Raephela

By Mary Ames

Raephela is the sequel to the novel Homo transformans: The Origin and Nature of the Species. Both stories reveal a world in which a new species of humans, H. transformans, developed the genetic ability to transform, provided they had the genes that conveyed the capability. This creates a rift in society between those who support and succor H. tr

• Language: English
• Publisher: Koehler Books
• Release date: Dec 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646635009

Mary Ames

Mary Elizabeth Ames penned Homo transformans: The Origin and Nature of the Species and H'Ilgraith, both of which won award as a Finalist in the Fantasy: Epic/High Fantasy category of the American Fiction Awards in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Raephela continues the saga of Homo transformans wherein society is again threatened by a malevolent organization. Ms. Ames has a Master of Science degree in biology. She incorporates the science of biology and genetics into her narratives to imbue a sense of realism into the story and to provide an understanding of how genes function, especially in Homo sapiens.

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RAEPHELA

Mary Elizabeth Ames

Raephela

by Mary Elizabeth Ames

© Copyright 2021 Mary Elizabeth Ames

ISBN 978-1-64663-500-9

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. The characters are both actual and fictitious. With the exception of verified historical events and persons, all incidents, descriptions, dialogue and opinions expressed are the products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Cover design by Skyler Kratofil.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Prologue

Chapter 1: A New Settlement

Chapter 2: Premonitions

Chapter 3: A Wary Respite

Chapter 4: A New Lineage

Chapter 5: Lessons Learned

Chapter 6: Changing of the Guard

Chapter 7: Palace Intrigue

Chapter 8: Branching Out

Chapter 9: Trials and Tribulations

Chapter 10: A New Direction

Chapter 11: An Alternate Strategy

Chapter 12: Southern Incursion

Chapter 13: Archosauria

Chapter 14: Whither a Paleontologist

Chapter 15: A Chance Encounter

Chapter 16: The Elusive X

T

Chapter 17: Here, There, and Who Knows Where

Chapter 18: A New Target

Chapter 19: The Game’s Afoot

Chapter 20: Unmasked

Chapter 21: A Grave Disappointment

Chapter 22: Harbinger

Chapter 23: An Unexpected Threat

Chapter 24: A New Wrinkle

Chapter 25: A Maritime Matter

Chapter 26: The Scouting Bug

Chapter 27: Ramping Up

Chapter 28: Sabra

Chapter 29: Resurgence

Chapter 30: An Old Alliance

Chapter 31: Prelude to War

Chapter 32: A Change of Heart

Chapter 33: The Getaway

Chapter 34: The Rules of War

Chapter 35: The First Wave

Chapter 36: A Surprise Encounter

Chapter 37: An End Run

Chapter 38: Moves and Countermoves

Chapter 39: Weary Refugees

Chapter 40: A Dominant Force

Chapter 41: A Hidden Jewel

Epilogue

Appendix A: Altered Homo transformans (Hybrid Humanoids)

Appendix B: Animal Hybrids

Appendix C: Restoration of H’Aleth

Appendix D: Industrial Development

Appendix E: H’Ester’s Lineage

Appendix F: Native Species

Appendix G: Predatory Theropod Dinosaurs of the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods

Appendix H: Dragonidae

Appendix I: Rivers and Lakes

Appendix J-1: In the Far North

Appendix J-2: Gregor’s Research Facility

Appendix K: The Cassius Fortress

Appendix L: Erwina

Appendix M: Cast of Characters

Acknowledgments

Glossary

References

In Memoriam

Nancy Todd Renfro, MEd

1941–2020

Distinguished Educator

~~

Dr. George Crossman, PhD

1926–2020

Distinguished Historian and Scholar

PREFACE

The novel Homo Transformans: The Origin and Nature of the Species describes a new species of human whose members can transform into other species of animals—provided they have the genes to do so. The (imaginary) power of some humans to undergo metamorphosis is predicated on the science of genetics. The author blends genetics into the storyline to illustrate how genes work, how they are inherited, and how they interact. The novels H’Ilgraith and Raephela continue the saga while updating and introducing additional gene functions and features of genetic engineering. Supplemental notes augment the scientific information for those readers who want to delve deeper into the science.

The author has attempted to make the content regarding the genetics of Homo sapiens (H. sapiens) scientifically accurate as of the time Raephela was written. The reader is encouraged to consult the National Institutes of Health Genetics Home Reference website (https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov) for more information about genetics.

PROLOGUE

Approximately 750 years ago, life on Earth was shattered by a gamma ray burst when an unstable blue star exploded into a supernova. People barely had time to seek shelter deep underground, taking with them the animals, plants, and technology they could muster. When they finally resurfaced, human technology had been shocked back into the fifteenth century.

