Primal Estate: The Candidate Species (12 page)
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Authors: Samuel Franklin
BOOK: Primal Estate: The Candidate Species
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Nwella turned her flashing eyes away from the assembled Provenger and trained them on a particularly attractive carnate male suspended within his circle. He looked back at her with fear in his eyes when he met her gaze. Nwella raised her short, curved knifed gauntlets, the style designed especially for the banquets, her only raiment, and made fists that she positioned before her face. She clinked the blades together as the young man hoped for mercy. Nwella let out an open-mouthed hiss, sourced from the back of her throat, baring her teeth, intending to terrify him. To her disappointment he did not scream but only watched in horror.
The circles were floating freely and each movement of the victims’ arms and legs struggling in their restraints changed the course and spin of their circular rack. In a moment, they were floating in every configuration. This would make them a challenge to mount with elegance.
The circles were floating freely and each movement of the victims’ arms and legs struggling in their restraints changed the course and spin of their circular rack. In a moment, they were floating in every configuration. This would make them a challenge to mount with elegance.
Half the Provenger began to move in on their meals as the signal was given, just a subtle tone shift in the music. Nwella, aiming herself at the young man on the rack in front of her, jumped into the zero gravity field in a single leap. Tears and whimpers gave way to screams. What all the carnate knew and feared most was now real.
Nwella caught him in the side of his rib cage with her right blades first, then pivoted on that stick, swinging to his opposite side, while grabbing him with her legs wrapped about one thigh and finally sticking in her left blades, in a razor-hooked bear hug around his torso. Her contact with him in the zero gravity field sent the frame and its two occupants gyrating, spinning wildly.
Nwella caught him in the side of his rib cage with her right blades first, then pivoted on that stick, swinging to his opposite side, while grabbing him with her legs wrapped about one thigh and finally sticking in her left blades, in a razor-hooked bear hug around his torso. Her contact with him in the zero gravity field sent the frame and its two occupants gyrating, spinning wildly.
With her left fist clenched to get her fingers out of the way she plunged the curved blades deep into the connective tissue between his ribs and twisted, locking the blades in place. With the opposing forces of her left blades sunk in his ribs and her ankles locked into his groin, she removed her right blades from his flesh, raising them up near his neck. She paused. They looked into each other’s eyes. Had one seen only that image they would have looked as lovers in the throes of a passionate goodbye. He let out a groan of agony straight from his fear of death, a disbelief of the inevitable, and a sorrow at the realization that such a lovely thing could be so cruel.
As the other carnate secured on their floating frames looked on and screamed, Nwella’s victim became quiet, until she crunched her teeth into his lower lip. Violently shaking her head, she bit it off his face and chewed. He emitted the pale cry then the shrill scream of a man quickly learning new definitions of horror. She swallowed. A moment with his head thrashing about, attempting to escape, and she cut his neck at the carotid artery with both blades, careful not to sever the wind pipe, allowing him his continued agonized shrieks.
As the other carnate secured on their floating frames looked on and screamed, Nwella’s victim became quiet, until she crunched her teeth into his lower lip. Violently shaking her head, she bit it off his face and chewed. He emitted the pale cry then the shrill scream of a man quickly learning new definitions of horror. She swallowed. A moment with his head thrashing about, attempting to escape, and she cut his neck at the carotid artery with both blades, careful not to sever the wind pipe, allowing him his continued agonized shrieks.
She took a deep breath and plunged her face into the lower cut, imperfectly sealing her lips on the wound, blood pumping from his heart, down her open throat and into her stomach. Pressurized by his rapid heartbeat, the blood flowed freely from the second cut, and it filled the air around Nwella, floating on zero gravity, liquid bubbles twisting and bowing from the wave action within. When these wafting balls of blood reached the edge of the field, they fell to the floor, soon pooling together beneath the doomed. Nwella managed an inadvertent swallow now and then, as the blood pumping into her slowed. The screams reached an infectious din as other Provenger jumped and clung and ate from their chosen.
