extinction log

Story by okmaster on SoFurry

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this is my newest creation I started about a week ago so I have not had time to do the full proofreading I normally try to preform. however it is in a readable state now.

I strongly request any thought or comments to be voiced on this one. I want to hear anything about it.

Also of note Zertan is a reptilian alien female as Sean (or properly named later on) is one left to imagination.

EDIT: after rereading the entire thing I added a little to the ending


61230.122.45.20

Entry log number three. After my initial report and entry and the examination of the subject it was decided sense it was my blunder to allow it on my transport that I will care for it. The reason for this is during the examination process the land it came from became uninhabitable due to nuclear weapons going off there and at many other points around the world. This caused all current observation and acquisition missions to be postponed except long distance surveillance. It is estimated a total of over sixty percent of the higher intelligent life was lost within the first lunar cycle. It is forecast this trend will continue at least three more times and the substantial loss of life will be reduced to the thousands within ten solar cycles. From there a steady decline of population till extinction.

Back to the subject. It had shown characteristics of fear and sadness observing this happen when the first weapons went off. It appears even it had an understanding of it's situation to a degree. It's attempts to communicate with us have been ignored and frustration is also beginning to show. Sedatives were administered when it became hostile.

61230.122.66.36

Entry continuation number three B. The subject is back to being conscious. It's confusion was for a short time before noticing the display of how it's home world looked. It stilled in observation noticing the destruction and started to shed water from it's observation sockets. From prior research subjects we have observed this reaction to be caused by pain. To the extent or reasoning it is caused now is irrelevant. All research on the species has became all but pointless.

I observed the reaction of the subject for some time. It knows I am nearby observing it. It put it's hand out to look at it itself then started to try to communicate again. This time however it was seeming to speak to itself instead to me. Perhaps it just desired another to listen to it. While all other research is pointless I theorize it could be important to continue the observation of the potential last of this species.

61230.123.14.05

Entry number four. Zertan here again. Per regulations sense I am the only one now doing these observations of the species as an individuals perspective I have added my designation to the logs. After a rest period for me and the subject it continued to observe the continued destruction of it's world. It seemed to know all it could do is observe. It then made strange noise. It was audio but not verbal. It was a body reaction I look in the research to find it's body is desiring fuel. After researching what it needed from prior observers I arranged a protein base nutrient to be got. It looked at the base confused and ignored the grumbling of it's stomach demanding the nutrients. Sense it was under my care I have deemed action to be had to aid in it's survival by example. I put a finger into the gel and took a small amount and put it in my own mouth to show it it was safe. After seeing my actions it looked at the nutrients some more still uncertain to try it before trying it by doing the same. It made a displeased face but after another protest of it's body the nutrients entered the subjects body.

61230.123.15.33

Entry number four B. Zertan here. A short continuation of the prior entry found relevant. It's behavior suddenly became strange. It started moving around the room in search for something. When something of satisfaction was not discovered it released a bowel movement. I believe it was searching for a bio waste disposal module. After gaining emergency permissions the subject was took to be cleaned and my room decontaminated after sedatives were administered. In my opinion this may have been unnecessary but was protocol. To prevent future events such as this one the subject will be shown basic information.

61230.126.20.41

Entry number five. Zertan here. After a full understanding of the digestive process of the subject, including the introduction of liquid elements, and training for proper process to do so, it has became almost obsessed to learn more of it's surroundings. While it looks at it's home world for extended periods still, it went around the room opening the compartments when it could. It never touched any of the contents until it came to an extra terminal I acquired from one of my acquisition missions. Sense it had no importance now sense their technology had progressed to surpass the terminal effectiveness with later models the terminal had been put in my storage. It first showed me the terminal looking to see if I objected it's touching or use and I was intrigued. Sense the ship has an effect on their devices power source I thought nothing of it but it became powered up to my surprise. The extended dormant state of the device must had allowed it to naturally charge using the fields the ship creates. He paused seeing my reaction of surprise and thought it humorous. I quickly calmed down to the situation to continue my observations.