Metamorphosis

In the interim, some people developed the ability to undergo metamorphosis, reliably and at will, into another species of animal—primarily, mammals. These people were designated a separate species of human, Homo transformans (H. transformans). The ability of some people to transform wrought havoc upon human society. The Cassius Foundation, an especially malevolent organization, misused genetic engineering to modify further the genome of H. transformans and other species to create powerful human and animal hybrids. It subsequently used these hybrids to subjugate any society the foundation could reach.

People who could flee from the Cassius Foundation’s persecution did so. They settled in new territories remote from the foundation, establishing three interrelated communities. The House of H’Aleth was the first, followed by the House of Erwina, and later the House of Gregor. Although at peace, the three sister houses remained alert for signs of the foundation or any other aggressor encroaching upon them. Eventually, rumors of communities that succored H. transformans spread, and the Cassius Foundation discovered H’Aleth.

A Battle Plan Gone Awry

None of the three sister houses had ever raised an army. They relied instead on the skill and expertise of their scouts to patrol and defend their respective territories. Rafe Cassius, then head of the Cassius Foundation, attacked H’Aleth, destroying the village and estate that had housed H’Aleth’s government and research center. Subsequently, Rafe decided to conquer the House of Erwina and confiscate all of its resources—especially its population of H. transformans. Alerted, Erwina’s scouts gathered quickly to create an armed force to slow the enemy’s advance, a delaying action to give their people time to disappear into remote territory. When Rafe led the foundation’s army to invade Erwina, it encountered resistance from a small force of defenders. Unbeknownst to the two combatants, the Biogenics Corporation—the foundation’s chief rival—had sent its army to wait surreptitiously in the wings.

Rafe conscripted nonviolent, crippled hybrid humanoids to be his first wave in the battle with Erwina’s forces. He had culled them from his villages to serve as cannon fodder. They would distract Erwina’s defenders while his main force waited. Once the defenders were engaged, Rafe would launch his second wave of animal hybrids and trained fighters to crush his enemy’s meager forces.

To Rafe’s dismay, H’Ester, then mistress of the House of H’Aleth in exile, was on the battlefield. She realized that the initial attackers were hapless humanoids from Cassius villages and were compelled to attack. They were no match for Erwina’s skilled scouts. So she called to Erwina’s forces to hold their fire. Then she called to the humanoids to drop their weapons and come to her. The majority of the humanoids, desperate to escape the fight, did so and were saved from being slaughtered.

When Rafe saw his first wave dissolve and flee from the battlefield, he became enraged. He issued all of his remaining forces to crush Erwina’s defenders. The tide of battle turned when a great gray dragon took command of the field (illustration 1). Dragon fire killed Rafe and the remaining animal hybrids, while the rest of the foundation’s forces fled in disarray.

Illustration1: Great Grey Dragon

Neither Biogenics’s nor Erwina’s forces pursued Cassius’s fleeing army. Upon the dragon’s arrival, Biogenics quickly retreated from the battlefield to return to its own territory. Its commander had no desire whatsoever to engage with a great gray dragon. Thus, there was no pursuit of the enemy’s forces and no attack on the foundation’s fortress. Given future events, one could argue that this was an oversight (map 1).

Map 1: Territories

Part I

A Watchful Peace

Illustration 2: Cercopithursids

Illustration 3: Serojabovids

CHAPTER 1

A NEW SETTLEMENT

With the defeat of the Cassius Foundation, the restoration of H’Aleth began—starting with building an outpost to watch for resurgence of the foundation. H’Ester invited the hybrid humanoids who had fled from Cassius to stay in H’Aleth territory. They were not of an inherently violent disposition and were among the first inhabitants of the outpost. They included cercopithursids (illustration 2), who had baboon and bear characteristics, and serojabovids (illustration 3, with boar and bison features, among others (appendix A). Both had been laborers for the Cassius Foundation. Over time, the outpost succored many other genetically engineered hybrid humanoids of the foundation’s creation. In return, the humanoids set watch on the border between H’Aleth territory and Cassius territory.

As one of the first actions toward restoring H’Aleth, scouts were reintroduced into the region. In turn, hybrid humanoids were introduced to the scouts. The former needed to recognize scouts as friends, both as humans and as their alternate species. The scouts taught the humanoids not to attack any wild animal and showed them how to find other sources of food. Once this hurdle was passed, a host of people from Erwina and Gregor descended upon the new outpost. These included geneticists, medical and veterinarian staff, and experts in animal husbandry. Their goal was threefold: tend to the bizarre disabilities of the many humanoids that settled there, reestablish renewable food sources, and teach the humanoids how to sustain these resources.