Slowly the screams changed to moans and whimpers as the victims watched their own and their neighbors’ bodies become torn and disemboweled. It had been bad form for Nwella to cut the artery so quickly and deprive the others of a lively struggling meal. But that is why others didn’t like her. Poor table manners aside, she was selfish and always seemed to break the rules.
Slowly the screams changed to moans and whimpers as the victims watched their own and their neighbors’ bodies become torn and disemboweled. It had been bad form for Nwella to cut the artery so quickly and deprive the others of a lively struggling meal. But that is why others didn’t like her. Poor table manners aside, she was selfish and always seemed to break the rules.
Given the large amount of meat, organs, and blood to be consumed, the event was surprisingly short. As each had their fill, they released themselves from their victim, pushed away and out of the gravity-free sphere. They dropped to the floor splashing in a puddle of blood. Nwella was among them, naked bodies all, saturated inside and out with the blood and flesh of their victims. As they hit the floor, they stripped off their gauntlets and threw them to the side of the room so that the others who fell would not be cut or impaled. What happened next defies a rational explanation, given the usual sophisticated behavior of the Provenger.
In the smell of the blood and its slippery silk texture, they had driven themselves to a frenzy. Bodies writhing in masses on the floor along with chunks of their victims flesh, covered in blood, most Provenger blinded from it stinging their eyes, they indulged themselves in whatever debauchery occurred to them. This was their custom.
In the smell of the blood and its slippery silk texture, they had driven themselves to a frenzy. Bodies writhing in masses on the floor along with chunks of their victims flesh, covered in blood, most Provenger blinded from it stinging their eyes, they indulged themselves in whatever debauchery occurred to them. This was their custom.
Nwella, with her prancing about, had caught the attention of many of the Provenger, male and female. Her show was a challenge and an invitation to them. They had kept track of her location during the feeding and, though it was now difficult to recognize anyone, they crawled through each other to get to her. Some desired to hurt her for the infraction of a killing cut so early in the feeding, while others were bent on her pleasure. The most any of them got was a part of her, while the whole of her enjoyed it all.
Nwella recalled it all as though it was only yesterday and yearned for another banquet to indulge her lusts.
Nwella recalled it all as though it was only yesterday and yearned for another banquet to indulge her lusts.
With Nwella gone from his office, Synster began to formulate a plan. Before he could report complications to the committee, he must get some samples and see for himself exactly how bad things could be. He called in Layrd to order a harvest of humans from three different locations. He needed samples from locations where the tainted flesh would be the worst. The North American continent would probably be the best source based off of the initial information he had. He made the order.
Layrd informed him there was an additional concern about their scans. “I think we may have been detected but not identified.”
“Explain.”
“Explain.”
“When our probe was orbiting, it passed in front of one of their satellites. It was fully cloaked, but it may have caused a wave shadow. Subsequently, an entire series of signals emanated from multiple locations on Earth. These identical signals seemed to be looking for the phenomenon again, or trying to establish conditions that could simulate it. That we know of, none of their technology is programmed to look for such a phenomenon. So we suspected it was a single human that observed it. Not likely, I know, but it was our most logical conclusion. We followed the signal to its source for the initiation of the series and isolated an identification number that is commonly assigned to individual humans, in this case, a number authorizing these transmissions. We traced it to this human, Richard Thompson. We have this address. Shall we terminate him?”
“Not yet. Was he able to see the scanner?”
“Not yet. Was he able to see the scanner?”
“No, it was a chance occurrence. Not likely to happen again; in fact, we will make sure it doesn’t.”
“Good. Conduct a level four surveillance on Thompson and give me a full report in 48 hours.”
“Good. Conduct a level four surveillance on Thompson and give me a full report in 48 hours.”
