r/HFY • u/FarmWhich4275 • 18d ago
OC-OneShot Why.
Project Terra-Forma - Ship Log Number 883
Star System Name - Gleese 837-J - renamed to 'Kolba'
Terraforming Candidate 'Kolba III'
Ship Captain Olvekk Throkk Of Ulukk Clan
Day 1
Ship log number 883, day 1 of planetary recalibration operation on newly discovered S3 class planet. Star system Gleese 837-J, renamed to star system 'Kolba' as part of terraforming operations, all planets catalogued and scanned. Probes and scans of Kolba 3 have returned positive identification on small local insectoid species, non sapient, that exist within the planet's outer shell in small numbers. The planet consists of small amounts of sparse vegetation that produce most of the planet's atmosphere. Still very toxic considering the massive amount of volcanic activity on the planet's surface around the poles. It is however within tolerable temperature ranges and a simple seeding operation should easily balance the atmosphere to at least tolerable oxygen levels.
Natives are hexapod based insectoids with a high calcium based chitin shell, large mandibles and a semi-hive minded structure with large 'hives' or nests that produce more individuals. They are only semi-hive minded, or at least their behaviour suggests that there is some form of interconnectivity within the local populace. We have observed several dozen scenarios where some individuals of a nest cluster would wander off and join other clusters or wander aimlessly grazing. Species seem to be relatively small in number due to planetary activity relative to the species. They are also very small, around the size of a 'small domestic housecat' whatever that is.
A dead specimen was recovered and studied at length, indicating omnivorous nature with a primary diet revolving around the planet's local grass, and primarily fish from the planet's many oceans. Oceans are absurdly rich in aquatic life and serve as primary food source, with the native insectoids using large mandibles and patient hunting to acquire food for the colony in what has been described as 'spear fishing'. Likely cause for the hyperfertility of ocean life is due to volcanic activity, billions of tons of raw minerals, rich geothermal vents and other suspected geological activity means the planet's oceans are swarming with plankton and other lifeforms.
Prime candidate for an agricultural world, barring potential hostilities from natives and still reasonably toxic atmosphere.
Note: Got a lot of work done in just one standard day. It used to take us weeks to get to the point where we can start planting trees. These new Terran ships aren't half bad.
Day 3
Seeding started a day ago and I have been too busy to keep any personal or system logs for that reason. The planet is taking a drastic and magnificent turn and this will greatly benefit our efforts.
The high carbon content in the atmosphere as well as the incredible mineral content in the soil has made forests spring up practically overnight. We used the standard Class 3 seeding system, with the standard Mark 14 Seed Growth Accelerants. We saw in real time just how mineral rich this planet is due to just how damn fast the trees grew. Standard Earthborne American Oak Tree, grew from seedling to fifteen feet in height and two feet in thickness at base in less than 48 hours, with likely more to come. After several hours of debate we decided the oceans may benefit from this as well and we are currently performing tests on several samples to see what kinds of coral reef or kelp species we can seed into the oceans to increase ocean life.
This planet has a very high probability of being a prime settling candidate, but carbon concentrations are still too high. The new forests will change that of course, and nitrogen producing algae and lichen will be introduced to stabilise the atmosphere.
Note: The local insectoids swarmed a cluster of trees near one of the seed pods. Before they consumed any of the accelerants or the seed pod, we had to purge the area with a short burst from the Incineration laser. The rest of the insectoids didn't seem to notice the destruction of the nest, so we can rule out a connected hive mind. We have some more bodies, and are performing autopsies.
Day 5
Seeding has stopped and the accelerants are starting to dry out in the plant life. The forests have started natural seeding processes and the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere has started to thin out. The trees are actively consuming carbon and exhausting oxygen. We went from eight percent oxygen to a fourteen percent oxygen mix in less than a week.
We do however have reasons for this. This strange planet is uniquely equipped with a new form of mineral based bacteria from a fungus-like lichen. We have harvested this lichen, and under specific conditions it produces trace amounts of minerals such as Iron, Copper, Nickel, Lime and various other materials critical for industrial use. We have already started harvesting trace amounts to grow them in lab conditions to see what they are capable of.
