By Tara Del D’myn, Ph.D. University of New Cambridge. Published in The Journal Of Xenobotany Vol 27,896: 11 (3610).
Abstract: New evidence that Dolparessa, Moon of Sideria was skarsiaformed led to an investigation into the origin of Dolparessan “native” species. Two major nau’gsh species evidence genetic relationship to Skarsian species. A third is found to be the result of environmental contamination.
Late last year (3609), conclusive evidence was produced confirming a long-suspected hypothesis: the Domha’vei system was formerly inhabited by an extinct sentient species. This led to the quickly corroborated theory that Dolparessa, moon of Skarsia was, in fact “skarsiaformed.” The presence of an atmosphere had been previously attributed to the phenomenon of pseudogravity (“pudge”) caused by the rip into the nul-universe present at Dolparessa’s core. However, the similarity of its rotational period to that of Skarsia, when by all rights the planet should be tide locked, had never been satisfactorily explained. Recently, a mechanism for rotational regulation was discovered beneath the surface of Dolparessa, an obviously alien technology (Cleary and Carrick 3609). Although only speculation is possible, it seems logical that if the Skarsian ur-species knew how to manipulate nul-energy, they might think it convenient to make Dolparessa, the energy source, a more hospitable base.
If Dolparessa was skarsiaformed, the next conclusion is that the native flora and fauna were transported to Dolparessa, much as material from Earth’s genetic banks is used as a starting point for terraformed colonies. A common genesis for life on both worlds had also been speculated (Derminnin 3314) due to the chromosomal similarities of the native species: both Skarsian and Dolparessan species employ DTHA, similar in structure and function to DNA. This hypothesis was investigated, using for comparison the three nau’gsh species: Nau’gshtium commonalis, Nau’gshtium sapiens (formerly Nau’gshtium arya) and Pseudonau’gshtium somniare (formerly Pseudonau’gshtium hina). In two cases, evidence of direct genetic linkage was found. The third is an amazing tale of political intrigue and human carelessness.
The stumbling block to realizing these similarities was the obvious difference between Skarsian and Dolparessan flora. Skarsian native tree species were discovered and kept in nature domes after the world was terraformed by the early colonists of Haudenostan and Keltika. These species are not normally considered nau’gsh, lacking six distinguishing characteristics: the distinctive nau’gsh taproot, a surface temperature of 38C, the nutrient bump beneath the root system, lack of associative mycorrhizae (with one notable exception), the presence of nau’gshtamine amide derivatives in the fruit, and the presence of kyanophyll in the leaves. In addition, no Skarsian tree evidences sentience, whereas two of the three nau’gsh species are sentient.
However, with one exception – the presence of kyanophyll – all of the other distinguishing characteristics are attributable to the presence of nul-energy. The taproots evolved to utilize nul-energy as a nutrient source. Absorption of the nul-energy is the cause of the abnormally high surface temperature of the nau’gsh. The nul-energy facilitated the evolution of sentience and the ability to alchemically control the ecosphere – which, in turn, led to the nutrient bump phenomenon, and the lack of need for fungal symbiosis. The nau’gshtamine amide derivatives have been proven to be deliberately synthesized by the nau’gsh specifically for the purpose of communication between nau’gsh and humans.
One might speculate that kyanophyll is a modification by the Skarsian ur-species to adapt their trees to a slightly different atmospheric composition and amount of solar radiation. If this is the case, then precursors of the nau’gsh should be found on Skarsia.
In two cases, this is extremely probable. The common nau’gsh shares 98.43% of its genes with a shrub preserved in the Skarsian nature domes, Palmalus frickengeri, Frickenger’s bitter apple. The Arya nau’gsh (Nau’gshtium sapiens) shares 97.55% of its genes with the rather unfortunately named Skarsian pseudopseudosequoia (Pseudopseudosequoia skarsium). A link to the complete genomes is given in the appendix [not included herein – ed.] The assumption that these species originated independently on Dolparessa is untenable.
But what of Pseudonau’gshtium somniare, the Cu’endhari nau’gsh, of such supreme cultural and biological importance in the Domha’vei? It seemed unlikely that it would evolve of its own upon Dolparessa; that it would survive in the presence of skarsiaforming is practically impossible. Logically, its roots would have to be Skarsian as well. The immediate possibility was that it descended from an extinct species, not preserved in the nature domes, perhaps not even still in existence as of the arrival of the colonists over eleven-hundred years ago. After an exhaustive study of the fossilized remains of Skarsian plant life resulted in no promising leads, the early records of the survey team which had arrived in the Domha’vei several hundred years prior to colonization were investigated.
