Alienobacterium proximus

Sapient Species

## Overview

**Alienobacterium proximus** is a species of microscopic, unicellular, silicon-based, Parabacteriaceid organism native to Aeros. It first evolved around 233 million years ago in small landlocked ocean of the planet pre-terraforming. They are now widespread throughout the planet. While it is capable to produce energy through
photosynthesis, it prefers to infect a host.

It was the very first extrasolar alien life form to have ever been discovered by humans. It was first discovered in 2063 when the spacecraft *Egeria,*
the second ship to explore the Proxima system, landed.

## Etymology

*Alienobacterium*is a composite word of two words. Alieno (from
Latin *Aliena*)refers to the microorganism being from
another planet. *Bacterium*is used to describe its similarities
to true bacteria. *Proximus*refers to its place of origin.

## Description

*A. proximus*is a rod-shaped, silicon-based, red colored bacteria-like
microorganism native to Aeros. It is capable to produce
energy autonomously through photosynthesis. It has lots of organelles for different tasks. It also has a very hard, rock like membrane primarily composed of titanium and silicone which protects it from pressure and it is resistant to high temperatures. Beneath its outer membrane, there's the intermediate and inner membranes. The intermediate membrane is composed of tungsten, which protects the inner membrane from burning. And the inner membrane works as an insulator, maintaining a constant temperature inside the cell.

## Biology

*A. proximus*is a rod-shaped, red colored, parasitic
Alienobacillid. It has a nucleoid where it stores DNA. It has a Camera (an
organelle where energy is stored), a Convertus (an organelle where triazene is
broken for energy), a Spiritum (where nitrogen and ammonia is
collected), Industria Messorem (where sunlight energy is collected), Veas
(metal tubes that send energy throughout the cell to different
organelles) and a Dissolutrix (where metals are broken down and sent
throughout the cell for use by the Veas).

### Metabolism

It needs nitrogen and ammonia for photosynthesis. For energy it breaks triazene
(H3N3), and to maintain organelles within itself it needs metals such as iron
(Fe), gold (Au), zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), yttrium
(Y), lead (Pb), palladium (Pd), copper (Cu), polonium (Po), uranium (U) and
plutonium (Pu).

##### Respiration

It ingests large amounts of triazene from other living organisms and
uses it for energy.

##### Photosynthesis

The Messorem absorbs sunlight and the Spiritum absorbs nitrogen (N2)
and ammonia (NH3). It is then converted into triazene (H3N3) by the
Convertus. The Dissolutrix breaks triazene. This releases energy, which is sent
throughout the organism by the Veas. Excess triazene and energy is stored into
the Camera.

### Sexual reproduction

Like most life of Clayadiph e, *A. proximus*has 4
sexes.

#### Fertilization

When a member of the species is ready to reproduce, it creates a protomorph
(a shell containing aquavitae, a biological liquid). The protomorph is planted
inside something solid. The protomorph waits for another member of the species
to detect it and "insert" its DNA inside the protomorph in the form
of a liquid. The more DNA the protomorph has, the more genetically
diversified it'll be. For example, if only two members of two different sexes
insert their genes, the offspring will have 50% DNA of each of those
members. If 3 of 3 different genders insert their DNA the offspring will
have 33.3% of each and if 4 of the 4 genders sow their genes the product
will have 12.5% DNA of each member. If the offspring isn't fertilized at all, it will
end up being a clone of the original parent cell, having 100% of its DNA.

### Life cycle

When the offspring is ready to hatch, the protomorphic shell breaks and a
fully formed *A. proximus*comes out. The new member proceeds to
find a host. While doing so, it relies on photosynthesis for energy. However,
this type of photosynthesis can only produce low amounts of energy and cannot
produce any nutrients and cannot create a protomorph. Therefore, it must find a host before at least 110 years
before the organelles suffer oxidation and break down. Once it finds a host, it
extracts triazene and metals and absorbs them, and keeps doing so until its death. Between
birth and death, it produces a protomorph, and the cycle starts again.

## Habitat

*A. proximus*is a highly adaptable organism. It is capable of
withstanding extreme temperatures (from 765 °C to -270 °C), extreme
pressures (up to 10.034 bars) and even the vacuum of space. However, it seems
to thrive at 2 °C. It is terrestrial but prefers to
infect a multi-cellular organism. It can survive underwater, but only for a
few centuries, hibernating and going
into pseudo-death if in such a situation.

## Taxonomy

Because it’s an alien life form, *A. proximus* along with
other lifeforms had to be classified in an entirely new tree of life.

Sapient Species - Alienobacterium proximus

Genus - Alienobacterium

Family - Parabacteriaceae

Order - Exsuprales

Class - Alienobacilli

Phylum - Pseudobactera

Kingdom - Ultramicrozoa

Domain - Mononucleida

## Origin and evolution

The small amount of native live on Aeros prior to terraforming originated thanks to abiogenesis. However,
the exact origins of *A. proximus*are unknown, because their
bodies are microscopic and therefore extremely hard to find their ancient fossils.
But new fortunate excavations have revealed their long past. It seems
to have first evolved roughly 233 million years ago, and it is thought to have
shared a common ancestor or even be a direct ancestor of the now extinct *Protozoa*
*marittimus* (an aquatic species) around 640 million years ago.

## History

It was first discovered by astronaut and biologist Tim Greerson who was aboard the *Egeria* spacecraft. When
he landed on Aeros, he collected and studied samples in 2063. He was helped by his
other four crew members. He stored several samples aboard the spacecraft.
During the half year journey back to Earth he did several experiments on it, which
are recorded in this wiki page. When he came back, he gave the samples to his
fellow German astrobiologist Heinrich Bergmann who observed, described and
named it in 2068.

## Trivia

* There are 4 other species within the *Alienobecterium*genus: *A. aerosensis, A. bergmanni, A. abacarensis* † and *A. primogenitus* †*.*