The Breach
đ T H E B R E A C H đ
---
Half-buried in stacks of survey reports, Vasâan almost didnât notice when Kellworth stopped by to hover over their desk. Almost.
âHmm? What is it now?â they grumbled, glancing up at him. âAnother drone report? Add it to my inbox and Iâllââ
âNo, no! Read it now!â Kellworth said eagerly, handing over the tablet. âThis is a very good one. I need to see your reaction.â
Vasâan sighed. âAre you going to keep standing here until I agree to read this?â they asked. It was a rhetorical question. They knew he would. âFine. Letâs see what weâve got. Forgive me if I canât contain my excitement over yet another mineral report from some lifeless rockâŚâ
Vasâan trailed off as they scanned the report, their eyes widening in disbelief. Kellworth grinned in triumph.
âWell,â Vasâan said eventually. âHas this information been confirmed?â
âOh yes! Within the last day, in fact. The analysts were just as surprised as you were.â Kellworth retrieved a small device from his pocket and fiddled with it as lines of text raced across its small screen. âOf course the call is yours to make, Vas, but it seems like we have approval to send a manned survey team to investigate these findings. That would be an excellent idea, donât you think? I believe we already have about all we can get just from using the drones. If the majority of the detected biomass is too deep for our external sensorsââ
Vasâan detected the early signs of a Kellworth ramble and politely tuned him out in favor of contemplating the report before them. The issue was not one of importance, but resources. With the Twilight Carnival fast approaching, Vas'an knew they were short on timeâmost of the surveyors would want to take the time to attend. The team would have to work fast. On the other handâŚ
âThis must be quite a discovery for ARC,â Vasâan said. âAfter all, you came down here yourself to hand-deliver this.â they sighed. âHow can I say no?â
Vas'an copied the data to the station computer and handed back the tablet to a beaming Kellworth. âJust please have this all wrapped up by the start of the Carnival, or you'll have to be the one to personally explain why everyone on he team is going to miss the âcelebration.â
Still grinning, Kellworth gathered up his things and started for the door. âYou worry too much, Vas! Itâs just some preliminary sample collecting. The rest can be scheduled for after the Carnival ends. It wonât be a problem, I promise!â
---
SURVEY TEAM REPORT 3 Chief Nyara to ARC Liaison Kellworth Base camp has been established and initial infrasound scans have mapped the subterranean features outlined in the original survey. Biomass readings align with projected values; this confirms the hypothesis that this is indeed some sort of fungal colony. The team is currently preparing to collect samples. Will update with any further developments.
SURVEY TEAM REPORT 6 Chief Nyara to ARC Liaison Kellworth The chamber has been successfully accessed: see analysis attached below. We took all available steps to prevent outside contamination, so hopefully the data should be clean. Must note that if it wasnât for that survey map, it is unlikely that the team could have located the chamber. Considering all measurable environmental conditions, this exoplanet should be sterile; it appears that somehow, a pocket of life-sustaining atmosphere was trapped under the planetâs crust.
REPLY ARC Liaison Kellworth to Chief Nyara Thanks for the update, Chief! Iâve got to say, these readings are incredible. Weâre seeing at least three species that donât match ANYTHING in our fungi genetic records. Iâve attaching a list of the fungi species that weâd like physical samples of; after that, bring your team back in time for the Carnival, otherwise Iâll never hear the end of it from Vas. Thanks!
-
FORWARDED MESSAGE: SURVEY TEAM REPORT 6 ARC Liaison Kellworth to Survey Coordinator Vasâan CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!!!
REPLY Survey Coordinator Vasâan to ARC Liaison Kellworth Very promising. Is this what you were so excited about this morning? I could hear you shrieking even from down the hallway and through a closed door.
-
SURVEY TEAM REPORT 7 Chief Nyara to ARC Liaison Kellworth We were able to collect the requested samples. After collection, four samples began to emit an unidentified type of spore and were rated biohazardous; have placed them in containment according to standard procedures. Fortunately, the crew has maintained zero exposure. We will be departing to the Owai system shortly.
REPLY ARC Liaison Kellworth to Chief Nyara Copy! Thanks again for all your hard work! Weâre all super excited to see your findings (even Vas). See you soon!
****
The cargo ship began to decelerate as it approached the waystation. At this reduced speed, the name painted on its ventral side was visible: INGE-339.