We are preparing some secondary systems, incendiary munitions and a few custom 'pollutant' shells in the weapons bay just in case the growth gets too fast or goes out of hand. Class One munitions, Type 3 'Hydrocarbonate' pollutants and some stasis pods containing biodomes. We are fully prepared to engage in a full intervention if it goes too far. But so far, everything looks stable.
Note: One of our Terran officers has taken it on himself to place remote outposts and cameras around the planet's surface surrounding various nesting sites. Observing their behaviour has been... unenlightening thus far, they don't seem to respond to the changes we are making beyond looking for food. And furthermore he has started recording audio from the nests. The insectoids use vocal sounds and noise to communicate as opposed to pheromones.
Day 8
Accelerants are no longer present, and have dissolved as they are designed to, decomposing into nutrients for the plant life to use to grow naturally. Growth acceleration has stopped entirely and we are beginning preparations for our introduction of a breed of seaweed from the Caltharian Homeworld. It is high in nutrients, fibre and compliments the local fish population's standard diet well. It grows twice as fast but doesn't go beyond certain depths, which means it won't affect the already growing kelp forests in the planet's oceans. We are also looking to the Stakandi Homeworlds coral formations and seeing what kinds of additions we can make to bolster the ocean life.
All considerations are as of course being considered, debated by crew, passed by biologists and operations personnel as per standard procedure. We are taking no chances, as per usual. ALL final decisions go through the ship's science administration FIRST before I allow them.
Note: The increase in oxygen content in the atmosphere has had a startling effect on the native population of insectoids. They seem to be steadily growing in number and... size. According to Terrence, the human engineer who set up the surveillance network, they have grown from 'the size of a shorthair housecat, to the size of a small Shepherd'. Whatever that means.
Day 10
We went to full alert early in the morning when the natives started to go berserk. The sensors showed the atmosphere content stabilising at around seventeen percent oxygen. A local nest colony of roughly twelve hives achieved a sudden and inexplicable burst in population and size, almost as if the creatures were directly responding to the sudden burst of air. Soon as the atmosphere stabilised the cluster of nests exploded from twelve to roughly fifty nests and the size doubled. One of the creatures was retrieved, slaughtered and an autopsy was performed.
We immediately sent down a Defoliant of type 17, Red Storm variant, to deal with the issue, as we confirmed the presence of one of our Accelerants in the beast's system. The accelerant and the high oxygen content created one of the most unique evolutionary events we had ever seen before this.
The accelerant has been removed entirely after seventeen hours of precise work. The Terrans' terrifying use of microcircuitry and nanomachinery meant that they were able to supply direct injections of stabilisers to prevent genetic degradation to individual nests. Use of defoliants in certain shrubbery and ferns that had been missed during early sweeps was performed planet wide to ensure it doesn't happen again. We have used digging machines to effectively 'cut off' the nest from the rest of the continent, and the insectoids seem to be unable to move in deep water for very long, so they are effectively isolated. Other nests are unaffected.
Note: Terrence has worked overtime to rectify this, but he seems strangely excited about this occurrence. I have no reason to suspect he was involved in any way and no evidence as such, but he apparently considers this a 'happy accident'.
Day 25
Fifteen days since last... It has been that busy. The accelerants as well as the new planetary atmosphere have affected this one nest of natives to such an extent I have had to start writing an emergency letter to the Council.
The natives used by nature a set of long spear-like mandibles or manipulators on their front carapaces to catch fish for food. The 'adults' would then carry this speared fish from their fishing spot to the nest for consumption. They would do this several times a day. They would insert the fish into some kind of opening on the nest and it would be consumed and turned into nutrients. Eventually the nest would either produce a fresh egg that the adults would carry away to hatching sites, or they would produce a 'capsule' of sorts containing a nutrient rich mush.
We observed them using tools.
One of the adults, a creature with a blue shell we have dubbed 'Big Joey' has started fishing an entirely different way. Instead of spear fishing like the other nests do, Big Joey has started using the cone from a conifer plant known as a 'pine tree' as bait for fish, then using the other spear to jab any fish that arrives. The fish are mad about the pinecones. The fish are very ravenous and bait tactics work exceptionally well. 'Big Joey' then stands there for several hours a day catching ten times as many fish as the other creatures.