I quickly found the subject creating a log of what happened to it sense it's leaving it's home world. At a distance I could not acquire details but it was obvious by what it was doing was recording a log of some kind. It did this for some time before leaning back satisfied. It then looked at me and opened a program that was of an image type. The image was crude but it was me. Showing my green flesh in a much brighter contrast and my eyes closer to the native reptiles of it's home world to my actual. Still it was humoring.

With what power is left to the device it played various time passing activities. It became frustrated when the power finally failed. This quickly passed as it put the terminal back where it got it. After that it leaned against a wall again and started communicating with itself or me. I have decided to keep an audio file of these one sided conversations for future observations and references.

61230.133.35.20

Entry six by Zertan. After discovering the terminal powered fully once again the subject tried to communicate again. This time visually. It opened the image program and drew crude images again. This time it was of itself and then of the world it was from. It knew I understood. Even at it's intelligence level it knew mine was greater and that was trouble. I was told to avoid such situations. The species can become hostile quickly. It held the terminal to show me till strength in it's limbs failed it and it took my answer sad. Shedding the liquid named tears.

61230.135.06.71

Entry seven by Zertan. I awoke from my rest to a disturbing sound. I had discovered the subject had attempted to self terminate. The way it attempted this is in my official report. This has caused me to reevaluate my actions on the subject. For starters it would rather cease being than survive the rest of it's species. It would rather attempt to survive on an irradiated world than live here without the needs of survival. This concept is baffling me and several of my fellow researchers. I consulted them while medical treatments were underway but no consensus could be had. In this position I took all the suggestions of present course to be had. The only change I have deemed worthy of making is a change in the dialog between me and the subject.

61230.136.11.34

Entry seven by Zertan. After being back in my room and seeing the terminal has been provided with a permanent power supply it seemed pleased for a moment. I gestured to the terminal and it opened the device. The open program on the device was the image it showed and a color I deemed to be negative for the species appeared threw the screen for a moment. It looks at me surprised and draws another image. This time it was asking if more could come to it. Again I showed a negative response. It looks at it's home world again and has a thought. This one was surprising. It asked if it was possible for those in the outer atmosphere of the world to come here. Sense they would be doomed to suffocate or starve or burn up on reentry it would be hard for them to be noticed at this point of their extinction. Still for what purpose would that serve I thought as I sent the question up to my seniors. Before I got a response the subject was already bringing up another image. This one was vastly different from the last question. It had a thin figure of one it's species beside the image of me it created from before. It seemed to be trying to introduce itself to me before trying to have me introduce myself to it. To the best translation I can muster I put my name in above the image. I was reluctant to do so but the mood of the subject changed considerably.

61230.140.12.11

Entry eight by Zertan and subject Sean. I have noticed I have synced my rest cycle to Sean's. Also threw communication threw the past few cycles of rest and activity introductions were done. The subject has identified itself as Sean. As best translated from their language to ours. Now a log of communication is open between us and conversations have started. Namely images of questions from him and responses of such from mine. As I namely use general colors for my responses to his and visual queries for my questions. Sean insisted on gender identification from now on instead of being called an it. After much conversing his mood has greatly improved. I have discovered that he refers to me as a female of his species. After I explained in little detail of what I am that is. I had been cautioned to not go much further into this communication experiment and will not progress our dialog methods any further. With several questions left unanswered by the both of us what is left is best described as idle chatter.

Also of side note I noticed he perform an attempt of self reproduction. He seemed embarrassed to being noticed doing so. Surveillance on what is named the laboratory was the right choice.

61230.152.33.60

Entry nine by Zertan and Sean. It is before our rest cycle and for a change he asked to bed beside me. It would be no more comfortable with him or without so I agreed.

61230.153.25.09

Entry ten by Zertan. I am not including Sean in this report. I was called to begin other duties. Upon my return I had discovered Sean had created some form of station. He seemed to have been experimenting with the gel of food and a light source as heat with a serving tray as the warming plate. It was ingenious use of tools at his disposal and caused trouble for him when reported. Disciplinary action will have to be done. Yet the question is what could be done to him worth it. He has just lost a large percentage of his species in a short period of time. Fighting for personal survival is killing even more. All we can do is observe the destruction. It would be a blessing to prevent him from knowing it by opinion.