As far as ships go, the INGE was rather unassuming, its paint faded from countless flights to far-off stars. But the shipâs pilots treated this wear and tear as badges of honor: after all, each of these flights had been for missions of utmost importance, expeditions that helped catalog and map the sector. Although the INGE was small, it often carried valuable cargo. This journey was no exceptionâinside one of its isolation chambers was something that emanated a dull blue-green glow.
âOkay, okay, should I go for a sweetsap foam first? Isnât it around the time of year when they do a harvest? Oh wait, what about a jewel berry slushie? Those are great. Have you had one before? I actually havenât. Iâve just heard theyâre greatââ
âEcci,â Finjin said firmly, with a clack of his mandibles for extra emphasis. 'I know you're excited to see the Carnival for the first time, but if you donât focus and help us finish the handshake procedure...â
âOh! Oh, right. SorryâŚâ her feathers ruffled in embarrassment, Ecci concentrated once again on the console. Her short talons clacked rhythmically across the keyboards and control panels. âAnnnnndâyes! Weâre locked into the Owai system station. Translocation in 30 seconds standard.â
Finjin checked his own console. âConfirmed. Good work as always.â
âYou really think so?â Ecci puffed out her chest in pride. âThanks, Fin.â
She's a good kid, Finjin mused to himself. And an absolute prodigy of a pilot. If she could learn to stay focused, she would receive solo certification in no time.
Ecci, meanwhile, was quietly brimming with joy. It was like what they said back home: an Avian belongs in the skyâŚwell, she thought. Space certainly counts.
There was a slight shudder through the hull of the INGE as it passed into the stationâs superluminal field. Ecci glanced at her monitor. âConfirming connection with Owai station. Autopilot locked-in," she reported. âLooks like weâll be there in about four hours standard. Wow, these new Lorentzian stations are amazing! I canât believe they finally finished building them. Once I read an article aboutââ
Finjin had been on far too many flights to share in her starry-eyed excitement, and was privately looking forward to a quiet trip home and some time off for the Carnival. He considered reminding her again not to get distracted, then decided against it. Ecci had done extremely well, all things considered, and they were in the last leg of their journey. Let her chat if she wanted toâat this point, there was very little that could go wrong.
!!!! âREPORT 11987-A AREZ SECT 1 10:34:10 LOCAL AAR: WARDEN / OWAI SECRUITYâ SUBJECT: SURVEY CRAFT âINGE-339' INTERDICTED DURING TRANSIT TO OWAI SYSTEM STATION 1 Assailants ambushed the unarmed craft during its transition to real space, issuing a demand for the crew to jettison the cargo. The surveyor team onboard recognized the intruders as Biopirates, who likely received word of the discovery and planned to fence the shipâs cargo. The crew of the INGE followed standard procedure, broadcasting a SOS over a secure channel and resisting the assailantâs demands while ensuring crew safety, understanding that it was of tantamount importance to avoid releasing an unknown biohazardous substance.
Of all nearby and available systems, the Owai System was deemed to have the fastest response time and a warden team was deployed to the broadcast position. Warden forces were able to repel and pursue the assailants, who evaded capture by retreating beyond Alurizian space. With only minor damage, the INGE was able to resume its transit and made a safe landing at ARC Harbor campus. âEND OF REPORT
!!!!
****
Vas'an usually was difficult to read, but today everyone could tell that they were in a dark mood. Kellworth could practically feel the concern radiating off them as they stood by their office window, staring out at the darkened sky. Their usual focus was completely absent: even the piles of overdue survey reports couldnât draw their attention.
Kellworth didnât blame them. They knew Vasâan wasnât alone in feeling some sort of strain at the newsâa strain that could only be lifted upon the safe return of the INGEâs crew. After all, these are people we all know, he thought. Although he tried to stay positive for himself and for the others, at the end of the day it was oddly freeing to succumb to his concerns and watch the skies with Vasâan, waiting for the cargo ship to return.
âLook,â Vasâan said suddenly, breaking the silence. âDo you see that?â
Kellworth squinted: there were three shapes in the distance, descending through the sky. âYes! I think thatâs them. Letâs meet them at the landing pad, Iâm sure the ground crew could use a handââ
But Vasâan had already started for the door. Kellworth grabbed his bag and followed.
As the crafts descended, two of them broke off and veered back towards orbitâlikely escorts meant to ensure the INGE would land safely in Harbor. Members of the ground crew were scurrying about, preparing for the landingâand to aid the INGEâs crew, if necessary. But thankfully, as the ship approached, Kellworth could see that the damage to the hull damage seemed largely superficial, aside from a rather large blast mark near the engines.
