This is an outline for my next Writers of the Future entry.
Gremlins in the Mist
BACKGROUND
The year is 2248, and humanity has spread across the galaxy. While sentient extraterrestrial life remains undiscovered, non-sentient life populates numerous habitable worlds. Humanity quickly began colonizing these different planets, resulting in a multitude of cultures over time.
The settlers of the planet Solomon discovered a planet filled with a wide range of fauna. The Solomonians became renowned for their skill in handling and dealing with animals. Society is centered on massive family groups often controlling entire industries.
They still retain a very tribal aspect to society and consider themselves better than any human cultures. These families are close knit and exclusive. Each holds their own traditions and ceremonies all family members must respect before they are considered part of the family.
CHARACTERS
Sydney Bateman – A 28 year old warden in Solomon Downs, one of the biggest interstellar zoos, run by the Corbeck family. Her parents were both Corbeck but she was adopted in, and is ostracized as an outsider since she never passed any of the appropriate trials.
She lives in the shadow of her deceased mother, considered by most of the family to be the paramount of Corbeck excellence. Her mother died in a shuttle accident over a dozen years ago, leaving Sydney with just her father, a full blooded Corbeck. With his wife gone, her father, who had never approved of the adoption, blamed Sydney for the accident and dissolved into drugs and alcohol. He died a decade ago.
Rasket – A gremlin. Gremlins are small hexapods (six legs) animals from a light gravity world. They’re incredibly curious and known for living up to their name sakes. (Gremlins were imaginary creatures blamed for engine troubles during WW1/WW2) Because of this, most wardens are loath to deal with the creatures, seeing them as a headache.
Director Anna – Director of the zoo, and leader of the Corbeck family along with Chief Warden Corbet. She despises Sydney as an outsider and if she could have her way, she’d have Sydney thrown out. She acts as a family leader in matter of traditions.
Chief Warden Colm – His title is somewhat of a misnomer as Colm’s chief responsibility is towards the welfare of members of the family. He acts as their advocate no matter the reason, and is the only thing approaching a friend that Sydney has.
PLOT
Act 1
Sydney accidentally induces an attack by a Cthulhian (an abyssal squid-like animal) when she enters its enclosure with her lights still on. The smelly animal hurls her into a wall, but she survives thanks to her suit. Her supervisor, Anna, berates her, and informs her Chief Warden Colm will hear about violation of procedure. With luck, Anna says, Sydney will be tossed out by the end of the day.
A few hours later, Colm calls a meeting, and Sydney is terrified she’ll be publically dismissed and humiliated. However Colm warns them about evidence of a smuggling ring operating inside the zoo, selling off valuable specimens. Some look towards Sydney, thinking her responsible. Relieved, Sydney begins to leave, but Colm stops her.
He tells her Anna is pressing him for a dismissal, but he must act appropriately regardless of personal stakes in the matter (it’s vaguely surmised that he agrees with Anna). So instead of a dismissal, he’ll put Sydney in charge of the Gremlin enclosure.
Act 2
Sydney arrives at the enclosure to find the previous warden elated he no longer has to work with the animal. He introduces her to Resket, the Gremlin. Resket is rather hostile and tries to bite Sydney numerous times before the previous warden tosses the animal her comlink. Resket ignores her and gleefully tears apart the device.
When Resket isn’t aggressive, he becomes incredibly laconic, and Sydney is at a loss as to what to do. She gets the impression Colm is disappointed she isn’t taking the initiative nor investing in her future, and she resolves to do something about it. All the while, the smuggling ring continues to strike, stealing rare or valuable specimens.
Sydney’s plan is to befriend the animal by discovering why it’s such a volatile creature. Her first assumption is Resket’s diet is improper, so she tries to alter its food to something approaching what he might naturally eat.
Instead of becoming less volatile, Resket slips into a coma, and she rushes the creature to the zoo hospital. Sydney dodges the blame for intentionally poisoning the creature, and waits for it to recover during the night. She realizes while waiting that she has somehow misplaced an access keycard, and gets another.
Resket recovers faster than expected and escapes right in front of her. She chases the animal through the mostly empty zoo. The creature’s gift for mechanical destruction leads them through several enclosures, including the Cthulian’s, until the chase abruptly ends outside the zoo when Resket suddenly calms and becomes more docile. Upon further analysis, Sydney realizes the electrical fields in the zoo interior caused the animal’s mania.
She has Resket’s pen enclosed by a Faraday cage and the animal becomes calm. Everything seems fine, and Sydney gets to gloat over Anna, who before had been constantly taunting Sydney of her impending dismissal.
Act 3
Sydney lies awake when she received an automated com warning, saying she’s still checked in at the zoo. Confused, she heads down to figure out what is going on. She finds the entire zoo empty, and wanders around for a time. She starts to leave when she hears a disturbance from Resket’s enclosure and goes to investigate.
She stumbles onto Anna and several others trying to smuggle the irate animal into a crate. They also have Sydney’s missing keycard from before. Sydney realizes Anna was behind the smuggling ring Colm mentioned earlier and she was using the card to potentially frame her.
Anna finds herself in a bad position. She can’t exactly kill Sydney, but she can’t let her go free. Anna presents a proposition then for Sydney. Pretend she saw nothing, and Anna would see to it that Sydney was inducted into the family, as well as promoted to the enclosure of her choice.
Sydney considers the proposition for a moment, but recalls her father cursing her and calling her a coward. She remembers Colm’s own words saying she’d never be one of them. Rather than prove them wrong, she rejects the offer and frees Resket. Anna and company draw weapons and try to stop Sydney, deciding eliminating her will be much easier after all.
Resket freaks out and runs off, with Sydney on the animal’s heels. Resket enters into a dark enclosure, and as Sydney brings out her light, the animal savagely attacks her, breaking the light. Thinking she’s dead, she watches as Anna and company enter the enclosure.
They step inside, lights and guns raised, ready to finish the job. Just then, Sydney recognizes a memorable stench, and ducks just as the Cthulhian attacks Anna and Company, stopping them in their tracks.
Sydney is greeted is a hero by the rest of the family, and Colm inducts her on the spot. He then grants her the promotion to move into the sky whale enclosure, but Sydney remembers Resket and rejects the offer.
END
