The Bold Discovery
There is something more to the Boid than meets the eye. hero Cador worked furiously. He was close, so very close! He could feel success at his fingertips. While a unanimous vote of the Nolic counsel had outright rejected his research and theories, he knew, He KNEW, the primitive intelligence of the Boid Hyphids was more, so much more. The Nol had encountered the Boid eons ago but had disregarded their meager intelligence as just above animalistic. In the initial findings, the original scientists called them a parasitic nuisance. "Idiots," Cador said to himself while he worked.
Their intelligence was relatively primitive, but its potential was limitless. On the table in front of him, he had copies of the original findings splayed out on his table, comparing them to his own notes. Looking at the Boid colony, he spliced another spore and put it under the microscope. How could they not see this? Within each spore, it was almost like a puzzle. Every Boid spore strove to find a host and link with them. Together Cador hypothesized that the host and the Boid could reach greater heights than either could alone. The greatest Nol among them, even the Nolic council, could benefit from the bonding of Boid and Nol. He would show them! Their arrogant tone of superiority and supreme intelligence ironically made them ignorant to anything they believed lesser or not worth their time.
The puzzle of the Boid was how these connectors inside each spore bonded with the lesser organisms of the planet. How come no Nol had ever been affected? What about their larger animals? He had found no record of livestock animals becoming infected with a Boid spore. It seemed only lesser animals and insects were infected. He had seen the drastic change of an infected animal, a bonded animal, versus one without a Boid spore connection. A flock of Bonded birds flew faster, were more robust than their competitors, and would cause a biological shift in the environment. The invasive primitive Boid Bonded species would feed and hunt their prey near extinction.
The Nol early on had developed the Extinction Squad that hunted the Boid relentlessly. To the Nol, they were nothing but trouble infecting the smaller animals and growing at a toxic pace. Cador sighed. If only he could figure out how these connectors worked! If it could augment a lessor species with greater strength and speed, what could it do for a species like the Nol? Every Boid colony was different. A young colony that had assimilated ants was wildly different from one that started with birds. Each colony learned and grew with its surroundings. Cador surmised that for every ant that became bonded and died, the greater colony gained a tenth of what that ant knew. It was fascinating! Each colony was growing in knowledge, albeit slowly. Due to the Extinction Squad, Cador had never seen large Boid colonies but the older records detailed some vast Boid Colonies that had been eradicated long before Cador was born.
Cador was exhausted. He had been at this study for months now. He would have given up a long time ago if it weren't for the other Trovi who assisted him. They knew just what to say to keep him going whenever he started flagging. Kliastar, his faithful assistant and friend, was a great sounding board. Having his company during the long hours was a massive boon to morale. Netalen was the other head of the small clan of Trovi. Between them and the small number of The True Seekers, the Trovi, all secrets of the universe stood no chance. Along with him, the Trovi believed that the Boid was meant for something greater. They could all feel it! And they were closer than ever before. Taking one last look at the Boid spore on the splice, he scribbled down a new formula consisting of an almost absurd amount of algorithms. "Take this down to the Center and run this formula through." He told Kliastar
If he was lucky, it should only take a day or two. The supercomputer that had become known as the Center had an AI. It was the peak of Nolic society, and it became more intelligent with each passing day. The Center would run permutations with the formula provided and hopefully find a permutational success. The Center would decipher the long-standing puzzle that was the Boid.
The following day after checking on the Center, he and Netalen headed out to collect more samples. The landscape was full of vibrant hues of different plant life. The rich green bushes mixed and grew tightly with the large branching trees that enveloped the surrounding area. Densely packed, they formed a canopy surrounding the Nolic capital. Finding Boid samples had been becoming increasingly more difficult. As the city expanded, the Extermination squads pushed their range greater and greater, eliminating any Boid colonies they encountered. "If the information provided by our scouts there is a Boid colony only a half a days walk," Netalen said, starting the trek. They had sky vehicles and could even fly themselves. Sky vehicles were out of the question. The canopy was so dense that finding anything on the ground floor, even with sonic pulses, was near impossible to digitize what was beneath. The density of the canopy and underbrush messed with the instruments to the point where walking was faster if they ever stood a chance of finding what they were looking for. Stretching their wings would cut down on the distance but surmising the exact location of the Boid colony required reading the signs and following the trail, which could only be done on the ground. Cador didn't mind. He was fascinated by the planet they called home.
“What kind of Boid colony do you think it is?” Cador asked with excitement.
"I am not sure. The scouts saw the signs and located it but didn't stay long enough to identify the type of colony." Netalen replied.
"I hope it's not another crawling with insects. The bonded Boid make for some nasty bites," he said, shuttering, thinking of the last time they found a Boid colony with Bonded insects.
“They weren’t too bad.” Natalen chided.
“Speak for yourself. You didn’t get bit at all.”
Natalen put her arms up in defense. "You are the one that volunteered to get the sample."
Cador grumbled, muttering a few choice words under his breath.
"Hey, I heard that," Natalen said, scowling.
