Swarm story
Simon Afriel arrives as part of a two-year research mission to an alien planet inhabited by a race referred to only as the Swarm. Joining with another human researcher, Galina Mirny, the two explore the Swarm hive, which is composed of multiple castes of alien species that had been absorbed into the hive, each playing a specific role in maintaining the ecosystem. Simon reveals to Galina that his goal is to obtain and exploit the Swarm's genetic information, pairing it with artificial pheromones to create a new, more subservient swarm that will help humanity expand. Despite initial disapproval, Galina chooses to assist him as long as the nest remains unharmed. As time passes, the two become increasingly intimate. Their experiments, however, trigger a hostile response from the hive, which forcibly assimilates Galina. The Swarm speaks to Simon, explaining how the hive had absorbed intelligent species deemed as threats in the past and reduced them to symbiotic species. It tells Simon he can assist doing so with humans and retain his intelligence or be forcibly assimilated himself. He accepts the offer as a challenge, insisting that the human race will never become parasites. Cast: Rosario Dawson, Jason Winston George Directed by: Tim Miller. Story by: Bruce Sterling.
9 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 3 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| assimilating beings | choice | Simon visited a spaceborn alien hive that seemed to contain entirely non-sentient creatures but had the capability of rapidly creating for itself an intelligent hive member as and when the need arose. A signature characteristic of the hive is that it would absorb intelligent species deemed as threats in the past and reduced them to symbiotic species. |
| animal behavior | major | Simon and Galina discussed the role of pheromones in organizing the work around the hive. |
| exploitation of sentient beings | major | Galina struggled over whether to work with Simon to help humanity flourish because the execution of his plan would exploit the Swarm aliens. In the end, she conceded that there was nothing immoral with Simon's plan. |
| personal ethical dilemma | major | Galina struggled over whether to work with Simon to help humanity flourish because the execution of his plan would exploit the Swarm aliens. |
| speculative evolution | major | The Swarm explained that intelligence was not a winning evolutionary trait. It speculated about the future of humanity, and gave an account of some other intelligent species that had come to evolve away its brains. |
| what if I found myself in a zero gravity environment | major | Simon and Galina spent the entirety of the story maneuvering their bodies around in a zero-g environment, much as if they were swimming. |
| biologically distinguished being | minor | Simon was dropped off at the swarm nest by members of quadrupedal alien race. |
| extraterrestrial being | minor | Simon was dropped off at the swarm nest by members of quadrupedal alien race. |
| speculative spaceship | minor | Simon flew aboard a tall, narrow spaceship of futuristic design that was reminiscent of a flying skyscraper. |