The team was led by Ernst Sider,* a larger-than-life figure recognized for his courage, stubbornness, and innovation. However, his surveys were not known for their meticulous rigor. Sider was a man interested in the broad picture; he had the temperament of an adventurer, an explorer, not a scientist. He was also a man of surprising foresight: when he agreed to do his surveys for the fledgling Five Nation alliance, he requested in return that the planet of his choice be bequeathed to his descendants. Curiously, he chose Sideria. During the colonial migration, the 2nd Matriarch happily transferred the ownership of the world sight unseen to the person with the best claim to the inheritance, Keltic Battlequeen Janneen MacDamian, who from that moment styled herself “Empress of Sideria,” even though the world was uninhabitable.
It was during the height of the War of the Sexes between Skarsia and Volparnu when it was discovered that Dolparessa, moon of Skarsia, was not only inhabitable, but possessed breathable atmosphere, reasonable gravity, a diurnal cycle, an ecosphere of native species, soil and climate which made it ideal for agriculture – and furthermore, was paradisaically beautiful, all in defiance of any scientific prediction that could be made about a large-ish single moon. None of this had been reported in Sider’s surveys.
It is remotely possible he was that slapdash. It is far more possible that he concealed the truth, insuring that his descendants would be granted legal ownership of a piece of worthless real estate – except that according to early precepts of galactic law, any natural satellites were considered territories attached to the mother planet. If the true nature of Dolparessa had been known, it is entirely possible that the 2nd Matriarch would’ve come up with some excuse to deny MacDamian’s claim.
Therefore, Sider’s catalog of plant life is incomplete. There is extensive material on the plants of Skarsia, but nothing to indicate that Dolparessa was capable of supporting life at all.
Nevertheless, this should have been adequate for the nature of the present research. Unfortunately, Sider’s records were primarily descriptive, and did not include a catalog of genomes. It was hardly to be expected that he could have done such an exhaustive work in such a short amount of time. The search had to be done on indicators. Eliminating the purely nau’gsh traits, the Cu’endhari have the following characteristics: pinnately veined lanceolate toothed leaves, immature bark featuring horizontally elongated lenticels, bark roughens upon maturity, single flowers of five petals, capable of both wind or self-pollination, soft-fleshed freestone drupes about eight cm in diameter, eclectic ripening cycle, average tree height 3-9 meters, single trunks prevalent, but multiple trunks occur.
Only one description in Sider’s records matched these parameters: Prunus persica nectarina var BrightNebula. It was a fruit varietal growing in Sider’s arboretum for consumption by his staff. It was labeled specifically as special issue equipment – peach varietals are notoriously delicate, and few exploratory vessels bothered with them, preferring to stock more robust trees like apples and pears in their hydroponic facilities. Sider simply loved nectarines.
A dead end – or was it? The oldest known Cu’endhari were estimated to be around 1300 years old, a stark comparison to the eldest Arya, estimated to be an amazing 10,000 years of age. There is no particular reason for the relative youth of the Cu’endhari, and recorded deaths of Cu’endhari nau’gsh are rare and generally due to violence (see Tadgh 3597 on the phenomenon of self-immolation among the Cu’enashti). In the interest of completion, a genetic comparison analysis was run. The shocking result: despite the presence of DTHA, the Cu’endhari nau’gsh genome is 93.77% similar to the BrightNebula nectarine, a far closer match than to any Skarsian species.
This article proposes the following hypothesis: Sider, or one of his team, dropped a nectarine pit on the surface of a planet with an ecosphere perfectly suited for tree cultivation. In the presence of the nul-energy, the nectarine mutated, adapting itself to life on Dolparessa.
This hypothesis is not entirely adequate. While no peach trees grow on Dolparessa, a numerous variety of fruit cultivars, modified from Earth’s genetic banks, do quite well, and with no evidence of mutation beyond the expected occasional sport. However, none of these trees will grow in the blue zone (the native Dolparessan ecosphere), just as no Dolparessan flora will grow in the green zone (the terraformed ecosphere.) The fact that a DNA and a DTHA based ecosphere existed side-by-side was long considered to be the anomalous exception to the rule that a world could not support two metaecologies, and has only been explained within the past several decades (del D’myn 3595) as the result of the direct intervention of the Arya nau’gsh. This being the case, it may be assumed that as a single seed, Sider’s nectarine was either ignored or specifically nurtured by the elder species of nau’gsh.
This hypothesis could potentially be substantiated were nectarine pits exposed to cercrotic acid and nul-energy and observed for mutational effects. However, as the Cu’endhari evolved sentience, this avenue of research is potentially unethical, and is banned in the Domha’vei by edict of the Matriarch.**
*Required disclosure: Ernst Sider is a direct patrilineal ancestor of the writer. It is beyond the scope of this article to explore the manifold ironies of this fact.
**Required disclosure: This writer is the current Matriarch of Skarsia, and her objectivity may be compromised by her marriage to one of the Cu’enashti.