The Intelligence (working title)

Decided to have a go at writing a Sci-Fi story. Check out the prolgue and let me know what you think!

The echoing bang of a sonic boom shattered the peace of an early Saturday morning in Charmouth. Richard looked up from his phone in the direction of the noise. Several more bangs echoed over the calm sea, sounding this time more like explosions. He rose from his spot outside the café on the seafront where he had been enjoying his morning coffee. The noise was getting closer. His heart beating hard in his chest, he saw smoke rising from the horizon. A jet shot overhead before banking and heading back out to sea, a missile leaping out towards a distant object that was getting closer.

Richard turned and ran, animal fear lending energy to his muscles. He took his car key out of his pocket intending to get away as quickly as possible. He glanced behind; an object had now come into view. A large dark grey sphere was heading towards the coastline. Explosions were rippling over its surface but causing no apparent damage.

Reaching the main road and turning towards the holiday cottage he and his girlfriend had rented for the week, he could see her stood next to the car. In her dressing gown and slippers, she was looking towards the object in the sky. Richard waved trying to get her attention over the sound of explosions that were terrifyingly close. “Get in the car” he screamed, pressing the button to unlock it.

The object suddenly passed overhead making him lookup. It was perfectly smooth, dull grey and the size of a jumbo jet. As it disappeared over the rows of houses, a piece of the object peeled off and plummeted towards the ground. Jumping back with a curse, his eyes widened when, instead of pounding a crater in the pavement, the teardrop-shaped piece bounced, heading right for him. He ran into the road trying to escape it. The object curved in mid-air, striking Richard square in the chest. Catapulting him across the road into the wall of a house, screamed in pain as he felt his ribs crack. The object began to wrap around his body. Desperately, he tried to grab it and push it off, only for his hands to sink into the uniform substance and get stuck. In panic he started shouting for help, looking for his girlfriend only to see her running from him in fear. His protests were cut short as the substance enveloped his head. Trying in vain to suck in a breath, he felt his jaw being clamped shut and his nose covered. A sharp pain penetrated his chest, and he knew no more.

The intelligence had scanned ahead and found what it was looking for. One of the organisms from the dominant species of the planet was fleeing from the explosions. It dropped a small portion of itself as it passed overhead, then continued on its way to find more. The organism made strange vocalisations as the small portion captured it.. Once it had fully enveloped the organism, it penetrated the surface to begin inserting microfilaments. The back of the object touching the wall of the dwelling branched out creating root-like structures that insinuated themselves into the building. Absorbing elements as it went adding to its mass and anchoring itself to the wall of the building. It used the iron from the pipes in the wall to create a thick outer barrier, providing itself protection from the inhabitants of this world as it got to work on the body sealed within.

The controlling intelligence began by assessing the organism, dissolving away the clothes, hair and inorganic objects that it was carrying. It began to spread throughout its body, striving to first preserve the integrity of the neural tissue. It observed the memories and knowledge contained within its primitive brain, determining that the species had great potential but was still in its infancy. Deciding that the species would indeed be an asset, it particularly approved of the species’ aggression. Connecting with its larger self to share its findings, the decision was made to continue with its activities and prepare the species. It began with experimentation. Several of the organisms were dissected and evaluated to decide on the best course of action. It also interpreted the radio and microwave signals produced by the organisms to gather more information.

Some units came under attack. While their weapons were primitive, they could do some damage if allowed. A defensive strategy was calculated. Force fields were used to prevent this species (now identified as ‘humanity’) from causing further setbacks.

The intelligence now turned its attention back to the organism within its sphere. It started by repairing the damage it had inflicted and restarting the organism's heart. Then, flooding the organism with molecular tools, it dissolved away the mitochondria and replaced them with its own more efficient power production microorganelles. Adapting the organism’s cellular biochemistry for it to be able to use alpha particles produced by the new power structures meant that it could also remove now-defunct organs, and implant others with biotechnology that would make them stronger and more efficient.

It added structures that would allow the organism to survive in extreme environments such as space. It replaced the calcium phosphate bones with ones made from carbon nanotubes, lighter and stronger. It improved the organism's ability to store energy by lining its spine with super capacity biotechnology batteries, and eliminated the organism’s irrelevant fat cells. Weapons and force field technology were implanted in the new bone structure, and the neural structure was upgraded with increased computing power, allowing for faster reaction times and more control over body processes. Cell-sized machines were implanted to allow the organism to … to interact with electromagnetic waves . Its optical and auditory receivers were also updated. Throughout this process, the intelligence was observing the mass communication network the species had dubbed ‘the internet’, and decided to not change the organism's outward appearance by much, else it be met with suspicion. It was decided it would be best if it was not outwardly alien.