Initially, the fearsome visage of most hybrid humanoids gave many people pause. It took some time to become accustomed to their physical characteristics. Many of them lacked speech, so it took even longer to recognize that their vocalizations—often consisting of growls, grunts, and snarls—did not represent savagery. Some made no sounds at all. Still, all of them were H. transformans, genetically altered by the Cassius Foundation and ultimately trapped in a partial transformation that they could not reverse.

The conditions of the hybrid humanoids engendered a mix of anguish for their misfortune and a fierce desire to relieve as much of their suffering as possible. The medical staff from Erwina and Gregor set about treating the ones who settled in the outpost. They knew they could not restore the ability to transform, nor reverse physical characteristics. Staff could correct some of their physical deformities and ameliorate others. They also treated many of the illnesses and injuries that were present secondary to poor nutrition and abuse. In caring for the hybrid humanoids, the H’Aletheans and Erwinians realized something.

Despite their appearance, they have retained most of their human characteristics, said Master Mikalov, the chief geneticist at Erwina.

I agree, said Dr. Jozefa. "Those who suffered brain damage have lost some of their mental acuity, memory, ability to speak or comprehend speech, and other mental faculties. Nevertheless, they are still H. transformans and should be treated as such."

Then we should no longer label them hybrid humanoids, H’Ester declared. "They are H. transformans who suffered a maltransformation."

Clinically, we may need a way to distinguish them from others whose maltransformations were accidental and not coupled with genetic reengineering, suggested Master Mikalov.

Not for long, remarked Dr. Jozefa. Those who undergo an accidental maltransformation typically have a shortened lifespan. I suspect those altered by the Cassius Foundation will have an even shorter life due to bad genetic engineering and mistreatment.

"Then perhaps we should refer to them as altered H. transformans, H’Ester suggested. In any case, we will cease referring to them as humanoids or hybrid humanoids. They are still people," she added emphatically.

Thus, the people of Erwina and Gregor made the lives of altered H. transformans more comfortable. Much new knowledge stemmed from these efforts and was incorporated into the curricula taught at Erwina and Gregor.

A New Home

It did not take long for some altered H. transformans to remember how they once lived. Yet many could not remember at all. Nevertheless, they soon recognized the significant improvement in their quality of life and had no wish to leave. The outpost became their new home, a haven for refugees from Cassius villages. Most of them had been used as laborers. With the aid of the H’Aletheans and Erwinians, those who were mentally and physically fit helped to build the outpost, including its shelters, gardens, and other amenities.

The combined efforts of H’Aletheans and Erwinians forged a strong bond with the altered H. transformans, even among those who no longer recognized who they once were. Although H’Alethean scouts were the first line of defense, many altered H. transformans were prepared to defend the outpost if necessary.

During this period, hundreds of animal hybrids were released by the Cassius Foundation (appendix B). Once freed, most of these solitary hybrids ranged throughout the territories. In captivity, they had become highly competitive for food and dominance. Having been starved most of their lives, they were eager to attack any potential food source, and as far as these hybrids were concerned, humans were just another prey species.

The Hunt

For animal hybrids such as a hungry lupuseroja (illustration 4), the outpost was a smorgasbord. As any predator would do, it crouched down in the grass and watched the herd, looking for the most vulnerable member. Ideally, its victim would be small enough for the lupuseroja to snatch and then quickly race away with its prize before the herd could react.

Illustration 4: Lupuseroja

Predators typically targeted an injured, disabled, or weak animal. The lupuseroja saw many lame members. They were much too large for the lupuseroja to carry or even drag away. A predator could get trampled in the attempt.

As the herd milled around, the lupuseroja spotted a smaller, slender individual squatting on the ground. One of the masons from Erwina, an H. sapiens man, was selecting dried grass stalks for use in making mortar. Compared to the other herd members, he appeared quite vulnerable—a perfect target.

To reach its prey, the hybrid had to traverse the herd. Slowly, stealthily, it crept closer, narrowing the distance between itself and its target.

At the expense of a shortened stride, the lupuseroja’s short legs helped it hide in the grass. The herd seemed not to notice its approach. The altered H. transformans had lost most or all of the heightened senses that normally would have been available to them. So they were unaware that a predator was in their midst.

Suddenly, the lupuseroja streaked through the herd, launching its attack and alerting the herd. The man spotted the lupuseroja lunging for him and jumped up in a desperate attempt to dodge the animal’s attack. Suddenly, a serojabovid slammed into the attacker, grabbing it and pulling it to the ground.

