familial bonding / confronting the CEO of racism

end of year 56 (Earth year 2006, 4 years till departure)

Every Martian looks a bit unique as they are literally shaped by their experience, for example, both J'onns and M'ganns human forms are their default due to the amount of time that they spent amongst them. The physical body of a relaxed martian is the closest representation of their psychic fingerprint.

Having spent the past nine years in the depths of the deep forest my physical body is an engineered marvel of every apex predator I came across. This small fact slipped my mind and caused a bit of a panic when I got to the shallows of the deep forest.

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pov shift

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G'alell J'ann is a young green martian studying the fairly unexplored field of martian animal behavior. Having lived by the edge of the deep forest for their entire life G'alell found the creatures that made the massive forest their home a constant source of curiosity and entertainment. When he was finally old enough G'alell joined the scientific institute of mars to more completely understand his woodland neighbors, as he got there he found that there was a wealth of research done on both the shallows and the descent. He was ecstatic, the fact that there was already an expert in the field would allow him to learn much easier than on his own if he had a professor to help teach him. However, the research had no professor or researcher attached to it, it seemed that whoever submitted the papers was not given any sort of title or recognition which seemed very strange.

After going to the professors who would have most likely been involved with at least the formating of the paper to try and figure out what exactly had happened to the researcher.

'Professor I recently found a research paper called "an in-depth analysis of the deep forest's fauna" yet I could find no information on the person who actually did the research' G'alell inquired to the head of the biology department.

'Ah yes, "that" paper' the professor spat

'written by a child who got into this academy by no merit of their own and released this paper after only three years! Obviously, they thought themselves some kind of genius and gave research years ahead of where we are in behavioral science in but three years! absolutely preposterous!' the old professor was nearly yelling by the end of his tirade

Taken aback by this G'alell quickly apologized and left in a hurry.

'This paper is well written and clearly well researched, why would that professor react in that way?' this question plagued G'alell for months until he decided to take the paper and compare it to what he could observe in the safe and famillier shallows of the deep forest.

'Amazing! The Ma'arzuu beast's social dynamics are far more complex than shown in any other research! I never would have noticed this if not for this paper' G'alell was ecstatic at the wealth of knowledge that he had stumbled upon but was disquieted still by the reaction of the professor.

As G'alell was deep in thought he failed to notice that the usually active shallows, filled with the psychic chatterings of the small creatures, had fallen still and silent.

looking up from the paper he was referencing G'alell was surprised to notice that the troupe of Ma'arzuu had vanished. This was strange as he had heard no warning signals that would send the troupe running, in fact, he couldn't hear much of anything.

bolting to his feet G'alell realized that for the first time since he was born that he was alone, he could not hear or feel the psychic presence of the city just a mile behind him. Fear like he had never felt before spread through his body as he quickly shifted the most powerful auditory organs he knew of and listened, perfectly still, fully taken over by the most primal instincts to freeze and listen.

*thump...*

*snap...*

'Oh hello! I didn't think I would see anybody in this entrance to the shallows, not many know of it' a deep voice that sounded like a mix between a growl and smooth silk announced in G'alells mind

Whipping around G'alell laid eyes upon a beast that made every chemical and instinctual response in his body go into overdrive. He quickly bulked up to the largest form he could manage while wrapping himself in the thickest plates he could manage and backing away as quickly as possible.

'Uuuuuhhh, I know I'm a white martian but damn man that is the most intense reaction I've seen' the beast said then looked down upon its nightmarish visage

'ah shit I think I know what the problem is, damn gonna have to add another thing to the list of reasons why one shouldn't fuck with an Azathoth' the beast murmured as its body shifted, losing its strange plated eyeless head and forming the more basic martian equivalent, the strange tendrils on its back wrapping around and shifting into its body and the intimidating plating receded to white martian skin

As soon as the head shifted form, G'alell suddenly felt the psychic presence of the millions of Martians in the city behind him

'who, WHAT, a-are y-o-you' G'alell screamed in a panick

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Mc pov

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'well in order, I am S'ol A'res, I am a white martian and the foremost researcher in Animal behavior in all of Mars, and I am returning from a nine-year research trip into the very deepest reaches of the deep forest.' I look at the stack of papers scattered about the forest floor and see that it is the original doctorate paper I submitted

'And I see that you share my interest in the fauna of this world, seeing as you have my original doctorate paper

the young green Martians head snapped up to me in shock

'You wrote this paper?! it's brilliant! I asked around the institute to find the professor or doctor who had written this paper but found out that it was rejected! The professor could give no reason as to why, so I came here to the shallows to get my own data to compare, I've learned so much just by going off the baseline data you layout about the shallows!' He exclaims with such speed that if he had to breathe then he would have passed out.