"I hope you did," he replied with a sly smile.
They continued through the trees at a brisk pace. Fluorescent hues shifted colors as the sun reached its peak. Natalen drew the rough map. "We should be getting closer."
They walked forward slower, more calculated, searching for signs of Boid growths, Bonded creatures, the tale-tell signs of a growing Boid colony. As they approached the spot on the map, they heard a small screech. Whipping around, they both ducked as a Bonded mammal jumped from a nearby bush. Feeling the air overhead as the creature passed, Cador stood, pulling out his blaster. The mammal was unidentifiable. It must have been Bonded for an incredible amount of time. The Boid had grown and encrusted itself over the arms and part of the face. As the creature tensed for another pass, Cador leveled his blaster, breathed in, and fired a single charged shot. As the smoke cleared, the animal was still standing to their surprise. The Boid growth surrounding its body had acted as a shield. The beast let out a weak growl, obviously in pain from the initial blast. Cador flipped the switch on his blaster, loading a sedative round. "Keep an eye out for any others. I need a sample of this one."
“You don’t want to try getting to the hive?”
"Not if there are more of these around," he said. "We got lucky it growled before pouncing. The Boid had formed a shell of armor protecting the creature from even a charged blast from my rifle. If the other colonies we have seen are any indication, I will bet that there are many more of these where this one came from."
Without waiting for a reply Cador spread his wings and push-off, accelerating towards the creature. It made a weak attempt to escape, but Cadors momentum swiftly caught the beast. He fired, aiming for the gap in its Boid armor, and it instantly dropped.
Natalen procured samples of the Boid from the slumbering creature. "This is one of the bigger Bonded creatures we've come across. I didn't know the Boid was capable of this. I thought they took insects and small rodents."
“The ancient findings talk about Boid Bonding with bigger creatures. The Extermination Squads fought many as such in The Boidic War.” Cador said.
“I always thought that was an exaggeration. You know how the XSquads are.”
"Fair point." He conceded. "Let's get this sample back. Hopefully, we can prep this one in time for the Center to finish its calculations."
The journey back took only a fraction of the time as they took to the skies. As they flew, he felt the air underneath his wings. The feeling of the flight was exhilarating. The rushing wind, feeling the air currents, soaring to unimaginable heights. No matter how old he got it, it felt like the first time. The sensation of the trees passing below him, the soft rustle on the top of the canopy caused by the downforce with each flap of his wings. The freedom that came with it was truly liberating.
They descended back to the capital city in what seemed like a blink of an eye. Landing at their lab, Cador went right to the Center. the hulking building stood alone, surrounded by a green field with small walkways scattered throughout, leading to the other holdings of the Trovi. "AI, what is the status of the latest formula applied to all the cataloged samples?"
"Results compiled Current Status: 99.99% Failure. Simulations result in almost certain fatality for both the Hyphid Spore and the Nol host."
Cador sighed. Usually, he would be disappointed, but the sample they had collected was something in the back of his mind, itching. Never before had a Boid he had encountered Bonded with a large creature. It had to mean something. He returned to the lab and asked Kliastar to prep several splices from the sample they returned. "Natalen, I have got a good feeling about this one!"
“You say that about almost every other one.”
He gave her a sour look before accepting a splice from Kliastar. The three of them began the intensive examination process. This Boid looked fundamentally different from its other samples.
“What is this?” she said.
He looked up at her with a smile. “The answer.”
A few hours later, with the help of Natalen and Kliastar, he had the needed alterations to the formula. Smiling to himself, he neatly folded the new formula in his pocket. "Natalen catalog the latest sample. I think we have something," he said to her and ran to the Center. For the first time since the project had begun, he truly felt like they were making progress. Years of grasping threads, hypothesizing, creating theories, and then proving them wrong, but today, TODAY, he was making a huge step forward. "Add the most recent formula and analyze it in direct contrast to the latest sample that was just cataloged." He set the formula on the console, which the AI immediately analyzed.
Due to the specific parameters, the analysis took only a few minutes. "Calculations complete. Would you like to see the results?"
"Yes, please." He was pacing by this time, his heart racing. The moments before the AI compiled the results felt like an eternity.
“Results compiled, current status. 40% success. Conditional.”
Cador collapsed where he was standing. Success? Success? He almost shouted for joy! Years of iteration after iteration, he almost expected the AI to say 99% failure at this point. Moments after his elation ended and rationality returned, he examined the results closer. Only 40% success rate? Conditional? "AI pleased expound on conditional."
"Yes, Cador. The splice in question compared to the other samples is much more mature. In analyzing the spore, I have found that there exists a Psyche that connects with and bonds with the host. The Bonding process is incredibly complex and better suited for lesser intelligence allowing the Boid to take control more fully and effectively."
"A Boid Psyche?" He said out loud. He knew it! Well, not the psyche directly, but there was much more to the Boid than everyone else believed.
"Yes. This spore is connected to a larger colony in a way I cannot process at this time. This individual spore has its own thoughts and emotions, but on a deeper level, it shares a connection to the colony."
