8. New Humans?

'Hmm?!, so now this is the standard of humans according to you Avant?' Lucien asked looking at the "humans" in front of him, an older woman who could be both the older sister and the mother of the two youngest, a small girl who looked to be 4 years old and a boy who looked to be 10 or 11 years old, who was holding an improvised spear with a stone knife at the end.

Although they could pass as homo-sapiens from afar, closer observation reveals some very different traits from humans, even from hybrids created with genetic engineering. To begin with, their ears were more pointed on the helix, but instead of going up like "elf ears" they fell slightly downwards and near their tip two small protuberances appeared. Their skin was also somewhat different, having an olive tone, but with a pigmentation similar to a very light blue that was only noticeable up close.

Their hands and feet were also different because they had small membranes between the fingers, not like those of frogs, amphibians or members of the Kala-Secna sector. In the northernmost sector of the last map updated before the war, it was a membrane that seemed to retract. on the skin from what Lucien could see. And finally, their eyes were a little bigger and rounder with pupils that covered almost the entire iris, except for the boy's, which seemed to have shrunk and his irises started to take on a glow similar to those of mutated creatures.

[The genetic signatures of these creatures are 98.99999992% similar to those of homo-sapiens, with some additional ones from non-human species, including amphibians such as Sanactians.] Avant replied. [Besides, even you others cannot say that they are complete humans, their adaptations and additions to survive have greatly altered their genomes.]

'Fair enough, and you're not going to complain that I eliminated yet another possible source of information unnecessarily?'

[Luckily that creature was just a variant of individual #11975-7, registered by Miss Ethel, a bacterial amalgam mutated by MATER particles and acting in symbiosis with some fungal colonies. Its difference would be the addition of biological material of animal or plant origin, unfortunately the state in which you left it will not help to obtain much data to determine this addition.] Avant reported in a monotone but at the same time exasperated tone.

'Well there wasn't much to do, you know plasma attacks are my strong suit. And it's been a while since I last used it.' Lucien said, not at all regretting having killed the creature, or creatures in this case.

Even while Lucien was arguing with Avant, he had already made sure to collect the available data from the charred corpse with a hole in its "chest" and checked the state of the new visitors, the 3 were exhausted but not at risk to their lives, except for the older woman who had been injured by the creature.

Luciene then slowly approached the woman, he didn't finish taking 3 steps before the boy with the improvised spear placed himself between him and the woman just as he had done with the creature. With the difference that now he seemed to be even more scared of him than of the dead monster.

'Well it makes sense, I easily finished off a monster that would easily finish him off. It would be strange for him not to be afraid of me.' Lucien said to himself. 'But it's also impressive that he still wants to stand in front of me, even though he's a second away from fainting.'

Luciene then made a mental connection with the 3 individuals and using the MATER particles, he reduced their anxiety by quickly but gradually lowering the level of adrenaline and cortisol in their brains. Soon the boy let his guard down and Lucien said.

"Calmer now little one?" Luciene said using the calmest and most compassionate voice she could manage.

Still scared but much calmer now Movuya replied.

"Y-yes sir, heh, big, heh no... I'm fine."

Although Lucien didn't let on, he was extremely happy to hear the child's voice, it was the first time he had heard a voice different from that of his friends in millennia. Well, at least one voice with real intelligence and complex feeling.

"Um, that's good, but I'd say the lady back there isn't doing so well." He said pointing, which made the boy have an adrenaline rush again because he thought that the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere could try to kill his mother in the same way he did with the creature. Even though his rational side screamed that if he wanted to do this, he would have done it already.

"Alright, calm down, I won't do anything unless you or she allows it." Luciene said trying to calm the scared young man.

"Huh, well... yes, no I meant it. My mother is hurt as you can see, you can't... Could...'' Movuya tried his best to process what was happening around him as best as his young mind could. , first they were running away from the cursed people who killed his father and his clan, then they were running and hiding from much stronger monsters that could easily wipe out both clans, then his mother is injured and he almost dies trying to defend her and his sister , and the next moment they are saved by a stranger who looks like them but was clearly not like them, not only in appearance but also because he was able to use powers equal to those of the storm lights.

No wonder he can barely form coherent sentences.

"Um.., huhg, mommy..." A small voice spoke, and that was enough for Movuya's mind to clear, even if just a little.

With as much strength and respect as he could muster in his tired little body, he told Lara the stranger.

"SIR!! MY MOTHER IS VERY HURT, PLEASE COULD YOU HELP HER, I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO COMPENSATE HIM. AND MY SISTER IS ALSO EXHAUSTED FROM THE DAYS WE HAVE RUN. PLEASE!!!!" Movuya said everything in a single breath and as self-assured as he could while he seemed to try to bury his head as deep into the earth and shed tears, of frustration, anger, fear and hope.

Lucien was momentarily astonished, but soon came to his senses.

'Heh, they have already developed to the point where they have a notion of debt of honor and formal requests for help. They seem to be advancing much faster than us, why is that?' Lucien thought, even though he already had an extremely promising hunch.

The moments of silence that Movuya experienced seemed to come together for years, but soon the being spoke.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I can...."

Upon hearing those words, Movuya could have sworn he heard his heart break, but he also rationalized it in a manner not befitting his age.

'But of course, there is no merit in saving a group with 2 cubs and an injured female. There's no reason for this...' He thought, feeling his throat close even more and more tears coming out of his eyes.

"...After all, I've already done that while you're trying to compose yourself." Lucien said with a thin smile on his face, seeing the little one on the floor. It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel guilty for playing with the feelings of a child who was effectively desperate. But it would also be a lie to say that he didn't find it funny and was happy, because of the "joke" that was completely childish and completely in keeping with his age.

As soon as he heard what the being said, Movuya quickly raised his face to the being, who in turn looked at him with a small smile on his lips, and gestured towards his mother.

When he turned around he didn't see the open back with claw marks from before, nor the bite that had almost cost his mother his arm. But his mother's "blue-white" back and her arm were completely firm to her body, without any trace of injury.

She in turn looked at him as amazed as he was, and smiled for the first time in days.