Baby

it decided to summons help. It sensed that the life force it called to might be closer. It did not worry, as it knew the life force would find its way to it eventually.
    The creature ruminated, remembering its Brothers and Sisters back home. Many of the Oolahan were preparing for breeding. Breeding, a critical necessity for the Womb, meant death for the Oolahan. Once upon a time, the Oolahan enjoyed immortality. They became Elders, learning the skills of the Womb, instead of just being minions. Creativity exploded. So much could be done for life with so many solar systems to work with. It was when the Elders decided to use their own genetic material to experiment with, that disaster occurred. Their experiment introduced one of the most destructive elements ever seen on a fertile planet. Unfortunately, the planet just happened to be a long time favorite of the Womb. As a result, the Womb punished the Oolahan, denying the privilege of immortality. A protein was introduced to their system, nullifying the hormones and enzymes that enabled their forever life. And they were forbidden to ever heal the results of their ill-fated experiment. Through the act of healing, it was discovered the Oolahan could accidently pass to the life form the very protein that unlocked the introduced enzymes that triggered immortality.
    The Womb agreed not to destroy the life form, only to monitor them until it became intolerable. The forbidden life form was not the only life that grew out of control. When a species on any world overwhelmed another to the point of extinction, the Womb would intervene. Often, it meant the elimination of the offending species. Only then would the Womb rein destruction, allowing new life to take its turn at evolution. The Oolahan did not need to breed, as their numbers were enough to satisfy the Womb. But once they were stripped of immortally, they began to die. Their only recourse was breeding their own replacements. Since they were originally created by the Womb to act as its minions, the only way to breed was by incubating a cell from the host; a simple matter. The new cell was then implanted inside the dying Oolahan, taking nourishment from the host until it was ready to emerge, bringing about the eventual death of the host Oolahan. Each Oolahan prepared a life cell, then expertly implanted themselves, as their talent was creating life, anyway. It was an intensely personal matter. After implantation was deemed successful and the cell was dividing well, the breeding was announced. Upon Emergence, the Oolahan Brothers and Sisters preserved the afterbirth with its valuable cells, took charge of the new naive Oolahan and monitored the disposition of the deceased who was to expire within a very short time.
    The Oolahan missed the opportunity to report its Breeding before it was chosen for the mission. Easily overlooked in the excitement of its preparations, the breeding remained unreported. Signs of life inside the minion became apparent after it started its journey to this new world. But it alone knew of its condition. Had its condition been known, it would have been rejected for the flight. It knew the Emergence occurred sometime after landing. Evidence of dried and useless afterbirth abounded. Had it been conscious during the Emergence, the healing waves of the afterbirth might have prolonged its life. If the Emergence occurred back home, it would have been surrounded by Brothers and Sisters, experts in the science of rechanneling. The rechanneling of waves from the afterbirth had the ability to prolong life for a short time, long enough to make preparations to salvage its valuable cells. It should have expired by now. For some strange reason, it still lived, although, just barely. Either way, the mission had been doomed from the start. The creature wondered how long it had to live.
    Apparently, hibernation and termination changed its body chemistry, altered in some fashion upon successful landing and burrowing. Was it because of the new Oolahan’s Emergence? Did the fact that Emergence happened on this new planet somehow interfere with the chemical compounds in its system? Not being genetically programmed for maternal or paternal feelings, it didn’t show concern about the whereabouts of its offspring. But it did worry about its mission. Maybe in time it could sort things out, but right now it needed to concentrate on attracting the life force to it. It needed its sustenance.
    It was not within the fabric of