Layrd left. Synster sat in his office alone and realized his error. His conversation with his daughter revealed it to him. In his arrogance, he had overlooked a major element in the use of the Algorithm for this project. Just as the humans thought they could add a chemical to their bodies to repair a complex failing system, he thought he could manage deleterious effects of wheat to limit the advancement of technology. But the same effects that caused a myriad of health and psychological problems, caused them to also poison themselves in an attempt to correct it. Certainly, the Algorithm was incredibly complex as well as incredibly thorough. Intellectually, he had no doubt it should work. And yet, it stunk of the same pride the humans displayed in their audacity to think they could even begin to directly control the functional nature of their own physiology, the details and subtleties of which they had only begun to understand.
Synster wondered about the future of the project. Had he been operating under the same audacity, so certain in his intelligence that he believed he could use computing power and algorithms to overcome the inherent uncertainties in all wave systems and predict outcome parameters over centuries and millennia? He was adding agriculture of an unnatural grain to a complex environmental system, just as they were adding drugs to a complex physiological system. Would he be as wrong? He was just as arrogant as they were. How could he be so stupid? There was no going back. He was completely committed.
Synster wondered about the future of the project. Had he been operating under the same audacity, so certain in his intelligence that he believed he could use computing power and algorithms to overcome the inherent uncertainties in all wave systems and predict outcome parameters over centuries and millennia? He was adding agriculture of an unnatural grain to a complex environmental system, just as they were adding drugs to a complex physiological system. Would he be as wrong? He was just as arrogant as they were. How could he be so stupid? There was no going back. He was completely committed.
Chapter 8
Quality Control
Quality Control
Layrd had decided to personally supervise the sample collection. It would be a simple matter. He selected three sites. The first was centered in the North American Continent, political jurisdiction of the United States of America, State of Texas. The second location was in East Asia, political jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China, Guangdong Province. The third was western Asia, the political jurisdiction of Afghanistan, the outskirts of Sangar.
Layrd chose to accompany the team conducting the sample harvest from the Texas location. Each area was chosen for its particular population density, potential drug availability, and level of technological development. Each location also had a natural event in progress that would easily mask the abduction without the notice of authorities. The Provenger were currently ramping up their own natural disaster program for harvest missions but didn’t yet have their technologies in place. In Texas there was a tornado, in Guangdong there was a typhoon, and in Sangar there was civil disruption during a dust storm. In each location, five samples were ordered, more or less, with a range of ages from childhood to elderly.
Texas
Forty-eight-year-old Sam Caldwell was just getting the grill heated when his wife, Kerrie, arrived from the kitchen with the burgers and sausage. “Are the buns defrosting?” he called to his wife. She nodded. Sam wanted to try a new Kielbasa with his burger, and their seventeen-year-old son’s birthday was the perfect excuse.
Ron, Sam’s son, had decided he wanted to celebrate his birthday outside since the forecast was good, thinking it might be easier to sneak away sooner with his new girlfriend, Laura, who was also there. Aunt Ginny had just arrived, over from Oklahoma with her new friend, Pat, and they were getting the cake and ice cream out of their car. Other family members were on the way.
Ron, Sam’s son, had decided he wanted to celebrate his birthday outside since the forecast was good, thinking it might be easier to sneak away sooner with his new girlfriend, Laura, who was also there. Aunt Ginny had just arrived, over from Oklahoma with her new friend, Pat, and they were getting the cake and ice cream out of their car. Other family members were on the way.
Sam had just built a new shelter at his place in Bergman, Texas, and when he saw the tornado, he knew, revealing just a little satisfaction, this would be the first time they’d use it. They hadn’t heard any warnings on the radio, and the approaching tornado wasn’t that big. But they did see it coming in the distance, and it appeared to be heading right for them. It was unfortunate because it was an especially nice day and, though November tornados are rare, they do happen.
