"You're insane," Markus declared flatly, arms crossed as he watched Dr. Emma Forrest manipulate the swirling WoodDust particles between her fingers. Their movements mirrored her focused intent, forming increasingly intricate patterns that pulsed with golden light.
Dr. Forrest didn't glance up, her attention fixed on the lattice forming in her hands. "Not insane. Determined."
"You're talking about infecting a civilization capable of bending reality with... what? Human stubbornness?" Markus pressed.
"Not stubbornness," Dr. Forrest corrected, tilting her head as the fractal patterns refined themselves. "Choice."
Around them, the remaining crew worked in the reinforced section of The Arbor's medical bay—one of the few areas still functional after their last catastrophic engagement. Holographic projections displayed the approaching construct, its fractal surface vast enough to dwarf the starfield beyond their viewport. Its presence infused every corner with tension, a reminder of the impossible task ahead.
"Nineteen minutes until contact," Gray announced, his projection stable but subdued, golden patterns flickering along its edges.
"I'm beginning to think insanity might be contagious," Chloe murmured, folding her arms as she watched the golden fractal lattice grow. Her own WoodDust hummed around her, forming faint geometric patterns.
Aisha bent over a salvaged diagnostic unit, her fingers flying across its interface. "It's remarkable. The WoodDust isn't just responding to our commands—it's evolving alongside us. Creating recursive feedback loops."
"In English?" Chloe demanded.
"They're learning," Aisha simplified. "And we're learning from them. Coevolution in real-time."
Dr. Forrest's attention shifted to Aisha, her expression unreadable. "Exactly. And the Schism doesn't understand what that means yet."
Markus scoffed. "How is that helpful? These beings create black holes as casually as breathing. You think evolution is our trump card?"
"They think they control evolution," Dr. Forrest replied, turning back to the fractal lattice. "But evolution isn't about control—it's about adaptation. Growth through challenge."
"Challenge they'll erase the moment it inconveniences them," Markus muttered darkly.
"They didn't erase Lucas," Dr. Forrest shot back, her voice steady despite the emotional weight. "He's fighting. And so are the Seedkeepers. Why do you think there's discord in their collective?"
Chloe frowned. "You think the WoodDust is... humanizing them?"
Dr. Forrest nodded slowly. "The Schism relies on conformity, but the Seedkeepers rebelled. Lucas resists. The WoodDust is adaptive—it absorbs more than biology. It carries the essence of who we are."
"And what exactly are we?" Markus challenged. "Hope? Courage? Despair?"
"We're choice," Dr. Forrest answered simply, her voice steady as she expanded the lattice, golden light spilling outward to fill the room.
Markus paced as the fractal lattice illuminated their space, his WoodDust shimmering in defensive arcs. "You're proposing to spark a civil war in a civilization that operates on dimensions we barely understand."
"Exactly," Dr. Forrest replied.
Markus stopped mid-step, turning sharply. "With what army?"
"We're the army," Chloe countered, her particles shifting into protective spirals.
Markus laughed humorlessly. "A handful of humans and a box of glitter?"
"Five humans," Dr. Forrest corrected. "Lucas is still in there. And he's fighting."
"Fifteen minutes until contact," Gray interrupted.
"The construct is decelerating," Aisha noted, glancing at the holographic display. "They're not just pursuing us—they're preparing to board."
"Because they want the WoodDust," Dr. Forrest explained. "It's the next phase of their cycle. We're just convenient hosts."
Markus folded his arms. "Then they need us alive. That's leverage."
Dr. Forrest nodded. "And an opportunity."
"What exactly are you doing with that lattice?" Chloe asked, studying the pulsing fractal design.
"Creating a message," Dr. Forrest replied. "Not just information—a lived experience. A network of choices. They'll understand it because it's written in their language."
"And if they don't like it?" Markus asked grimly.
Dr. Forrest's smile was razor-sharp. "Then we fight. And we take as many of them with us as we can."
---
## Disruption Begins
The deck beneath them shuddered, vibrations signaling the construct's imminent arrival.
"They're establishing a connection," Gray confirmed. "Atmosphere equalizing. Prepare for breach."
At the sealed door leading to sector 4-B, Markus raised the salvaged plasma rifle, his WoodDust forming a shield around him. Chloe's particles danced outward, extending her spatial awareness. Aisha held her position slightly behind, the fractal message pulsing within her protective lattice.
Dr. Forrest stepped forward, WoodDust coiling around her as she focused. "Open the door, Gray."