The fight between the two adversaries was brutal yet brief. The serojabovid’s tusks were not as formidable as those of the lupuseroja. The latter was better equipped to bite and gore its attacker. Fortunately, help was at hand. Several altered H. transformans weighed in on the contest, literally. Although they were too crippled to inflict much damage, they crowded around and on top of the two combatants in an attempt to break up the fight.

The lupuseroja quickly realized it would be crushed under a barrage of large clumsy bodies if it did not get free. It had already lost any chance of a meal. In the ensuing melee, the lupuseroja finally extricated itself and fled.

Although seriously wounded, the serojabovid recovered with treatment of his wounds. H’Aletheans and Erwinians alike hailed the serojabovid and his comrades as stalwart defenders. The outpost had become a village.

The Passing of Altered H. transformans

Dr. Jozefa had been correct in his assessment. During the early years of the outpost, most of the altered H. transformans that had found refuge there died within a few years. Their deformities extended to internal structures which had been distorted and misaligned by the foundation’s genetic experiments. These changes dramatically shortened their lifespans, and most succumbed to organ failure. Once tissue and blood samples were taken, their bodies were cremated—as was done for all H. transformans—to keep their genes from being discovered and misused.

Over time, most of the violent animal hybrids that the Cassius Foundation had released were fought off and killed. Yet many remained alive by avoiding human contact.

CHAPTER 2

PREMONITIONS

Over the next few years, the House of H’Aleth was reestablished (appendix C, Restoration of H’Aleth). Many of the people of H’Aleth who had fled to Erwina and Gregor before its destruction returned to repopulate and rebuild their homeland. They reclaimed and resettled abandoned villages that had not been destroyed by war or fire and began tending fields of grasses embedded with grains that had continued to flourish. The H’Aletheans also expanded their territory into unoccupied land further west. New villages melded into the surrounding terrain. One of these became H’Aleth’s new center of government and research. Wildlife habitats remained largely undisturbed, which added to the illusion that the area was still uninhabited by humans. Even after the defeat of the Cassius Foundation, people were careful to obscure the locations of their villages from anyone not of the three houses.

As mistress of the House of H’Aleth, H’Ester guided the restoration of H’Aleth as a sovereign territory. When she was a student at Erwina and known as Ruwena, H’Ester’s studies included civics and governance. These courses, combined with the mentorship of Matron Trevora, served her well. Architecture and related studies, however, were not her strong suit. So she left the building of a new manor house and research facility in the capable hands of the master builders and architects of Erwina. Similarly, she turned over the care and treatment of the altered H. transformans to physicians and veterinarians from Gregor and Erwina.

On Patrol

During the initial resettlement of H’Aleth, both H’Ester and Evan, her husband, also served as scouts. They focused on the northwestern territory, H’Aleth’s Caput Canis, which both of them knew well. Matron Kavarova had returned to H’Aleth to serve as its chief of security. Since she could not dissuade H’Ester or Evan from scouting, she tasked Warren, one of Erwina’s most experienced scouts, to keep track of them.

I want you to conduct surveillance in Caput Canis where H’Ester and Evan are also scouting, she told him.

You want me to keep an eye on them, Warren stated. That shouldn’t be a problem.

Not so long ago, Warren had responded to H’Ester’s desperate cries when Evan was severely wounded in a fight with a hybrid wolf. Warren had been a brown bear, Evan a gray wolf, and H’Ester a Cooper’s hawk. Afterwards, Evan, H’Ester, and Warren became close friends and remained so. When Warren caught up with the couple in Caput Canis, the three of them decided to patrol the region together. This proved to be a wise decision.

Given the largely wooded and mountainous area the trio patrolled, H’Ester conducted aerial surveillance as a long-eared owl. Her exquisite vision allowed her to see other animals at long distances, even in the low light of a dense forest canopy. In mountainous areas, she would transform into a cougar, a powerful and agile predator. Evan patrolled the region as a gray mountain wolf, and Warren did so as a brown bear. Between the three of them, they could dispatch almost any animal hybrid they encountered—especially with an early warning from a sharp-eyed owl.

H’Ester, however, had to contend with any aerial predators alone. She kept a close eye on the canopy. Her mistress, H’Ilgraith, had warned her about the harpyacalgryph, an aerial hybrid raptor, and described the arboreal viperoperidactyl and moresistrurus—weaponized reptiles that hid within the canopy. Yet these hybrids were not the only arboreal predators.

Perilous Flight

As the trio moved through a forested area to the east of the River Lupus, a well-camouflaged and motionless creature watched their approach (illustration 5). It paid particular attention to the owl, which was in flight. Given the owl’s trajectory, the bird would fly right past the tree where the creature lay in wait. A carefully timed attack would snare the unsuspecting bird.

