Horsemen United: Horsemen Origins Books 1-5

by Benjamin Hartman

  Contents

  PART ONE CHAPTER

  PART ONE

  CHAPTER

  1

  Earth Core Inspection Report - August 19, 2482

  Prior to terramorphing, planet was in possession of an atmospheric rating of 98 percent similarity to Earth. Therefore, terramorphing efforts have been minimal. Military sweeps show no signs of intelligent alien life despite planet’s rich ecological diversity. Colonization efforts authorized to proceed.

  Arthur C. Stockwell, Minister of Exploration

  2

  Exploitation to Extinction

  “Sweetie, I’ve been picked!” Sulture said. “They’re in need of a Chief biologist and say I’m perfect for the colony!”

  “Adam, that’s great news! I’m so proud of you!” Katrina says as she hugs him. She slides her hands through his slick, black hair, which sits atop his long face like a rooster’s crown.

  “Although moving to a colony is a big commitment, do you think Joey will be okay with it?”

  “Adam, he’ll be fine. He’s six, he won’t remember anyway. Besides, this is your chance to write your own Origin of Species instead of just reading it!”

  Sulture knew that she was right. Cataloging the exotic plant and animal species of a new planet was what biologists lived for. Rather than drag out the talk about moving, Adam called Joey to the kitchen.

  “Your father has something to tell you.” Katrina said.

  “What is it? Is it about when I asked if I could get a puppy?” Joey asked.

  “No son,” Sulture replied. “I’ve been picked to explore a new planet in space, and we’re going to be moving there soon.”

  “So, we’re not going to get that puppy?” Joey asked with a grin on his face.

  “Well, we can’t have a puppy where we’re going,” Sulture replied.

  “Well, I guess if I can’t get a puppy, I’ll just have to be an astronaut instead,” Joey said, then ran off through the house.

  “See? I told you he’s got bigger problems than leaving the planet, he’s really concerned about that puppy,” Katrina said as she stifled a giggle.

  “There is another issue.”

  “Oh? What’s that?”

  “The colony is stationed in the middle of a jungle. The planet is very warm and humid.”

  “If Joey can handle it, I’ll think we’ll manage to adapt.”

  Adam and Katrina kissed each other and started packing.

  Three days later the Sulture family arrived at the docking station for the Angkor colony. There was a heavy military presence since colonization was kept close under Earth Core Military regulation. All housing, food, and defense would be subsidized by the Earth Core Government, until there were adequate resources discovered to invite industry. While standing in line, a man accidentally bumped into Adam.

  “Oh man, I’m sorry sir,” He said to Sulture.

  “It’s okay, we’re all a little tense. I mean, we’re moving to another star system,” He replied.

  “I’ll say, I just canceled three month’s worth of appointments. My patients weren’t too happy about that, but they’ll find a way.”

  “Ah. What do you do?” Sulture asked.

  “I’m a medical doctor, Dr. Murph McGinnis,” He said as he fumbled for a business card. “And you are…?”

  “Dr. Adam Sulture, Chief Biologist. It’s a pleasure Murph. This is my wife Katrina, and our son, Joey.”

  “Hi!” Katrina said politely.“

  “Since you’re a doctor, do you have any suckers on you?” Joey asked with big, innocent eyes.

  “No, I’m afraid not little man,” Murph chuckled as he eyed the guards.

  The guard in front of the ship asked the Sulture family for their identification papers. He checked their names against his list, and waved them by onto the ship. Murph was sweating bullets as he pulled out his papers, but the guard waved him along.

  “So, what brings you to the colony Adam?” Murph asked, relieved to be aboard the ship.

  “I’ve always wanted to leave my mark in biology. Planetary exploration, charting plant and animal species is the best way to do it. How about you?”

  “I dunno. Don’t have any family, and figured I could see the Universe. The Core doesn’t like it when bachelors sign up for a colony assignment, but they said they’d make an exception because they were desperate for a medical doctor,” Murph chuckled and slapped Sulture on the shoulder.

