Bogeyman

What happens when something just won't die?

Day 7: “You can’t kill the Boogeyman!” — Laurie Strode, Halloween

The base was on lockdown. Things had gotten out of controll. Astrobiologist, Kiki Long was called in to consult. The transport from the gate to Groom Lake opened its doors. Colonel Jim Colson helped Kiki down the bus steps.

"Doesn't this base usually handle aviation R&D?" She asked.
As she surveyed the hangars and tarmac something definitely seemed off. It was quiet, no mechanics or other personnel were out and about.

"Ordinarily ma'am," Colson confirmed. "A couple of nights ago, we had a...breach. Originally we thought it was an unidentified craft. However now we believe it may be alive. Walk this way; we've got a viewing theater overlooking the containment room."

The journey was short. Kiki peered down into the dimly lit spartan chamber. A formless swarm of black things roved around the room. It was hard to tell if it was one or many organisms. It formed pseudopods that pulled it along any surface.

"Is this how it looked when it landed?" She asked.

"No ma'am," Colson said. "It was in a hard case sitting in a crater when our response team arrived. As soon as one of the technicians touched it, this thing oozed out. It began melting and digesting any man or animal it came in contact with. We were only able to contain it using a remote control unit for bomb disposal."

Organisms often had disturbing ways of making a living. That was something that was abundantly clear from Kiki's studies. "There are three things I'm worried about," she said. "Living things grow, reproduce and need food. If this creature is carnivorous and not picky, we're all on the menu. We need a way to deal with this before it gets too big or reproduces."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "There's only one of them. With nobody to eat and nothing to screw, won't it just starve and the problem's solved?"

She rocked on her feet anxiously. "Not really," she said. "Some organisms are very adaptable. When their usual food source disappears, they can find other means. Also we don't know that this thing reproduces sexually. Most life on earth either undergoes self fertilization, pathogenesis or some form of asexual reproduction. This organism may be capable of any of those."

"Ah hell," Colson moaned. "We've tried everything, sucking out all the air, pumping in ethylene oxide, nitrogen, hell we even tried bullets, fire bombs and high voltage currents. Freezing the damn thing doesn't even work. I'm pretty sure the government won't approve nuking the Nevada desert in this day and age."


Kiki fidgeted with her hair as she watched the thing. It shuddered and a ripple passed over it. With a wet squelching sound, there were now two alien lifeforms. "This isn't good," she commented. "Evacuate the base immediately. No one goes inside the perimeter without the highest clearance and with Level 5 biohazard protocol in place. This is their territory for now. All we can do is hope they don't get out. It might take decades to figure out what these are and what to do about them."