On a side note the creation he made with the nutrient gel he seemed pleased with. Upon further experimentation transforming gel formed nutrients into a tangible solid form is possible. He knows he did wrong preforming his testing but the result may be beneficial.

61230.166.60.60

Entry eleven by Zertan and Sean. Upon release of isolation and return to the room he seemed slightly different. I can not place the issue and he did not look at the report of his home world either like he normally did. He instead went to the terminal and became very direct in asking me one thing. Completely ignoring the normal form of our communication. He wanted to know if he was going to be the last of his species. I feinted ignorance due to protocol. This did not stop him from trying again with our normal method of communication. Again I tried to avoid answering. He then turned off the terminal and put his back against the wall and remained.

Update on entry. I kept this out of this entry but later put it in. I figured this behavior was due to being isolated with no form of contact for an extended period of time. However after further thought the influence of isolation accelerated his state. The punishment did not work as intended but also worked too well. Revisions to my method of dealing with Sean should be considered.

61230.167.04.52

Entry twelve by Zertan. Sean refuses to eat or move. This is concerning. I theorize he is going to try to self terminate again. To compensate for this I have taken to surveillance of him constantly.

61230.171.12.24

Entry thirteen by Zertan. This action of not eating and little sleep with no activity continues. Because I am not mobile either I am meeting the same conditions. Eventually it changed it's attitude and raised up and went to the system that gives the nutrient gel and moved back to me and handed it to me. I wondered if he was trying to distract me as he attempted to self terminate again. I was reluctant to do so till he ate some first. I ate what remained as he got some more for himself.

61230.180.18.49

Entry fourteen by Zertan and Sean. The episode of him acting abnormally is over. He is once again interacting with the terminal and eating and resting normally. Still there are differences in him. Not enough for me to forego my duties anymore. During an inquiry about Sean in an interested colleague it was noted that I refer to him by name and gender outside my personal observation log. I shall have to discipline myself in order to fix this breach of protocol.

Revision of entry. My decision to self punish has been retracted. A notable factor of efficiency of duties has been noticed. Before my standard of speed and quality was maintained but now I am now working at greater speed while maintaining quality. This jump in efficiency is believed due to the fact I have took Sean in. My theory is with my work done sooner I can see Sean sooner.

61230.190.14.37

Entry number fifteen by Zertan and Sean. It has been noticed that this is the longest duration we have held any of Sean species. No observation lasted more than five lunar cycles and we are well past that now. At this point I believe Sean is no longer interested in returning to his world but still wishes rescue of his species. In a small way I can understand in theory. If I learned I would be the last of my kind I would desire to attempt their rescue as well. Word came to the request of outer atmosphere survivor rescue and it was denied. There would be no reason to use resources that much. I decided to keep this fact from him.

61230.222.45.01

Entry number sixteen by Zertan and Sean. Almost one third of the time Sean has come originally came to now is the duration from my last log entry to this one. Little had changed to the day to day between us however I had noticed his left upper appendage would grip my own on the right side when I would finish from my rest cycle. This is one of many subtle changes I have noticed in myself and the interaction with Sean. All of which have no effect on my duties so they have been overlooked till now. Upon evaluation I see no reason to stop these events.

61231.001.08.12

Entry number seventeen by Zertan and Sean. Today I have noticed a change of behavior in Sean. Or rather he has been refraining from doing something in his normal operations. For the last six rest cycles he has not attempted to self reproduce. If this continues I may inquire to why.