  “Doctors have a hard time in colonies because there’s no telling what you’ll come across,” Sulture said. “And, you wanted to see the Universe, this is a great way to do it.”

  “Huh. That’s a good point. It’ll look good in the medical journals,” Murph replied.

  The families strapped in for take off. Even with warp drive the trip would take three months to get to the new planet. Adam and Katrina socialized with some of the other passengers while Joey ran around playing ‘spaceman’ with a girl who was a couple of years older than him.

  “What an adorable little boy,” a balding man with gray hair on his temples said.

  “Oh, thank you,” Katrina said. “Seems like Joey may have a crush on your…daughter?”

  “Yes, she was a surprise to us. A blessing indeed, but a surprise,” the man said. “And now she’s all I have.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to her mom?” Katrina asked.

  “She died to cancer. Erica has been strong, and I believed that a fresh start for the two of us was what we needed. Plus, I’m an engineer, and the government was desperate to recruit me,” the man chuckled.

  “A fellow scientist?” Sulture asked. “They seem to be all over this ship. I’m Dr. Adam Sulture, Chief Biologist. And you are…?”

  “Adar Toub. A pleasure to meet you Dr. and Mrs. Sulture.”

  After three long months, the ship finally landed on Angkor. The planet was far, even for deep space standards. The families inched off the ship, embracing the sun. The colony wasn’t much more than a clearing in the dense jungle. The only shelter were some tents constructed of durable plastic that resembled the ‘huts’ the poor lived in back on Earth.

  A nearby officer screamed an order: “All civilians please report for assignment. You will be given a plot and then lunch will be served.”

  As Sulture gave his name and position, the officer waved him over to the commander in charge, Sergeant Griffin. He was a thick man, with a square head, buzzed cut hair, and small eyes.

  “Dr. Sulture, a pleasure,” Griffin said.

  “Nice to meet you Sergeant, this is my wife Katrina and my son, Joseph.”

  Griffin saluted both of them. “So, as Chief Biologist we’ll be bringing you lots of alien specimens. We have a lab set up for you over here, it would be best if you provide us information on your findings right away.”

  “Oh, okay sir. We’ll just go to our tent and unpack.”

  “My men can escort your wife and your son to the tent. I need you to start now.”

  Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. “Is everything alright?”

  “Please, just come with me.”

  Griffin and Sulture headed into the makeshift lab he would be using. It was one of the only places that was solidly built. It had four walls but no temperature control. All of the basic equipment was set up and the fuel lines for bunsen burners were properly installed. It may have been basic, but it would work. Four soldiers opened and held the doors, while the stench of rigor mortis flooded out.

  “What is going on?” Sulture demanded.

  As soon as the words left his mouth, more soldiers came in with a tarp-covered cart, the source of the stench.
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  The soldiers pulled back the tarp. Under it was a creature with limbs contorted in unnatural angles, and its white-gray flesh was peeling away. Bullet holes riddled the creature, and it’s huge, lifeless eyes stared past Sulture.

  “What is it?” He asked.

  “That’s what we need you to figure out Dr. Sulture. No reports during the initial terra morphing of Ankgor identify or even mention this creature. We have a physical description of everything else except for this thing,” Griffin replied.

  Sulture looked over the decaying alien. The flesh was still moist and was deteriorating rapidly in the humid environment. The skin and bones both appeared to be transparent, revealing the organs beneath. The creature’s head was wide at the base of the skull and narrowed towards a crown, which made the head look like a shovel. There were two arms that were similar to humans but with only three fingers at the end of each arm. The torso was wide at the shoulders, but narrowed at the pelvis where a singular limb was attached to the hip and looked more like a third arm than a leg.

  Sulture had the soldiers place the alien on a workbench and seized some measuring tape. The creature was slim and muscular, only about 1.25 metres from nose to toe. The wingspan was the same width across. Based on the shape of its skull it was possible that the species was sapient. He made detailed notes in a small handbook.

