ARTIAN Y EARS
Lexis was astounded by Tiberius’s learning capacity, and innate ability to understand complex ideas. He absorbed information at an incredible rate. So impressed by this she decided to do an in-depth study into his DNA. In the vault’s lab, she discovered an anomaly in the Humanoid’s sequencing. Within the strands was hidden information. She could not immediately see the DNA information because there was an encrypted biological lock blocking access to the data. Cracking the lock, and deciphering the material would take some time but she was most certain the Humanoids on Mars were originally designed for military applications.
When Mars exploration began, the United States of America was at the pinnacle of space exploration. Their military was centuries more advanced than any other country on Earth, giving them an edge, and when the early civilizations fell during the drastic climate change, they were the last of the countries to fall. Lexis surmised the Humanoids were their product.
During the fourth year, Lexis taught Tiberius modern warfare, and how to use all the weapons at his disposal, including the weapon systems of the Chameleon. Tiberius loved the Chameleon; he had easily mastered navigation, and knew every inch of her inside and out. Lexis concluded he was far superior to any human she had ever known. Her genetic tinkering had created the perfect specimen.
Lexis explained to Tiberius all she knew about his DNA, and told him that he would have a great path before him. She planned to unlock a grand future for him and was determined to see it through.
F IVE M ARTIAN Y EARS
Casting corrugates of opposing shadows, Deimos and Phobos flushed the Martian landscape in a tainted vanilla glow. Approaching the encampment, a knot of stomach anxiety roiled up inside Tiberius when he saw the hard corners of the longhouse. A warm gentle breeze whispered at his face, causing olfactory glands to work overtime. “The dung pit must be in front of me,” he thought. Masking his own scent the warm night worked in his favor when the mixture of foul odors carried downwind. Skirting the structure’s flank, he circumvented the pungent waste pit with a nerve-rattling stride.
Sweat profusely poured from his brow. He came within reach of the entrance and began pissing on the animal skin covering the opening. The contravene act would guarantee his distinct but potent male hormone be carried inside by an inward draft, inundating all with his tangy testosterone laden stench.
After saturating the door covering, he stepped several paces away from the longhouse where Tiberius then defied the dominance of the area’s velvety ruddiness by setting ablaze a semi-circle of torches. “The flickering torchlight will create a mesmerizing spectacle within their primitive minds.” He remembered what Lexis had instructed. Not one Clan had discovered fire yet, and Tiberius would not only introduce them to fire but a new beginning of many revolutionizing things, changing their world over night. A paradigm shift of sorts but first, he would have to survive mortal combat.
Adding to the spectacle, Tiberius’s body glistened in a colorful blue shiny paste, reflecting the burning torchlight; he faced towards the Clan’s longhouse. Lexis had covered his taut muscles in blue colored grease she had created from wild flowers and boiled animal skin.
Vein coursing excitement raced thoughout his body as the blood pressure thumped in his ears. He was driven to near madness with the need to procreate. Wanting to give plenty of time for his strong musky odor to fill the longhouse, he waited before calling out the challenge.
Body rippling with firelight, he finally yelled, “Haka!”
Tiberius impatiently paced in between the torches watching the entrance for movement.