looked into.

Feb. 27 2184: It took a while...but the science team...shoot I do not know where to begin. Well I guess the science team results, they found that one of the organs in the organism contained various animals DNA. Clusters of cells somehow contained all of the animals DNA and the organism used that as a way to mimic the animal. More though...they found human DNA in the organism...it matched the DNA of one of the missing team members.

That means there are more of these things out there...possibly many more as we know very little about these organisms.

Feb. 28 2184: Good news for once...Krystal is pregnant. It is wonderful news though we were not going to start the breeding program for a couple years yet. So I hope that her relationship can hold up under that as she will need to have more children from other partners.

There are only one hundred and fifty four of us now. Two thirds of our population are women. To manage a viable gene pool we will need to choose who has children with who and every woman will have to get pregnant with multiple partners to expand the population in a way that will prevent inbreeding.

Here’s to hoping all goes well for her. The medical team are preparing for this change in plans.

Mar. 5 2184: No one is sure what happened, but four people are just...gone. Their house is empty and there is no sign of them...none at all. No struggle...they are just...gone.

Mar. 7 2184: It happened again...another house is just empty...four more are gone. Security is organizing cameras and trying to create a perimeter.

Mar. 12 2184: Twelve more are gone. But we know why, the creatures are taking them. Camera’s caught a group of them moving around the perimeter of the settlement after midnight. Security has also reported seeing movement in the east forest at all hours.

Mar. 13 2184: Early in the morning shots rang out in the night. By the time the sun was up there were about twenty of the creatures dead outside the perimeter. No one is missing, but this can’t be good. There were so many...what can this mean.

Mar. 17 2184: There are so many...they started to come out of the forest and are standing outside the perimeter. Not just a few, but what looks to be hundreds. They are staring through the makeshift electric fence. More are coming and people are getting nervous.

Mar. 18 2184: They are through the fence...they just pushed their way through. Security is fighting them but the number of shots have slowed.

I can hear them at the door...trying to get in. We gave them a name, Asterilians.

In case we do not make it through the night, I am transferring our logs to holographic storage. If any one finds this, they should know what happened to us. Shit...the door is giving out…

To be Continued: “Furbolg: The Age of Awakening”