"Huh." That was all he could say. That is something he could never have fathomed.
“Would you like me to continue the conditional results?"
"Yes, please." He had completely forgotten about that with the inundation of information.
"Due to the desired bonding experience wanting to be an equilibrium with the Boid Spore, the success rate drops drastically. However, I have hypothesized that the Nol mind can undergo a series of intensive electrochemical training to cultivate a way to communicate with the Boid Psyche that can moderately improve the success rate. It would also require developing implantation to deliver such treatments and providing the way to communicate with the Boid Psyche. Even so, the process is still quite dangerous."
Cador was beyond excited. While the success rate was relatively low, it was a success he could barely fathom. These results were ones he could work with! A forty percent success rate was just the starting point! He was confident he could push that higher. For now, he had something else to figure out. "Please send a blueprint of the implant. I need to get working on this right away."
"Yes, sir."
He headed back to the lab to share the news with Natalen and Kliastar pondering the magnitude of this discovery. Every discovery they found regarding the Boid opened up ten more questions. How had no one figured out these things in the past? Surely someone had noticed this in the Boidic War.
For the next two weeks, Cador led the grueling task of creating an implant prototype. Even though The Center provided the blueprint, it was tedious to understand and get it right. For the first few days, it took all three of them picking the blueprint apart, understanding each piece of it. It had over a million small intricate components made from over a dozen different materials, not all of them cheap. It also required an initial link with The Center to facilitate the Bonding process. It required a delicate hand pushing and pulling the neural mesh forming an intricate pattern that would allow the implant to communicate with The Center. One mistake and the neural mesh would unravel, and he had to start over. He had to do on more occasions than he had to admit.
Pulling shaking hands away from the table dropping his tools, he wiped the sweat that had formed on his head. Looking at the implant lying on the table, it was finally complete. The size was small enough to fit snuggly behind the ear without too much of a bulge. He wondered if he could decrease the device's footprint at some point in the future. "Does it work?" Kliastar asked hesitantly. He had volunteered to undergo the rigorous training conducted by The Center while he and Natalen had finalized the design and began the construction phase of the implant. "I... I think so." Cador stumbled, still shaking after the prolonged time focusing on the tiny components and laying down the neural mesh. "Yes, it works." He said more confidently."
“Shall we present our findings to the Nolic counsel before proceeding?” Natalen asked.
"We don't even know if this works," Kliastar said. "It hasn't even been tested. Why hand over our latest innovation before it's ready?"
“Kliastar is right. We need to see this to the end before handing it off. My concern is that the success rate is dismal for subject testing.”’
"Progress isn't made without risk," Kliastar responded with confidence. "The training went well. I am ready for this."
"Are you sure?" Natalen said, putting an arm on his. "We don't even know what kinds of side effects will be."
"The way of the True Seekers is to grasp out of the dark knowing that with each grasp of light, they are illuminating the path for those that come after," Kliastar said confidently. Cador looked at him; his eyes seemed to blaze, a stubborn look on his face. He sighed. "Alright. Let's head to the Center to get everything prepped." Kliastar grinned, grabbed the equipment and the last of the notes, and headed to the Center.
Moments later, Kliastar was reclined in a chair in The Center. "Implantation ready. Are we ready to proceed?" Cador said delicately, holding the implant. Kliastar gave a thumbs up, Natalen nodded, prepping the Boid spore. "Begin bonding test number one."
The mechanical voice of The Center echoed Cador's. "Beginning bonding test number one." Carefully he attached the implant feeling it take hold, burrowing into the skin. "Link in progress. Place the spore on the chest." The AI said. Natalen did as told and stepped back. As she did so, Kliastars eyes had rolled back in his head. They all held their breath. All that was heard was the constant whirring of The Center. They waited in silence, watching Kliastars breath rise and fall, rise and fall. Breaking the silence was a deafening scream. Coming out of his shock, he looked up to see Kliastars entire body shaking uncontrollably, letting out a yell that he had never heard any Nol make before.
Cador rushed forward, trying to do something to help his friend. What could he do? What was happening? They were exploring a field of science that had never been done before. He had no idea what to expect. As abruptly as the curdling scream started, it stopped. They looked at Kliastar, who opened his eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked. Kliastar sat up and looked toward Cador; only the eyes that looked back at him weren't those of his friends. "Get back!" Cador shouted as Kliastar moved. So fast! Cador had left his blaster on the far table and jumped, pushing off using his wings but was intercepted easily by Kliastar. They both crashed into the wall. Cador blinked, not able to grasp what was happening. He looked hazily towards Kliastar, who was heading towards Natalen. Blink. His head was pounding as he tried to keep it up. Was that screaming? Blink. What was happening? Blink. Kliastar was gone, the screaming was gone, but Natalen, "Natalen!" He shouted. He attempted to stand but crashed back down. He saw a body lying on the floor, forcing his head up through the haze. He started to crawl, but every move was agony. He reached one final hand out to her before everything faded to black.
by "Konner M."