The Karn Dominion, The Hybrid War, Contact and Assesment
This basically the introduction to a series I am working on. It will involve many different characters, and at one point they will be worked into a larger story. I apologize for my less than perfect grammar and pronunciation. I have yet to find a Beta or Proof Reader. Anyway the main thing is that my readers enjoy it!
The Karn Dominion, The Hybrid War
Contact and Assesment.
by William W. Kelso
The alien ship dropped out of slip drive and immediately launched probes and initiated a full scan of the surrounding space. It was clear of all but normal space debris, so the ship plotted a course for the planet that had been selected for colonization. The ships mission was to prepare the planet for colonization by "seeding" it.
As it approached the planet it launched thousands of specialist probes to gather the required samples and specimens. The probes were each designed to gather specific life forms in addition to the regular nonorganic and environmental samples. The planet had already been scouted by an earlier scout ship, and the seed ship had everything it needed for the mission. The planet had an intelligent species and civilization, but as it was only at a Stage 3 level of development and technology it would be of no threat to the seed ship. The seed ship was huge, and employed the most modern and sophisticated cloaking & deception technology, and was under no threat of being detected. But to be on the safe side the ship followed SOP and assumed a stationary orbit behind the planets only moon.
Now all it had to do was wait for the required samples and specimens to arrive for processing and assessment. The ship was mostly automated and run by the artificial intelligence unit, but it did have a small crew of specialists, scientists and technicians for maintenance, and to examine the specimens and determine the best course of action to facilitate the colonization of the planet. Despite the incredible capabilities of the AI unit, there were times when only a living crew could make the proper decisions.
The crew themselves were five foot tall rat like creatures called the Narg. They stood upright on powerful hindlegs, had four fingers on each hand, and large heads with four eyes. They had smooth bluish fur, and long prehensile tails. They were nude except for their equipment belts. Their nudity was of no notice though as they were neuters, neither male nor female as they were clones created solely to crew ships for their masters. It had been found that neuter clones made more efficient crews for the long voyages. Without any physical distractions like mating, or even attractions between members of the same sex, they tended to perform their duties much more efficiently. For them sex as a concept only, they understood it, but could never imagine what it was like. They were merely clones, servants of their Masters. They lived their entire lives onboard the ship. They would not actually land on the planet, their function was to prepare the way for the colonists.
The probes quickly reached the planet, and each one launched smaller specialist sub-probes to gather samples and specimens. Some merely took basic atmosphere and air samples at various altitudes, while others took water samples from the oceans and other bodies of water. Some gathered microbes and other small life, and others gathered larger specimens to include the largest living animals on the planet. But most important were the specimens of the dominant intelligent species. Most of the probes were redundant and repeats from the original survey, but the probes gathering the larger specimens were new and the most important.
The probes took several months to accomplish their assigned missions, and then return to the master probes with the required samples and specimens. All of the living animal specimens were alive and well, cared for by the probes environmental programs. They would be of no use dead. Altogether many thousands of samples & specimens were collected. Each would be carefully examined, and it would be determined which would be the most useful to help prepare the world for colonization. Some would be modified to be of more beneficial use. The majority of the "modifications" would be applied to the native intelligent species. Any life form that was a possible serious threat would simply be eradicated, but this was a rare measure.
The Karn, as the Masters called their race, were an ancient space traveling race, they had spread so far, and colonized so many worlds they had long forgotten where their own home planet was located. Some said it had gone supernova generations ago. They were a warm-blooded reptilian race, millions of years old. So far they had not encountered any other races as old, or advanced, as themselves. They were also a prolific race, and constantly needed to expand their sphere of influence. They conquered most intelligent species they encountered if their planets were of use, or made treaties and agreements with others if they were capable of significant resistance. There were hundreds of other races that were subject or servant races of the Karn, and many more who had been assimilated by being transformed into hybrids who were basically intelligent livestock, but none who were their equals. Their sphere of influence and control was called The Karn Dominion, and it covered thousands of light years of space.
