[Jack POV]

During the crash, I must have hit my head, because the next thing I knew I was waking up in a dark Chamber of some kind, to the sound of Sawing.

"Wh... Whats going on..."

<Hold on, Jack. Activating Luminous Sight.>

The room suddenly appeared bright as day... the cybernetic modifications in my eyes generating light. I was in...

"A wooden Sphere?"

<indeed. Seems our little tree is more than just an Empathic with minor shape altering abilities. These are it's roots.>

I turned toward the little tree...  it's leaves were glowing faintly... then I saw it. Blood. My blood, from when I hit my head... but it was disappearing. Then I recalled the handprint from before, when the hydroponics room was launched... I'd cut myself with my fingernails... 

"I see. Mother. If my blood was absorbed by the tree, would it..."

<OH! Yes, Jack, it Would. And would explain everything, including the odd link it seems to have with you.>

"I thought so. So, who is doing all that sawing?"

<judging by the RFID tag, it's O'Neal. Should I open coms?>

"Yeah."

<very well.>

A holoscreen appeared, broadcast by my left eye, showing O'Neal.

[Jack! You're Alive! Thank the God's! The ship carved out a new Ravine. We've been trying to cut through this weird wood, but it keeps regrowing...] a grinding sound [And there goes the last Sawblade.]

"It's fine, O'Neal. I can get out. And I know what's going on now."

[REALLY? Mind filling the rest of us in?]

"Nanites. Back when the station blew up, I gripped my little tree with enough force to imbed my handprint. I also cut my own hand with my nails. That's why the tree started displaying metamorphic properties. During the crash, I hit my head... on the tree. It absorbed the blood again..."

[Giving it a larger stock of nanites. Damn machines. That's why thus wood kept regrouping, its that damned tree!]

"Indeed. Let me try something."

I placed my palm on the tree... and broadcast a feeling of calm. The roots began to dissolve as the nanotechnology receded back into the sapling.

"What the hell! JACK! TURN IT OFF!"

I looked around, confused... and saw the squad of soldiers accompanying O'Neal falling ine after the other...

<Oh my. Jack, stop broadcasting. Apparently, Your inborn Empathic Telepathy has been supercharged, amplified by the tree, and you're putting them to sleep.>

I immediately stopped broadcasting the calm feeling to the tree.

"Ho-YAWN... holy shit, Jack... that was some powerful calm feelings..."

I followed O'Neal to the troop carrier, one of the few vehicles that had Been loaded pre-assembled. And helped load the four unconscious men, after strapping in my tree.

[Three days later]

Six squat prefab buildings. That's all we've built for now. construction is ongoing, and Alpha Colony is almost complete. It was growing late when the attack happened. Six huge Ape-like Creatures with wolf-like heads and spines like a Porcupine Came charging out of the jungle, Howling like banshees. Our stun guns and Laser Rifles did next to no damage. Private Chang Li was torn in half, screaming all the way... then a loud bang, and one of the creatures fell with a hole in its head. O'Neal had whipped out an old solid ammo handgun. A .44 Magnum. A few shots later, and the remaining creatures fled. We had two fatalities, and nine injuries. Four apes were dead. Of the injured, three were critical.

"What the fuck were those things?"

<scans show that they are the descendants of Animals that were sent to this planet shortly after its discovery. The idea being to make this once barren yet inhabitable planet an indangered species preserve. Back when the stations were just being built...>

"Wait. Mother, are you sayin those things were from earth?"

<Indeed, O'Neal. Scans show the primary species markers of the animals known as howler monkeys. They've obviously evolved somehow.>

"Howlers. Let's call them howlers."

<noted, Jack. Indigenous Species #1: Howlers.>

"God's. I wonder what other monsters are out there."

"No idea, O'Neal. But one thing is certain. I want Everyone armed with Solid Ammo guns, as soon as the Weapon Fabricators are online. If you hadn't had that antique..."

"Understood, Boss. Glad my Daddy kept it in the family. My great grandpappy had this sucker custom made, as a wedding gift to my grandpappy. It's an heirloom. Daddy always said, Son, I know those new weapons are cheaper, and easier to maintain, but someday this big-ass hunk of Steel is gonna save your life. He was right."

"Sounds like a wise man."

"No, actually, My Daddy was a racist, Homophobic, Moron. Never did anything to make me proud of him. But hey, least he did one thing right, yeah?"

<two things, O'Neal.>

"Mothers right. He made you keep that gun... and he helped make YOU. That's two things."

I've never seen a grown man blush before.

"Shucks, Y'all... gonna make me cry."