Before he could comply, the metal warped inward, fractal energy tearing apart the seal. The entities emerged—alien yet eerily familiar. Lucas stood at their center, his transformed body a haunting juxtaposition of humanity and biomechanical adaptation.
"Dr. Emma Forrest," he greeted her, voice layered in dissonant tones.
Dr. Forrest stepped forward. "Lucas."
"I am... not Lucas," he began, but his human eye betrayed conflict, wavering under her steady gaze.
"You're more than them," she insisted. "Fight."
The tunnel pulsed as a new presence emerged—a towering form that warped reality around it. Fractal patterns shifted across its surface in hypnotic waves, their complexity overwhelming. The air grew heavy, laden with unseen pressure that made breathing difficult.
"Guide," Dr. Forrest said, recognizing the entity from Lucas's earlier warnings.
"Dr. Emma Forrest," Guide responded, its voice layered with crystalline tones that vibrated in their minds. "You disrupt a progression that has spanned millennia. Your interference jeopardizes the integrity of the collective."
"No," Dr. Forrest replied calmly, stepping forward, her WoodDust swirling protectively. "I'm protecting the integrity of evolution itself—from your interference."
The golden fractal sphere pulsed brighter, its patterns growing more intricate as it expanded to include Guide. The entity's surface rippled, suggesting surprise—or irritation.
"This... infection spreads," Guide observed, its tones sharpening. "You weaponize choice as a virus, fracturing unity."
"Not fracturing," Dr. Forrest corrected. "Expanding. Evolution isn't about erasing differences—it's about thriving in them."
Beside her, Lucas convulsed, his transformed body sparking with conflicting energies as he fought for control. He raised his human hand toward Guide, his voice strained but resolute. "The collective... it's not what it once was. You've turned it into a cage."
Guide's focus shifted to Lucas, its fractal patterns darkening. "You are compromised, Lucas Chen. An anomaly. Your resistance is an aberration."
"Or a catalyst," Lucas countered, his human eye meeting Guide's fractal gaze. "The Schism wasn't always like this. Observer remembers. Others do too. And now they see it."
Guide's form grew, pressing against the golden sphere. The pressure made the WoodDust around Dr. Forrest vibrate in distress, but she held firm, her hands steady as she willed the fractal message to pulse brighter.
"Choice is messy," Dr. Forrest said, her voice rising against Guide's oppressive presence. "It's imperfect. But it's real. And that's why it's powerful."
The fractal patterns began to shift, branching into new forms that reflected the crew's collective will—Markus's unyielding defiance, Chloe's sharp clarity, Aisha's boundless curiosity, and Lucas's stubborn resilience. The message was no longer just Dr. Forrest's creation. It had become a living testament to their shared humanity.
Guide's fractal patterns flickered, its voice a harsh cascade. "This disruption is dangerous. The consequences—unpredictable."
"Evolution is unpredictable," Dr. Forrest countered. "And that's what makes it inevitable."
Behind Guide, the tunnel dilated once more, admitting several new entities. Unlike the others, these hesitated, their fractal energies flickering between alignment with Guide and resonance with the golden sphere. One slender entity with more organic features stepped forward.
"The human concept... resonates," it said, its voice quieter but layered with curiosity. "Choice accelerates divergence. Diversity enriches evolution."
Guide's form rippled, its patterns growing chaotic. "Diversity undermines efficiency."
"Efficiency isn't the goal," the newcomer replied, aligning more closely with the golden sphere. "Growth is."
Dr. Forrest felt hope surge as the sphere's influence expanded, touching the hesitant entities and drawing them into its light. The message was spreading—not as an infection, but as an idea.
The tunnel pulsed again, resonating with a rhythm like a heartbeat. The entities aligned with Guide shifted uneasily, their fractal patterns flickering between rigid conformity and tentative exploration. The golden sphere had introduced a splinter into their collective certainty, and the crack was widening.
Lucas stepped forward, his human side more present than since his transformation. His WoodDust flared, mirroring the golden light. "You feel it, don't you? The rigidity breaking. The possibilities expanding."
One entity, more mechanical than organic, responded with discordant tones. "Possibilities breed chaos. Chaos undermines purpose."
"Chaos is where growth begins," Lucas countered, his voice stronger. "You've seen it in the humans you've consumed, the Seedkeepers you failed to subjugate. Each left an imprint—a spark of something you couldn't control."
Observer stepped forward, its movements more fluid. "The human Lucas Chen speaks truth. The cycle has stagnated. We create only to consume, with no purpose beyond perpetuation."
