Species Beta Hybrids is the term given to any animal or plant that has been mutated by the alien bacteria, radically altering their base form. The name comes from the fact that humans affected by the same mutagen evolved over time to become Alphas. In the case of humans though the bacteria mutation did not actually present itself with any obvious radical changes to the DNA baseline but in the cases of animals and plants, new species are created altogether.
There is one exception to this rule and this is where a human comes into contact with the bacteria in its pure form and this does often result in random changes varying from giving the individual Alpha like abilities or transforming them into a hybrid plant or creature. The latter case often comes about when an individual is bitten or stung by a Species Beta plant or animal, and thus the human DNA is rewritten with elements of the animal/plant that attacked them.
The greatest concentration of Species Beta on the planet is on the remnants of Japan, known unofficially as Terror Island. When the first proper scientific surveys took place on the island and Species Beta were seen for the first time, scientists had no idea why the creatures on the island had taken on unnatural strange forms. It was only after comparing Species Beta with Alpha humans did they learn discover a common denominator, the same alien bacteria that had travelled on the comet.
Until the surveys on the island, the biohazard now identified as bacteria Z, had been assumed to have died out not long after the initial comet strike. However on Terror Island scientists found that Bacteria Z was still present a viable in some areas of the areas of the island. They hypothesised that the bacteria might have been more widespread at one time and entered the food chain and that in turn had transformed the wildlife.
Mutation Types
Species Beta mutations can vary wildly, and depends on a number of factors which include the type of host creature, how it was exposed and whether it was exposed to other factors. One reason scientists surmise that some Species Beta have human intelligence or can even resemble humans is down to the fact that as Terror Island was once Japan and home to many people, the presence of human DNA though small could have catalysed with Bacteria Z to create hybrids.
Some of the types encountered so far are
- Predatory Plants – plant species that still resemble plants but have the means to attack large prey. Some are even mobile.
- Plant/Human hybrids – plants which actually resemble humans, or can transform into a human form and have the same intelligence. Despite their looks, on a biological level they are still plants.
- Human/Plant hybrid – These are humans who have come in contact with Bacteria Z via a species Beta and have acquired traits relating to plants. This can include transformation or new skills or both.
- Biped plants – these are plants that can are biped in nature, can move around but do not have a human appearance but may or may not have a human intelligence.
- Species Beta creatures – these creatures are so radically different that the original host species cannot be identified hence they are simply referred to as Species beta. Some are predators and some are passive. They may or may not have Alpha like abilities. Most are highly intelligent.
- Biped creatures – these are creatures that walk on two legs as opposed to primate fashion. Most observed across the species have human like intelligence but are physically larger and stronger. The best known example of this are the Brute species.
- Animal/Human hybrids – as with the similar plant/human hybrids, these creatures usually have some human features in their animal form but at a biological level their primary DNA is animal. Whilst many are capable of taking on a full human appearance with some species this is either not possible or only partly possible.
- Human/Animal hybrids – These are similar to existing animal hybrids in that they are humans that can gain animal features and abilities, these are the result of a person coming into contact with Bacteria Z as opposed to genetic manipulations of scientists.
- Empowered Humans – these are people who have been exposed to Bacteria Z and gained Alpha like abilities. They are not true Alphas and their “powers” are often stronger or unpredictable or both.
Examples of Species Beta Hybrid designation:-