Sam and Kerrie covered the food and brought what they could down into the shelter. It was only built for six with a little extra room for storage that hadn’t even been claimed yet, so the food had a great place to rest. They went back out, grabbed some drinks, and ushered the others to safety.
Sam and Kerrie covered the food and brought what they could down into the shelter. It was only built for six with a little extra room for storage that hadn’t even been claimed yet, so the food had a great place to rest. They went back out, grabbed some drinks, and ushered the others to safety.
From across the yard, Kerrie yelled over the increasing wind. “Sam, I shut the dogs in the house. They were getting into the food.”
Sam waved his hand at Kerrie. “They’ll be alright. It probably won’t hit us.” Sam watched the twister as Aunt Ginny and her friend Pat, followed by Ron and Laura, walked down into the shelter. Sam held Kerrie’s arm as he helped her down last. He pulled the door closed just as the wind started to pick up. Maybe we will get hit, he thought as he reached up to bolt the door.
Sam waved his hand at Kerrie. “They’ll be alright. It probably won’t hit us.” Sam watched the twister as Aunt Ginny and her friend Pat, followed by Ron and Laura, walked down into the shelter. Sam held Kerrie’s arm as he helped her down last. He pulled the door closed just as the wind started to pick up. Maybe we will get hit, he thought as he reached up to bolt the door.
At that moment, the door swung open. Sam was startled because he thought the wind was taking it. There was a large man standing there. He was bald and wearing a tight, gray, collarless long-sleeved shirt. Before Sam could speak, he yelled over the wind, “This is an emergency.” He gave six thick bracelets to Sam. “We have to get out of here. Give one of these to each carnate!”
“What?” Sam yelled.
“What?” Sam yelled.
“Each person, one to each person.”
At first Sam thought they were radios. He quickly obeyed and as he did Sam realized they must be some kind of GPS, in case they were separated. Then he wondered how this man knew there were exactly six of them. As soon as he handed the last one to Laura, the bracelet in his hand moved on its own to his wrist. It clamped down, encircling it, making a distinct latching sound. A feeling of dread overwhelmed him as he heard the same metallic clamp from all the others. Sam’s vision quickly dimmed to black.
At first Sam thought they were radios. He quickly obeyed and as he did Sam realized they must be some kind of GPS, in case they were separated. Then he wondered how this man knew there were exactly six of them. As soon as he handed the last one to Laura, the bracelet in his hand moved on its own to his wrist. It clamped down, encircling it, making a distinct latching sound. A feeling of dread overwhelmed him as he heard the same metallic clamp from all the others. Sam’s vision quickly dimmed to black.
Provenger Nation Ship, Physiology Unit
Kwinon touched the green circle on the main panel and flooded the chamber with an imperceptible gas that brought the occupants of the “Texas” room awake. Kwinon turned to her coworker, Daytnin. “We’ll do the China and Afghanistan room after lunch. A class is observing for those also.” Daytnin nodded.
Kwinon touched the green circle on the main panel and flooded the chamber with an imperceptible gas that brought the occupants of the “Texas” room awake. Kwinon turned to her coworker, Daytnin. “We’ll do the China and Afghanistan room after lunch. A class is observing for those also.” Daytnin nodded.
The doors of the vivisection theatre room opened, and a class of sixteen-year-old students quietly filed in and sat in the graduated rows, behind glass, perched above the operating deck. Some looked nervous, others eager. Their teacher came in last and waved to Kwinon. Daytnin rolled out a table with instruments and walked to the first table.
The subjects were all fully awake now. All six had been stripped of their clothes, cleaned, and dried. They were each secured to their own table with straps on their foreheads, necks, wrists, and ankles. The tables had a deep groove all around the edge that terminated with a drain at the foot.
The subjects were all fully awake now. All six had been stripped of their clothes, cleaned, and dried. They were each secured to their own table with straps on their foreheads, necks, wrists, and ankles. The tables had a deep groove all around the edge that terminated with a drain at the foot.
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