  “I’ll need to dissect it in order to have a thorough analysis,” Sulture said.

  “We’ll leave you to it,” Griffin replied with a nod.

  The camera screen flickered to life. Sulture caught his reflection on the feed, but took his place behind the specimen. He cleared his throat and began his recording.

  Colony Log: - November 26, 2483

  I’ve started this log in an effort to record our experience of the Angkor Colony in the name of science. We’ve come across a deceased alien that we have no record of encountering prior to settlement. My current theory is that these aliens were able to hide beneath the rampant overgrowth on this world and that our scanners were unable to detect them amidst the great biological diversity this planet holds.

  I have dissected the creature and will present a full description of its anatomical makeup.

  Sulture started with the chest cavity. He sawed through the creature’s sternum, split open the rib cage and inspected the creature’s organs. There was a heart, a liver, a stomach, a uterus, and several glands which he couldn’t identify, but placed them in biohazard containers.

  As Sulture worked, the heat began taking its toll. Sweat dripped into his eyes and fogged the goggles up since there wasn’t any air conditioning in the lab. He kept working, lest he lose this specimen to decay. He described in his notebook every incision he made and every bit of flesh he sampled. The creature’s reddish-black blood covered his pen and some of his notes, but he barely noticed. He was in his own world when someone came into his tent unannounced.

  “Hey Adam I just wanted to see – Jesus! What is that smell?” Murph cried out, as he covered his nose.

  Sulture turned and grinned. “You’re a Medical Doctor, shouldn’t you be used to this kind of thing?”

  “Once a patient dies, someone else takes over at that point. Geez, what is this thing?” Murph asked as he peered over at the alien.

  “It’s an alien the soldiers want me to study. They’ve never seen it before and it was never mentioned in the terra morphing expedition.”

  “That’s weird. Seems like they’d know if something like this was lurking around nearby.”

  “I know. It’s a fascinating specimen. Based on the muscular development of its three arms it doesn’t go to the ground much. The limbs are optimal for grasping tree vines and jumping. It’s strong – very strong. Could easily rip a man apart if it wanted to.”

  “Damn. And these guys are the new neighbors.”

  “That’s not all. The shape of its skull reveals that it has highly developed auditory and ocular sensory inputs. Combined with the developed prefrontal cortex, it’s not outlandish to say that this species may be sapient!”

  “So, a strong, smart tree hopping alien that can see and hear really well. Don’t piss off one of these guys. What’s with the blackish blood?”

  “Oh, while it does have a red tinge similar to human blood which has a high iron content, I believe my blood tests will reveal that creatures on Angkor possess a high content of a black metal, most likely pewter or onyx.”

  “Hmm…interesting,” Murph said.

  “I know. It’s fascinating!” Sulture replied. His wild fascination beamed through his sweaty face and the foggy goggles.

  Murph donned a lab coat and assisted Sulture with the alien dissection. The two worked in sync with one another, both making observations on the anatomical structure of the creature lying in front of them.

  As the afternoon turned to evening, the two men hit their limit. They had studied the creature as best as they could and the decay was taking its toll. Most of the vital organs and tissues were stored in the lab’s freezers for further study. The two men looked at each other. They looked as though they operated a butcher shop since they were covered in blood, flesh and sweat.

  “We need to get back to our quarters,” Murph said. “Get some water in your system since you’ve been at this all day. Can’t have our Chief Biologist getting heat stroke. He may turn out to be our savior,” He joked.

  “Yeah right. That’ll be the day,” Sulture replied, then looked down at the alien remains. “Well, we got most of what we needed out of the specimen. I’ll have the military dispose of what’s left.”

  Sulture and Murph bumped into Griffin as they were leaving the tent.

  “Who’re you?” Griffin grunted as he gestured at Murph.

  “He’s a good assistant,” Sulture replied.

  “Didn’t think we approved of an assistant for you Sulture.”