61231.001.39.65

Entry number seventeen B. This is a continuation of the previous log. After my normal duties and returning to my rest chambers and during my idle conversing with Sean he asked me an unorthodox question. He began to to ask this question by showing a strait line with one appendage and a circle on the other. He proceeded to them put the line inside the circle and move it around. After he knows I saw what he was doing he gestured to himself and me. This confused me to not understanding. He then began to interact with himself showing the line represents his reproductive organ. He was making a request to breed with me I then realized. The unorthodox question was enough to make me hesitate. However logically he would have much better odds to reproduce with me than alone. This I concluded is the reason why he has been attempting to do so alone. He has been training himself to be able to preform the act. I began consulting my superiors on this development immediately.

61231.001.77.01

Entry number seventeen C. A third and final continuation of the previous log. The act of reproduction with Sean had been left to me. As long as I make a full report on the act. The easiest way to do this is by making a visual log as well.

I got approval before our rest period and considered waiting till after my next duties to preform them. However I informed him that I would allow the action by making the same sign he did initially. His eagerness had caught me by surprise. I was planning to do some research on breeding before the actual act to have efficiency of the act optimized. However it seemed he already had some knowledge of the subject. To my shame I did not know I could lose rational control of my body during this. He began to press his lips against my shoulder and move them along the side of my body. He quickly let me decide the next course of action and I got over him so our breeding could begin. I did not expect my body to experience the things it did. At first neural irritation before what is best described as ecstasy. I can not accurately describe it further. The only thing of accurate note to be given is the duration of the breeding act. It went on much longer than I thought it would.

61231.002.18.32

Entry eighteen by Zertan and Sean. I did not expect the act of breeding to take such a tole on the body. Sean began the day by looking at his home world again. This is the first time he has for more than a glance in some time. I began to ready for my normal duties as I always did and he turned to me. He had the appearance he desired something from me. Threw our normal method I determined he wished to leave the room. Perhaps to determine his self value to me or the ship. This would be have to be done till after my coming work period and I informed him of such.

61231.004.39.40

Entry nineteen by Zertan and Sean. Permission for Sean to tour the ship and it's occupants have been granted. We began by touring the individual chambers of the others of the ship. They have been briefed of simple to use commands via upper body appendage that Sean will understand. Next were the unrestricted sections but he seemed to hold no interest in those. Upon the first opportunity he could he began to ask about what he could do to help out the ship. While it is true he has been little but a strain on the ship to this point he has also been a very valuable source of information concerning adaption. The mere fact he considered breeding with me shows us that he is becoming more evolved than the rest of his species. This might be a forced evolution to continue species existence.

While being granted more access to the ship pleased him it is also noted having no duty for him to preform had a similar opposite effect for a short duration.

61231.080.34.13

Entry twenty by Zertan and Sean. Assistance for breeding assistance between me and Sean has been approved. While we have attempted breeding several times sense our first time it has became clear we are not compatible as it is. This is not an unforeseen outcome due to it's probability of happening. It is surprising as well that Sean made a request to another of the crew. It was unexpected as he attempted to keep it secret from me that he had requested two low value metal bands be made. I made the decision to allow this secret have the appearance to be kept. When he got them he gave me one. This is when I figured out that this was a further courting ritual beyond breeding. Naturally I accepted to keep his mood in a positive state.

On a side note Sean has taken to paroling the passages of the ship. He does this nonstop during my normal work sessions.

61231.140.40.60

Encrypted entry twenty one by Zertan and Sean. Clearance level B required. I am making this log in parallel to my official report. At 61231.140.22.23 a pirate raid happened lasting a duration of 0.000.00.44 on the ship. We were a H class research vessel consisting of ten scientists, including myself, two pilots, two maintenance engineers and one observation and interaction subject. Upon detection a S class shuttle we took it as a passer by. Just getting our information for their logs as is most standard procedure for interstellar craft. Upon identification of one another a trade request is sent from the shuttle to us. They required supplies. Sense it was a commodity we had plenty of the senior researcher approved the request. Everything went according to standard trade laws till they boarded the ship and saw we had no armed security personnel. They became hostile. I was preforming my normal duties in my workstation when they barged in with the others of the crew. I was knocked to the side when pushed and they noticed I was child bearing. It is likely they saw me less of a threat or of an asset of some kind. There is rumor some slavery uses child bearing. It was during this time that I noticed at least one engineer and two science colleagues had been fatally injured. Rationally I saw myself with several openings to act. I had the plasma cutter I was using to test the new alloy in development with me still. They were showing me little notice to the pilots and other engineer like the other scientists. Physically we were no match for them even with the numbers.

