The Beast is a large, seemingly intelligent yet carnivorous and predatory creature encountered
by the Destiny expedition while among the depths of the unnamed forest planet in the
second galaxy, a creature which appears to share properties with long extinct mammal-like
megafauna from epochs ago.
In appearance the Beast resembles that of a large hairless mammal with somewhat reptilian
(almost dinosaurian) features, a short tail with a dark-grey leathery hide, bearing two
large canines and a set of smaller angled yet also pointy and ordered teeth. Like any
predator, her mammal-like eyes are forward facing, with bony spines protruding from her
chin and cheeks. What's fascinating is that the Beast, in fact, has six legs, a hexapedal
manner, with digitigrade locomotion and what looks to be five digit limbs, claws perfect for mauling.
The Beast actually bears a remarkable similarity to a group of synapsids (which includes mammals
and their ancestors) called therapsida.
They were the dominant, large terrestrial animals of the Middle Permian period.
Therapsids also included cynodonts, the group which led to the rise of mammals
during the Late Triassic period some 225 million years ago.
It's also on this planet they encounter what Sgt. Greer referred to as "space deer."
It appeared quite similar to those found on Earth, quadrupedal and herbivorous, with two
small antlers atop its skull, though placed in tandem as opposed to classical antler placement.
Space deer or not, the alien quadruped seemed edible.
"For the past ten months we have all been vegetarian! I am dyin' for a steak!" Lt. James
pleaded.
But Dr. Park objected, saying: "No, you guys can't kill those creatures-- and this has
nothing to do with being a vegetarian. I mean, we don't know anything about them. They could
be intelligent."
"Ah, we just saw one of them eat its own vomit," argued Lt. Scott. "How smart can they be?"
It was decided, then. Space deer was to be placed on the menu.
In that pursuit, Scott and Greer broke off from the trail and made their way into the
forest. With the creature in sight Greer took aim, but just as he was about to take his
shot he hesitated at the last moment, as the graceful herbivore took off into the distance.
Presumably spooked by another animal nearby, indeed a large predator, because moments later
a loud and terrible growl sounded off in the nearby woods.
"What was that?" Greer asked, with a disquieting voice.
"Hang on," said Scott, as he maneuvered the Kino remotely to get a better vantage point.
But then out of nowhere, the Beast leaped out from the bushes and pounced on the Kino,
knocking Scott off his feet. The Beast then turned to face Greer, with Greer looking back,
his weapon held tight in his shoulder. In the background, Scott can be heard yelling,
"Shoot it!"
But Greer was unable to fire his weapon. He froze, appearing as though he'd lost his edge
(which stemmed from his near-death experience on the operating table). Fortunately, however,
the Beast only knocked him to the ground before running off into the forest.
Along with multiple injuries, two members of the away team were also missing in action--
Cpl. Reynolds and Lt. Johansen-- which we later find out, upon them regaining consciousness,
were taken into the Beast's den, presumably to be kept for later consumption.
"If this thing wanted to kill us," Reynolds said, "we'd be dead already... So I figure
that's a good thing, right? It wants us alive."
"It's saving us," answered TJ.
"Saving us from what?" Reynolds looked confused.
"Not from anything," she said, with her flashlight fixed upon what looked to be a mass grave,
the bony remains of prey long ago consumed. "It's saving us for later."
Meanwhile, Col. Young assembled some men and put together a small search party, even enlisting
the aid of Lucian Alliance members. Varro, the more cooperative one among them, actually
volunteered to help with the search efforts, being himself a naturally skilled tracker.
Back on the planet, Young led the search party as they trekked through the forest brush,
closing in towards the campsite. Once there, Varro believed the lack of significant blood
around the site was a good indication that the Beast wanted them alive. It is not uncommon
for many predators to exclusively predate upon and consume live prey.
As TJ explored the creature's den she noted, "that thing is still down there; it's guarding
its lair." Escaping was simply not possible, especially given the injuries sustained by
Reynolds.
The Beast displayed astonishing hunting prowess, such that it even laid a trap for the search
party, setting a trail of decoy tracks designed to lure the party into a kill zone for ambush.
It employed strategy to separate the party, to isolate them and go in for the kill.
"It'll draw you out," Varro exclaimed, "separate you from the group, then pick you off.
It lead us to that spot, it waited for us; it's smart. All this time we've been hunting it,
it's been hunting us." But now that he's had the chance to observe the creature's hunting
pattern, Varro believed that "sooner or later this thing would try to ambush us again,
but this time we'll be ready for it."
It was at this point, however, they realized they weren't dealing with just a solitary
predator, but with a pack of them working in concert. Two more people were dragged suddenly
into the bushes, their screams echoed.
The Beast appeared to be highly territorial, keeping a near constant guard by the entrance
to its lair, which sat in a cave hidden atop a hill, as it overlooked her territory.
TJ and Reynolds knew the Beast would return eventually. A fire burned small, getting what
little light and warmth they can, having even fashioned makeshift weapons, long wooden spears.
They wouldn't go without a fight.
And so the Beast returned. Slowly it entered her den, lumbering in deeper towards TJ and Reynolds.
But almost immediately upon entering, the Beast took notice of the flame. It recognized
the fire.
It's at this point, Greer comes rushing into the cave, his weapon poised and ready to fire.
"Don't shoot!" Yelled TJ. "I don't think it wants to hurt us."
"I've got the shot," insisted Greer.
"The fire," she pleaded, "it recognizes intelligence."
"Didn't stop it from trying to kill us," he argued.
TJ snapped back, "That's because you were a threat to it and its family."
Locked with the Beast in a kind of Mexican standoff, Greer inched his way forward, closing
the gap. Calmly, he instructed them to start moving.
"If it's intelligent," Greer reasoned, "smart enough to know that I can cause it a world
of hurt, maybe even kill it, it's smart enough to know that I am choosing...not to."
Slowly, Greer began lowering his weapon.
The Beast gave Greer a long and somewhat inquisitive stare. It then leaned in, seemingly out of
curiosity, sniffed him a couple times, only to back away.
"Let's go," whispered Greer. He too gave the Beast a long and curious stare, but looked
as though the hunt, the events of these past couple days, was just the push he needed
to regain his edge.
So what did you think of the Beast? Just how intelligent do you think it might be?
Let me know your thoughts down below in the comments section, and don't forget to subscribe for
more Stargate related content. This is Destiny's Computer logging off.