For untold thousands of years the Karn and their servants had not conquered a planet with a civilization by armed conflict, instead they did it through ways that would cause little or no damage to valuable resources, including the intelligent native life of the planet. They had long realized that such methods as war were in the long run more costly and ineffective, and many wars would render a planet unusable. That did not mean they could not fight if necessary, a Karn battle fleet had more than enough fire power to easily destroy a star system, and they had never been defeated in the known history of any race who had encountered them.
Instead they used methods by which the planet and its life would be adapted to best serve the needs of the coming colonists. This conquest was accomplished through the use of advanced biological warfare employing special mutagen viruses. The viruses would each be created to perform a specific transformation. The animal donor genetic material was extremely carefully applied to the hosts DNA and RNA in the order to produce the desired results in the resulting transformation to a new hybrid species. These viruses would directly attack the DNA and RNA of the infected host, and caused varying stages of physical and mental transformations by actually "rewriting" the original hosts DNA and RNA. A kind of super advanced gene-splicing, but the changes affected 100% of the host's genetic makeup. There was no cure, no vaccines, and the transformation was irreversible. The result was new viable animal hybrid species (unless the Masters desired neuters) whose new functions would be to provide their new masters with manual labor, and perform other functions. They became the livestock the Karn and their subject races would use to colonize their own planet.
Possible adversaries and violent life forms capable of being a threat were not destroyed unless necessary, but were instead "modified" and transformed to become assets instead of dangers. Whether that life form was animal, or intelligent, meant no difference to the Karn. Each life form would be extensively studied to determine what kind of; if any, modifications might be required, and the extent of the modifications in order to have the most beneficial overall result. Initial specimens chosen for testing would then be infected with the viruses, and subjected to the "hybridization" processes. It was very rare that there would be any problems or unwanted side effects, but that of course was the reason for the test specimens. Each specimen would undergo the hybridizations required first, and if the tests were successful then the same hybridization transformations would be made to the rest of the species on the planet. If there was a problem of some kind the specimen would be destroyed, and new specimens obtained. However, there had been no problems for thousands of years.
Most of the time the intelligent species of a planet chosen for colonization would never even be aware they had been invaded and conquered until it was an accomplished fact. And even if they were they would be unable to resist to any significant degree, having been physically and mentally transformed into new hybrid species designed to serve their new masters. Intelligent races were rare, and to their credit the Karn realized their value and did not seek to destroy, but instead to assimilate them under their control. That did not mean the Karn would not destroy another race that was a threat, after all their own existence came first. The Karn were benevolent conquerors by galactic standards, and truly believed that what they did was for the best benefit of all. That the conquered species might not see it that way was of no concern to the Karn.
Earth was an easy target for them. The native technology was still mostly primitive with few exceptions, and there was no defense against the biological weapons that would be used against them. These weapons did not kill, but would transform the majority of native intelligent species into Human/Animal hybrids specifically designed to be of the most benefit to the following colonists.
It took the probes approx. six months to gather all the required specimens and samples for the use of the seeding ship scientists and other specialists. It took another two years of assessments, experiments, and tests before the mutagen viruses would be ready for deployment and dispersal into the planet's atmosphere. The scientists were very careful and thorough in their preparations because if they weren't their Karn Masters would be displeased. They served their Masters because they had no choice, and could not even think of any other way of life.
The target areas for the various mutagens were carefully selected based on population density, climate, terrain, and hundreds of other factors. Some areas would receive only one virus, some only a few, and others many. Some viruses would be dispersed in large quantities, others in very limited amounts. It was based mainly on the quantity and type of hybrids required to aid the colonists, and each hybrid would have a specific function.
