Migration
In the year 2238 an ingenious invention utilizing Nanotech's new dark matter transmitter had enabled the company to virtually revolutionize the industry. In the opposite concept of Nationalization the company had purchased all the governments of Earth, having realized an enormous influx of capital due to their patent.
Using their new invention, it was possible to send one thousand teraflops of data to any location, however remote. Encoded in this information were the genetic markers of those to be disassembled and reconstituted at whatever destination was desired. This same genetic information was stored in the database, allowing retrieval of the subject once their mission was complete. Spectrum analysis had progressed to a point where a suitable atmosphere to sustain human life could be accurately determined on those planets that were selected as appropriate candidates for profit.
Early experiments on human subjects to try out this new method of transport were met with disappointing results. Surviving family members had been compensated with an appropriate number of stock options. A simple reversal in a diode had solved the problem of having their bodies turned inside out upon the return transport, which had also caused some distress for the technicians operating the machine.
With no other obstacles facing them, the board of directors instituted "Reach Out"; a series of expeditions meant to locate and retrieve natural resources that would add to the bottom line. Along the way they encountered other civilizations that were either tolerated or "cleansed", a corporate buzz word for annihilation. Other worlds were colonized if they were found to have value as a satellite location, thus insuring the growing influence of Nanotech throughout the cosmos.
The planet Cryalia was so austere that it normally would have been discounted as a place of interest for colonization or cleansing. Fortunately, a large deposit of diamonds had been found that made the risks of mining it acceptable. The local populace had been found to be bothersome though, resisting all attempts at eradication. It seemed that they were impervious to any weapon known to man. Light was found to be the only thing that would keep the Shadows at bay.
*
Captain Jason McCord looked at the GPS readout and saw that the display showed that they were exactly 14.752 Earth miles from the compound. Sunset occurred in exactly forty two minutes. He looked around at the barren landscape, fully aware of the danger that lurked in their midst.
"Damn. We're not going to make it before nightfall."
"Are you sure Jason? Maybe if we ran part of the way we could make up some time."
He looked over at his second in command and saw that she was taking it all in stride. Lieutenant Susan Shafer had more guts than any man he had ever known, including himself. He gave her a look that made clear what he thought of the question. It had come from Richard Crenshaw, a corporate bean counter who was out here to show them how to mine diamonds more efficiently. It was funny how they could all be experts from forty parsecs away.
"We're in a desert Mr. Crenshaw, if the rover wouldn't have broken down we would have been back in the compound by now, but I'm afraid we have to face the prospect of spending the night out here in the open."
"But what about the Shadows?" asked Richard his voice cracking with emotion, "Won't they be able to see us?"
"Oh they'll be able to see us alright. But as long as the portable lights hold out we'll be ok." He didn't mention that the records showed only 14% of work parties caught outside at night had survived. Company policy dictated that no extraordinary effort was to be expended on the retrieval of those who were foolish enough to find themselves stranded outside the well lit compound.
"Susan, let's start setting up the lights right away. I want to have at least ten minutes to verify the ultraviolet level before darkness falls." Oh well, the pay had been good, he thought. He was comforted by the thought of the stock options his wife would be receiving if things didn't work out.
"Yes sir, Captain." replied Lieutenant Shafer, beginning to unpack the collection of reflectors that was strapped to the rover. It was a routine that they all had to practice diligently, and she was confident that she could have the equipment set up in the allotted time.
Jason would keep the visitor occupied, briefing him on what to expect as the large Cryalian sun neared its inevitable rendezvous with the horizon. He didn't want this newbie freaking out and knocking over a light, which would spell the end for all of them.
"Richard, since this will be your first experience with the inhabitants of this planet, I think it would be advisable to tell you what to expect. The Shadows are everywhere, but only become visible when night begins to fall. They are capable of passing through your body without you knowing it; in fact there are probably several inside of you right now."
The corporate puke blanched at this information and a look of revulsion crept slowly across his face.
"Stay with me now." continued Jason "Don't worry, they can't harm you in their present state, and are more like observers until darkness allows them to become corporeal. If any of them are inside your body right now they will leave to escape our lights before taking a form we can see."
Richard's eyes had become increasingly wide and he was sweating profusely.
"Their appearance can be startling, so don't let that throw you. The best way to describe them is as a large anemone with hundreds of tentacles. These tentacles emit a toxin so deadly that it is always fatal to humans. The pain is said to be excruciating, and death occurs several hours after exposure. Once darkness begins to fall you will see them gathered on the edge of our lights. If you simply stay within the perimeter you should have no problem making it through the night."
This isn't going to work, thought Jason. He was going to have to administer the sedative. The mere sight of these creatures had been known to rattle even the most hardened veteran, thus accounting for the low survival rate outside of the compound. Some survivors had even been found in a state of raving mania, having somehow remained inside the protective influence of the lights. Unfortunately he and Lieutenant Shater were barred from taking sedatives, which was another corporate policy enforced stringently by company security forces.
"I'll be alright, I promise." said Richard, to Jason's great surprise. "Just let me get prepared and mull this over for a bit."
Jason gave Richard a long hard look and wondered if he had misjudged him. Probably not, he concluded, but the sedative was fast acting and they still had thirty four minutes.
"Ok, you stay here and I'll start helping Lieutenant Shafer set up the lights. You're sure you're going to be alright?"
Richard shook his head in the affirmative, and turned away, disappearing around the back of the rover to apparently think things over. Jason watched him go with a faint sense of foreboding which set off alarm bells in his disciplined mind. He hesitated for a moment and then followed Richard's tracks through the thick sand that surrounded the rover on all sides.
When he saw Richard again he was talking frantically into a communicator that he had pressed to his ear. In the space of several seconds his form separated into tiny dots and he vanished from sight.
"NOOOO!" yelled Jason as he ran into the empty space where Richard had been standing.
*
Richard Crenshaw rematerialized in the bright light of the transport chamber, happy to be standing once again on Earth. He waved at the technician and stepped down from the chamber onto the floor of the facility and headed toward the door. His security badge had the correct color, and the guards who stood on either side of the exit snapped to attention as he passed.
Once outside he noticed that it was a pleasant evening, and thought to himself that he was going to have to put in a transfer to something a little less hazardous.
"They don't pay me enough for that type of assignment." He muttered as he walked through the dappled fluorescence surrounding the facility. As the words left his mouth he experienced a slight burning sensation and looked down to see the first of three slime covered creatures emerging from his torso. He was immediately gripped in the throes of tremendous pain that felt like an unquenchable fire which burned his skin all the way from his scalp to the soles of his feet.
The Shadows parted company, moving off in different directions. They didn't need each other to procreate, and the ancient sewer systems on this planet were the perfect environment that they needed to increase their numbers exponentially. In a matter of weeks this planet would be theirs, and the first order of business would be to eliminate all sources of artificial light.
They had waited a long time for the chance to escape the rock where their ship had crashed. Thanks to these newcomers from the planet Nanotech, their wait was finally over.