[Story] Megafauna (Slow Growth, Mini-GTS)

[dartnet]

Megafauna
By Dartnet

Chapter 1 Unknown Artifacts

Off the coast of Round Island Alaska....

Rachel sat in the helicopter and felt very small. It was not an uncommon feeling for the young Paleoanthropologist. Everything about her could be called small. She was only five foot one inch tall, but skinny at 90 pounds of weight, with short ear length red hair that complemented her green eyes. She had an A cup chest, and dainty size 3 feet. She had a mousey look about her as she sat with her back pack between her legs in the seat looking out at the sea.

"How much longer till we get to the island?" She asked.

"Not long." Said Bob the Alaskan Park Service liaison that sat across from her. "About tem minutes and the artifacts are not far from the beach. We came across them when we were setting up the walrus observation camera. I have seen allot of Inuit artifacts and these look nothing like what I have seen before."

"I looked over the pictures you sent me and they look Neolithic Siberian. But I really don't think the one is a spear head it's much too large."

"Heads up, we land in about three minutes." The pilot yelled to the two passengers.

The helicopter maneuvered to a wide area on the beach and the passengers climbed out. Bob had to give Rachel a hand down as her legs didn't quite reach, and they proceeded down the beach.

"Watch out for the walruses they can be territorial." Bob stated.

Rachel looked around seeing a few of large aquatic animals. "I didn't think they would be so big." She said.

"Yea," He said pointing up the ridge. "The artifacts are up this way."

The two proceeded up the beach till finally Bob stopped. "Here is where I found them."

Rachel took out a pair of latex gloves and her camera out. She then proceeded to look around and she stopped and took a picture took out a not book noted something down. Then she moved a little up the trail took another picture, noted something. Then she moved a bit further and then she turned and yelled back to Bob. "I think you should take a look at this."

"What is it?" Bob asked.

"It appears to be a...." Rachel said as she fell disappearing from view.

"Dr. Kendrick?!?" Bob yelled as he ran forward. "Are you ok?"

"Yea. Nothing hurt but maybe my pride." Rachel's voice replied out of the hole in the earth she had fallen in to.

Bob hurried up to the lip of the hole reaching for the flash light on his belt. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Nothing fells broken. I will probably have a nasty burse on my left shoulder but other than that I am ok." She said squinting as Bob shined the flashlight in her eyes. "Do you have a spare? I am not sure where my equipment went."

"No, but catch." he said throwing the flashlight down to her.

Rachel fumbled a little but was able to catch the flashlight. She scanned the light around to see her situation. "I think I found a cave."

"What do you see down there?" he asked.

"Yea, there is allot of bones, and some skulls. That's from a mammoth I think, and there are paintings on the walls. This is defiantly not Inuit." Rachel said moving her flashlight back and forth.

"Ok. You stay there. I am going to go and get a rope. I have some in the chopper."

"No problem. There just seems to be the one room. I am just going to look for my gear."

Bob rushed to the helicopter and hastily grabbed the rope and ran so fast back to the cave entrance that he almost collided with a female walrus. As he approached the edge he yelled. "Rachel are you still ok down there? I have a rope."

"You need to see this." She replayed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A skull and a REALLY big one."

"A mammoth?"

"No it's human!"

[dartnet]

Chapter 2 the Cave

Bob climbed down in to the cave and looked about. The floor was strewn with bones and stone tools. He heard "Catch!" as he spun around and to have a flashlight in his face and was just able to react in time to grab the flashlight being tossed to him.

"I found my gear." Rachel said, pointing her light at the walls illuminating many primitive cave drawings.

Bob looked in wonder. "Wow this looks like that palace in France."

"Yes the resemblance to Lascaux is striking."

"You said there was something I needed to see, a skull?"

"Yep." Rachel turned the beam of her flashlight over to the far end of the cave to revel what appeared to be a human skull with tuffs of long black hair still attached to it. However the skull was the size of a beach ball. "Hold the light still I need to get some pictures."

Bob whistled, and said, "My god, that's incredible. How did it get in here?"

"I think that the entrance used to be over there." Rachel pointed her light a pile of rocks along one wall. "It looks like there was a cave in and our giant friend was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I have heard that there were legends of giants in these islands. But I never thought I would see one."

"Many legends have a basis in facts."

Rachel moved about the cave taking pictures. As she did Bob noticed that there was a small cut in her shirt on her left shoulder.

"Hold up." he said moving over to her. "Let me take a look at that."

"Look at what?"

"You my have a cut and that could be dangerous in a cavern."

"Where?"

"Right here." Bob responded shining a light on her shoulder. "Hold still. It looks like there some blood; we should get out of this cave, and get some antibiotics on that."

"Your right," she said looking at all the relics around her. "We should get back anyway and I can start to get a team to do a proper excavation of the sight."

Little did she realize that it was already too late, as a single microorganism has in fact entered her body. The same organism that had infected the woman whose remains rested in the cave.

[topcat37]

good so far!

[dartnet]

Originally Posted by topcat37

good so far!

Thank you. I am glad you enjoy it.

[dartnet]

Chapter 3 Infection

The microorganism floated in Rachel's blood stream and began to stir. For millennia it had slept waiting for the conditions it needed to activate and now it detected what it needed and that was body heat. Its rudimentary senses felt the warmth and began to respond. It had two goals, to create a large colony, and then to spread to other hosts.