Vasâan had noticed it too. âLooks like they tried to kill the power to the engines,â they said darkly, their tail swishing. âBy the looks of it, these poachers knew what they were doing. Fortunately for the crew, Survey ships are built with plenty of backups to avoid getting stranded in the middle of uncharted space.â
The rescue crew immediately took position as the INGE settled onto the landing pad. But as the cargo door slid open, there was a collective sigh of relief: the INGEâs crew emerged looking mostly unharmed, aside from some minor bumps and bruises.
With a clack of his mandibles, the captain stepped forward. âCaptain Finjin of the AREZ INGE, delivering cargo and samples as orderedâ"
Kellworth cut him off. âYouâre unharmed! I canât thank you and your team enough, oh please donât worry about the cargo! Iâll take care of it from here, you all make sure to get yourselves to the medical bay for a check-up!â He hurried to follow as the porters, who had already collected the contents of the isolation chamber, moved towards the lab entrance.
Vasâan sighed faintly in relief. âAnd donât worry about the follow-up trip,â they added, glancing at Finjin and the rest of the crew. âI think youâve more than earned your holiday.â
âYou hear that?â Finjin said kindly to a calm but quietly exhausted Ecci, and gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. âLetâs get to medical, kid. Then why donât you tell me more about your plans for the Carnival?â
As they had been instructed, the porter drones took the cargo down to the ARC labs; Kellworth followed close behind. Different sections of the ARC flashed by as they hurried past: the greenhouses, the genetics lab, and of course, the Xero Wing that housed the classrooms, playrooms and computer labs where young Xeros learned.
Kellworth glanced through one of the classroom windows and made eye contact with a serious-looking baby Xero. He smiled. They gave him an evaluating look, then very solemnly waved. Briefly distracted by this, Kellworth walked through a doorway and nearly ran into a figure in a white lab coat.
âOh! Oops, Iâhey, Doctor,â he greeted. Dr. Ero MâTaw had come out to meet him, seemingly in a hurry: another young Xero was clinging onto their tail, peeking out at Kellworth. âSorry, didnât see you there. Whereâd you want us to put the samples?â
âLab #3, Kellworthâplease and thank you. I had it cleared out this morning in preparation for the delivery,â they said, relaxing at Kellworthâs easy smile. âNow itâs time for you to get to your classroom, small one,â they said firmly to the young Xero, who reluctantly released their grip and walked off.
âAre you teaching the kids this afternoon?â
âNot today. I found this one hiding under a desk,â Dr. MâTaw said. âThey remained quite silent on how they'd gotten there, but I believe they sneaked out of the dormitories. I gave t hem a snack and an explanation on lab safety.â They shook their head disapprovingly, although there was a fond glint in their many eyes. âHave you had lunch yet? I recently heard of this wonderful little place that I think youâdââ
They were cut off mid-sentence by two things: the first was the shrill sound of an alarm.
âźď¸ ALERT. UNKNOWN CONTAMINANT REPORTED. REMAIN IN YOUR CURRENT LOCATION AND AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THIS IS NOT A TEST.
The second was the cheerful jingle of Kellworthâs ringtone. He pulled out his pad and answered the call. âH-hello? Yes, I can hear youâuhh, yeah. Uh, what!? Hold on, Dr. MâTawâs here, let me put you on speakerââ
Vasâanâs voice, urgent and controlled, came out through the padâs speaker. âYes, this is Vas'an. Preliminary medical exams revealed that the INGEâs crew came back covered in spores. Apparently there was a leak somewhere in the isolation chamber that they didnât detect.â
âA leak!?â Kellworth said, taking in Dr. MâTawâs startled expression. âIs the crew okayââ
âWeâre tentatively classifying this as a Class 1A risk,â Vasâan said. âBut weâre starting a lockdown to isolate any possible exposure, we canât have any spores spreading to Harbor. Sit tight.â
Vasâan hung up. Kellworth pocketed his pad again, trying to collect his thoughts. âThere must have been some micro-shrapnel damage or something from the attack,â he said out loud. âThat could have broken through the isolation chamberâŚat least know we know how to track the spores.â But Dr. MâTaw still looked troubled. Kellworthâs heart sank a little.
âWhat is a Class 1A risk, anyways?â he asked. âI havenât heard that classification before.â
Dr. MâTaw took a few seconds to answer, speaking very slowly and precisely. âItâs not common. The â1â indicates a low risk to the general population, even accounting for the sporesâ dispersal through air. But an âAâ indicates high risk of infection in immuno-compromised individuals. That includes the sick, the elderlyâŚor the very young.â
With a vague feeling of dread, Kellworth followed Dr. MâTawâs gaze to the doorway that the Xero had just walked through, to the wing of the ARC where the other young Xeros lived.
