Starsnatcher - Trapped In An Alien World [COMPLETE]

Chapter 5.3

Our car passed the twilight between meadows and woods. In the dimming light, the trees reminded me more of scarlet tulpa than of roses.

Crick ordered the car's AI to find a river. While the understory didn't seem that thick, driving through a forest without roads was still hard. Thus, we dwelled a while in the thin strip between the biomes.

Helix looked out of the window while Crick obsessed over their terminal. Finally, they put it in their pouch.

"Excellent scans, Doctor," Crick transmitted. "I analyzed them thoroughly and feel delighted to present the results."

"Just get to the point," Helix transmitted.

A flicker of light escaped Crick's skin. "Most important conclusion first. The biological sample is not from a human."

"You mean the finger?" I asked. Then, as an afterthought, I added a "Captain" to my transmission.

As if I had been a wall, Crick elaborated. "I analyzed its DNA and compared the base pairs to samples from our human. Whereas non-coding base pairs are virtually identical, coding pairs deviate by almost four percent."

Humans and chimps deviate in one point four percent of their DNA, though I don't remember if those were coding or non-coding strains.

"The deviations suggest complex irreducible biochemical pathways that Human does not possess. I strongly doubt that this level of deviation can be explained by intraspecific genetic variation."

"So, you're saying this finger isn't from a human, but someone posing as one, Captain?" I asked.

"No," Crick answered. "I am saying that this individual used to be human, but that the genetic code has been rewritten. Possibly, somebody inserted a retrovirus into its body. The virus then replicated until it had altered the genes in each of its host's cells."

"Why though?" Helix asked.

"Doctor, if I recall correctly, you described the skeletal anatomy of the alien we tied to the tree, did you not?" Crick asked.

"Sure."

"As you correctly noted, its skeleton is a mixture of the muscular columns we use to support our bodies and the calcified bones Human uses. This combination of bones and specialized muscles makes its skeleton extraordinarily resistant to bending and good at shock absorption. Despite this, its bones show several fractures."

"Yeah," Helix transmitted. "They're in my report. Likely blunt trauma."

"Indeed. I hypothesize that they were caused by the genetically modified human."

I underestimated her. Kira couldn't just outrun marathon champions, she also crippled aliens the size of bears with her bare hands.

Did the Starsnatchers carry out a super-soldier program on humans? If so, why did they exclude me?

"Our drones carried out an environmental DNA survey," Crick continued. "The owner of the finger is where Human claimed his AI stone was pointing him to, although it has moved closer to the mountain."

I was right about the link between Kira and my singularity stone. Who was this stone really made for? Me or her?

"Unfortunately, we have company," Crick elaborated.

The screen showed a red-and-black rover so edgy it might have been designed by a teenager. Spikes jutted out of its roof and flames decorated the doors.

"This vehicle belongs to the other ship that has a dropship stationed on this planet. We merely have long-distance shots as the vehicle uses electromagnetic pulse weapons to keep our drones away. Its known activities include capturing alien animals in a foam-like gel or diamondoid nets."