The Second Jump

I couldn't work with the military restrictions on my laboratory. I subtly began to make mistakes - brilliant mistakes, that only a genius could make, but that a fool would not be able to distinguish from incompetence. Out of respect for my previous contributions I was allowed to continue my work but with less supervision - they were, in essence, merely humouring me.

They thought I was mad.

Surreptitiously, I deployed nanobots to repair the shattered electrical infrastructure. Von Neumann devices, smaller than a grain of sand, deployed to the surrounding deserts and using the toxic ash, constructed solar cells of poor efficiency but in great numbers, and then responded perfectly to my commands to switch into maintenance mode and stop increasing their numbers. Others are taking the credit for my intervention, but I am not interested in fame - even though I have annoying government agents dogging my steps and always asking for interviews or taking sketches of me.

On a personal note I injected Trips body with a genetic marker that "upgraded" the symbiotes to be more compatible with a host containing fused Takisian and human DNA. This allowed me to make the next jump.

My former host, Fortunato, has enough residual presence that he is still largely at my command, but the focus of my consciousness is now Trips body. It was not far in age from the humans adult stage, so I did not have to be particularly patient.

But there was the lingering problem of the other intruder to this world. Trips had already progressed the relationship to the point where Epokap - I have of course translated her name to something more pronounceable - had even visited from time to time. There was no further value to be had in trying to conceal our presence. I couldn't simply dispose of her - there was no way to be sure how many of her race were aware of her activities. The humans have a saying that the best way to deal with an enemy is to turn them into a friend.

Even better than a friend is a mate, is it not?

With Epokap now as my official mate, I ached to examine her technology. She had a working spaceship, after all. But I underestimated the human surveillance program. We had barely had enough time to consummate our relationship ...

... and to produce my next host, "Turtle" ...

... when she was abducted by the scientists still loyal to the military. My FTL sensory beacons tracked many movements of her ship over the course of the next few months. I have of course made a plan to extract her, but she is well guarded. I must move soon, or else her ship will no longer have any power, and I am familiar with the machine; it requires exotic elements that will be beyond my ability to acquire or synthesize for centuries with human technology.