'Well, the reason why the paper was rejected is because racism, it also didn't help that I was very young when I wrote the paper so they saw me as some braggart. So I left to get so much data on every aspect of the forest and give a complete proof of animals that have never been recorded in the history of mars and rub it in their faces!' I exclaim loudly, I've spent nine years with animals I'd like to see anyone else not become a bit eccentric.

'What is your name kid?' I ask the martian that is gawking at me

'OH, my name is G'alell J'ann sir' he responds

'Well G'alell I'm going to see if I can find my uncle and finally get my doctorate, stay safe' I don't really need the doctorate but it's always nice to be vindicated and hopefully humiliate racists.

'Of course sir! Who is your uncle if you don't mind me asking?' My new apparent fanboy asks

'J'onn J'onnz The Manhunter'

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Walking through the streets of the martian capital I felt both at home and a need to get out of dodge. Every animal groups operate off of a fairly closed telepathic network in between other members of their species that they used to communicate, having joined these closed networks I became used to tighter nit groups and packs of psychic links rather than the ambient noise of the city.

Serenity had shifted into an armored uniform around my body so as to not draw attention to my bioship and myself. and I focused on the link that I shared with the young lifeform while slowly reacclimating to the Martian population center.

Making my way back to the home that the entirety of my family lives in I can feel hints of familiar minds each going about their days, the elders admonishing the children for being too loud or for flying indoors, at the bottom of the building I could feel the mind of a young 44 (14 biologically) year old martian. The thoughts and feelings coming from the mind are incredibly excited and focused, the strength of the mind intrigued me so I went to investigate. I'm betting that is M'gann going through some of the stuff from Earth that J'onn brought back from one of his returning trips to mars.

As I reach a small room I can see light and hear a laugh track filter from under the doorway of the room. I telekinetically activate the doorway and it slides open quietly, inside the room there is a small old television and VCR, books of many different genres stacked up the walls, and a small martian girl sitting enraptured at the foot of the TV watching an 80's sitcom called "Hello Megan".

Smirking to myself I reach out psychically

'Hello M'gann' I say to her sending my amusement across the link

The Young martian, I now know is M'gann M'orzz who is currently shapeshifted to look like the main character of the show, Jumps in surprise at my greeting.

'Eep' she exclaims as she whips around to face me

'Uhm hello... who are you?' she asks shyly projecting embarrassment at how open she was with her excitement.

'I am one of your many cousins, my name is S'ol A'res, I came down here to see who else had taken to J'onns souvenirs from earth while I was away I respond calmly

'When I first found this place I didn't leave for two straight days, I can understand your excitement.' I project some of my memories of reading the books that J'onn had brought from earth.

'I see that he has expanded his collection since last I saw, would you mind if I joined you in watching that show?' I ask gently

M'gann's eyes widen comically and she nods her head up and down at a blinding pace. I get the feeling that everyone else to who she has shown her interest has either responded with indifference or ridicule. Due to the insular nature of martian society, there is not much in the way of appreciation of foreign media.

'That would be great! Have you seen this show before? no of course you haven't you just said you've been gone for a while. do you want to start at episode one, I've already seen it all so I wouldn't mind. wait these videos have been here for years how long were you gone, where did you go, was it school, are you training to be a manhunter like uncle J'onn?' M'gann unleashes a torrent of thought, excitement, and curiosity that makes me take a step back from the strength of it.

I am reminded that M'gann is a psychic powerhouse that could go toe to toe with J'onn in brute force, she would lose due to inexperience but that doesn't change how powerful she is.

'I will answer your questions one at a time but it will take a while. I would love to start this show you are so passionate about from the beginning, would you mind filling in anything I might not understand?' I respond by sending amusement, affection, and slight exasperation at the barrage of questions.

She nods her head sheepishly and I sit down next to her to watch some bad 80's sitcoms and hopefully introduce some actual culture to M'gann.