****
âPERSONAL LOG ENTRY 1471 - TRANSCRIPTâ Well, it looks like the rumors were true. There is a ship just in the middle of nowhere, and itâs a total mystery to me how or why itâs here: itâs got no registry number, no active transponder, and it doesnât match any ship design I know. There are unusual organic readings within the craft, along with unknown energy signatures, but it does contain a habitable internal environmentâŚcurious. Well, maybe when Vasâan hears about this theyâll chew me out for being reckless, but what the Xeros told me has been right so far and weâve come all this wayâŚgoing to try and dock.
Although the ancient mechanisms creaked and protested, the massive door finally eased open with a groan. Behind it lay a large and dimly-lit room. Kellworth inhaled: the air was breathable but stale. That meant the active environmental processors were fairly old.
âHello? Anyone home?â he called out, his voice echoing down the metallic hallway. No response. Behind Kellworth, the young Xero shifted uneasily and clutched his arm more tightly. They had been remarkably well-behaved so far, he thought, and pretty brave to boot.
Kellworth called out again. âMy name is Kellworth. I heard that a biologist of great skill resides here, and we seek your services. If youâre there, could you answer us, please?â
Yes. I am here. Please wait. I will adjust myself to meet your visual spectrum.
A chill shot down Kellworthâs spine. The many-layered voice seemed to come from all directions, vibrating through the air oddly. The young Xeroâs claws dug into his arm.
As the lights began to brighten, Kellworthâs eyes focused on an unsettling sight: an operating table with some sort creature sprawled across it, being poked and prodded at by various spindly robotic implements. For a moment Kellworth assumed that a dissection of some sort was being carried out: then, as were robotic arms retracted and the creatureâs many marvelous eyes opened, he realized it was still alive.
âGah!â he cried out in alarm, backpedaling and maneuvering himself between the creature and the young Xero behind him.
âMy apologies. I should have made greater efforts to explain or perhaps censor myâŚwork.â The strange creature moved off of the operating table. Their voice sounded less echoing and more solid, as if it was coming from the creature itself: catching a glimpse of many wall-mounted devices, Kellworth realized that their voice had previously been projected through an array of speakers.
âI was merely taking a moment to, how you sayâŚevolve myself. Now this shape can vocalize in a way that will suit your comfort. You may call me the Curator. And you are Kellworth, you said?â
âYes,â âKellworth said,â taking a cautious step forward. âI sent you a message aboutâcan you help?â Keeping a respectful distance, the Curator bent down for a closer look at the small Xero. Their darting eyes seemed to scan over the Xeroâs fur and skin with pinpoint precision.
Then they reached out and poked one of the growths on the small Xeroâs back. The Xero squeaked. The glow emitted a soft glow in response. The Curator drew back contemplatively. âHmm, yes. Quite the predicament. Quite the predicament indeed. I suppose youâve come to me in hopes that I can separate these two organisms? Perhaps I could help. But I will require as much data on this species as you possess. It is not known to me.â With an alarmingly smooth motion, the Curator sprung up from their crouched position and began to pace. âNo, it is not known. This species must be new to the system. How strange! At the very least, the fungiâs growth can be slowed or halted. Reversed? Perhaps not entirely. Butâah, youâre still here,â they said, catching sight of Kellworth again. âYour data! I need it, please.â
âYes!â Kellworth said, snapping out of his daze: there was something about the sight of the Curator that was oddly mesmerizing. âIâll transfer what we have and go get you the samples we collectedâthank you, thank you! This is the first good news Iâve heard on this inâoh, I donât know how long. What a relief!â he beamed down at the young Xero, who was still sticking close by him; they wanted to go home. âIâm so glad! I thoughtâwell, I canât help but feel itâs my fault that this little guy got into this mess,â he confessed.
And then it all came pouring out. âI know I couldnât have predicted the biopirate attack and I didnât make the breach itself, but maybe if I hadnât rushed Vasâanâif the timing had been differentââ
âFault is irrelevant here,â said the Curator. âAnd blame cannot be placed on the shoulders of just one creature. Think! Your problem has a solution, and we shall find it.â
Something about the Curatorâs odd, almost cheery self-assurance made Kellworth let out a sigh of reliefâand wasnât that a bit of a reversal of his usual role?