There were five basic Stages of hybridization, each Stage more extreme. The level of the Stages would determine how much genetic material the donor animal species would supply to the infected human recipient, and how advanced the resulting physical and mental changes would be. There is some crossover between Stages, but the basic breakdown is:
(1) Stage 1. Human/Animal hybrid, approx. 10% genetic material from donor
animal. Hybrid will have minimal physical changes, but will receive
mental changes to make hybrid docile and cooperative. Function
will be mainly administrative and low level management. Approx. 5%
or less of subject race will receive these hybridizations.
(2) Stage 2. Human/Animal hybrid, approx. 10-25% genetic material from donor
animal. Hybrid will have noticeable physical changes, and will receive
mental changes to make hybrid docile and cooperative. Function will
be mainly to supervise and oversee higher Stage hybrids, and also to
perform lower level admin duties and techo/mechanical duties. Approx.
10% or less of subject race will receive these hybridizations.
(3) Stage 3. Human/Animal hybrid, approx. 40-60% genetic material from donor
animal. Hybrid will have advanced physical changes, and will receive
mental changes to make hybrid docile and cooperative. Some loss
of higher mental functions. Function will be mainly labor and to care
for, and work with, other hybrids and natural species. Approx. 30%
or less of subject race will receive these hybridizations.
(4) Stage 4. Human/Animal hybrid, approx. 50-75% genetic material from donor
animal. Hybrid will have more advanced physical changes, and will
receive mental changes to make hybrid docile and cooperative. Much
loss of higher brain functions and previous intelligence. Function will
be hard labor. Approx. 50% or less of subject race will receive these
hybridizations.
(5) Stage 5. Human/Animal hybrid, amounts of genetic material from donor animals
vary considerably. These hybrids are highly specialized, and are not
usually created in large numbers. They may have a limited period of
use so will not be viable, or may be capable of breeding depending on
their functions. Approx. 5% or less of subject race will receive these
hybridizations.
These were merely basic guidelines though. Many hybrids would have other specialized functions and levels and types of intelligence and abilities could vary greatly. Most Stage
3 or higher levels would lose the ability of coherent speech, but for the Stage 3 and similar hybrids communication was possible through the use of special translations collars that would allow the hybrid to speak. This was necessary in order for the hybrids to be able to communicate with their Karn Masters and other subject races. The hybridization process also usually included various levels of loss of higher brain functions, so while still intelligent enough to perform many duties a hybrid may no longer be able to read or write, or comprehend such concepts as time or planning ahead. Many would only be capable of living for the moment or day, much like their donor animal species. Others may even receive intelligence increases in order to provide better management or supervisory functions. The higher Stage hybrids would usually have little more than the intelligence of the animal donor species. All hybrids received many of the instincts and other traits of the donor animal species. This was especially beneficial with hybrids whose donor animals were domesticated livestock or pets, as they already had tendencies to be docile and easily trainable. The majority of hybrids also were subjected to retro and increased life spans. This was done to provide the colonists with a larger amount of younger hybrids capable of performing their functions, and the longer life spans were also beneficial. On the average the hybrids would receive retro life spans of 10 to 1, for every ten years of life so far lived they would be set back to one year, so a 50 year old would become a five year old. For younger hybrids this varied depending on the donor animal. Most would also receive extended life spans of approx. 100 years of useful service.
After completing the required tests and other procedures the seeding ship was finally ready to complete its mission. The various mutagen viruses were produced in the required amounts and the dispersal probes were readied and programmed. Several thousand probes were then launched, their destinations carefully prepared based on all pertinent data and current weather conditions. It took the probes ten days to perform their task, dispersing the viruses at various altitudes and in various concentrations. Once the probes returned to the ship all the crew had to do was signal the colony vessel that the planet would be ready for colonization in approx. thirty days. They would wait until the colony vessel arrived, and then would proceed to the next planet chosen for conquest. The fact they had just destroyed an entire civilization was of no concern to them as they lived only to serve, as would the new livestock species their actions created.
******************************************************************************