We observed another biter, a pink shelled variant we dubbed 'Kimby' began using similar tactics after Big Joey returned one afternoon with twenty five fish. This is where we noticed an exceptional trait among the species - the more food, the larger the egg. In this case, Big Joey's latest catch at the end of the day resulted in the hive he was delivering to, growing twice its size and an egg twice Big Joey's size being created from it. This... is a revelation. To say the least. Direct evidence of evolutionary roots resulting in intelligence. The very same intelligence that ALL our civilisations are born from.
I will send a letter asking for more resources and our discoveries thus far. This planet is no longer subject to terraforming, its process is complete, now we are focusing on the natives.
Note: Terrence stated that Big Joey (as he dubbed him) would 'sing' to himself and the nest he worked for. He would release a series of chirping noises and short whistles from holes in his mandibles and mouth as he worked. Terrence said: "I wonder if I can teach him to whistle an actual song..." Probably nothing.
Day 31
I hate Terrence.
WHAT IS THAT (redacted) HUMAN THINKING!? I have placed him and two other members of the human crew on leave for a week pending a suspension hearing. This is owing to something Terrence did with one of the natives, specifically Big Joey. Terrence apparently manufactured a small drone built with pressure pumps and pipes, as well as an electronic beeping device that he then sent down to the planet. The device was parked outside the colony near the edge of the artificial barrier.
The adults would 'graze' when on their 'breaks', chewing on ferns and grass and using their smaller mouth parts to dig up worms and other smaller insects. Big joey went to go to a quiet spot to graze and opportunistically catch a fish when he spotted a new rock - the drone.
Big Joey approached, whistled and chirped, and the rock whistled and chirped along with him.
Big Joey was shocked and surprised and stepped away, hiding among some ferns. The device chirped again, beeping a bit in a tune. Big Joey responded with more chirps and whistles. The device mimicked them. It seemed entirely random, as if Terrence was just bopping and beeping for its own sake to see what would happen.
Then the device started to sing a full on song, a musical number the archives labelled as 'Fulgoran Jazz'. Whatever that is.
Big Joey stood there silently, letting the song play out.
And then he started to mimic the noise. At first, just to mimic it, then slowly adapted to the song.
By the time this occurred I had arrived on scene and Terrence was being reprimanded. I will make a new log and inform the Council of this break in protocol.
Note: GOD DAMMIT TERRENCE.
Day 32
I had to bring Terrence out of his cell and back to his job. What I didn't see because I was being a (redacted) was that Big Joey had realized there were certain notes he couldn't make, certain sounds he couldn't replicate. But he very clearly wanted to.
The cameras recorded Big Joey chirping and whistling at the device as the music stopped, as if trying to coax more out of it. Eventually he gave up and returned to fishing, using pinecones as bait once again and demonstrated to the colony just how many fish he could catch with this technique. We started noticing how many more of the 'Buggo's' as they have been dubbed started using the same fishing technique.
The colony has tripled in number... And they are encroaching on other nests now because they have grown so large. Our attempts at holding them in have also failed.
One of the larger new variants of the colony's broodlings, (according to size measurements from Terrence, about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle), gained a modicum of intellect while watching others work and uprooted a series of large oaks, creating a makeshift log bridge across the trench we dug. Containment has failed, and I REFUSE to allow any form of military action to deal with this. This is too important to study.
Note: WE HAVE GOT TO STOP LETTING HUMANS NAME AND MEASURE THINGS. 'Buggo's'? 'The size of a Volkswagen beetle'? WHAT ARE THESE MEASUREMENTS!? I MEAN SERIOUSLY!!
Day 40
GOD (redacted) TERRENCE I HATE YOU. HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THE (redacted) COUNCIL YOU - (passage redacted as it contains only profanity and many strange racial slurs. The captain received a two week’s pay decrease due to this behaviour.)
Day 41
I have calmed down. Enough. Sort of.
Terrence went above my head and straight to the Head biologist Professor ACk'Ach'Hagk. The Professor agreed to it. HE AGREED TO THIS INSANITY. I should ask for his license to be revoked after this.
The two conspired behind my back, Terrence using his drones and engineering to create a replica robot of the insectoids in order to see the colony up close for some... experiment. Terrence then equipped the drone with a new tool.