âYou know what? I like your optimistic outlook. Iâll send a message when the samples are ready, but⌠Iâd prefer it if you didnât tell anyone I was here.â Kellworth replied, a note of seriousness entering his usually light tone.
âAs you wish!â said the Curator, blinking its many eyes. âAnd it is not optimistic. It is realistic. In this universe, there is nothing impossible. Only unknown.â
And for the first time since he stepped into this strange, uninviting ship, Kellworth felt hopeful.
****
Calling all volunteers!
As I'm sure you have heard by now, there has been an outbreak of non-native fungal spores in Harbor and the timing could not be worse. To help contain the outbreak, we're recruiting individuals with with previous experience or interest in the following fields: foraging, fungus identification, or mycology.
While the initial contamination has been contained, the existing fruits must be collected before they are allowed to produce more spores and succeed our containment capacities. Please report to the address below and await further instructions.
Thank you for your interest and assistance. Together we can ensure that this outbreak does not become a full-fledged spread of an invasive species!
And hopefully, Kellworth thought as he finished typing up the notice and posted it to the Social Services board. The collected samples would provide enough data for that poor Xero's treatment as well...
****
âAfter reviewing the provided samples,â the Curator announced, âI do believe there is a solution to our conundrum.â
Even after talking with the Curator for some time, Kellworth still found it difficult to understand them through whatever hacked-together encryption filtered their voice. But thankfully, there was no ambiguity in what they had just said. He perked up.
âOh! How wonderful to hear! We havenât been making much progress on our end other than just slowing the progressionâwell, and we prevented a weird fungus invasion, I suppose that certainly accounts for something. Even ifâanyways! What was your solution?â
The Curator blinked slowly. âAh, hmm. ARCâs inability to remove the fungal infection does not surprise me, as the fungi cannot be safely removed.â
âWhat?â Kellworth blurted out. He had not jumped through all of these hoopsâlocating the Curatorâs ship, sneaking the young Xero out of containment, going behind Vasâanâs backâjust for this, for nothing. âI thought youâyou just said there was a solution! Donât you get it!? This isnât a game or a fun little experimentââ
âCalm yourself,â the Curator said. âAnd allow me to finish my explanation. The fungi cannot be safely removed, that is correct. However, there is still a solution.â They motioned to the corner of the lab, where a large cylindrical machine had been constructed: it extended from the floor to the ceiling, and its workings were beyond Kellworthâs ability to discern. âThe reason why the fungi cannot be removed is because it has effectively become indistinguishable from the hostâs tissue at the points of contact. As ARC likely discovered, the growth can be halted, but not surgically removed.â
âOkay, yes,â Kellworth said, nodding. Privately, he wondered once again about the Curatorâs state of mindâforget sanity, was there even concern in there? Or just this strange scientific precision and laser-focused curiosity?
The Curator continued, either unaware of Kellworthâs uncertainty or tactfully ignoring it. âI have named this machine the Chrysalis. It works on a similar principle to the âGlitch Machineâ as Xeros have dubbed it, but instead of simply modifying a specific type of tissue, its effect is applied to the entire organism.â They pointed to the center of the device: a transparent pod, large enough for a creature to climb into. âThe Xero is in essence broken down into their base organic components. From there, we can input certain preset specifications to reassemble and effectively rebuild them.â
Kellworth took a little while to process this. âHang on,â he said as it dawned on him. âAre you saying that weâre going toâmelt down this Xero?â he sputtered. âLikeâinto goop?â
âThat is what I meant when I specified that they would be broken down into their base organic components, yes.â
âAndââ Kellworth leaned forward, feeling a little crazed. âYouâre absolutely, positively, one hundred percent super sure that you can put them back together afterwards, correct!?â
âYes,â said the Curator calmly. âDo not look so shocked, Kellworth. This is a process that has been mastered by many organisms, and now it will be mastered by Xeros. I assure you that the neurological system remains intact during the process, so barring any major complications, the Xeroâs memories and personality should be unaffected as well.â
Kellworth reached for a chair and sat down, suddenly feeling very tired. He had been advised that the Curatorâs methods might seem a littleâŚunusual but melting down a Xero? Melting?!
But what other option do we have? he thought bleakly. What else is left to try? At least the Curator was honestâmaybe a little too direct for Kellworthâs stress levels, but honest.
And it isnât up to me, he concluded. Iâm not the one with alien mushrooms sprouting all over me. I did what I could to find answers. Now itâs time for Ghost to decide what they want to doâŚ