Illustration 5: Hieractopera

Instead, the owl landed on branch just to one side, well within striking distance—and well within the owl’s visual field. The instant the creature launched itself, the bird saw its movement and flew out of its strike path, screeching a warning.

The creature could not follow. Neither could it stop its descent. It would have landed on the ground had it not been for a large, upright brown bear walking right into its glide path. The creature landed squarely on Warren’s head, wrapped its wings around it, and began biting and tearing at it. Evan, as a wolf, could do nothing to help unless Warren came down on all fours. H’Ester abruptly turned and attacked the creature. Although she was much smaller, her beak and talons were still formidable. The creature had to release its grip on Warren to counter her attack. This was its undoing. When Warren shook the creature off, it fell to the ground. Seconds later, a gray mountain wolf ended its life. Warren escaped with only a few scratches and bite marks.

None of the three had ever seen such a creature, nor had they heard of one like it. The possibility of a new hybrid was concerning. It could be a sign that the Cassius Foundation was reemerging. The three scouts immediately sought out the nearest outpost, which was between the rivers Lupus and Panthera at the crown of the Capus Canis. Warren, still a brown bear, received treatment for the wounds to his scalp.

H’Ester and Evan transformed into human form, each donning one of the outpost’s spare robes. H’Ester tasked a scout to take the creature’s body directly to the schoolhouse at Erwina.

They have the resources to perform an initial examination before sending it to Gregor, she said. I will fly back to H’Aleth and notify Matron Kavarova of this new hybrid and describe it to her. Then she can send its description out to all the scouts and villagers. Turning to Evan and Warren, she said, I will meet you back here in three days.

Evan had a different idea. I’m going with you, he announced firmly. Although an owl could outfly a wolf in a direct line, dodging through the canopy would slow its speed. I will pace you on the ground, and we will travel together. H’Ester knew better than to argue.

A Disturbing Sign

Erwina’s analysis readily determined the physical composition of the creature. It was a mix of two different classes of animal—part raptor and part bat—and much larger than either species. It had the head and talons of an eagle, the body of a bat, and the wings of an eagle distorted by the fingers of a bat’s wings. The bat-skin wings were covered with tufts of fur and feathers. The creature’s body was too large and heavy to allow powered flight. Based on a description of the attack, it could barely glide.

Yelena, Gregor’s chief geneticist, analyzed its genome and named the creature Hieractopera [hī-er-ac-tŏp-er-ah]. Her analysis led to even more questions.

H’Ester convened a meeting of her council with representatives from both Erwina and Gregor. She asked the members present, Does this new hybrid herald a significant threat?

It could, given the right target, answered Matron Kavarova. It could have killed an owl. She looked directly at H’Ester.

This hybrid was genetically engineered using older techniques, so it may not be new, remarked Yelena. It’s possible that we simply have not seen it before.

Then why is it still alive? asked Edrew, H’Aleth’s wildlife specialist.

I’ve asked myself the same question, replied Yelena.

Is it possible that the Cassius Foundation has not advanced any of its techniques? asked Evan. After all, it has kept itself isolated ever since its defeat.

It’s possible, but I wouldn’t count on it, answered Yelena. Their geneticists are just as savvy as we are. It could be a clone of a hybrid created long ago.

Then why haven’t we seen more of them? asked Warren.

No one had an answer.

What are we missing? Yelena wondered. She was worried. Was this creature released with all the others? If so, why have we not seen it before? Because of its habitat? Or is it a new product of the Cassius Foundation and a harbinger of its rise?

A Turn of Events

Soon thereafter, H’Ester was obliged to assume more administrative—and maternal—activities. She became pregnant and gave birth to her first child, a daughter whom she named H’Ariel. H’Ariel was followed in due time by her brother, Edric, and her sister, H’Edwina. H’Ester and Evan had agreed to space their children three to four years apart. The years between pregnancies allowed both parents to focus on giving each offspring a good start before the next one arrived. Having children kept both parents within H’Aleth’s borders—much to Matron Kavarova’s relief.

H’Ester still traveled to the villages, and she took her children with her. This served multiple purposes. She would learn what the villagers needed, and the villagers and her children would become acquainted. Evan accompanied them as both scout and father. Both taught their children to recognize animal species and fruit-bearing plants native to an area. Evan also taught them how to look at the sun and the night sky to get their bearings. This knowledge was essential. It would be years before their children would come of age and be able to transform. Until then, they would not have the abilities an alternate species provided to avoid danger or escape from it. By the time each offspring was old enough to