At 0.38 of record an additional scientist was fatally injured and our other engineer severely harmed. If treatment was not preformed he would also pass. This occurred when the scientist attempted to resist forceful breeding. One still did so with her while the other was distracted with some of the nutrient experiments. At this time Sean had been able to acquire a pipe with sufficient strength to be used as a blunt instrument. The crack of the blunt force trauma could be felt as the second pirate only saw his compatriot cranium split open. I was still frozen unable to act as the second pirate brought his weapon to injure Sean. Sean reacted with the pipe to knock the threat away leaving them both unarmed. The next action was them both to tackle one another. The brawl, as best described, seemed evenly matched. That is till the two pilots intervened. Sense they were trained with hand to hand combat they helped restrain the second pirate.

At the time this report and log is made we have abandoned all surveillance of Sean's home world with the exception of surveillance satellites. After deployment we began our return to the home fleet. I find Sean most puzzled about what just occurred. After a simple explanation in our chambers, after standard safety checkups were had, he began his inquiry. Asking things not of my assigned role. However because of recent events his inquires had validity. Such as why there was no security on the ship? Why dock with the pirates when they could be hostile and we had no means of defense. Most relevant to him was the inquire of what will happen to him is one he wished to know the most but I had no answer. Sense he was in my care via senior researcher orders due to our observation mission his validity on board was acceptable. Now even his attempt of reproduction may be rejected by fleet command. I find these developments most disturbing. As a living organism myself carrying another living being inside me that is my genetic legacy, which is the absolute truth of all organisms such as myself, I find myself puzzling if I will have to go against the decision of the collective. If I would be willing to threaten self termination for Sean or our genetic link to one another. Even with my advanced mind I sense my comprehension of the situation is lacking.

As I make this report and log Sean looks at me. It is a strange look I have not seen from him before. Yet I do not detect any confusion from him.

61321.211.42.12

Entry twenty two by Zertan. I had discontinued from keeping up with this log till now because the mission requirement for it was over. However now I am in charge of my own research ship and can assign missions relevant to research. The best place to begin to update this log is with Sean and our legacy link named Diana. While she has no audio output like me she does have a limited form of input. This in turn reduces the effectiveness of her natural ability at times. Yet this is not lacking to her advantage. With the additional weak input sensory she can pinpoint issues involving it much faster. This also would have formed a bridge of direct communications between others and Sean but Sean did not pursue this course. He in fact changed little in the time from my last report.

When we returned to the fleet and reassigned we were split for a time. But because I am the only one experienced with communications with him to higher degree he quickly rejoined me. It was not long before his rituals were noticed as well. The military command quickly noticed his patrols of our ship. While a class B science ship is much larger he would patrol it almost as quickly as he did on our previous ship. It also became apparent while genetically superior to him physically the military were slightly lacking. I concluded that this is because he was born in a much greater gravity than on a ship. While he has weakened in the time with us he has also kept a vigorous exercise schedule he almost never swayed from it. And while he said he has no formal combat training either his strength and mass of muscle has made him something of a bar for the military persons to obtain. He quickly became something of an exercise instructor for them.

It is during these exercises something has been noticed. When one of the young trainees fell over panting from exhaustion he lifted the trainee up with one hand. The trainee is uncertain but it was thought that they heard Sean speak like we do. Saying that there was no shame being weak. It is unity in a fighting force that makes it strong. Later in that individuals life they became the leader of an elite defense force later credited to saving the fleet from destruction. While they perished in the fight with low odds of success it is reported from the one survivor that they would not have succeeded without Sean's training or instructions. While no official instructions have ever been given by him many military persons say he is a very wise teacher.