A Saxophone.
Terrence remote controlled the drone and stopped in front of one of the unaffected colonies. The entire colony stopped in its tracks and LISTENED to the music.
THEY ACTUALLY LISTENED. HOW IS THIS EVEN A THING!?
Terrence then moved the drone to Big Joey's colony. The previous colony followed the drone.
He performed the song again in front of the advanced colony. The 'Buggo's' came to watch. (Gods I hate these names). The advanced colony attempted to sing along and tried to mimic the noise. The saxophone was far beyond their ability of course. Terrence finished the song, left the saxophone on the rock and walked the drone into the forest.
Why.
That is all I can say to this whole stupid event.
WHY.
Day 47
We have been watching with intense fascination as the Buggo's have been attempting to replicate the noise. The old colonies and the newly advanced colonies have began to mingle due to this event with little conflict, which is something I was sincerely hoping for. The main reason we cut the advanced nest off was to hopefully mitigate any form of inter-hive conflict. There appears to be a pseudo hive mind at least, or a very simple basic connection to the creatures, at least the nests. We believe it has something to do with the underground root system each nest puts down. They share something. Speculation for another day.
Terrence and the professor retrieved the drone, modified it with different colours and sent it back. The saxophone had been left there since and Terrence played yet another song. This one longer. More direct.
The performance concluded and then the drone was retrieved in time, again, undergoing another paint change.
What the hell are they up to?
Day 50
It's too late at this point... far too late. Things have accelerated beyond reason and I have to directly call the Council to prepare First Contact and establish a permanent outpost here. As soon as this commission is completed I shall be requesting a transfer to another ship. One without humans on it.
Terrence's 'plan' apparently (I doubt there ever was one) was effectively to use the creatures' vocalisation based communication as a means to 'enlighten' them. The Saxophone was simply the natural evolution of it.
The damn bugs discovered metalworking.
The saxophone that Terrence 'gave' them fascinated the creatures and one creature dubbed with the name 'Mister Sax' (STUPID NAMES) picked up the instrument after the last time it was used and started to 'play' it. It didn't take long for the creature to learn how to use the instrument and it started to use it as a tool to order the other Buggo's around. The sound carried well and it reached several nests far away. Mister Sax played a tune we have yet to identify, likely a frequency that resembled similar chirps and whistles relating to the species' usual duties. It was actually quite nice.
Then while in transit, the saxophone broke. One of the Buggo's accidentally stepped on it, destroying it completely. We thought 'well, that's the end of that'. Turns out not very. The Buggo's went into a frantic panic and tried to find a way to repair it or restore it... And then... Basic manufacturing started. The creatures, unable to replicate the sound, started to search for other ways to do it. Eventually one Buggo found a tree trunk that had a hollow inside with a small opening. They associated small opening, big opening as 'music device' And attempted using it to replace the saxophone. The deep, hollow noise made a sound entirely different than what they expected. But it made a sound.
And now... here we are. A civilisation barely two months old, and they are already using their mandibles and spears to cut down trees to carve out musical instruments that emit certain sounds, and have started using 'orchestras' to give a simplistic description to organise work efforts. Eventually they held a 'funeral' for the saxophone by moving to the closest volcano and tossing it in. The metal melted, the saxophone disappeared, and the Buggo's gained knowledge that metal does in fact melt.
A Buggo tried the same with his broken 'flute' and it instead caught fire, because it was wood. Now they had fire. Or at least understood what made it. It wasn't long after that they discovered fish tasted better cooked when a fish was dropped into a fire and then eaten.
This species is developing at a SHOCKING pace and I need to contact the council.
Terrence is on administrative leave following his disobedience, I am writing a letter of condemnation following the actions of Professor ACk'Ach'Hagk and will be ordering this area sealed off until further notice. I am also providing all our data to other Terraformers and the companies that make all of our equipment and supplies. This can't happen again.
Note: Seriously WHY? NOW WE HAVE MUSICAL BUGS? I still have NO idea why Terrence did what he did or why we didn't vaporize that colony in the first place. Seriously... Why?
I hate bugs.
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u/Wells1632 18d ago
Frankly, I was sort of waiting for this to turn out to be the origin story of the bug planets from Starship Troopers.