Sunday, December 19, 2010

Cosmics: Elastic Man

Pretty much everyone missed the small shooting star that zipped across Florida's night sky on 5th November 2003. No one knew that this was the start of an alien invasion from the distant planet of Qys.

Qysian scout ships were sent to each of the major continents of Earth to assess the technology levels and abilities of the dominant species. Ryyk was in one of those ships. This was his first scouting mission and, due to a slight navigational error, the small ship crash-landed just outside the city of Millenia. Thankfully, its arrival was kept hidden by the ship's stealth facilities. Disentangling himself from the wreckage of the ship, Ryyk made his way into the city and took on a human form. He then began his job to personally study the people of Earth.

He was supposed to salvage communication equipment from his ship and report back his findings. He was supposed to investigate the continent's defences and determine the best method of attack. He was also supposed to get biological, psychological and social information on the people inhabiting the continent and discover any natural weaknesses. He was supposed to help prepare the way for the invasion.

Ryyk did none of these things.

From orbit, he had been studying the creatures known as humans for almost 8 years. Now living amongst them, it confirmed what he'd discovered from the electronic communications he'd intercepted. His people had no right to invade and destroy these intelligent, proud, noble and fascinating creatures. He was young for a member of the Qys and easily swayed by the various human entertainments. It had taken a little time but now he rejected his home world’s barbaric lifestyle and decided not to report back to his superiors.

So he decided to call himself Richard Roe and become one of them.

His fascination with humans grew and grew. So did his interest in cosmics, the select few who appeared to be more than human. Compared to regular humans, Ryyk had 'powers' like these cosmic humans. And those with powers tended to use them either for evil, robbing stores and destroying property, or good, protecting others who did not have powers. Ryyk decided to become one of the good guys.

Ryyk has now been living amongst the humans - as Rick Roe - for some time. As a scout for the Qys, his training prepared him to blend in with the populace and become a human. So he easily fits in. He's even managed to get a good job helping out at a local diner. And, during his time off, he uses his shapeshifting powers and his military training to fight crime as Millenia's brightly coloured hero, Elastic Man.

But each day, he looks up in the sky, hoping that his lack of reports will put off his people from invading. In his heart he expects that, any day now, one of his fellow Qysians from the other continents will investigate his disappearance. Or, worse yet, a fleet of Qysian warships will appear in the sky above this shining city.

1 comment:

S Bates said...

Elastic Man was from a superhero game called the New York Knights. I fancied playing both a shapeshifting stretching character and an alien - so merged the two. The world of Qys was nicked from Alan Moore (it's pronounced "Quiche", because Elastic Man wasn't a real man). It was good fun keeping his alien background - and the potential threat of an invasion from his homeworld - from the others.