It quickly assessed that the new host was much too small and was loosing too much heat to reach optimal colony size. Larger hosts while generating less heat they can not release heat as efficiently. The host would have to be enlarged as such it began to release a chemical mixture to alter her DNA. After a few minutes it had collected enough heat to induce mitosis and the two organisms continued on with there mission.

Meanwhile on Bob was spraying some antibiotics on Rachel's arm. "That should deal with any bugs you may have picked up. Now let's get this show on the road." Bob said wrapping a bandage on her arm.

"Yea this is the find of a life time, and right now I feel like I can eat a horse." Rachel replied.

As she rode back Rachel felt a dull ach in her bones like the flu was setting in. What she didn't know is that and her increased appetite was the first symptom of her transformation.

[vermin316]

Looking good so far.

[dartnet]

Chapter 4 Awakenings

Rachel awoke covered in sweat. It had been one tough night for her. First she ate like a pig, and then she was so tired that it was all she could to crawl back in to bed. Even then she wasn't able to get a good sleep as she was so hot and achy. She realized she had fallen asleep in her clothes and it took her a few moments to realize why she was now awake her phone was ringing. She picked up the phone and said "Hi, honey...Yea I am heading back tonight...I think I may have caught a cold....Yes I am taking care of my self.....Ok see you at the airport...Love you too."

Rachel put down her phone, something was off. She couldn't put her finger on in but something was different. She put her hand on her faces and wiped her brow. She felt like she really needed to stretch but just couldn't. She got up and brushed the hair off of her ear. "Wait a second." she thought as she walked to the bathroom.

She looked in the mirror and her hair covered her ears. "That's odd I just had my hair cut last week." she said out loud. She tuned her head back and forth and yes her hair was covering her ears, and her lips looked fuller. She was interrupted by the grumbling of her stomach. She walked over and called room service for a large breakfast, and headed to the shower leaving a trail of clothing behind her.

The shower was amazing, never before had she felt so alive. As Rachel dried her self off she noticed that a scar on her arm that she had since 4th grade was gone. Little did she know that deep with in her the infection was spreading, altering her biochemistry, repairing damage, and preparing new growth plates in her bones, and the heat of the shower had only accelerated the process.

[topcat37]

Really good so far!

[Mr GorpThorp]

I like where this is headed

[dartnet]

Chapter 5 Plans

Rachel walked over to the bed to begin getting dressed. Everything was normal until she got to her wedding ring; it was tight on her fingerer. "My hands must have swelled last night with the fever." she thought. "Oh well the swelling should go down soon." as she took the ring and put it in her jeans pocket.

As she put the rest of her clothes on she felt as everything felt a little off. She could not put her finger on what was wrong but nothing fit right. Just as she completed getting her shoes on there was a knock on the door.

"Room service." the female voice on the other side said.

"Come in." she said walking towards the door.

The door opened and in waked a room attendant with a cart with two big plates on it. "Planning to have a guest for breakfast?" she asked.

"No just hungry." Rachel responded.

"All right." the woman responded. "Anyway the bill is in the cart. Anything else we can get you?"

Just then she caught sight of Bob in the hall.

"...No." Rachel responded with a pause. "I am good. Thank you."

Bob walked in as the attendant walked out. "So I got just got off the phone with Juneau and it may take about a month to get the ok to do the excavation."

"That's fine as long as no one disturbs the sight." Rachel said loading up a plate with food.

"I don't think that would be too much of an issue. It is in the middle of no where on an island that in a few days will be covered in 2,000 pound love struck walruses. Anyway I sent a couple of rangers to cover the cave entrance this morning. Did you do something with your hair?"

Rachel blushed a bit. "Yea I haven't had a chance to comb it." she said with a smile. "Anyway it will take me about that long to get my team together, and get the funding in line. How much dose your higher ups know?"

"Not much, just the basics."

"Good this is the find of a life time. The less they know the less the chance some one will talk to the press. What about the tribal liaison?"

"Don't worry I know how deal with my uncle. As long as were respectful to the remains it will not be an issue. When dose your flight leave?"

"In about two hours." Rachel said brushing the hair off of her ears.

[dartnet]

Originally Posted by topcat37

Really good so far!

Originally Posted by Mr GorpThorp

I like where this is headed

Thank you. I am glad you enjoy it.

[dartnet]

Chapter 6 the Plane Ride

Rachel had felt uncomfortable, she had been in the air for over an hour and everything was off. Not only could she now feel her hair brushing the bottom of her neck, but her shoes and bra felt tight. Even the sides of her jeans were tight in the hips.

"What the hell is going on?" she thought to herself. "This bug must be causing me to swell up like a balloon. Or maybe I am just retaining water. Or maybe I am..." She paused. "No I can't be. I mean we have been working with the clinic but nothing has come if it yet, but I mean...No I must have the flu or something."

"Can I get you anything?" a voice interrupted her train of though. Rachel looked over to see an attractive blond haired flight attendant standing in the isle pushing a cart.

"Yes some water, please." Rachel got a good look at her. She was about five six with out her heals on she thought, her hair came down to her shoulders, striking blue eyes, great legs, and a B cup. The name tag said Jenny, but then Rachel stopped and thought to her self "You're a married woman. Must be the flu causing my eyes to wander."

"Here you go." Jenny said as she handed Rachel the water bottle. "Anything else?"

"No that will be fine." Rachel responded as she settled in to her seat, and drifted to sleep. While she slept deep with in her the colony after the expansion period switched into rest mode for now the priority is to maintain the health of the host and slow the expansion.