Where the Heart Is

by Workable Goblin

Report on the Biological Characteristics of a Newly Discovered Xenospecies

CLASSIFIED//APPROVED PERSONNEL ONLY/SCIENTIFIC//PROJECT CODE: PURPLE PIGEONS//DID: 06-1072EAF9-2

INTERIM REPORT ON THE XENOSPECIES 'A'
Supervising Author: Fluttershy
Authors: See Appendix A

ABSTRACT:

During the course of the Mothership Project, contact has been made with a new species of xenobiological origin, which has been designated 'Species A'. Despite limited availability of study material, extensive analysis of Species A's biology has taken place, showing that Species A definitely has no common origin with any previously known lifeform. Besides thoroughly describing Species A's biological functionality, this report therefore proposes that Species A should be granted a new taxonomic designation, Gryphus gryphus, and defines a new level in the taxonomic hierarchy for describing species of xenobiological origin.

...neither Species A nor any of the symbiont organisms found on and within it (see Appendix D, "Xenosymbionts") possess any biochemical compatibility with species of Equus extraction beyond the common presence of certain sugars, fats, and other simple biomolecules. While the same chemical chirality rules as known species are followed, little else of any complexity is held in common; their nucleic acid analogue uses different bases than any previously seen, and none of the twenty-four (instead of nineteen) amino acids detected in Species A tissue are used in known non-synthetic lifeforms. Basic computer modeling suggests that the hypothesis of separate origin is at least 4^8000 times more likely than the hypothesis of common origin. As a result, we suggest the term "Sol," for "sun," as a new taxonomic level, defined as the collection of all levels sharing a common origin, and define the sols Equidae, for all previously known forms of life, and Gryphidae, for Species A, its symbionts, and any other lifeforms which may have stemmed from the same origin...

...this biochemical incompatibility manifests itself most strongly in pharmacology...before trials were halted due to the risk of death, pharmaceutical assays showed, as expected, that no known drugs had the same effect in gryphons as in equines...there were several instances of unexpected effects being found, and further study of the drugs indicated in Appendix I should be undertaken to see if they might have medical utility...reaction to the anesthetics was particularly hostile, with every exposure resulting in serious anaphylactic shock...proximate cause for ending pharmaceutical assays...biochemical studies may allow in silico development of Gryphidae-targeted drugs...anesthetics are the highest priority to allow more sophisticated surgical procedures...

...nutrition has proven another significant problem due to incompatibility of known proteins...stool study showed that only the simplest sugars and fats could be digested...high probability of micronutrient deficiency and kwashiorkor...could result in serious mental degradation...

...many gross organ structures appear similar to equine equivalents, but the details are often different and similarities can be misleading. For example, a structure which appeared on gross dissection to be a parallel to pain-processing centers in the equine brain was not activated during fMRI scanning, but instead a structure which appeared to resemble known equine language areas was very active, despite a lack of vocalizations...

...largest limitation on current studies is limited number of living specimens (eight). Acquiring more should be a high priority for further biological data...

Comments

[Nikas]

For example, a structure which appeared on gross dissection to be a parallel to pain-processing centers in the equine brain was not activated during fMRI scanning, but instead a structure which appeared to resemble known equine language areas was very active, despite a lack of vocalizations...

...largest limitation on current studies is limited number of living specimens (eight). Acquiring more should be a high priority for further biological data...

With Spacebattles down I'll say it again. Hardcore Fluttershy is Hardcore. And after reading that this:

...anesthetics are the highest priority to allow more sophisticated surgical procedures...

can be taken in a more sinster light.

Guess everyone is dealing with the Burning of Equus in their own way.

Pinkie Pie: "This is my party Ion Cannon!"

[Nikas]

4532355

"We are the Unbound"?

[Halogen_03]

...
That's it, Gearbox is taking too long, I'm going to reinstall Homeworld... and favorite this.

Pretty good build-up, not in a hurry to get to the meat of things, giving us plenty of time and viewpoints to really become invested with it, and grammar and spelling were pretty damn good.

Wow. This really made my day.

Seeing this done, and done pretty damn well, almost fills my cold, shriveled, cynical heart with hope. Like smelling the sea after a long trek through the Great Desert.

My only complaint being that I wished you'd touched more on the Mothership launching. Felt a little too detached and impersonal having it relegated to Fleet Command's status updates at the end of the chapter. The monumental occasion of the Mothership detaching itself from the scaffold and launching under it's own power for the first time just feels... squandered.

[aduck]

4534428
Eh, I was quickly swallowed by StarCraft and Warcraft, and then moved to Master of Orion and Pax Imperia. It was awesome.

But Homeworld will always hold my heart for being true 3D tactical warfare, a great story with voice acting, and the odd diconomay with the blank and white cut scenes and the amazing in game graphics. I am so getting the collectors addition, in hopes of generating a homeworld 3.

[Kamunari]

4531176
Hmm, I think RD and pinky would be good together. One has 'Combat sense', and the other has 'Pinky sense'. I only wonder the hidden potential of the pony race.