It also edited the organisms DNA to guarantee that any offspring would also carry the changes that the intelligence had given to this human. As the changes entered their final phase the intelligence also tweaked the humans outward appearance, deciding that a more attractive body would increase the chances of the organism reproducing. It began to place its programming, knowledge and memories within the human brain underneath his memories and personality. Removing more and more of itself from the sphere coiling up into the organism’s brain, the intelligence would be a voice in the organism’s head - like his conscience. The intelligence was pleased upon seeing an image of Jiminy Cricket in the organism’s mind. The intelligence was surprised, he had never experienced an emotion before.

The microfilaments finished their job and removed themselves from the organism’s body. The sphere surrounding him began to dissolve; the surface cracked apart and Richard fell out, taking his first breath in four months. He looked up to see ten machine guns pointing in his face, he looked down noticing he was completely naked, covered in grey goo and kneeling in the middle of the road. To Richard, it had been merely seconds since the attack. “What the hell?”

Timeline

2035 – An unidentified object enters Earth’s atmosphere. It splits into millions of smaller objects and captures humans. These humans are encased for several months before emerging as the enhanced.

2040 – Worldwide riots and revolutions take place after people find out that governments have been keeping enhanced in concentration camps and are being subjected to torture and experimentation.

2112 – The first starship with quantum portal drive is launched, capable of travelling faster than light and reaching other star systems in weeks rather than decades.

2115 – Planet Dorver is discovered, The US, EU and India send colony ships. Over 50 years, they dispatch their poorest with the promise of starting a new life with free land on a new world. Many millions of people take the opportunity.

2135 – Planet Ptolmaeus is discovered. A rich international megachurch buy a colony ship and start the first colony on the planet, they name their new nation New Eden. Other colony ships soon arrive from China, Russia, The EU, The US, and other rich Nations. Religious tensions soon rise. This results in several skirmishes between the nations.

2143 – With Planet Earth’s population dropping to 4 billion the world's nations form one international alliance called the United Earth Nations to mediate disputes.

2187 – Planet Brion is discovered and colonized.

2198 – Planet Emenine is discovered and colonized. is designated as an agricultural planet.

2209 – The Lamon fungus decimates all terrestrial plants on Brion leading to worldwide famine, millions die. Other worlds begin sending food parcels.

2213 – Scientists on Dorver engineer plants resistant to the Lamon virus. The population of Brion begin an agricultural society, the cities are abandoned as people grow food to feed their families.

2214 – Tinanion is discovered, a group of enhanced decide to keep the discovery to themselves and set up an enhanced colony in secret.

2232 – Zastron is discovered and colonized by an extremist group that forbids any enhanced from entering the star system. They begin building an army and space fleet in response to rumours of a secret Enhanced base.

2255 - Planet E1276 is discovered. The planet has no oxygen and methane-rich atmosphere with no life. However, the planet is the right temperature and has oceans of liquid water. Terraformers are employed to convert the planet to be habitable by humans. They genetically engineer algae for the oceans and lichens for the land to convert the atmosphere and produce soil for planting.

2269 – A war breaks out on Ptolmaeus between the Christian nation New Eden and all others as they try to convert all other humans on the planet to their belief system. The war lasts for 7 years with a devastating 3 billion casualties. The United Earth nations mediate the dispute and bring an end to the war after New Eden uses nuclear devices on several cities.

2274 – Humans first contact with extra-terrestrials. A survey ship 231 lightyears from Earth discover a single ship of an alien species. The aliens try and fail to communicate with humans for several days before leaving in apparent frustration.

2276 – Tinanion reveals their existence, as a fully developed planet composed entirely of enhanced with several cities, to the other human worlds. Zastron threatens the planet and dispatches a fleet of warships. Tinanion’s defences engage the fleet as they emerge in the star system. Earth also dispatches a fleet to try and stop the hostilities. Dorver, Emenine and Brion pledge their support to Earths peacekeeping activities. Threatened with war against 5 star systems Zastron backs down and withdraws its fleet.

2284 – The first colonists arrive at planet E1276. The bright green colour of the planet caused by the algae and lichens lead the colonists to name the planet Vertmonde.

2301 – The survey ship Attenborough leaves space dock in the Tinanion system for a 5-year exploration mission.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the start of this story check out my patreon to read more! https://www.patreon.com/Chriscallaghan