  “What’s the harm Sergeant?” Murph asked.

  “The harm is that what you saw and studied in there is strictly classified with the Earth Core Military! Only authorized personnel are allowed inside of that tent!” Griffin growled.

  “Shouldn’t people know what we’re cohabiting with?” Sulture asked.

  “For the good of the colony protocol dictates that the military must establish first contact with the aliens. We don’t need people to panic.”

  “Panic over what? You think the colonists here are a bunch of cowards? You need to trust in them more,” Murph said.

  “Look, all I’m saying is that the military knows what it’s doing. Just stay out of our way,” Griffin replied.

  “Stay out of your way?” Sulture snarled. “You’re the one who came to me for help!”

  “Don’t get a big head from this. Just keep those freezers full of that alien goo,” Griffin said.

  Sulture got nose to nose with Griffin.“That alien goo is key to understanding this planet’s ecosystem and what we will need to do in order to survive here -”

  “C’mon Adam,” Murph interrupted. “Let’s get home, get some water. Don’t worry Griffin, we’ll keep quiet.” Murph pulled Sulture towards his tent.

  “What did you do that for? He was being an ignorant meathead!” Sulture said as he shook Murph off.

  “Look Adam, you may be brilliant, but the military is the law out here. Griffin is one of those who doesn’t take shit from anybody. He’ll lock you up even if you have a family to support.”

  Sulture gave an icy glare, but took a deep breath and realized that Murph was right. The heat and humidity was getting to them despite it being past sundown.

  Sulture walked into his tent and saw that Katrina and Joey were just sitting down to dinner.

  “Daddy!” Joey hollered as he leaped up and ran to his father.

  “Hey kiddo! How’s my big spaceman?” Sulture asked as he picked up his son.

  “Oh, I was starting to think that you got swept up by some alien,” Katrina giggled. “What was so urgent honey?”

  “I’m afraid the military won’t let
me say honey. Even though I want to,” Sulture replied. He hated keeping secrets from his wife. They were always open and honest with each other.

  “That means it’s something cool right daddy?” Joey asked.

  “Very cool.” Sulture replied, and gave his son a tired smile.

  Sulture noticed that the two were covered in sweat. There wasn’t any air conditioning inside the hut. All they had was a fan they remembered to bring along for the journey.

  Sulture walked over, set Joey down, kissed Katrina and sat down at the head of the table. Dinner was a set of military rations created more for nutrition than flavor…or texture for that matter. Sulture sighed as he looked around at the tiny, dismal tent, then turned back to Katrina. In her green eyes Sulture saw that although the tents weren’t much they were all he needed as long as Katrina and Joey were by his side.

  “So, what did the two of you do today?” Sulture asked.

  “Oh, I got things organized here and Joey made a few friends.” Katrina replied.

  “He did? What’d you do with them Joey?”

  “They taught me a game called ‘Rebels and Core Soldiers’ Daddy! It’s a lot of fun!”

  The idea of Joey playing that game made Sulture uneasy. He wasn’t sure what to make of the war since he served in the Army, but never saw action. It set him back on his Doctorate three years and he always felt like he had to struggle to make up for it.

  The family chatted idly for an hour, then Sulture and Katrina put Joey to bed. The two opened a bottle of wine to celebrate the new leap forward in his career. He found it ironic that the greatest way to get prestige, funds and lab space for a biologist was to spend months living in a tiny tent carving away at alien specimens. Still, colonization was his route to prestige.

  “I won’t ever forget the sacrifice you made for us to come here Katrina. I’ll find some way to make it up to you.”

  “Just get tenure when you teach at a University okay?”

  Sulture laughed. The two danced together despite the heat. Sulture gazed into Katrina’s eyes, forever grateful of her support for his career. Her green eyes sparkled under the light, and Sulture remembered what it was like the first time he fell in love with her. The two embraced in a tender kiss that only soul mates know, and danced long into the night.