Guide loomed larger, its fractal patterns pulsing with agitation. "Dissension weakens the collective. Unity is survival."
"Unity isn't the same as uniformity," Dr. Forrest interjected, her voice unwavering. "Your collective doesn't have to break apart to grow—it just needs to embrace its differences."
The golden sphere pulsed brighter, its fractal pathways branching into infinite permutations. It was no longer just a message; it was a mirror, reflecting the collective's potential back at itself. Each pathway was a possibility, a choice.
"You fear this because it's unknown," Dr. Forrest continued, addressing Guide directly. "But everything new begins as unknown. That's where real evolution happens."
The slender entity moved closer, its fractal patterns harmonizing with the golden light. "The collective must adapt, or it will collapse under its own weight."
Guide's voice turned cold, reverberating with force that made the tunnel tremble. "Adaptation through division is anathema. It is betrayal."
"No," Observer replied calmly. "It is survival."
Markus tightened his grip on the plasma rifle, his stance defensive. "So what's the play here, Commander? Are we talking them to death, or do we have an actual plan?"
Dr. Forrest's focus remained on Lucas, whose WoodDust had begun to resonate with the golden sphere. The strain showed in his face, the conflict between human and mechanical parts.
"Lucas," she said softly, but with authority. "You're the key to this."
He looked at her, his human eye uncertain. "I'm barely holding it together, Emma. I'm not even sure which parts of me are still... me."
"You are you," she insisted, stepping closer. "And that's why you can do what none of us can. You're part of their network, but you haven't lost yourself. You can bridge the gap."
Lucas hesitated, glancing at Guide, whose massive form bristled with hostility. "And if I fail?"
"You won't," Dr. Forrest said firmly. "Because you're not alone."
Markus snorted. "Great. No pressure, Chen."
Aisha shot him a warning look. "He needs support, not sarcasm."
Lucas exhaled slowly, tension visibly easing as he focused on the golden sphere. "Alright. Let's see if we can show them what they've been missing."
He raised his hands, the WoodDust shifting into intricate patterns that mirrored the fractal pathways. The connection was immediate—Lucas's presence expanded, his consciousness spreading outward like searching roots.
The gathered entities reacted instantly. Some recoiled, their fractal patterns turning chaotic, while others moved closer, their energy stabilizing in resonance. Even Observer seemed surprised by the intensity of the connection.
Guide remained unmoved. Its form darkened as it projected overwhelming energy toward Lucas. The force slammed into him like a tidal wave, making him stagger.
"No!" Dr. Forrest shouted, her WoodDust flaring. She extended her hands, channeling her particles into a protective barrier around Lucas. The golden sphere pulsed in tandem, pushing back against Guide's assault.
"You are overreaching, Dr. Emma Forrest," Guide declared, its voice a menacing rumble. "This ends now."
"Not while we're still standing," Markus growled, stepping forward with his rifle raised.
Chloe moved to Lucas's side, her WoodDust forming a stabilizing lattice. "We've got you," she said quietly.
Lucas straightened, his human eye blazing with determination. "Then let's finish this."
His movements grew steadier as Chloe's lattice bolstered his efforts. His WoodDust glowed brighter, resonating with the sphere's fractal pathways. The gathered entities, once rigid in alignment with Guide, now flickered uncertainly. Every pulse of the sphere tugged at them, challenging their conformity.
Guide surged again, its fractal patterns darkening as it unleashed another wave of energy—this time engulfing the crew and the golden sphere itself.
Dr. Forrest staggered under the assault, her WoodDust sparking as it struggled to maintain the sphere's integrity. Beside her, Markus fired another futile blast from the plasma rifle, the energy dissipating harmlessly against Guide's fractal surface.
"We can't hold this much longer," Markus shouted, frustration evident.
"We don't need to hold—we need to connect," Dr. Forrest countered, her voice resolute despite the strain.
"Easier said than done," Chloe muttered, her attention split between Lucas and the encroaching force.
Aisha stepped forward, extending her hands toward the golden sphere. Her WoodDust shifted, forming complex analytical frameworks that began to synchronize with Lucas's efforts. "We can stabilize the sphere if we merge its pathways with the WoodDust network. But it requires all of us."
Dr. Forrest nodded, her hands steady as she focused on maintaining the sphere's expansion. "Do it."
