The Idlers
Emotionless and icy parasites that traverse the deep void of space in search of suitable hosts; they have scoured the universe for aeons attempting the find the perfect place to take up residence. They have visited many worlds, and most found a home, but there are always those who have to desire to travel beyond what is known, to find other beings to find out if their life can be better, more invigorating. With their size and voyage form, they have run into very few problems with the species that they encounter. It also prevents damage from planets with ozone layers. They are extremely adaptable, though many fleets have been known to have perished upon arrival on inhabitable planets, as they are a simple beings, they do not have the technology to assess which planets will be suitable. When fleets are deployed by the central mentality, it does so only once they have a strong enough understructure to pose no risk of eradication to those who will remain planet-side.
It is not to say, however, that these beings have never been bested, or simply were not compatible with the planet’s current life forms. There is one instance, where the beings that they encountered were ready and prepared for this unprovoked attack. The sizes of both species were comparable, and they remained locked in battle for days. Many on the planet lost their lives as did all of the parasites. The central mentality has disallowed any and all attempts to that planet for the time being, it was not easy to spread. On multiple other planets, they were exceptionally small, which made them exceptionally powerful. They invaded the beings on this world, and caused mass death and panic. People’s heads would explode from pressure built up inside by the parasite. Their blood boiled, searing their innards and their flesh. Mucus drained from their bodies as torrents. The parasite was simply too strong for this new host could not repopulate; the parasite died off quickly.
The most successful planets, where this parasite can live, long, happy lives are the ones where it can invade the inhabitants, disrupting their immune system to remove foreign bodies. There is one problem, however, the parasite eventually becomes too strong, ever evolving, for the inhabitants of the planet, and begins to destroy them in many various strains. Given time, growing and becoming stronger, the most powerful strains join as one, and are directed across the cosmos towards the great central mentality as it waits to become strong enough to infect the entire universe.
September 14, 2009 at 2:34 am
And let us all hope that I never again write a story whilst I’ve taken ill.
September 15, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Well, at least your head did not explode.
September 21, 2009 at 1:11 am
This story sounded a bit like a discovery channel program, lol. Sorry to hear that you were ill while writing this one. Hope you’re better now