The Shape of Things to Come

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It was hot on the beach, so Suetork spread herself nearly flat, her transparent sphere becoming a ring of what appeared to be damp sand. She scattered her black eyes around like pebbles, on the watch for predators who might recognize her kind despite the careful camouflage.

“Alert! Movement—possible predators,” Enupten, the leader, relayed. She was sunbathing farthest from the blue deep, but not far enough for Suetork. Just because she managed to evade the keen eyes of an elaw by superb blending of shadow shades, Enupten thought she was better than the rest of them.

Suetork rearranged her eyes into the warning cluster. One of her sisters, in the mundane shape and color of sea slime, got the message and rolled her “tarball” eyes into the same configuration. The message was thus transmitted all down the beach.

As Suetork readjusted her eyes, her sensor hairs detected sound waves from the direction of the predators. She formed a shell shape to better receive the message, but it was not an elaw code she recognized. Firming her surface by squeezing out bubbles, she watched the predators move closer, hoping her new form would protect her. She took a great deal of satisfaction in trying out new shapes, but if it were too different, the elaw might be suspicious and attack. She noticed Enupten was quick to copy her, though the imitation was a bit sloppy around the edges.

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