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year 57 (Earth year 2007, 3 years till departure)

It has been around a year since I first met M'gann and we have grown to become something akin to a brother and sister. She and Serenity became fast friends and bonded furiously over "Hello Megan!" for reasons I cannot explain. I would bring her into the deep forest and show her some of the different animals I had studied and help her with shapeshifting techniques she would have trouble with, most importantly I did my best to not let her bear the brunt of the racism that followed us in our day to day but I wasn't always around. She was however much more aware of her own psychic strength as I made it a point for her to focus on control, this will hopefully help with some of the issues to come in the future.

While J'onn was still her idol both for his heroics as well as bringing that accursed TV show, I was definitely coming a close second as a badass safari adventure brother and I can live with that.

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year 58 (Earth year 2008, 2 years till departure)

I was working on compiling my findings from my nine years in the depths into a cohesive book on the various fauna of mars and how they interact with each other. now as much as I would have liked to march straight to the institute that spurned me and mock them for doubting my genius, that wasn't going to get me a doctorate and would do nothing for me in the long run. So instead I started writing two works the first was a scientific research paper along with video evidence and a secondary piece of research confirming my findings from G'alell who continued researching the shallows, and a book chronicling my years living with the various beasts of Mars as a sort of autobiography and way to keep people from claiming my research as a fruit of their own expeditions.

I had finally finished both the works and was ready to publish my autobiography and had it set to be released when I finally received my doctorate in Martian Ethology and biology. All that was left was to enlist my heroic uncle's help in having a successful meeting with the dicks at the institute.

Thankfully J'onn was on planet briefly for governmental business, possibly initial talks of a zeta transfer point between earth and mars, and I was able to meet up with him.

'Uncle J'onn! It's me S'ol, I'm glad I caught you! I was wondering if you would come with me to my doctorial presentation.' I asked J'onn excitedly

'Ah, S'ol you have grown much since I last saw you! It would be my pleasure to accompany you in this accomplishment' J'onn agreed good-naturedly

I had set up an appointment to present my thesis and findings so I wasn't just barging into the institute reading aloud to any who would listen. I walked confidently toward the hall where I would present with J'onn by my side as I recounted my research trip in broad strokes to fill him in on exactly what I was getting a doctorate in.

Entering the hall I see the same old racist professors who had rejected then dismissed my research previously I wore a smirk on my face that turned into a full grin as I saw them realize who was with me and exactly why they couldn't pull the same shit again.

(I'm not going to describe the process of defending a doctoral thesis, S'ol A'res dunks on racists is the spark notes version)

Finally having my doctorate I released the stories of my journies in the deep forest. This had the unintended effect of turning me into an Indiana Jones crocodile Dundee like figure rather rapidly. This was both a great and bad thing, great that it gave white Martians someone to look to as an example of accomplishment and showed green Martians that we were not lesser, it was a bad thing in that it made me a target for the most radical of both groups.

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year 60 (Earth year 2010, 0 years till departure)

For the past year, I have been preparing, gathering exotic materials to enhance my different shifting forms, and taking telekinetic combat and multitasking to their limit. I had seen how M'gann was becoming more and more disillusioned with staying on mars in its current state and fell into her show as a solace.

I did my best to be there for her but I couldn't shield her from everything that was happening she was smart and could see the world around her. The other week she made her decision to stow away on J'onn's ship when he next goes to earth, which is today.

While she is not as reliant on the ambient noise of mars to stay calm and not go crazy as other Martians due to our outings into the deep forest, she would still have an incredibly hard time during the trip. So I was going with, at least that was one of my excuses I also wanted to get away from the tense political climate that I had found myself in.

as I slip into J'onns bioship behind M'gann sending a greeting to the ship before I enter.

'Hello M'gann' I whisper to her

She spins around immediately with a look of terror that quickly turns to a frustrated pout

'How'd you find me S'ol, I thought you were on an expedition today?' she huffs at me

'I am on an expedition, to Earth!' I chuckle ' this trip has been a long time coming for me, who do you think asked J'onn to bring all those souvenirs back?' I ask teasingly

'Well, that doesn't explain how you knew I was gonna come!' she retorts

'You have always been a bit of an open book, it had become obvious to me how much you want to getaway. You asked me to bring you to the edge of the black trenches, I'm assuming to get a feel for the psychic isolation in space, it was fairly easy to piece together.' I respond calmly

'Please don't tell J'onn, I must do this.' M'gann pleads with me desperately

'I won't, I will keep you company so you are not completely alone during the transit. I expect you to come up and introduce yourself when we are too far away to reasonably return' I explain

Her eyes light up and she gets into her hiding place as I leave the ship and wait for J'onn to arrive to go to earth.