Challenge #01841-E017: The Biological Solution
[End the story with this sentence] “Behold... the mighty predator.” -- TheDragonsFlame
First came the epithelials, and there was the Dust Problem. Amelioration worked, to a degree, but cleansing schedules soon became hell for multiple species. And someone discovered Fhitts and Squidges. Small, jellyfish-like animals that floated around via hydrogen gas bags. They either filter-fed as they drifted around on the air currents, or -in the case of the Fhitts- jetted about in active pursuit.
Then the Fhitts and the Squidges became popular. Cleansing schedules were eagerly jettisoned. Until an overpopulation problem caused both to clog the air filters. Something, plainly, had to be done. Filter patrols and culls were initiated, and a careful balance was difficult to maintain.
And then someone discovered Oshits. Decapodal, exoskeletal, insectoid predators that hunted by chasing down anything that disturbed the air currents. They were death on Fhitts, and some sub-species evolved to capture Squidges. And, for a while, things were easier. Filter patrols toned down. Culls were unnecessary. But the price to pay was the occasional spider-mimic landing on the face or the body.
Some bio-tech company began a test case on a distant station. One of those ones that had been budget-cut to one staff member and a lot of automated machines. There, the reports flooded in. Pest animal populations were dropping like a stone. And the human staff was encountering less problems in their day to day duties. Even the emotional quotients were rising. It was clear that this company had come up with the perfect control element.
So they went ahead with the big reveal, in a press conference beamed across civilised space.
"Assorted Cogniscents, I bid you welcome. For decades, ships and stations have been struggling with balancing their onboard biota, meeting the needs of cleanliness and solving the problems caused by solving the previous problem. After extensive research into Deathworlder organisms--" a collective gasp from the live audience, "-- we have isolated one with the potential we needed. We found a small predator with litter capabilities and self-policing population control. One with a social hierarchy and a dependable mating cycle. One that would adapt to their environment, regardless of the particulars and one that was capable of recognising cogniscents as allies and prey."
Images filled the screen. Some were recognisably from the infuriating game Dog or Not Dog? because of the watermark. These were terran predatory quadrupeds. Fur-bearing mammals, and one image contained a silhouette of a Thorthad for scale. They were much smaller than the smallest known cogniscent. But then again, so were the Oshits.
"We have taken this genetic pattern and altered it significantly. The result is recognisably the same kind of animal, but with important alterations." The basic pattern and the altered animal came up, side-by-side. "We have eliminated seasonal shedding in favour of an introductory period in which the animal adapts to the conditions of the station once. Following that four-month period, shedding is limited. Further, we have shortened the fur so that extant debris eliminators will have no problem with any stray follicles. We have enhanced their digestion capabilities so that they will be able to ingest all known pets, and made all their genetic adaptions dominant traits so that we need never be concerned about cross-breeds. Further, their breeding season is under cogniscent control. When you desire more of our product, simply spray some common traffic corners with a patented pheromone, and breeding will commence."
Dubious applause from the audience. Nobody wanted random Deathworlder breeding on their station.
"Assorted Cogniscents, it is my pride to announce the latest in bio-engineering solutions. Clean. Controllable. Deadly to that we wish eliminated. Companionable, colour-coded for Station Maintenance, and trainable. I give you... the Station's Kitty. Or, 'Skitty' for short." The cover came off the cage, and what looked like a regular, ginger feline was distractedly washing itself with its tongue. "Behold... the mighty predator!"
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / gabes1976]
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That the end of the story, I love the story from a-z. Thanks for sharing this story.
Some great names in this one, my personal favorite was "oshits".