The Auxuria Crisis

(Author's Note: Every comment, suggestion, and question is listened to and appreciated! Don't be afraid to message me or drop a comment if you'd like to say something to me. I do it for you guys any feedback is appreciated and welcomed! Enjoy!)

Prologue

For hundreds of years scientists hypothesized that intelligent life existed among the stars, but with each decade that seems less and less likely. The notion seemed so likely. If given enough time, humanity would encounter a species as smart or smarter than them. Each decade humanity drove further and further in space. The frontier was constantly expanding , and it seemed that the expansion of mankind was unstoppable. Scientists to dream that the next expansion of space would be home to the lifeforms they dreamed of so many years ago. When the reports came in that nothing was found, they dreamed that they would find them next time, and next time... and next time. It wasn't long for the entire notion to be dropped all together. Professors and scientists were beginning to tout the idea that humans were the most intelligent creatures -- an idea that seemed borderline narcissistic merely twenty years ago.

But this wasn't out of some sort self-infatuation. Time and time again researchers failed to discover and trace of intelligent lifeforms all across the stars. Each expansion they might find creatures as intelligent as chimpanzees, but nothing on the level of humans. All the evidence, or lack thereof, pointed at the fact that humans were alone in this world -- that they were on the top of the pyramid.

This notion brought with it all the dangers that would be expected with pride. Because when humanity is at the top of the food chain, what do they have to fear?

Jack Stewart stared at the creature from the comfort of the observation room. A chill went down his spine the moment he laid eyes on it. It was everything that one would deem to nightmarish. The ugly creature stood at about seven feet when it raised itself to full height. It stood on four powerful legs, but like a primate it wasn't limited to quadrupedal locomotion. It was capable of walking upright on its hind legs and was observed climbing with the six snake like tentacles that slither out from its back. Its muscles glistened like wet leather under the bright fluorescent lights, and its lipless mouth quivered as it breathed the room's stale air. Perhaps what made this monster all the more unsettling was its featureless black eyes. Jack was thankful that unbreakable glass stood between him and the beast.

The monster paced back and forth on all fours. It seemed agitated, frustrated by its confines. "It seems pissed," Jack mumbled.

"Probably because it is," Steven replied. He carefully read over the briefing from the security report. His face was pinched, and his posture rigid.

"How does this thing not scare the shit out of you?"

Steven didn't look up from his reading. Steven Colburn was an exceptional animal handler. He spent his whole life hunting some of the most dangerous animals known to man. He worked as a game warden for some of the most prestigious nature preserves and zoos in the universe. Now he works at Auxuria station because dealing with the occasional illegal pet is the closet he is going to get to retirement without actually retiring. But he fears that this creature, whatever it is, is going to make his job very hard.

"I am scared shitless." Steven set the report down the on the table in front of him. He looked at the monster with unnerving dread. "That thing has left us with a young man bleeding out in the ER and took seven men to bring down. Not to mention the whole crew of the ship it was on is missing. Where the hell did the five crewman go? I dunno if they jumped ship, and if they, did that thing fly the ship?"

"Come on," Jack nervously chuckled, his eyes still fixed on the creature, "don't be saying stuff like that. It'll scare the boys."

"Oh I'm serious."

Jack's eyes darted to Steven. To his dismay he saw that he was indeed serious. But how could that be possible? The ship's autopilot wasn't engaged, and this animal showed no signs of intelligent behavior. He started to think that Steven was letting his anxiety get to him.

That was probably Steven's biggest problem, Jack thought. He was always nervous about every little thing. For a man who spent his whole life killing and taming dangerous animals he sure didn't seem like a man who knew what he was doing. He was always blabbering about safety protocols, needing lethal weapons, isolating this and that. It was honestly tiring, and Jack knew that the entire security team and the Station Board was sick of him lecturing about such needless precautions.

The door behind them opened with a whoosh as Jane White and her team of graduates hurried into the room. They had been given permission from the board to conduct an observational study on the creature. Jane always wanted to be the first to write about and even name a new species, and she figured now was here chance.

"Sorry, gentlemen," the 40 year old professor announced, "I'm going to have to ask you two to leave so that my students and I can conduct our research without interruption."