Protomolecule

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The Protomolecule mass at Eros Station.

The Protomolecule is a substance that features in The Expanse.

Contents

History

The Protomolecule on Venus.

It was said to be the creation of an extra-solar intelligence that existed outside the solar system.

In 0 XTE, Mars landed on the ice moon Phoebe in order to survey it for ice mining. Drilling was made on the moon for core samples that were investigated with silicate samples being found. The Martian government approached Protogen as a cosponsor for a long-term research project at a facility. Protogen discovered an alien agent within the samples and named it the Protomolecule where they began to experiment on it.

The sample extracted from Julie Mao was then used by Protogen to create a second larger test that infected the population on Eros. This was part of a controlled experiment to study and observe its effects as the Protomolecule fed on the station's 100,000 human inhabitants. As the infection began, signals from it were sent to Thoth Station that were studied by the Protogen scientists.

Within the station, the molecule continued to develop where it began to transmit signals that could be intercepted. Thus, it was determined that the Protomolecule was evolving and learning as it progressed in development.

Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile later sought to weaponise the Protomolecule in the creation of supersoldiers leading to them start Project Caliban. These consisted of specially selected children taken in secret at facilities such as on Ganymede where they were injected with the Protomolecule.

In the meantime, the mass on Venus continued to grow and gather where it launched itself back into orbit. The large bio-mass then plotted a course towards Uranus where in its orbit it reformed itself to become the Ring.

Overview

In appearance, the Protomolecule was an infectious agent that was of extra-terrestrial origins that was able to find hosts among living organisms. In reality, it was said to be a set of free-floating instructions designed to adapt to and guide other replicating systems. The Protomolecule operated by finding any construct where it broken them down and re-created them. It was an infectious agent allowing it to infect other life forms but as it was anaerobic it could not be transmitted through the air but through contact. Once infected, the Protomolecule proceeded with altering the host in a process that took several weeks. In this time, the host sought to hibernate but it was capable of being sped up through exposure to nuclear radiation. The infected host was shown to be more sensitive to energy sources such as from electric light sources like lamps. After awakening from hibernation, a host faced disorientation and were feverish with symptoms resembling hemorrhagic fever. At a later stage of infection, they began to ooze a brown fluid that emerged from the various orifices that served as a means of infecting other creatures.

After a large number of hosts were infected, the organism merged into a large mass that could manifest tentacle limbs in order to snatch un-infected hosts to add to its form.

Mao protomolecule hybrid were humanoid entities with distorted features with them being hairless. They were able to survive in a cold vacuum without any protection with them being strong enough to rip apart hull with their bare hands or tear apart humans easily. Whilst not having high intelligence, they were shown to be instinctual and having a base intelligence. A hybrid fed on radiation similar to the mainstream Protomolecule masses and the creatures sought such energy sources. Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile had sought to control the hybrids but installing special regulators in the chest of the human hosts. Such devices had detonation charges that were designed to explode to kill the creature. However, the hybrid was shown to be intelligent enough to rip it from their chest prior to detonation.

Infected

  • Jules-Pierre Mao :
  • Katoa Merton :

Notes

  • The Protomolecule was created by James S. A. Corey where it featured in the setting of The Expanse.

Appearances

  • The Expanse:

External Links

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