Often when Diana was little Sean would carry her on his back as been displayed by both of our species. This evolved as she grew to eventually she doing her daily exercises with him. When she was in full adulthood their schedules only ever allowed them to meet this way on rare occasions it was obvious that she did so on her own accord at every opportunity. The unity of a natural birth is a strong bond as recorded time and again. While many find Diana actions of doing this puzzling I too can not help but long to be with him. Finding myself pushing my own mental limits to speed up my research times. When she has free time and unable to spend it with Sean she comes to me and helps with my research. Her mental acuity is on par with mine in scale and ability. She is something of the perfect citizen. Able and willing to do any position demanded of her. From the lowest tier of engineer to the ability to tactical fleet command. She does not stay put long because many need her. It was no surprise she soon requested to set out on her own for fleet procurement missions. Sean seemed almost humored that on her first return of trade she had acquired three medium sized ships and seven smaller ones. Her accomplishments do not end there as she is now head of a trade colony. The fleets first in many generations. This is where Sean now resides. Sense it is also our primary military training location because of this fact.

The fact is the reason I started this log once again is that an update has been had from the beacons left behind at Sean's home world. I find myself looking at the band he presented me. It has sense been modified when Diana was born to have the geographical map put on his home world on my ring and the same for mine on his. The records to find that information required much research. Revealing the fact we have lost much over the time we have lost our own home world. We were just lucky enough to have interstellar traveling before then. Back to the beacons reports. In recent time the population of Sean's species held at about three million. Flexing by about fifty thousand for variable increases and loss. It seemed his species may have a chance of survival. The majority seemed to have bonded into a form of city states trading with one another. While one was on the verge of space travel once again another attacked it. This collapsed their rebuilt society into a state of extinction war. Three became two and a half with the initial attack. That became two in the next. From there a rapid steady decline that eventually became bands fighting one another for individual survival. There are still strongholds of society but no location has the population to rebuild for many generations. Few seem to have the resources left to survive it.

I informed Diana of this before and Sean seemed to have little reaction at first to the news. She as well reacted to this as I had with first learning but his response is slightly strange. I requested Diana to raise surveillance on Sean as a precaution. I find myself worrying. While she is a sound individual she has a tendency to allow her emotion control her actions. While this has benefit her many times in the past I fear it may hinder her rationality now.

Upon thinking of Sean and my worry over him I am drawn to my first encounter with him. He was in an orange wearings with his arms and legs bound. I had later learned threw research this is the modern method of transporting criminals of the lands crimes. I had often pondered what crime he committed.

61321.222.32.21

Entry number twenty three by Shawn via Diana's assistance. Final entry. My wife has passed away last night. Out daughter explained it best she could to me that her body has been reaching the limit of her existence. In short she died of old age. To our daughters knowledge she was the oldest member of her species by a large margin. Living almost twice as long as normal. Because of the genetic abnormalities added from me Diana's life should be able to meet this. Considering my time is almost up as well I can understand. I often think of the day I first met her. After escaping the prisoner transport when it was attacked I stumbled upon what I thought was an abandoned shack. I thought either my loyal military would be there to rescue me or the insurgent force would find me and execute me. In theory because of my disappearance a civil war broke out. Each side believing I was with them. Sense we had the power of nuclear weapons they were launched. In response other nations took action. In result the end of the world. I do not know still if it was fate or divine providence but I was rescued by that green reptilian alien. Seeing what happened I easily concluded the truth. I brought about the end of my entire species.

When I learned about what happened I wished to die again but I still had reason to live. I will continue on for Diana. She is what is left of the future of my species now.

61339.122.60.18

Log conclusion by Diana. With the exception of the hybrid adaptation inside me the species of this log has become extinct. As of 07.04 ago the subject of this log, the last remaining of it's species, suffered a cardiac episode. Many leaders of my people attended his final moments including myself. Our history will remember him as one that lost everything. His home world, his entire species and even his will to live for a time. Yet if it was not for this individual to strive to rebuild. The ability to regain something lost. We may never have resettled on a new planet. We may have never attempted to restart our culture. We may have never changed. We may only hope that the mistakes of our past do not repeat. For our children sake. For my children sake.