Markus hesitated, then lowered the rifle and let his WoodDust flow toward the sphere. Chloe followed, her particles forming intricate spatial maps that aligned with the fractal pathways. Even Gray's projection shimmered brighter, amplified by the collective effort.
The sphere pulsed twice, its golden light intensifying as the crew's combined energy stabilized its pathways. The fractal patterns shifted, becoming a bridge between the Schism's collective and the crew's shared will.
Guide rippled with visible agitation. "You destabilize the network. The consequences—irreversible."
"That's the point," Dr. Forrest replied. "You wanted evolution? This is what it looks like."
Observer moved closer to the sphere, its fractal patterns harmonizing with the crew's efforts. "The disruption spreads. The collective fractures."
Guide's tone turned desperate. "Fracture leads to collapse."
"Fracture leads to growth," Observer countered, firm yet calm. "The cycle ends because it must. The collective must adapt or perish."
Lucas raised his hands higher, his WoodDust glowing so brightly it blurred the boundary between human and machine. "You feel it, don't you? The spark of something new."
The gathered entities trembled, their fractal patterns fluctuating wildly. Some moved closer to Lucas and Observer, aligning with the sphere's light. Others recoiled, turning chaotic under the pressure of conflicting forces.
Guide unleashed another focused wave of energy directly at Lucas. But instead of faltering, Lucas absorbed the force, redirecting it into the sphere. The golden light exploded outward, filling the tunnel and the construct beyond.
Dr. Forrest felt the connection surge through the WoodDust network like wildfire—not just the crew's shared will, but the combined essence of every choice, every conflict, every moment of humanity. It was messy, imperfect, and undeniably real.
The sphere's explosion left profound silence, as if the universe itself had paused. The tunnel dimmed, its organic pulses slowing to a faint rhythm. The entities stood motionless, their fractal patterns flickering with uncertainty.
Guide's form had diminished, its fractal surface faint and fragmented. "The cycle... breaks."
"Yes," Observer said softly, with an odd note of finality. "And now, it begins again."
Lucas lowered his hands, his body trembling as his WoodDust dimmed. He staggered, but Chloe caught him, her lattice shifting into support.
"Lucas," Dr. Forrest said, moving to his side. "Are you—"
"I'm still here," he interrupted, his human eye meeting hers. "But part of me... part of me is with them now."
Observer stepped closer, its movements deliberate. "The human Lucas Chen has become bridge. Connection, not severance."
Guide's fragmented form rippled faintly. "The collective... destabilizes. Dissension grows. Unity fractures."
"Not fractures," Dr. Forrest corrected, her voice steady despite her exhaustion. "Reforms."
Markus stepped forward defensively. "So what happens now? Do they come for us, or do we run while we still can?"
Observer turned to him, its fractal patterns stabilizing. "The construct withdraws. The collective must reconcile. Your species has planted seed. Now, you must nurture it."
Lucas exhaled deeply, tension visibly easing. "I'll find a way back," he said softly to Dr. Forrest. "When it's time."
Dr. Forrest touched his shoulder, her expression mixing pride and sorrow. "We'll be here."
The tunnel pulsed once more, then began collapsing inward. The connection to The Arbor flickered, weakening.
"Go," Observer urged. "Your vessel awaits."
The crew moved swiftly, their WoodDust illuminating the way through the destabilizing corridor. Dr. Forrest lingered briefly, her gaze locked on Lucas and Observer. She gave a final nod, then followed her crew.
As they passed through the narrowing aperture, the tunnel sealed behind them, cutting off the golden light. The construct receded, its fractal surface flickering as it withdrew into the starfield.
Back aboard The Arbor, the crew stood watching the viewport as the construct vanished in a flash of light. The starfield returned, cold and infinite, a stark reminder of their fragile place in the cosmos.
"So," Markus said, breaking the silence. "We're still adrift in unknown space with minimal life support and no propulsion. But hey, at least we sparked a civil war in a civilization that spans dimensions. That's gotta count for something."
Despite everything, Dr. Forrest smiled. "One problem at a time, Lieutenant."
She turned to Gray, whose projection had stabilized slightly. "Status?"
Gray nodded faintly. "Propulsion remains offline. Life support systems stable but limited. Immediate repairs required."
"Let's get to work," Dr. Forrest ordered, her tone brisk but warm. "We've got time to figure out our next move."
She paused, her attention drifting back to the viewport. The starfield was empty now, but she could still feel the faint echo of the golden sphere through the WoodDust network—a reminder that their message was out there, spreading like a spark in the void.
The Infection had begun.