4 The Collector

Kyler stood up from the ground. When he slid down from the cave it seemed to take only a moment. It actually took a few minutes, but he was so surprised and moved so fast it felt like it happened in an instant. He couldn't see anything and just as he was wondering if there was a way out a light came on.

The place lit up and he was surprised to find he was in a strange room with old looking alien artifacts. There were grey colored cabinets with rectangular and circular objects embedded in them.

There were dark back glass objects hanging from various places in the ceiling and even connected to the wall. Chairs were next to desks with more black glass and rectangular and circular objects embedded in the desktop. There were a few chairs on the ground.

Kyler didn't know what this place was but if a person from modern-day Earth were there; they would understand everything they were looking at were some kind of consoles and computers. Kyler roamed around the room looking at these strange objects. A light lit up on the floor and on the wall going down a tunnel. Kyler realized he was meant to follow the light.

He followed the light out of the strange room and walked through dingy hallways. From time to time he would pass a skeleton in strange clothes. At times he would find skeletons with humanoid forms but animal-like features.

The lights led to a door that opened on their own and Kyler walked inside. The doors closed behind him, but as they did the room lit up. On the wall opposite from the door he just entered was a man sitting on a kind of throne with those black screens, rectangular and circular buttons adorning the hand rests of the throne. The man looked like he had his eyes closed but was alive. He cautiously approached the man on the throne when a light beam lit up on his left. He was startled by the suddenly appearing light beam.

The light beam took the form of the man sitting on the throne. "Hello," the man began. "Hello," Kyler responded. "My name is Dr. Gilmore Harvey. I am a scientist from the Planet Mu. I have spent my life in the pursuit of knowledge and hoped to conquer and overcome the limitations of biology. I hoped to one day realize the dream of immortality.

In pursuit of this goal, I have traveled the stars and studied countless species of animals and bipedal intelligent species like humans. Unfortunately, a cosmic storm caused our ship to crash on this godforsaken planet that we have come to call "The Bad World." The planet has a brutal environment with very few native organisms or plants according to the probes we sent out. All of these probes were destroyed. Living conditions are harsh for weak humans like us and other organisms sharing similar origins.

The seas are filled with life, most of which is nightmarish, according to the sea probes we sent out. Like the land probes, our sea probes are no more. We have decided we will do our best to survive in this world. I hope this world will provide me with the data I need to complete my immortality project.

The crew has made their plans to explore the world and see if there are more hospitable areas to live. The ship crashed deep into the land and is buried by tons of rock. We have managed to create an entrance and exit to the ship using digging machinery. I am going to join the crew to explore the world and collect more data for Project Immortal. A small number of the crew opted to remain with the ship and work on restoring its functions. They hope to repair it so we can leave this planet one day. If you find this recording, I guess it means we failed and died on this rock. This is Dr. Harvey Signing off," the light beam remained but the image of Dr. Harvey disappeared.

The light flickered and Dr. Harvey reappeared. "This is an update to my previous message. After five years of exploration, I have documented and analyzed many different species. I believe I can integrate the genetic sequences of some of these species with our human DNA. If I can do this then it will strengthen our base biology and give us a fighting chance at survival. We've already lost twenty crew members. Those of us who survived the exploration has returned to the ship. Until we can find a way to increase our survivability on this planet, we won't go out exploring. Dr. Harvey, out," Dr. Harvey's image disappeared once more.

"This is the second update. Another three years have passed since we crashed on this planet. After extensive research of the native biological ecologies, I have discovered a method to incorporate the alien DNA of this place with our human DNA. I have created a device called a collector. The collector takes genetic samples and analyzes it. It can then modify a portion of our DNA and synthesize a new DNA sequence adding abilities from the native biology to our own. Several hunting teams have left to gather sample DNA.

Over the last 8 years, people have formed families and begun to reproduce. The first generation of children is stronger than the parents. Even their minds seem more active. A martial artist who has a long family tradition of ancient martial arts techniques reports that he has been able to attain abilities long lost by his family. This provides a new avenue of research and I will incorporate it into my work. Dr. Harvey, out," Dr. Harvey disappeared once more.

"Update 3: This is Dr. Gilmore Harvey with a third update. After ten years of reproduction, collection of sample DNA, and refinement of my technology and theories; our population has exploded. We are unable to live together next to the ship. The collectors I created have caused a strange development to occur.

Due to the discovery of different types of species on this planet, the blending of DNA with these species has created new types of human creatures. It's hard to call them new species since we are still able to interbreed. However, as human beings tend to do, those whose bodies have changed in similar ways have grouped together and are forming separate tribes. These tribes are moving to different places in Bad World. They are moving to areas more favorable to their types of mutations.

I have decided to remain here to continue my work and update as needed. Dr. Harvey, out," the image of Dr. Harvey disappeared once more.